More Power, No Problems

Ready to slay some dust bunnies this Spring cleaning? Tired of cat hair ruining your carpets, or sick of trying to clear out the cobwebs in your attic mostly by waving your hands around? Is your vacuum too heavy or loud, or are you constrained to using it within a few feet of an outlet? We’ve got an apartment dwellers dream, a compact, lightweight, extendable and portable vacuum cleaner from the company that reinvigorated the category.

The Dyson DC59 Animal Cordless Vacuum is certainly not your average model. When we last checked in with Dyson and their DC23 canister vac, we were impressed by the sheer power, as well as the space-age looks. The DC59 takes the same great industrial design and shrinks it, offering power comparable to a corded vacuum in a svelte battery-powered body. The last handheld model we saw was their DC31, and the latest update improves in every way on the predecessors. And it comes with a mini motorized tool, turning a hand vacuum into a flexible do-it-all wonder.

For starters, the low profile brush head slides under your couch, sofa, or other furniture easily. The battery life on older models was only about 15 minutes, and the DC59 just about doubles that, probably thanks to the change from lithium ion chemistry to new nickel manganese cobalt. Of course, the weight is also about doubled- but you’ll still barely notice it at under five pounds.

 Plus, it’s well balanced enough that even your average teenager gal will be able to extend the hose and clean the ceilings without feeling likely to fall over. The 28 airwatts of power- and we love that measurement- put by the ‘Cyclone’ technology is enough to handle even carpets and do a quick job on floors. It’s still loud, but not that bad, and comparable to most others in this class.

As you might guess from the Animal in the name, this little guy does a solid job on working with pets and their fur and dander. We tried it out to attempt to clear some rugs, blankets, and surfaces from the hair that inevitably gets everywhere- and only needed to take one pass, with everything looking fresh and clean moments later.