[hiven]

I think they are getting there. The hair dryer is not a bad product really. However I do feel like some of their products still have quite a way to go. The excessive use of cheap plastic with bright coloured highlights aren't to everyone's taste.

[Inconel]

I don't currently own a vacuum, I have a very small apartment with hardwood floors, and my experience with Dyson vacuums is limited to casually viewing them a few times in stores, but what do you mean by "cheap plastic"? Are you saying that all plastic is cheap or that Dyson specifically uses poorly made plastics? From my understanding using well made injection molded plastics can be both difficult from a production/engineering standpoint as well as quite expensive, but again I don't know the quality of plastics in Dyson products. I agree in that I'm not a big fan of their color schemes.

Also, maybe someone with more vacuum experience can chime in but what's the preferred material choice for an upright vacuum? Plastic seems pretty perfect to me in that it has good impact resistance and probably won't scratch or damage furniture/walls too much. I know aluminum is quite the rage in the consumer electronics world but I doubt that would make a good choice. I bet carbon fiber would be nice although the price would increase a few hundred percent.

[convolvatron]

i like the little vacuums for apartments. a lot of suction, light, good attachment design.

but the visual design is pretty damn awful, and the way the whole thing fits together has plenty of flex. the gaskets don't really sit right, etc. its a good machine if you don't have a lot to cover, if you ignore the price, but its not a great product.

[seanmcdirmid]

I own a V6, portable battery operated vacuum, and it's completely changed the way I treat vacuuming from a weekly chore to a daily ritual. It's funny what cordless does.

The V6 and newer V8 don't have a lot of plastic unlike the bigger Dyson vacuums. They also are idea for small apartments and do well on hardware floors.

[mohaine]

Cheap plastic if fine. It does need to look like "quality" though, especially at $300. Dyson's just look cheap (IMHO).

The $35 eureka commercial I bought 12 years ago is still going strong. It is mostly metal. I can afford to change a lot of bags a bit early for that $265 difference.

[totalZero]

Dyson vacuums were the only ones that could last longer than a semester under constant usage in my college fraternity.

[icanhackit]

My DC05 purchased ~2004 is still going strong. I can't think of another device except my Sony amp that has lasted that long.

[King-Aaron]

I have a VAX-2000 that my parents bought in like 1993, which I was handed down in 2004, and still runs strong in my workshop.

The key to extending the life of a vacuum cleaner is always clean the filter :)

[majewsky]

Ah, the DC05. A very fine machine. I also had one until last year.

[bivvy]

"they are getting there. The hair dryer is not a bad product really"

Really, I don't think you know what you are talking about. The supersonic is innovate and in a useful way in how it distributes the heat. Pros love it. And it looks great.

"excessive use of cheap plastic"

Many people like the modern industrial look. The highest quality plastics are always used. And above all Dyson is about engineering excellence and producing a product that is useful and functions at a new level.

You really need to do your reading about the company :)

[hiven]

I think you have perhaps been won over by their excellent marketing team. I've been an engineer for long enough to have a reasonable say in the field.

[xyzzy_plugh]

To be honest the hair dryer is perhaps one of the best things I've ever bought -- it's literally worth more than the price point. It's a time machine. My spouse shaves 10+ minutes off her day every morning.

Having gone through many, many hair dryers, ranging from cheap to inexcusably expensive, the Dyson is hands down awesome. Perhaps other people have different experiences, but I love it.

A sidenote: I've owned two Dyson vacuums in the past, and I didn't really care for either.

[hayksaakian]

the account you're replying to was created for the purpose of posting that "comment" so if there was ever evidence of shilling on hacker news, this is it.

[bivvy]

I am not in any way linked to Dyson. But I am a fan who uses Dyson's products because I like them. I have used them and I am not going on assumptions and just blurting out opinions as some here are.

Often in forums do I find people hiding behind user names who say something stupid and then say "I'm an engineer so I know better!". Then give abs. no reason (let alone technical) to back this up whatsoever.

When it's clear they have not even tried the product! And are spouting opinions. We need less of that. More people who know what they are talking about please or be quiet.

[mprev]

The plastic used in the DC41 vacuum cleaner is so flexible that parts of it bend almost to the point of breaking during normal use.

Without judging if the plastic is cheap, it certainly feels less solid than they used to, in my experience. Sure, sample of one.

[Lutia]

You should educate yourself on the realities of the overpriced banalities that are the products you're paid to shill for :

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j-vJxez9UF8

[rconti]

If you actually watched the video, he was quite complimentary towards the quality of the plastics.