A Dyson tool adaptor is nothing new you may think – but this one is!

As a savvy Dyson Medic reader, you are reading about this one before it is even available!

That is how much our finger is on the pulse in Dyson land.

Early Dysons, being DC01, DC02, DC03, DC04, DC05 (not Motorhead), DC07 and DC14 all used similar tools. They were a 32mm brush. stair and crevice tool that look like this.

As Dyson owners, we all have a set or three of those in the drawer don’t we? Are they destined for the bin as they don’t fit, now we have bought a DC41 or another newer Dyson? Not yet! Read on…..

Dyson charge about £10 each for those original tools, but you can get after-market ones from anywhere for under a fiver now.

However, Dyson cottoned on to this, so they started making tool fittings a little different for a while.

The first to change was the DC14 crevice tool, they made it curved so after-market and earlier ones wouldn’t stow away on the machine. But they still fit. The after-market addressed that and made a DC14 crevice tool.

So the DC08, DC11, DC15 and many cylinder/canister machines all had different tool fitting sockets on there. For a while, they made each model’s tool connectors a little different. We can see no other reason for this other than to stop after-market sellers selling – for example – a DC15 owner a set of the tools above. DC15’s have a totally unique set of tools with a smaller diameter fitting, and if you want to replace them from Dyson, they will cost you £10 each.

From Dyson’s perspective, they would prefer to have £30 out of you for a set of tools than you get a set of three from eBay for a fiver. Nothing wrong with that, they are in business to make money, and they are not a charity.

However, as with automotive and any other market you can think of, there is an after-market. If the after-market can bring you an item an original manufacturer charges a tenner for, for a fiver, they will. Sometimes Dyson don’t like that and court cases have happened in the past.

Starting with the DC24 baby ball, and the DC16 hand held and the DC23 cylinder, Dyson began to make all the tools with this style of tool connector.

As we can see, there is a crescent, half moon, curved detail on there that prevents the earlier tools fitting the newer machines.

Dyson retained this design of tool in upright machines from the DC24. DC25, DC27 and DC33 right up to the newer DC41 and to the DC65 and beyond.

In cylinder/canister machines, it started with the DC23, through to the DC32 right up to the newer DC39 and beyond.

In hand-held and cordless machines, the new tool design started with the DC16, and is still used in the newer DC44, DC59, DC34, DC43 and DC58 models and beyond.

But not all machines had an old style crevice tool, some only had what they called a multi-tool.

But people wanted traditional crevice, stair and brush tools. The after-market came up with this.

Which you can get from >>HERE<<, and is a traditional crevice tool with the later fitting.

However, lots of people still have lots of the older tools that they like and work well. That look like this.

And they want to use them with their newer Dyson, be it a DC16 hand held, or a DC41 ball, or even a new funky “Big Ball” Cinetic. But they can’t. Because they don’t fit.

So an adaptor is needed, yes? And now we come to the point of the article. Why doesn’t someone make an adaptor that allows newer DC39 and DC41, etc. machines to use the old style Dyson 32mm tools?

A few months ago we asked Dyson Medic readers to suggest after-market spares that are not already made. And they did. One of several that we agreed was viable, we put forward to a manufacturer of after-market Dyson spares to see what they thought. And guess what?

Here is a clear plastic prototype (when they are made, they will be dark grey in colour) of that very adaptor!

That is an adaptor that will allow most of the newer Dysons to use all the tools from most of the older Dysons.

That part is being manufactured right now, and as soon as it is available to buy in a few weeks, we will update the topic here and tell you where to get one from. 

As usual, you read it here first.

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Looking for trade deals on spares and parts for Dyson vacuum cleaners and Airblade hand dryers?

Smaller traders, market sellers, car boot, Facebook and Gumtree sales people often have difficulty buying spares at the right price to fix up their machines.

If you approach a traditional trade supplier, they will want trade references, a VAT registration number, and impose a minimum spend per order of sometimes as much as £500.

Its hard to cut a deal with the big suppliers who want you to buy a minimum of five hundred of something to get a deal, when you only want fifty. Or maybe twenty. Or maybe ten.

Additionally, there is no one supplier that carries stock of everything you may need. Big sellers use five or six suppliers. It is usually only retailers and high volume internet sellers that carry high and diverse stock from various sources. But you don’t want to pay retail prices do you?

Smaller traders and hobby repairers usually turn to eBay in this case. However, eBay charges sellers 10% of the gross price including on postage charges. Added to that is a 3.4% Paypal fee.

So if you buy something from eBay for £10, it costs the seller 13.4% straight away which is £1.34. Lets say it costs them around £3 to post it. And they want to make two or three pound profit. This means the £10 Dyson spare part has to cost them  less than £2.66 to be able to afford to sell it at £10.

What does that mean for you? It means you get sub-standard Dyson parts sometimes. At best, you often get cheap Chinese copies of questionable quality.

Where do all the parts that were made wrong go?  Where do the parts go that failed quality control? Where do people sell cheap Chinese copies in bulk? Yes, eBay and Amazon. Where only price matters.

So if you are a smaller trader repairing Dysons, you do not simply want to source the cheapest products you can find. You need to source from Dyson experts, that only sell what they use themselves on the reconditioned Dysons they build. At least, if you want to get a good reputation you do.

You want a supplier that sources from a multitude of suppliers(including Dyson) and only supply what they think is both good quality and value for money. Perhaps you want a supplier who manufactures some stuff themselves so you are guaranteed it is coming from source at the right price.

Consider Manchester Vacs. They were named by Dyson Medic, the oldest Dyson DIY repair site on the internet, as “Best Dyson Parts Supplier“.

You can buy parts that nobody else supplies like DC15 wand top collars, and you can buy them in a trade deal of ten without trade references, VAT numbers, or any silliness.

That same part is on eBay for £7.99 each. By buying just ten you are saving £3.50 each! On ten that is a £35 saving. And that is just on one part!

The range of Dyson spare parts now supplied by Manchester Vacs far exceed what Dyson themselves make available to the public, and they also offer many spare parts that Dyson refuse to make available even to the trade. For example, you can buy the DC25 brushroll motors from Manchester Vacs that most other UK Dyson spare parts suppliers are not able to source. You can find them on eBay, but you will pay more.

So where to start? Read their guidance on getting deals here: Dyson Spare Parts Trade Deals

“Which screwdriver do I need to repair my Dyson Vacuum cleaner?”

This is a question I am asked quite often, so I thought I would shed some light on it.

Not all models use the same size in all applications. But I will demystify it for you below.

Dyson vacuum cleaners are held together by Torx screws. If you take a look around your Dyson, you will see them, the head is shaped like a star and they look something like this.

Some have an anti-tamper pin in like the one above; some older ones do not.

A screwdriver with the anti-tamper feature will fit both types of screw, one without will not. So you want one with the anti-tamper tip usually, as that started to be used in some applications from the DC07 through to current models.

The most popular size used on Dysons is the T15. T10 and T8 can be found on some later model machines as well.

When buying a T15 Torx screwdriver, the length of the blade is a consideration that many people get wrong.

Most T15 screwdrivers have as standard a 75mm long blade (that’s about three inches if you think in imperial sizes).

Dysons have some deep sunk screws on them that you need a 100mm blade to reach (that is about four inches).

You don’t want a shaft wider than about 4-5mm either, so those fat screwdrivers with slot-in magnetic tips are no use. You need one that looks like this.

Not very many companies make the ones with a 100mm blade that isn’t an awkward t-shape. I prefer a traditional shaped screwdriver.

Silverline make them, but I have never been terribly happy with the quality of Silverline stuff personally, so I avoid that brand.

Snap On do one with a six inch blade, part number SGDTRX615BR, but it is a special order and costs the earth (about £18) as all Snap On stuff does.

Draper make them. Draper quality is pretty good, but not especially cheap. But the fiver or so they cost doesn’t break the bank.

Smiths Tools also make them, they are quite alright, and not terribly expensive either.

You only need a T15 for models DC01, DC02, DC03, DC04, DC05, DC07, DC08, DC14, DC19 and DC25.

If you are going to be working on the DC24 and other later Ball machines, and newer stuff like the DC39 and Cinetic machines, you will also need a T10 with an anti-tamper tip and also a T8 for some applications (DC24 brushroll motor swaps spring to mind).

If you are working on later models, get the T8, T10 and the T15.

You can get all three together as a set here: >>Set of Three Dyson Repair Screwdrivers<<

If you are not sure what screwdrivers you need for your Dyson model, please use the comment section below to ask and I will happily tell you. 

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Dyson adaptors! A Big subject whether you call it an adaptor, an adapter or a converter.

Confusingly, Dyson market what they call a ‘universal adaptor’ which is actually nothing of the sort.

So which Dyson tool adaptor do you need? One size doesn’t fit all. Despite what some will tell you.

First, I should explain what the Dyson ‘universal adaptor’ is actually for. It is to adapt older pre-ball Dysons to use newer Dyson tools such as the various mini turbine tools, the anti-tangle tool and the newer multi tools.

Dyson’s ‘universal’ adaptor looks like this:

What that actually does is make machines that take this type of tool:

Suit accessories that have this type of fitting:

Now I don’t know about you, but if I own a DC01, I am not going to be dashing out to buy the latest dog grooming tool or anti-tangle tool from Dyson at forty quid or so.

I will be quite happy using my original tried and tested three tools, brush, stair and crevice, and to do so with a Dyson DC01, I will need the adaptor that came with it that looks like this:

If I buy a Dyson flexi crevice tool or a stubborn dirt brush, I will get three adaptors in there, one of which looks like this:

So already you see that there is no ‘universal’ Dyson tool adaptor as such. It is a misnomer. It is dependent upon application.

And lets not forget that there are no adaptors available that suit the DC15, DC18, DC11 or a host of other models that had unique tool fittings. So ‘universal’ becomes even more of a misnomer at this point.

But lets imagine what adaptor you haven’t seen here up to now that Dyson will tell you isn’t available. That is one that converts the machines with the later crescent half moon tool fitting to be able to use the older tried and tested three-piece toolkit that came with the Dysons DC01, DC02, DC03, DC04, DC05, DC07 and DC14.

We discussed the forthcoming availability of such an adaptor in this article: Dyson Tool Adaptor: New Style Crescent Fitting to Old Style 32mm Tools and even published prototype pictures.

If you spend £300 or £400 on a new Dyson vacuum cleaner, it might be nice instead of the multi-tool supplied, that you can use your trusty old brush tool, crevice tool and stair tool that you have from your previous model. Why did they change that fitting you may ask? Why indeed.

More to the point, why didn’t they make a universal adaptor that allowed owners of Dyson models DC16, DC19T2, DC22, DC23, DC24, DC25, DC26, DC27, DC28, DC29, DC30, DC31, DC32, DC33, DC34, DC35, DC36, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC40, DC41, DC42, DC43, DC44, DC45, DC46, DC47, DC48, DC49, DC50, DC51, DC52, DC53, DC54, DC55, DC56, DC58, DC59, DC63, DC65 and DC66 to use the older style tools?

The ‘universal adaptor’ Dyson sell doesn’t do that.

But this one does.

And for under five quid you can be the proud owner of what might be more properly described as a Dyson universal adaptor.

Click the little guy below to go to the page where you can buy one.

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It seems Sir James Dyson has a son, Jake Dyson.

Never heard of him? No, me neither.

But it seems he is a lighting designer with some products already on the market. He makes desk lamps and other lights. Jake Dyson, son of Sir James Dyson, claims he hasn’t just changed the light bulb, but created a new kind of light entirely.

Indeed, you can buy his “CSYS Touch LED Task Lamp” at John Lewis for a not inconsiderable £545.

By seeking to design a light bulb that lasts a lifetime, Jake Dyson and his firm Jake Dyson Products have made Ariel, a suspended light which apparently lasts 40 years before the bulb needs replacing. How they have determined this timescale since it was only launched in 2013 is unclear.

Designing lights since 2006, Jake seemingly became frustrated with the ‘stagnant state of lighting’, where beautiful lamps are sold for a high price yet designed with little attention to the function. I can relate to that as the owner of several Louis Poulsen inspired lights.

“LEDs have the ability to last for life – that’s why they were invented in the first place,” Jake says. “But companies sell LED lights that only last seven years so they can sell more in seven years’ time. I want my product to go into spaces where the interior doesn’t want to be changed for at least 25 years: airports or high-profile buildings, for example. What airport would want a light that only lasts seven years? Is there a light out there that answers their needs? Probably not.”

It seems a tall order, but it is unclear if his designs are catering to homes or businesses.

In the cellar of his central London office, “the dungeon” as he refers to it, Jake Dyson and his team have tested lights on the market to see if they live up to their claims of long-lasting brightness and efficiency. And – spoiler alert – they don’t. “In some cases you can buy an LED product and six months later it’s 30% less bright – but you won’t realise that because you’re living with it,” Dyson told the Guardian, standing in front of several small piles of cardboard boxes containing his competitors’ products.

In comparison, the Ariel will maintain its brightness for 180,000 hours he says, which if the light was on for twelve hours a day, each day, at full brightness, is around forty years. Or thirty seven as they now claim.

Available in two models (although not officially launched yet that I can find till next May) – as a downlight (for targeted lighting of a kitchen island, or a bank of office desks) and an uplight (for general illumination of a room) – and it will retail at around £1,400 

Ariel isn’t cheap. But it is apparently clever. In the four years it took to design it, Jake learned that to make an LED’s performance last as long as possible, it needs to be kept under 60 degrees centigrade.

For the Ariel, they got the heat down to 55 degrees, using pipes that draw the heat away from the LED as quickly as it is released. “It’s like a big radiator,” Jake explains. “The heat comes off the pipes, is transferred through the fins, and is then dispersed into the air, so you get a continual cycle of heat being removed.”

The light also has a unique lens to give greater illumination and, as Jake and his team found out: “You need three or four of our competitors’ fittings to do what one of ours is doing, and each one of their fittings is the same power as one of ours, so that’s four times more electricity, four times more installation cost, and four times the product purchased cost, so Ariel actually comes out cheaply in comparison.”

The Ariel is also ZigBee WiFi-enabled, so can be controlled via an app, allowing users to set timers, or to link up their Ariel(s) to external light sensors so the light is dimmer on a sunny day, and brighter when it gets darker.

It also records the light’s electricity consumption and converts that into the KW/hour cost in the country it’s installed in – something that, surprisingly, other apps haven’t yet caught onto at this energy-conscious time.

Innovative product design clearly runs in the family. But was the surname a help or a hindrance when Jake Dyson Products took off? “I’m not sure people took the product seriously when I first went out to sell my lights. Everyone in Britain’s got quite bitter about nepotism,” he says, matter-of-factly. In contrast, manufacturing the lights in Malaysia was a doddle: “Companies out there wouldn’t have touched a company [like mine], but because of the power of the Dyson name they bent over backwards to help me.” Ultimately he believes the quality of the product will speak for itself. “In Italy, where they make lights as beautiful objects, they looked at it and went…” Dyson kisses his fingertips: “Bellissimo.”

They are now plugging these on Dyson’s US facing website. Although his own site seems to be down at the moment.

What are your thoughts on a £1400 LED light or a £545 desk lamp? Much as I like Dyson products, indeed I am a Dyson-a-holic having even an Airblade hand dryer at home, I think I can live without one of these.

Bad enough I was daft enough to own one of the asthmatic AM04 fans, I am not daft enough to own a DC40, DC41, DC50 or DC65, I will stick to my trusty DC14 I think. I like snazzy lights, but not enough to blow £1400 on one.

Your comments are welcome.

If you are the owner of a cylinder or canister machine, sooner or later you are going to find yourself needing to replace the contact head.

Cylinder Dyson vacuum cleaners typically have one of two types of head on them. One type has a vacuum or electrically driven rotating brush, and the other is a dual mode flat head with no spinning brushes. We are discussing the second type here.

Sometimes known as the cleaner head, floor tool, flat out tool or muscle head, we are talking about the part at the end of the pole that is in contact with the floor.

On later Dysons, and by that I mean machine model numbers from DC22 through to newer model Cinetics, DC54 and DC63 models, they often look like this:

Designs can differ slightly, but they all have one thing in common: They are expensive!

Peruse Dyson’s website and for example, a Dyson DC38/DC39 Muscle Head will set you back a not inconsiderable sixty quid.

Dyson vacuum cleaners often have unique tool fittings on them to prevent you from using a generic contact head (as you might find on a Henry or similar).

Original Dyson contact and muscle heads often look quite snazzy, but in our opinion they do little different to any other contact head on any other cylinder machine.

But if you want to replace yours, you don’t want to pay up to sixty of your hard-earned quids do you? No, I didn’t think so.

If you are the owner of one of the following models, you have an alternative: DC19T2 (NOT the normal DC19), DC22, DC23, DC26, DC29, DC32, DC36, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC47, DC52, DC53, DC54 (Cinetic) and DC63.

This is it:

Alright, it isn’t going to win any design awards, but it is cheap and functional.

No earth shattering new technology in there, it does simply what contact heads have been doing for decades. However, this one will fit your Dyson. If your Dyson has this tool fitting:

You are able to use this budget floor tool head with it.

It doesn’t clip onto the machine for storage purposes, but when I tell you what it costs, you will not find that a great hardship.

What does it cost? Under a tenner! 

Get one here: Dyson Compatible Contact Head for Late Cylinder Machines

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The mini turbine tools you can get for Dyson machines are sometimes also called mini turbo heads.

Essentially, they are vacuum-driven little tools with a rotating brush inside that can be used on upholstery and stairs that often have a better effect than using a simple stair or brush tool would.

The problem for Dyson owners is that there are so many different ones, and Dysons have so many different tool fittings, people often buy the wrong one.

This is compounded by the fact that Dyson’s own tools don’t always fit the models they say they do (even they get confused). Dyson attempt to market “universal” mini turbo heads that they supply with a myriad of adaptors.

And even with those, that version doesn’t fit all models.

Here is a newer type.

That is the tangle tool (a funky version of the same thing) which may or may not fit models before the DC16 depending which retail version you buy and what adaptors come with it.

Earlier versions looked like this.

In practice, there isn’t very much to choose between them.

However, you must be aware that not all genuine Dyson mini turbo heads will fit all Dyson machines.

Dyson’s quest at one time to adopt ever changing tool sockets and connectors to thwart the after-market did create some confusion as to exactly what fits what.

And we are also forgetting what is the elephant in the room: The price of Dyson’s genuine tools.

Yes, you read that right – £45. Forty five of your hard-earned pounds that will cost you direct from Dyson.

Thanks to the after-market, there is another way. It doesn’t cost you £45 and  fitment between models is demystified.

Lets start with a standard 32mm, well made mini turbo tool like this.

On its own, that turbohead will fit the following models:

• DC01
• DC02
• DC03
• DC04 (Clutched models only. Not for non-clutched grey/green or grey/blue DC04i)
• DC05

If you have one of those early models of Dyson vacuum cleaner, you can find those here: Dyson compatible mini turbine head

However, that same tool can be used with later Dysons too if the correct adaptor is used.

For example, here they are being used with a DC24.

That combination of mini turbo tool and adaptor can be used with all the following models: DC16, DC19T2, DC22, DC23, DC24, DC25, DC26, DC27, DC28, DC29, DC30, DC31, DC32, DC33, DC34, DC35, DC36, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC40, DC41, DC42, DC43, DC44, DC45, DC46, DC47, DC48, DC49, DC50, DC51, DC52, DC53, DC54, DC55, DC56, DC58, DC59, DC63, DC65 and DC66.

Although, with hand held models, be aware that as the motor is so tiny in them, they may not generate enough suction to drive a mini turbo tool as effectively as you might like.

You can get the tool and adaptor from here: Mini Turbo Head DC24 DC25 DC27 DC33 DC40 DC41

While a very long list, there are some Dyson owners that will remain unlucky in finding a ‘one size fits all’ mini turbo tool.

If you own a DC05 motorhead, DC08, DC11, DC15, DC18, DC19 standard, DC20 or DC21. None of the solutions offered will suit you. Because the tool sockets on those machines are unique.

Dyson turbine heads (sometimes called turbo heads) are the full size vacuum-driven heads that come with many models of cylinder or canister Dyson vacuum cleaners.

They are designed to replicate the beater bar action of a conventional upright vacuum cleaner by utlising a rotating brush on the carpet to dislodge dirt.

You can buy them for attaching to the wand of upright machines too (But why would you?), but application is mostly designed for canister/cylinder machines.

Over time – such as with the DC05 Motorhead – Dyson have experimented with electrically driven turbine heads. But most are vacuum-driven.

Dyson have produced a myriad of designs of these over the years.

However, as many of those who tried to buy a replacement item have found, fittings can differ greatly between models.

Dyson got in the habit of changing the tool fitting sockets between different models and sometimes the storage hook that mounted it on the machine. The DC19 even had two completely different hose fittings, depending if it was a standard DC19 or a DC19T2 (Telescopic Wrap).

Most Dyson specialists will groan when asked to identify which turbine head fits which particular model. Especially since, with used machines, people may have swapped and changed handles, hoses and wands to make similar heads fit.

Dyson got into the habit of supplying new ones with a range of adaptors. But specialists know that even they do not allow fitment to all models. Far from it in fact. Dyson themselves often supply the wrong part such is the difficulty.

The confusion arises because most turbine heads look something like this.

But here is a similar one.

The eagle-eyed will notice that while they appear to be the same part, the end connector socket that fits to the vacuum cleaner is totally different.

And they are not interchangeable without stripping them down to swap over collars – which isn’t an amateur job.

Thankfully, in recent years, Dyson have began to standardise fittings once more. That isn’t to say all are interchangeable, but similarities exist where they didn’t before on some models.

What has remained unchanged is the price.

As you can see above, a replacement turbine head for a DC23 will cost you fifty five of your hard-earned pounds if bought from Dyson.

For genuine Dyson turbine heads, the after-market parts sellers are unable to offer much in the way of discounts. Margins are quite tight on genuine Dyson stuff, so shopping about may only shave a few pounds off.

So, how to save money? 

Well, here at Dyson Medic, we are well-known for making you aware of the bargains.

If you have one of these Dyson cylinder vacuum cleaners: DC19T2 (NOT the normal DC19), DC22, DC23, DC28c, DC29, DC32, DC33c, DC36, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC47, DC52, DC53, DC54 (Cinetic) or DC63, your machines all have on thing in common: The tool socket.

If you have one of those machines, your multi/crevice/stair tools all have this socket fitting:

This not only means you can use the spiffy adaptor to utilise older tools we reported on a few months ago, but it also means that you can get yourself one of these replacement turbine heads.

They do not cost £55 like a Dyson one does.

They cost well under £20 even with UK delivery. You can save over £35 by getting one! 

Click the little guy below if you want to know where to get one from.

Any downsides to using one of these? 

Depending on your machine model, they may not locate too well (or at all) on the machine for storage. But very few people stow their head on the machine in any event. Most people store them in a tangle under the stairs. 

If your machine has not got any amber/orange on it, it may not be a perfect colour match. Do you really care about colour when you are saving over £35?

Erm……… that’s about it for downsides.

Who is out of luck? 

If you are a the owner of a DC02, DC05, DC08, DC11, standard DC19, DC20 or DC21, this will not fit your machine. Use the comment box below to ask what your options are if you have one of those models.

This head will fit a DC26 City, but I am not convinced the DC26 has enough guts to generate the suction required to turn the turbine and make it effective. Please report back using the comment box below if you try one of these with a DC26. For Dc26 owners, I would recommend >>one of these<< instead.

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Is there such a thing as a Dyson universal tool set? Aren’t all Dyson tools model-specific? Is it possible to buy one set of tools that fits every Dyson vacuum cleaner?

This is a question we are asked often.

People get confused with brush tools, stair tools, crevice tools, combination tools, upholstery tools, mattress tools, etc.

And the universal adaptor many speak of is not only a misnomer, but a subject we have a full article on.

However, back to topic, is there a universal tool set to fit every Dyson vacuum?

The answer is almost.

There is such a thing marketed as the Universal 4 Piece Dyson Tool Set. It looks like this.

That fits all models apart from the DC05 motorhead, DC08, DC11, DC15, DC18, DC19 standard, DC20 and DC21.

But lets delve into specifics as some people can save money.

On models DC01, DC02, DC03, DC04, DC05 (not Motorhead) and DC07, you can use >>this set<< as you do not need the adaptor that comes with the set above. However, on the DC01, you will also need >>this adaptor<< to use them with the hose.

On the DC14, you can use >>this set<<. But the DC01-DC07 set above will also fit if you are not bothered about storing the crevice tool on the machine.

The DC05 motorhead, DC08, DC11, DC15, DC18, DC19 standard, DC20 and DC21 all have tool connector sockets that are unique to those models, so you need to buy model-specific tools.

For DC05 spares go >>here<<.

For DC08 spares go >>here<<.

For DC11 spares go >>here<<.

For DC15 spares go >>here<<.

For DC18 spares ho >>here<<.

For DC19 spares go >>here<<.

For DC20/21 tools, its as easy to get them from Dyson themselves >>here<<.

So anything ‘universal’ then?

The universal set above that you can get >>here<< will fit all the following Dyson models: DC16, DC19T2, DC22, DC23, DC24, DC25, DC26, DC27, DC28, DC29, DC30, DC31, DC32, DC33, DC34, DC35, DC36, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC40, DC41, DC42, DC43, DC44, DC45, DC46, DC47, DC48, DC49, DC50, DC51, DC52, DC53, DC54, DC55, DC56, DC58, DC59, DC63, DC65, DC66, Cinetic and V6.

If you have one of those models, that is way cheaper than buying the tools that Dyson say you want at circa £10 each – a nice cheap solution for under a tenner.

How easy is that?  

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Don’t you just hate it when a simple solution to an old problem falls in your lap, and then you find out it was there all along and you never noticed?

That is what happened today.

A good customer of mine wanted a mini turbine tool for his DC07, and was complaining that the well-regarded after-market one that fits the DC01, DC02, DC03, and DC04 doesn’t fit the DC07.

Despite them taking the same 32mm tool set.

The answer lies in the design of the hose. That the standard after-market mini turbine tool doesn’t fit the DC07, DC14 and DC18 hose is not new news.

Here is a standard after-market 32mm mini turbine tool.

His next question was, “Is there an adaptor?”

The answer to that is no. But on his insistence, we delved in our box of adaptors, more to prove him wrong than anything, and guess what happened?

Yup. We learned something!

Here is a DC07 hose end.

And here is a DC01 adaptor that only fits (we thought) the DC01 (I only had a purple one handy – most are grey).

But what if you do this?

By jove, it fits! 

And that means it will fit the DC04 non-clutched, DC14, DC15 and DC18 too.

So what if we then do this?

We fired it up and the wee brush spun like a good un’.

The chap had his budget mini turbine tool – and it sealed well and worked a treat!  

So here is the skinny: 

If you want a mini turbine tool/mini turbo head tool for your Dyson DC01, DC04 (lime green/grey), DC07, DC14, Dc15 or DC18, you want one of these: >>Mini Turbo Turbine Head DC01, DC04 (Green/Grey) DC07 DC14 DC15 DC18<<

By my reckoning, that is under £18 with UK delivery. Which is pretty good value. Dyson Medic just saved you over £25 on buying a Dyson ‘tangle tool’ or ‘turbo head’ or ‘mini turbine head’ or whatever they are called this week at Dyson.

And all this time, we had these mini turbine tools sitting five feet away from these adaptors and we never knew this. Because nobody ever tried to mate them together

Learn about other mini turbo heads for other models >>here<<.

Now don’t you go writing it on the internet or anything will you?

Even Dyson gurus learn something sometimes………… 

So you have one of the “ball” type cylinder Dysons and want to change the motor?

The DC28c, DC33c, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC46, DC47, DC48, DC49, DC52, DC53 and DC54 are broadly the same machines for our purposes.

The DC54 is a “Cinetic”, so it has no pre-motor filter, but everything else is pretty similar.

To do the job, you are going to need some Torx screwdrivers, which you can get >>here<<

A new motor, which should be either a YV-16K24FB or a YV-16K24FA (if another is fitted, ask me in the comment section below quoting the first three digits of your serial number), which you can get >>here<<.

You will also need a post-motor filter which you can get >>here<<.

So to do the job, this is what you do:

Remove the ball shells each side with the Torx screws.

You then have this.

Remove the carriage and the inlet duct assembly with a few screws, you then have this.

Now start on the screws………..

Then open the casing and you have this.

The motor bucket will now come out of the post motor filter like so.

And the top is released with three clips. Observe the three rubber blocks, they just pop out and line up with slots in the motor bucket on reassembly.

And out comes the motor.

Now we need to remove the post motor filter, and it is attached to the cable rewind so it all has to come out. More screws…….

And this clip must be released on each side for the cable rewind and post motor filter to come out.

You must lever the housing around the clip rather than hoping to push the clip in. There is a knack to this.

Now you can remove the filter and cable rewind like so.

Twist the filter off the cable rewind to change it.

If your machine is not a Cinetic, it will be fitted with a pre-filter in the top of the cyclone, if you need to replace it it is >>this one<< and if not, wash it in the washing machine, dry it on the radiator and be sure NOT to put it back in wet.

And Bob, as they say, is your Uncle. 

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If you have any comments or questions, feel free to use the comment box below, and I’ll help out if I can.

How to Strip Down a Dyson DC25 Cleanerhead to Change the Brushroll Motor.

A few people have asked about a tutorial on this subject and how to test the brushroll motor in the head before buying a motor, a PCB or other DC25 cleanerhead spare parts.

So here I am going to show you how to strip down the head to access the PCB and the motor.

Disclaimer: Before we do this, I should point out that testing the motor as described below is NOT for amateurs. Electricity KILLS. Seek the advice of a qualified electrician if in ANY doubt about your own skills.

We expect that by seeking advice here, you are competent enough to be able to make any electrical installations safely and in a safe and legal manner in your jurisdiction. If you are in any doubt whatsoever, do consult an electrician. You accept/implement any advice you read at this site at your own risk.

Before you think about taking the cleanerhead apart, check that the cleanerhead itself is getting an AC feed from the machine. Many people buy replacement cleanerhead parts without even checking this first, and they then assume the parts they bought are faulty (which is unlikely), and then are unhappy to be reminded that PCB’s and motors are usually non-returnable.

So, assuming you have a mains feed from the machine to your head, lets start by stripping the head down……….

Using a 2p coin (or a quarter if you are over the pond) give this screw a quarter turn.

Remove the end cap and brushroll like this.

On the soleplate, there are eight T15 Torx screws and one Philips screw to remove the corner wheel.

Turn it over and remove the top cover.

You can now see the brushroll motor. Remove the toothed brushroll drive belt.

The motor is made by Johnson, it is labelled DC771(2)XLLG and you can buy one >>here<<.

Lets look at testing the motor and fault finding.

If you have a multimeter and know how to use it, you can check resistance across the motor terminals as you would with any other DC motor. If you are unsure whether the PCB is faulty or not, one way to be absolutely sure is to plug the cleanerhead back onto the machine, recline the machine and switch it on.

Carefully probe the terminals while the machine is running.

You are looking for a DC value of somewhere around 300-330v on a UK, European or Australian machine (US machines may differ, ask local advice on this if in the US or Canada). No feed from the PCB, but a feed from the machine tells you the PCB is faulty.

If you have a 330-330vDC feed from your PCB, and the motor isn’t running, we know now that the motor needs replacing. To get it out of the housing, lift the retaining arm up in the direction of the arrow just a little……..

Take notice of where the little spring sits that tensions the belt – and don’t lose it.

The motor now comes out like so.

If you prefer to watch a video overview, the video below shows you a strip down and rebuild of a Dyson Dc25 cleanerhead in less than six minutes.

Where to get spare parts for your Dyson DC25. 

• For the T15 screwdriver you need to do the job look >>here<<
• For the brushroll motor look >>here<<
• For the PCB look >>here<<
• If you need a whole new cleanerhead look >>here<<
• For a brushroll look >>here<<
• For a replacement end cap look >>here<<
• For a replacement perspex housing and cover look >>here<<

Comments and questions welcome in the box below, as ever. And please feel free to use the buttons below to share Dyson Medic on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

Dyson have traditionally made tool fitment difficult.

For example, the DC15 had a set of tools all of its own. They fitted no other model.

The DC19 had a possibility of two totally different types of tool socket; fitment depending on if it is a telescopic wrap or not. That causes parts sellers a world of pain when buyers don’t read the compatibility information and just buy a random tool because they have “a DC19″ and then want to return it afterwards as it doesn’t fit.

The DC18 was semi-unique, the DC05 motorhead tools didn’t fit standard DC05’s and don’t even ask about DC11, DC20 or DC21. 

However, starting with the DC16, and more specifically from DC22 onward, Dyson have begun to use this type of tool fitment.

But around the same time, they mostly ditched the standard crevice tool we all know and love that looks like this:

And replaced it with a new fangled “multi tool” or “combination tool” that looks like this:

The problem with the multi/combination tool is that people are not keen on it.

The multi/combination tool is a crevice tool with a brush tool that slides up and down and locks into place when needed. However, they are expensive and not much good.

People wanted a traditional type of crevice tool similar to that found on earlier models of Dyson.

Dyson did make these for the DC16, but they were rather expensive and it was never much publicised what other models they fitted. Dyson have since discontinued production of all DC16 spares anyway.

But as ever, the after-market comes to the rescue. This is a traditional style crevice tool that fits the later models:

These are the models it fits: DC16, DC19T2, DC22, DC23, DC24, DC25, DC26, DC27, DC28, DC28c, DC29, DC30, DC31, DC32, DC33, DC33c, DC34, DC35, DC36, DC37, DC38, DC39, DC40, DC41, DC42, DC43, DC44, DC45, DC46, DC47, DC48, DC49, DC50 (Small Ball), DC51, DC52, DC53, DC54, DC55, DC56, DC58, DC59, DC63, DC65, DC66, DC75, DC76, DC77, DC78, Big Ball, V6 and Cinetic.

This one fits all the models above and locks onto the end of the hose properly. It even fits the end of the wand on a DC24.

This tool is NOT suitable for models DC01-DC15, DC17, DC18, standard DC19, DC20 or DC21.

So with one of these, you can now get down the side of the seats in your car and into all the awkward gaps again with your late model Dyson. Like you could with the proper Dysons of olde.

No more faffing about with “multi tools” or “combination tools” that are not narrow or long enough to get anywhere you want them to; and fall to bits.

Want to know the good bit?

They cost less than a pint of beer. Click the little guy below to find out more.

If you are still unsure if this tool will fit your Dyson, use the comment box below to say what country you are in and the first three digits of the serial number of your Dyson, and I will reply and tell you if this fits your machine.

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Already Dyson Medic’s recommended parts supplier, Manchester Vacs has relocated to much larger premises making them the biggest independent specialist Dyson parts supplier in the north of England.

Manchester Vacs is not a new business; they were at their previous location on nearby Abbey Hey Lane in Gorton for almost a decade. A family business; a family with roots in retail and local businesses in Manchester, Stockport and Tameside that goes back to the mid 1970’s.

Rather than employ staff who know little of the product as many retail park companies do, everyone at Manchester Vacs owns a Dyson and uses one at home. It is increasingly rare nowadays to encounter people who actually know about the products they deal with.

The Dyson vacuum brand needs no introduction. What many people don’t know about Dyson vacuums is they are like Morris Minors: You can rebuild them virtually indefinitely (as we here at Dyson Medic are often encouraging you to do). By selling reconditioned Dyson machines, Manchester Vacs is not only making cheaper Dyson vacuums available to all. By recycling several thousand end-of-life Dysons each year to harvest the spare parts, they are keeping many old Dysons out of landfill; which is very green.

This move coincides with Manchester Vacs becoming official Sebo agents. Sebo being the best brand of German made, hand-built vacuum cleaner you have never heard of (unless you shop at John Lewis). Sebo vacuums are more commonly used in hospitals, hotels, cruise ships and other commercial environments.

The building they have relocated to is only a few minutes drive from the old one. A famous local landmark that was once a public house called the Bull’s Head; now renamed the Bull’s Head Building.

The Bull’s Head Building is an iconic former public house sitting on Reddish Lane/Gorton Road that straddles the physical boundaries of Tameside, Manchester and Stockport, and is a well-known local landmark.

The Bull’s Head building has had some controversy over the years. In 2012 there was a proposal to turn it into a Mosque. Following a petition on Stockport Council’s website and demonstrations outside by the BNP, the idea was withdrawn.

It has stood semi-derelict for several years until Manchester Vacs took it over last year. They have been refurbishing it since last October, and it opened to the Dyson and Sebo vacuum owners of Tameside, Manchester and Stockport on Saturday the 27th of February 2016.

The launch party was covered by local Tameside Radio who did a live outside broadcast there for several hours, and there was also a TV camera crew there.

The official opening ceremony was performed by TV’s Gordon Burns (ex North West tonight, Granada Reports, World in Action and Krypton Factor).

It seems he also found a few minutes to relax before proceedings began while having his own Dyson repaired.

Not often we get @mrgordonburns chillaxing in our workshop while we fix his #Dyson. pic.twitter.com/vFD9PTHnbw

— Manchester Vacs (@ManchesterVacs) February 27, 2016

The residents of Manchester, Stockport, Tameside and nearby Oldham, Glossop and Salford are now well-served for Dyson vacuum repairs, reconditioned Dyson machines and new Sebo vacuum cleaners.

For those having a “while-you-wait” repair, you can even chill out on a sofa, have a coffee from the machine, and check out the Dyson museum, which has some of the very rarest Dyson machines from the early days of Dyson.

For those who are not local, you can buy all your spare parts from Manchester Vacs. Their range of Dyson spare parts far exceeds what Dyson themselves make available to the public, and they carry a lot of obsolete, re-manufactured and otherwise unobtainable Dyson spares.

The online Dyson spare parts shop at Manchester Vacs gives customers access to a highly innovative predictive search feature allowing them to find the parts they need with ease. Delivery is free on all UK orders over £25. They have also slashed three hundred prices across the store and now stand as one of the most competitive Dyson spare parts specialists on the internet.

You can shop online for Dyson spare parts with Manchester Vacs here: >Dyson Spare Parts<

Comments and questions welcome in the box below, as ever. And please feel free to use the buttons below to share Dyson Medic on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

We have noticed a trend.

Many of the larger Dyson specialists up and down the country are adding Sebo to their stable of products.

Sebo is the best brand of German vacuum cleaner you have perhaps never heard of. You find them in hospitals, offices, cleaning companies, cruise ships, etc.

Sebo vacuums are hand made in Germany, and they work!

While not bagless like a Dyson, Sebo vacuums are pretty much maintenance free, so they are ideal for the busy household. Actually, they are easier to maintain than the majority of bagless machines on the market.

So what is driving some of the larger Dyson specialists to begin selling Sebo machines?

Many people in the trade think that Dyson vacuums after the DC33 went downhill somewhat.

Certainly, the DC41 has known issues with the central wheel on the cleaner head and the cyclone release clip.

The DC40 machines have a known issue with a wiring loom breaking causing loss of power to the cleaner head.

The DC50 machines have a tendency to block up in such a way Dyson doesn’t tell you about.

Many of the cordless machines suffer blockages, charger issues and a short battery life.

Later Dyson machines are not economically viable for many in the trade to refurbish; some regard it as built in obsolescence. We discussed this before here: Comment: The Bleak Future of Refurbished & Reconditioned Dysons

Many in the trade are wary of stocking new Dysons, as although Dyson sucks up the warranty work, the customers who have problems will number enough that the retailer is cautious of getting a bad name for selling what some are starting to regard as a poor product.

Independent retailers live and die by selling their customers a good product, and those customers go away and tell others of their good fortune.

If independent retailers knowingly sell products that have many warranty issues and inherent design faults, well what does that do to their reputation?

So what has started to happen up and down the country is the independent Dyson shops are looking to diversify into other machines they can sell with confidence as a good product.

The list of really good vacuum cleaners that are not Dyson, that don’t cost the earth, and aren’t mass produced as cheaply as possible in China is rather short. In fact, I can think of only one: Sebo.

So are these shops diversifying into Sebo? See for yourself.

Here is a recent photo from BB Dyson in Lincolnshire:

Here are recent photos from Manchester Vacs in Stockport:

Are you seeing a pattern here?

Sebo has traditionally been better known in the commercial market.

In recent years they have also developed an almost cult following among the middle class. One reason probably John Lewis sells them.

Here is a comment from a reader here called Lesley on this topic.

Found your commentary interesting and gave a good insight as to why Dyson vacs are no longer worth the extra outlay. When I first got my DC04 it felt like money well spent even though it cost considerably more than most on the market due to its superior performance . Whereas buying the DC08 felt like I had wasted money , particularly when I replaced it with a cheap Vax model that performed just as well and far quicker and less fiddly to empty , unblock> etc and at £50 just 50% more than a replacement filter for the DC08.

The vacumn I was using before the DC04 was my Grandmother’s Hoover ( Electrolux??) which was more than forty years old and still going strong but lacked the add on attachments and of cousrse had messy paper bags – which just shows they don’t build them to last like they used to.

As to why anyone would want to spend around £400 for Dyson’s newest Vacs – my Grandma would have said ‘too much money and too little common sense’!

Comments like Lesley’s above are quite typical of some of the comments we hear from people too.

£400 is a lot of money to spend on a vacuum cleaner. If it isnt going to be built like a tank, why would you?

An entry level Sebo upright vacuum is just £225. £175 less. Hand made in Germany and similar 5 year guarantee as Dyson. Oh, and built like a tank.

Dyson control a huge slice of the UK market, so its perhaps premature to predict their downfall; and I wouldn’t seek to do so. But if you have become disillusioned by Dyson for whatever reason in recent years, then take a look at what many of the independent, once Dyson only shops are doing.

Consider Sebo. 

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After 5 years of prototyping, the Kleeneze Rotork Cyclon was the first production vacuum cleaner created by James Dyson.

He was funded by Rotork (his former employer) and these were made for him by Zanussi in Italy.

They were sold through Kleeneze’s distribution network and at the Ideal Home Exhibition through 1983 & 1984.

These (and the visually similar later Japanese G-Force machines) are usually regarded as prototype Dysons, and are VERY rare. Very seldom do they come up for sale.

Around 550 were made, for the UK market only. Interest in this initial model lead to licensing agreements in Japan where a slightly modified version of the “Cyclon” was sold by Apex inc. as the “G-Force”.

Licensing revenue from the “G-Force” in Japan and another Dyson designed vacuum, the “Fantom” in the USA, plus the proceeds of successful litigation for a patent infringement, enabled James Dyson to set up his own company and launch the DC01 in 1993.

You can see, very clearly that the Cyclon is the DC01’s older brother. The cylone shape, the wheels, the fins, the bin release/handle etc, are extremely similar.

Cyclons are quite rare; only about 550 were originally made.

Dyson Malmesbury has one. The Zanussi museum in Italy has one (Zanussi built them). The design museum in London has one. The Frenchay museum in Bristol has one. Qualtex (spare parts supplier) has one. A dysonforums.com member called Heidi has one. A shop called Killis in Sheffield has one. A couple of guys in the US have one. Manchester Vacs have two (of which this is one). There may be a few more out there.

There are perhaps 20-30 in total remain worldwide. All in the hands of collectors, enthusiasts and museums, so very few people have seen one of these as this machine is a piece of Dyson history.

However, the one in the photo is for sale on an eBay auction that finishes Friday 8th April 2016 at 7pm.

It comes with a a copy (not an original) of a Cyclon instruction manual. And a copy of its original receipt from the Ideal Home Exhibition dated March 1984.

As an ultra-rare domestic appliance from 1984, you will seldom find a perfect one. This isn’t perfect; but is pretty decent and quite complete.

No spares are available for these, so anything you need has to be made.

On these, the upper cord hook always breaks, as does the wand release mechanism (and this one is no exception). As nobody is going to be using them, that doesn’t present a great problem, as most people only want them for display or looking at.

If you are reading this before Friday 8th April 2016, and you would like to own it, the link is >>here<<.

We always find it rather tedious when a component on a Dyson that tends to break is only available as part of a larger, much more expensive assembly.

If you are the owner of a DC30, DC31, DC34, DC35, DC44, DC45, DC56 or DC57 you will be familiar with the blue spring-loaded catch that you depress to remove the cyclone to access the filter.

It usually says Filter Filtre Filtro フィルタ- on it.

Sometimes they break, and replacements have been unavailable until now.

This clip is not to be confused with the DC16 clip that looks very similar. You can buy that one (part number 910750-02).

But if you have a DC30, DC31, DC34, DC35, DC44, DC45, DC56 or DC57, you need this one.

You didn’t used to be able to get it, but now you can.

Here is where you can buy:

In the UK, you can buy from Manchester Vacs >>here<<.

From UK eBay >>here<<.

From UK Amazon >>here<<.

From overseas in US Dollars >>here<<.

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You can also leave a comment or question below if you are so inclined. 

Dyson has now launched the “Pure Cool Link”.

Known also as the TP02 (if white).

It is worth noting for the reader that Dyson do not give us items to review, this, as with anything, we bought with our own money – so what you read here is utterly objective and uninfluenced by any third party.

This looks like a standard Dyson tower fan at first glance, but it is also an air purifier. Hence the “pure” in the name.

So if “pure” refers to the fact it cleans the air, and cool relates to the fact it is a cooling fan, you will wonder what the “link” aspect of the name is.

This relates to the fact that you are able to link the item through your home wifi to an app on your phone.

From the Dyson Link app, you can remotely control your environment, as it automatically monitors, reacts and purifies – then reports the results straight to the Dyson Link app on your smartphone or tablet.

And by jove, it works!

It looks as if Dyson fans have improved a little since we reviewed the AM04 heater some time back. We thought that asthmatic and ineffective, this seems a lot smarter and seems to do what it says on the box.

Connected items are where Dyson are heading. On the Dyson Link app, options exist to add your Dyson Robotic 360 Eye vacuum cleaner. The one that isnt yet launched in the UK. So that means if you have the robot, you will be able to control it from the same app.

So we have had the Dyson Pure Cool Link running all afternoon at home today, and it wasn’t long before the screen glowed orange and told me the air quality was “fair”.

About forty minutes later left running on automatic, it went to green and told me it was good.

Configuring the app and finding your way around the controls isnt rocket science, but only those familiar with smartphones, apps, wifi and similar technology will wrap their head around it. My bet is a lot of older less tech savvy people will buy it and use it as a fan without the benefit of the information and reporting that the internet link and the app provide.

But even for those folks, using it as a regular fan with the remote control – one that happens to clean the air – won’t be a great hardship.

You don’t miss what you never had. I doubt the non-tech savvy buyers will care if they don’t use the app.

So other observations: It is quieter than the early Dyson fans, the oscillation is nice and smooth (my AM04 creaks and groans). The build quality is like any modern Dyson product, a bit plasticky and lightweight, but the product finish is good. It looks nice in the corner of the room.

The eagle-eyed will spot a copy of James Dyson’s book on the shelf.

Up to now I am liking it and it can stay.

The only thing I can be sniffy about is the price. At the time of writing (because later they will come down) they are £449 on Dyson’s website, circa £425-£435 on eBay and Amazon and >>£399 delivered from Manchester Vacs<<.

Is it a lot of money for a fan that cleans the air with a HEPA filter? Well, yes it is. But nobody buys a new Dyson product because they are cheap. You buy them because you want one.

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This article first appeared at Manchester Vacs. 

Sebo versus Dyson?

It’s a big question and one that is popping up more and more. As Dyson focus more and more on cordless and handheld machines (of which they are the undisputed market leader), robots and other domestic appliances (like hairdryers), the more traditional vacuum cleaner buyer, who remembers bags and likes a more traditional machine with a flex as a main vacuum, is sometimes tempted to look elsewhere.

If you are looking for a quality vacuum cleaner, and don’t fancy a Dyson, you may well end up at the door of Sebo. Possibly Miele or Kirby, but more often than not, Sebo.

Whatever you do, PLEASE don’t buy a modern Vax, Bissell, Electrolux, Hoover or similar mass-produced machine. In our opinion, none of those are quality products any more.

It is a subject I have seen on a few discussion sites. So I thought we would try it here with a poll so folks can vote as well.

As we sell both, I think I can consider myself *reasonably* objective. That said, I have had nothing but Dysons at home since the mid/late nineties when we were first selling new DC04s. And in all that time I think the DC14 we have at home now is my 4th or 5th permanent ‘home machine’ since then (none died, all but the current one we still have were later sold – but I look after them).

We do have a Dyson cordless DC35 at home as well, an AM04 heating fan, a TP02 fan/purifier and an Airblade hand dryer in the downstairs bathroom. My wife is waiting on her Dyson hairdryer, so as we have a Dyson business as well, we might be considered Dyson freaks.

Until last year, I was one of these blokes who thought proper vacuum cleaners meant “Dyson” and anything else was collectively grouped together as “other crap” (excepting interesting vintage stuff). Certainly, 99% of everything that wasn’t a Dyson that came in our shop for repair the last decade or so could safely be grouped into the “other crap” category. Stuff like Vax, Bissell and Hoover.

I was vaguely aware of other stuff like Kirby (a million pounds new, half a ton in weight and now £50 on Gumtree including 26 boxes of tools you will never use) and the “upmarket” German machines like Miele and Sebo, but we seldom saw them for repair so I had little experience of them.

The last couple of years, I kept hearing people in the trade talking more about Sebo. Last year it was suggested to us that many of the more reputable larger Dyson shops in various parts of the country are now also stocking Sebo as well. I did some online research, and found almost nothing bad written about Sebo. I kept reading tales of people who had had them 20 years and they were still just fine. How they are used in hotels and cruise ships. How even the Whitehouse in the US uses them. Sebo were voted Which? magazine’s “most reliable brand”, etc. To cut a long story short, I met our local Sebo rep, discussed the products in depth, checked them out and shortly afterwards we became Sebo agents.

Sebo has a large and very solid following. Mostly middle class folks in the shires and other affluent areas who typically buy them from places like John Lewis and more competitive independent dealers like us. Indeed, we now offer a Sebo vacuum home delivery service to Cheshire and our near locality. You’ll not find them in Argos, QVC, Netto or Tesco. Sebo simply don’t roll that way. You’ll not see them advertised on TV either. We call them “the best German brand you have never heard of”. It’s like you must discover them……….

Dyson on the other hand are all over the TV and every outlet you can think of. They own about 50% of the UK vacuum cleaner market. We all know the products and most of them work well enough to spend a few years in our homes doing what James Dyson intended them to do.

But which one is best? Dyson or Sebo?

For me now, there is no black and white answer. It very much depends on your usage and personal preferences. Hence this topic.

Sebo – while still a premium product – is generally cheaper to buy than Dyson (because Sebo aren’t on your TV every five minutes and continue to develop machines that work well rather than trying to reinvent the wheel every two years).

Bags versus Bagless.

Dyson are bagless. Sebos have bags.

All but the newest £300-400+ Dysons have filters you must wash and/or replace. In Sebos, the bag forms part of the filtration system so no filters to wash regularly.

Which is best?

There is no definitive answer to this. Both do the job equally as well in most respects. For what Sebo bags cost, the “But you don’t need to buy bags” argument holds little water. If the price of bags (circa £10 a year) matters to you, buy a £75 bagless Vax and throw it away when it breaks (and it will).

Here is a comment from the Mumsnet forum on the subject:

I’ve had an upright Sebo for 12 years now. It’s brilliant! It lasted through 2 years of living in a building site and literally vacuuming carpet padding (previous owners took carpets with them!). It never broke down or failed. We still have it. I have a lot of allergies and chose it because it is highly rated for capturing the smaller particles. I prefer having bags too. I find dealing directly with hair, dead bugs, dust, etc. a bit off putting.

Meanwhile, my MIL has had 3 Dysons in the same 12 years. They look neat, but for me a vacuum, cleaner is a work horse not a style statement.

The whole bagless -v- bags vacuum cleaner argument is like Remain or Brexit, red wine or white wine, fish or steak, or lager -v- bitter. Everyone has a different opinion, nobody can ever be right. You choose what is right for you.

The wife factor.

In terms of vacuum cleaners, my wife is reasonably lucky that she can choose anything we have in stock in our shop to use at home (she would feel luckier if our business was vintage diamonds or Jimmy Choo shoes – but it is what it is). If she doesn’t like it, it can go back and be resold as reconditioned after we have serviced it. The last few years she has been very happy with a Dyson DC14; it has done everything she has expected of it. She tried a DC24 and wasn’t keen on it so it went back. She tried newer stuff and went back to her DC14.

When women she knows started discussing Sebo vacuums, she started using one of our demonstrators to vacuum our shop. Just to see how they were. Recently, she decided she wanted one at home to try it out. Now, one has arrived at home alongside the Dyson………

And her opinion is it is MUCH better on carpet when you hit the “hunker down” button on the top model. Worth noting that the DC14 we are comparing it to is an older Dyson model and not Dyson’s latest model.

I tried the top X4 Pet model above in my office at home today (with the “extra” button on) and it left streaks across the carpet. Even my seven year old girl (who was “helping” me) said it was like “the carpet in the hotels in America because you can see the stripes where it is clean”. And they use Windsors, which are also Sebos.

My wife has decided she wants to hang on to her new black Sebo, but isn’t *yet* ready to give up her DC14 (unless I find her an adaptor that makes all the Dyson dusting and other tools fit the Sebo). So in a Dyson -v- Sebo contest, she is undecided.

Edit: We now stock the >>Dyson tools to Sebo vacuum adaptor<< – I solved that one.

People who have owned a Sebo seldom want anything else. But the same could be said for people who have owned Dysons. So what for the people coming from Vax, Hoover, Electrolux or Bissel into something better? Which one to choose?

So I put the subject out for discussion and a vote in our poll. Dyson or Sebo?

This was a guest article on Dyson Medic by Manchester Vacs – the largest Dyson and Sebo agents in the north of England. If you like the article, please use the social media buttons below to share it. 

The Dyson DC04 is one of the classic Dyson models of vacuum cleaner dating from the late-nineties that is what we call the Ford Transit of Dysons: It does everything you want it to, and doesn’t break down very often if you do simple maintenance.

It does what it says on the tin. Decade after decade.

The Dyson DC04 is a SUPER vacuum cleaner. One of the best there ever was.

The vacuum monolith that is Dyson, that controls over 50% of the UK vacuum cleaner market, was built from the profits of machines like the DC04. And many thousands of DC04s are still in use today.

Quite rightly so.

However, a couple of years ago, Dyson discontinued all parts support for the DC04 and basically hoped to relegate them to history.

Of course, Dyson don’t really want you using a twenty year old vacuum cleaner, they want you to spend £300+ on a new one.

For them, this is perfectly logical. They now reckon we all need “Cinetic” machines with no filter, a robot or a cordless machine that can be over £400.

These machines are all mostly capable for their intended use. If you have a few hundred quid spare, why not buy one?

But what of the people who are quite happy with the old DC04 they already have?

What of the people who simply want to fix it or buy a spare part when it breaks?

Is “Sorry, that part is no longer available” a satisfactory answer?

Not really.

Enter what is known as the “after-market”.

As with cars, a couple of years after they come out, you can buy a “genuine” oil filter for £20 or an “Aftermarket” one for £8. They both do the same thing (often made in the same factory) but one costs less and comes in a different box.

We see the same with vacuum parts. When the original manufacturer stops making them, very often an after-market manufacturer will make them instead. This is why you can still buy parts for 1970s Hoover Juniors. Or spares for the Dyson DC01.

So what about DC04 wand handles? 

Over a decade or two, we saw weaknesses in the DC04 wand handle. The tool holder on the back breaks. Sometimes they snap altogether halfway down. This isn’t bad design, this simply aged plastics doing what they do beyond their expected service life. Dyson offer a five year warranty. Your wand handle broke after ten years, so it happens. Time to buy a new one.

But Dyson won’t sell you one because they are now “obsolete”.

But they are not obsolete if someone in the aftermarket decides to pump the money in to make that part again.

That is what has happened with DC04 wand handles.

Today, we at Dyson Medic got some aftermarket prototype DC04 wand handles to test for a UK manufacturer. We tried them on range of clutched machines (they dont fit the green/grey or Constant Max variants unless you change the hose) and they work just fine. Here are the photos.

These are now in manufacture since we gave them the green light.

I will update the topic here when they become available in the UK in a couple of months.

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