Dyson DC31 Handheld Vacuum with Dual Power Mode (Latest Generation)

The DC31 is a handheld mini-marvel, weighing less than a standard bag of sugar it fits nicely in your hand, comes with a brush tool and a crevice tool and is great for all those little jobs around the house.

The lithium battery will give 10 minutes use on normal power or 6 minutes on the high power setting and after repeated use I'd say those timings are pretty accurate. Although 10 minutes may not sound long, it's long enough for things like cleaning the car, the stairs, the curtains, the sofa or picking up those crumbs from the kitchen floor - the list lengthens as I find more and more uses for it.

As a couple of other reviewers have said it's a terrific and humane fly catcher - it's also great for creepy crawlies. This time of year monster sized spiders seem to find their way into my house. I saw one on the stairs the other day so big it was climbing up them two at a time - grabbed my DC31 and whoosh in it went, I just took it outside released the catch and out it fell and ran away into the bushes (probably planning its re-entry as I type this)

This really is a fabulous gadget (if a somewhat expensive one) and after having it a couple of weeks I'm finding myself using it more and more as it's so easy to just grab it rather than lugging the main vacuum (a full size Dyson) out of the cupboard. It's very easy to use, just grab it and press the trigger action button on the handle. To empty just press the release catch and the bottom drops open to deposit your waste. It isn't a replacement for a vacuum cleaner but it's an extremely useful extra. The limitations set by the battery life and recharge time (3 hours) are the only downside that I can see.

I own a previous incarnation of a Dyson handheld vacuum cleaner and in some ways the DC31 has several improvements. First, it is significantly smaller and lighter. Second, it offers two power settings whereas the DC16 had only one. Third, the style is - in a Dyson way - a little more attractive.

Some problems that were present with the DC16 remain however. Battery life remains appalling with a maximum usage time of 10 minutes with a three-hour charge then required. Using the higher suction option the battery life is reduced further. Although lighter than the DC16 the DC31 is still not a light machine. In some ways it's a benefit that the battery only lasts for 10 minutes as, if you are cleaning blinds for example, your arm will be aching holding it for any longer. It is smaller but is still bulky and for use in difficult-to-access areas such as cleaning a car it is simply too large to get the suction nozzle into position. This is worsened still as the basic tools the DC31 comes with do not extend very far.

And one or two things I think are worse. The DC16 came with a charger stand which rather neatly could be screwed to a wall for good storage. The DC31 doesn't and has to be left plugged in to a socket on the back of the DC31. This means a mess of wires in a kitchen or utility room work surface. Second, the battery is heavier to get the additional power from the handheld for a full six minutes, or 10 at the lower power setting. I'm not sure this is an improvement. Further, the new motor unit much flagged by Dyson seems to offer no advantages. The vacuum has a two-year guarantee as did the DC16 so if the new motor is a step change in quality why is a five-year warranty not being offered as with some other Dyson products?

Overall I was going to give this vacuum four stars but having re-read the review, and reflecting the cost of the unit, it's gone down to three.

As James Dyson is responsive to customer reviews and has proposed a consultative business model, it would be good to have feedback from him on the Amazon site.

The first thing you notice about this little Dyson is the power, it's incredible! I've had a few handheld vacuums over the years and the two main problems they have is the low power/poor suction followed by total loss of suction a minute or two after starting to use them. This Dyson has neither of those issues.

Several reviews have pointed out the battery life, 10 minutes on low power and 6 minutes on high power (although on mine it's about 3 and a half on high in practice). Admittedly, this isn't very long but for a handheld cleaner how long do you need? Dyson clearly had a choice of longer use or more power, and I for one am glad they went with more power! I've been using this every day for the past month now and as long as I remember to recharge it, the 10 minute life has been more than sufficient for every task, as has the lower power setting!.

I'm also wondering how I ever managed without it!

The battery is a new digital design allowing it to be recharged in half the time of a standard version. At 3 and a half hours, I know batteries that will charge just as fast, but none of them are as powerful, so it seems a reasonable trade off. It doesn't come with any kind of docking station, but the battery can be removed and a replacement slotted straight on without any waiting.

There are a couple of negatives, there's no hose, and the unit is a little bulky, so trying to dust behind TV's etc. is difficult. A tool kit can be purchased direct from Dyson with a hose, dusting brush, wide upholstery tool and a stubborn dirt brush, which work well with the machine, but for the price, the hose at least should really be included with the handheld. Personally I'd like to have seen a spare battery included for good measure too, but they too are available for purchase from the Dyson site.

In all, the machine is excellent and worth the high price tag, I would have liked to see a couple more things included, but if you're after a useful and powerful handheld with good suction and easy emptying, then don't be put off by the high price, it is worth the money!

I would recommend getting the additional tools from Dyson if you want to get the full benefits of the DC31, and if you're a really heavy user, you'll probably want to invest in a spare battery too.