Dyson vacuums are the brainchild of Sir James Dyson. They are different from conventional vacuum cleaners. While normal vacuums have bags and filters (that can clog up and reduce the suction), Dysons include a patented Root Cyclone technology which uses centrifugal forces to spin the dirt and dust straight into the bin. Since there are no bags, there’s no loss of suction and the Dyson just keeps on working.

Sir James Dyson was born in Norfolk in 1947, and although he created a number of early products from the 1970s onwards, he is best known for his Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, that would not lose suction as it filled up. James had become disillusioned with his Hoover, as it kept clogging with dirt, so had the idea of using rotational force (cyclone) in a vacuum cleaner.

After several years of trial and error, Dyson released the G-Force cleaner in 1983 to the Japanese market. It was very expensive to produce but did win design awards and in 1986, he got his first patent for the vacuum cleaning appliance.

Despite the obvious potential of his cyclonic vacuum cleaners, manufacturers in the UK refused to back his products. Maybe it was partly or wholly due to the costs of producing them. Undeterred, Dyson setup his own factory in Wiltshire. Eventually the Dyson vacuums became big sellers as a bagless vacuum that didn’t clog up. Other manufacturers tried to jump on the bandwagon, and Hoover ended up being sued by Dyson for patent infringement.

In 2005, Dyson used the wheel ball (taken from an earlier wheelbarrow invention of his), and added it to a vacuum cleaner to create the Dyson Ball. The Dyson ball allowed the vacuum to move easily around corners and turn on a spot. This solved one of the big problems associated with standard vacuums – fixed wheels on a fixed axle make vacuums difficult to turn.

There are a number of discontinued Dyson models, including G-Force, DC01, DC02, DC03, DC04, DC05, DC06, DC07, DC08, DC08T models.

The current list of Dyson Vacuums include the following models: DC11, DC12, DC12plus, DC14, DC15, DC16 Animal, D16 Car & boat, DC17, DC18, DC19, DC19 T2, DC20 Allergy, DC21, DC22, DC23, DC23 T2, DC24, DC25, DC26, DC27, DC28, DC29, DC30, DC31. Many of these models have more than one vacuum with slightly different features. We’ll have a look at many of them on this website (scroll to the bottom for specific model specifications and reviews).

You’ll notice that there was no DC09 or DC10 models. This is because of aircraft with the same name. You may also hear about Dyson Hand Dryers. These are once again innovative “airblade” technologies from the Dyson company that dry your hands in just 10 seconds. With air travelling at 400 mph, water is scraped from your hands.

Dyson Vacuum Technology

The technology behind the Dyson range means that Dyson can offer very special features:

2. Patented Cyclone technology meaning no loss of suction as the dirt is separated from the air using cyclone technology. The dust spins at high speed.
3. Cleaner Air coming from the exhaust – Dyson uprights are asthma and allergy friendly, with the exhaust air being reported to contain up to 150 times less bacteria and mold than the air you breathe.
4. Works on all flooring surfaces.
5. Lifetime HEPA and washable filters.
6. 5 year guarantee parts & labor.

Dyson introduced a number of innovative technologies. We mentioned the ball earlier for easy turning of vacuums, but there are a host of other innovations including the carbon free motor.Traditional electric motors are large, heavy and tend to break easily. As they are used over and over again, the brushes wear and give off carbon dust. Dyson changed the type of motor in his vacuums by creating a digital motor that was controlled by microchip. The Dyson digital motor can spin at 88,000 rpm, and is half the size and weight of traditional electric motors. Since the digital motor has no brushes, Dyson brushed off the carbon dust problem.

Which Dyson Should I buy? The Dyson Comparison Chart allows you to compare Dyson vacuum cleaners.

NOTE: Every effort has been made to make the Dyson comparison chart accurate, but we cannot guarantee this information, so please check with your vacuum supplier. To read more details on each vacuum, you can click the Model Name link. To check the latest price and availability, click the price link. All links open in a new window so you don’t lose your place on this site.

Key to Columns:

Type – The type of vacuum
Pets – Recommended for pets
AF – All Floors
Ball – Dyson Ball movement
AA – Asthma & Allergy friendly
Su – suction in air watts
lb/Kg – weight in pounds/Kilograms
Hepa – HEPA filter?
Wand – Telescopic Reach Wand
AIRM – Air Muscle technology

$ – Rough Price guide (in US Dollars). These prices were correct on 5th October 2009, but may change without notice.

Tools included:
CAT – Combination Accessory Tool
ST – Stair Tool
MTH – Mini Turbine Head
FOH – Flat Out Head
BT -Brush Tool
CT -Crevice Tool
LRFT – Low Reach Floor Tool
HFT – Hard Floor Tool
CCK – Carpet Cleaning Kit
MBH – Motorised Brush Head