The Dirt Devil Upright Featherlite Vacuum Cleaner: Why I like it
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2009
by Joel Hirschhorn
http://www.delusionaldemocracy.com
All too often we get stuck with consumer products that really suck, usually something we discover after we have started to use them so that returning them to get a refund is not possible. We curse and moan and swear never to buy that brand name again. So, what a refreshing experience I had during the past holiday season when I decided to take action on my wife's complaints about how awful our several vacuum cleaners were performing. I surprised her by doing a little research and buying her a new vacuum cleaner that she is thrilled with. Nothing better than to buy something that a spouse uses and hitting a home run (okay, I admit, I hate cleaning the house, so all I do is listen to a vacuum cleaner).
A key feature for the Dirt Devil I chose that seemed great was its light weight. I can relate to the disgust with schlepping around a vacuum cleaner from one room and one floor to another. Dirt Devil clearly has done its consumer research. When it uses the Featherweight name for its product it is being honest. At around 14 pounds this model is definitely less burdensome than many other cleaners, including two old ones that we had. In fact, most of the more expensive ones tend to be pretty heavy. It was a pleasure to donate our old, heavy cleaners to Goodwill.
Another feature of the Dirt Devil is that it has a really powerful motor. This product really sucks in a very good way. Besides being impressed with strong it sounder to me, I kept hearing my wife around the house loudly proclaiming how strong a suction the Dirt Devil had. She was totally impressed. At one point she ran downstairs with the cleaner to show me how much dirt it had sucked up from rooms that she thought were pretty clean. And that's another nice feature this cleaner has; it has a clear plastic chamber where you can easily see how much dirt the Devil has sucked up, and this is functional because you can see when it is time to do what is necessary for all vacuums.
Which leads me to praise another feature. Inside that clear plastic chamber you can see a vertical filter. Unlike most vacuum cleaners, this model is bagless, using technology called MicroFresh Filtration. Eventually all vacuums suck up so much dirt that they become inefficient or actually clogged. Having to buy new vacuum cleaner bags has always been a distasteful chore (though I avoided vacuuming, I was tasked with finding bags). Often finding exactly the right one for the model you have is difficult and it is obviously a recurring expense. With this filter type cleaner all you have to do is empty the plastic container and wash the filter. These days this seems like a "green" feature, because fewer materials are being consumed. The whole process looks very simple. And the company claims that the filter is incredibly efficient, removing over 99 percent of particles.
Yet another feature my wife has loved is that the unit automatically adjusts the height of whatever it uses mechanically when it rolls over floors or carpets. Apparently, many cleaners require the operator to adjust the height for different situations, such as different types of carpets and rugs, versus wood or tile floors.
When I opened up the box, eager to impress my wife with a new present, I was first more than a little shocked at what looked like a very challenging job of assembling a number of components. What truly impressed me was that there was this eye-catching paper notice telling people facing this task that there was a toll free number to call to get help with assembly. I had not recalled such a nice notice in a product. As it turned out, the booklet of instructions was so good that I went through the assembly rather easily, with minimal cursing and with a little help from my wife.
Also of note is that the model I purchased has a two-year warranty, compared to many cleaners that only offer one-year. I should also note that Devil has a full set of attachments and a hose arrangement so that it can be used to clean non-floor surfaces. And also something that can easily go unappreciated: it has a 25 foot long electric cord that is easily used at various lengths so that the operator does not have to repeatedly unplug and replug the unit into electric outlets. And it has a light to guide work.
Sure, I considered a $400 vacuum cleaner also available at Target and, yes, it certainly has some features that might be better. But in these hard economic times I feel that I made the right decision and got fine value for my $47. By the way, Dirt Devil was rated number one Consumer's Choice for a vacuum by the NPD Group, a market research firm . And, no doubt, my house will be much cleaner. And what a price to make your spouse happy!
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