I finally got around to trying out my Dyson DC16 handheld cordless vacuum yesterday when my salt shaker lost it's plug and dumped salt all over the stove and countertop. I turned it on and it sucked really good for about a minute and then it quit. I tried again and it would only run for 2 or 3 seconds at a time and had to wait for a minute or two before it would do that. Needless to say, I am very disappointed in this product. I have revised my rating from 1 to 2. The first time I used it was very disappointing. I decided to recharge it and try again. This time it ran for 8 to 10 minutes before it ran out of juice. I actually got the front passenger seat and floor vacuumed in my RAV4. It's a small area. I plan on doing the driver's side today...wish me luck! Suction Performance Does NOT give 6 minutes of suction! :( I've upgraded this to 8 minutes on the second time I used it. Durability I've only used it two times so don't know if it will last very long. I have an upright Dyson and it has lasted for about 5 years now and still works great.

dgarey

Livingston, TX

I initially loved my dyson handheld vacuum especially with 2 kids, 2 cats and a husband that continually tracks dirt into the house. Not only is it not too heavy, it is not too bulky and it had good suction. My 4 year old nephew used to come over just to clean with it and we seriously considered buying him one as a gift. It is powerful and can get into all sorts of crevices and angles. There is something about the long neck that really gets into the dirt in hard to reach places. I also like the ease of emptying this after using it and its sort of fun to see all the stuff you have sucked up during your cleaning session. Over time my love for this product has dwindled. I do not think it keeps charged up for long periods of time which makes it difficult if you are zipping around the house sucking things up and having to take a break to get it recharged. If they could revamp the battery life of this product or even make it so you could plug it in a use it at the same time it would receive a higher rating from me, but I still think this is the best handheld vacuum that is out there right now. Durability Horrible battery life. Only stays charged for a matter of minutes.

amybears

Aurora, IL

Pros: Vaccum has good suction power. It seems stronger than my other hand vacuum. The canister is easy to empty and has decent storage. It s good for keep clean up Cons: It has terrible battery life. I wanted it to clean my bedroom, but only good for like 5 minutes and battery dies. I also dislike having to hold the push button for it to turn it on.  It sores up your hand.having to hold it down all the time. its takes up more cpace than other hand vacuum since it sit horizontal instead of vertically in charge mood. My other hand vacvuum at home has weaker suction but has more vaccum capacity and longer battery life. I can run for half an hour and i can use it to clean the whole house before needed to be empty and recharge. Maneuverability light, but unadjustable nozzle means it knocks things over Ease of Maintenance easy to clean out Suction Performance its sucks well but sucks up power even more and loses suctiom Versatility very light cleaning, too clunky to clean a car Design Have to hold down button lead to cramps Durability hasne't broken but seems filmsy

magnum17x

San Jose, CA

I really love my full-sized Dyson and was really impressed by its suction that when I came to by a handheld I naturally stuck with the Dyson brand. It has good suction, but it is not as remarkable as their large vacuums.  The battery life once charged is not long, but suitable for the type of jobs you would use a handheld for.  It does take a long time to recharge again, so much so that when it has lost its charge you are done cleaning for the day.  However, anything job requiring longer time than the charge lasts really requires you to get out the full-sized vacuum anyway.  It is easy to clean. You just push a button and the trap door opens and you dump it into the trash can.  The negatives are it is really expensive, and I although I have not tried any other handheld vacuums since the original dustbuster years ago, I am not sure it is much more effective than other products that are less expensive.   It is also bulky to hang on the wall.  Something  I also don't like how sometimes the garbage can fall out if you hold the vacuum downward and it is not on. Overall, it does the job but I don't think it is worth the price. Design Very large and bulky for a handheld. Durability For the price, I was disappointed to find that after 2 years the battery seems to have given out.

momsdefault

West Palm Beach, FL

With two small children and two cats plus the husband I needed a handheld that would actually get into small spaces and would actually do what it says, SUCK UP THE DIRT.  Having tried several and all to a dissapointment I finally bit the bullet and bought the Dyson handheld when Linen's and Things was going out of business and thus on sale.  I WAS NEVER SO HAPPY TO HAVE ANYTHING IN MY LIFE!  This item was better than I could have dreamed, though I did have to get used to the fact I had 10 min and that was it on a charge, that was new for me, but rather have that and have it really work than have no power and no suction for longer.  This would get up anything under the highchair, anything in on or around the excersaucer, all the stuff my preschooler would toss on the floor, think she thought we had dogs not cats!  Oh and that lovely foot print mud marks from the husband, oh yeah, THOSE, history!  Sadly I did something stupid with my Dyson :(  WHen it says AVOID water.......they mean it.  I was cleaning it one day and not paying attention and somehow managed to get water in it and well......then I had water coming out where the air is supposed to and that was all she wrote on the motor :(  I soooooooo miss my dyson and do plan to replace it with the same one I had, someday!  On a 1-10 score, I would definately rank it a 12!

mom2doodlebug

Saco, ME

I am a huge fan of Dyson.  We have had our "real" one for 7 years now without a problem and it's fabulous.  But I wanted a "dustbuster" type for small jobs or doing the stairs, so we turned to Dyson in the form of this DC16.  Mistake!  First, its battery life is ridiculously short.  After one flight of stairs (like 10 steps?), it was dead.  It did vaccuum well, but there are other factors to consider, and this was one of them for me.  Also, it has a very narrow sucker, so it made doing the stairs take a long time (maybe that's why the battery was so short).  I think this would be great for just little spills, like if you are cooking and spill flour, or if you want to vaccuum up your counter after cooking, but I needed more  uses than that.  In a final insult, the charging units / ports broke quickly so that it wouldn't hold a charge at all!  It is now in our garage somewhere, and I switched to the Dirt Devil and am much happier.

ladyrussiamoon

Elgin, IL

There are many pros and cons to the Dyson Handheld vacuum cleaner.  First, it is great because it is cordless you can go anywhere and use it, your fans, car, boat, stairs it is great.  The downfall is the battery life only lasts for 10 min so you cant go crazy with the cleaning.  You can do your steps then wait 4 hours for it to charge back up then clean something else which is annoying.  Another pro is that it is compact lightweight, con: you have to empty the bin a lot!.  As far as suction goes I think it gets most stuff up but it is hard even with the attachments to get the dog hair out of the corners of the stairs.  Also the brush nozzle head is so small that it takes a while to clean one step cause you keep having to go back and forth, they need to provide a larger nozzle for larger jobs.  I think they do not include that because then there really wouldnt be much power.  For the price I dont think it is worth it but if you really want a cordless handheld then this is a good one.

jmccurr3

Centreville, VA

I own two upright Dyson vacuums, and when this handheld was released, I had to have it!  I was not disappointed!  The suction of this handheld far beats any other that I have used.  The different attachments make it easy to get into crevices and behind pieces of furniture.  It can be used with just one hand...you don't have to hold the vacuum in one hand and the nozzle in the other like other models.  The canister that holds dirt is big and is easily emptied.  This handheld runs off of a rechargeable battery, so you just pick it up and start using it, you don't have to unwind a cord, find a plug, etc.  The price is a little steep compared to other handheld vacuums, but the quality is worth the extra cost.  The only thing that I consider a con is that the battery life is short.  It lasts about 3-5 minutes before having to be recharged, making this vacuum only effective for small messes that require little time to clean up.  Vacuuming furniture or cleaning out an entire car would not be feasible with this handheld.  

seidina

Shelbyville, IN

I loved my full size Dyson so I decided to get a handheld model as well. I love that it has the same awesome suction of a full size Dyson, but I don't like that it doesn't hold last long once you turn it on. It takes several hours to charge it, but then only lasts 2-3 minutes. So I use it for quick clean ups and my stairs but the battery does not last long at all! I have had it for about a year and the only negative I can say is that the battery dies quickly and needs to be recharged, everything else about it is great! It sucks up much better than any other hand held vacuum I have tried. I have never had to replace anything on it so I have no idea on the cost of that. Dyson please make a better battery for these!

CouponClippingMama

Hurricane, UT

We've had this handheld rechargeable Dyson vacuum for over a year and it continues to work beautifully. The attachments are easy to put on and take off. I like not having to buy bags and being able to empty it whenever I want, and sliding it in and out of the recharger is very simple. I feel it has great suction and is especially helpful on my stairs. I have used it on carpeted and now on our new hardwood stairs and it works great on both. It saves me from having to use the big vacuum on them so much. It's alot harder to carry a full-size vacuum up and down the stairs to vacuum each step, than using this handheld vacuum. The only complaint I have is it is a bit heavy and the battery life doesn't last as long as I'd like.

junglejym

Sherwood, OR