Dyson produces a range of upright, floor and handheld vacuum cleaners that utilise bagless, cyclone technology to improve suction. Released in Australia in 2011, the Dyson DC34 Animal also includes a new Dyson digital motor to improve performance and run-time.
Dyson DC34 Product Details (from Dyson)
Powered by Dyson digital motor – up to 3x faster than conventional motors.
- 15 minutes of high constant suction (13 minutes with motorised brush bar attached)
- 6 minutes of MAX power for more difficult tasks
- Twice the suction of any other handheld in use
- Recharge time: 3.5 hours
- No extra costs – filter is washable
- Radix Cyclone (TM) technology that doesn’t lose suction as you vacuum
- One-touch bin emptying
- Lithium-ion battery
- LED battery indicator
- Weight 1.5kg
- Tools included: crevice tool, combination accessory tool, motorised brush bar
- 2 year parts and labour guarantee
- RRP: A$349
Further specifications available from the Dyson website.
Product Performance
The Dyson DC34 Animal handheld vacuum displays the same excellent suction and cleaning properties of the larger Dyson models. The attachments enable the vacuum to quickly and efficiently clean a range of surfaces including carpeting, upholstery, floorboards and bedding and the portability makes the unit idea for cleaning stairways and car upholstery.
The motorised brush bar ensures an excellent result in removing pet hair from furniture, cushions and bedding, leaving the surfaces hair free. Longer hair can become entangled in the brush during cleaning, however it is possible to remove the brush cylinder from the attachment to facilitate cleaning and hair removal. Longer hair (such as the waist length hair of my daughter), does require a little time and effort to untangle.
The MAX power boost button improves the cleaning ability for more stubborn areas, however it does significantly reduce the battery life, leaving the user with only six minutes of cleaning time. A small LED light flashes when there is less than one minute of cleaning time remaining, however it is easy to miss this warning if focused on the job at hand. There is also no way of knowing how much charge remains prior to the one minute warning.
The opening catch for the vacuum barrel allows users to easily empty the vacuum over a small bin or into a rubbish bag without creating further mess or touching the contents. Long hair, small pieces of paper, etc. can remain higher in the barrel requiring users to remove the hair manually.
The cleaner is ideal for dealing with small cleaning tasks and is particularly suited to dealing with pet hair and dust, such as removing pet hair from furniture before guests arrive or cleaning car seats and carpeted stairs. As with all Dyson cleaners, the DC34 Animal handheld achieves excellent results in collecting fine dust from carpet, bedding and other soft surfaces.
General Comments
The Dyson DC34 offers excellent cleaning results over a variety of surfaces. The unit is larger than many handheld cleaners and weighs 1.5 kg. The unit is ergonomically designed and comfortable to hold and use, but the weight and size may make it unsuitable for people with muscle strength issues in their hands and arms. Additionally, while the cleaner does produce excellent results, the A$349 cost may be prohibitive for some.
The size of the unit also poses some issues for storage. There is no wall bracket for storage or charging, however the battery can be removed to facilitate charging. With all attachments removed, the unit is approximately 30cm long, 20cm high and 11cm wide. The charging time of 3.5 hours is very reasonable compared with other rechargeable handheld cleaners on the market.
The instruction manual includes several pages of image-only instructions accompanied by a page of safety instructions and 1.5 pages of detailed instructions on use, cleaning and troubleshooting information.
The vacuum is NOT able to clean water or liquid spills, however the included filter can be washed and reused so that additional filter purchases are not required.
The Dyson DC34 Animal handheld vacuum is an excellent vacuum cleaner for use on small vacuum cleaning tasks. It is ideal for refreshing bed blankets, quilts and covers, cleaning carpeted stairs, vacuuming inside cars, removing pet hair from furnishings and removing dust and dirt from a variety of surfaces. The unit is easy to use, the attachments included make it versatile and the cleaning results are excellent.
Disclaimer:
A Dyson DC34 Animal handheld was made available to facilitate this review. The product was trialled over a period of one month in an Australian family household. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
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