Dyson DC18 Slim All-Floors Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner Review

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Avg. consumer rating = 88/100 

The Dyson DC18 is a bagless, upright, HEPA vacuum cleaner.  It is Dyson'’s lightweight upright, weighing in at 6.7 kg (about 14.7lbs).  It has most of the same features as Dyson'’s heavier uprights and still delivers 200 air watts of suction power.  It gets very solid consumer reviews but, like most Dyson machines, is not cheap.

The DC18 Slim uses advanced Root Cyclone technology that ensures no loss of suction (Dyson proves no loss of suction using the IEC 60312 Cl 2.9 test standard).  Cyclonic suction involves spinning air at very high speed to throw dirt and dust out of the airflow and into the collection bin.  This technology does not require bags or filters.  

Features

The DC18 Slim All-Floors is designed to operate on all floor types and has a motorized brush-bar that can be turned on for carpets and off for hard floor surfaces (or delicate rugs).  The switch is easily accessible in the vacuum handle.  The vacuum also comes with a telescoping reach wand to help with cleaning of stairs, drapes or other hard to reach places.  The dust container of the DC18 has a volume of about 0.45 gallons - a number of consumers have indicated that this is quite small and the container needs to be emptied frequently.  The small volume container is likely the result of the smaller dimensions of the DC18 Slim.  The dust container is, however, reportedly very easy to empty, using a simple push button.  

The vacuum cord is 25 feet in length and this too has caused some consumer grumbling.  Most folks would prefer a longer cord and some indicate that they use an extension cord when vacuuming.  The dimensions of the DC18 Slim All-Floors Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner are 16-1/3” x 12” x 43-2/3”, and it also comes with a very respectable five-year warranty.

The Dyson DC18 is HEPA capable.  HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and is a high-efficiency air filter that is capable of removing at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers or larger.  These filters are used for many applications in the nuclear and biomedical industries but have more recently found a home in the newer vacuum cleaner models.  They are especially helpful to those suffering from asthma and allergies.  All Dyson uprights are certified asthma friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and the HEPA filter used by Dyson is washable and designed to last the lifetime of the vacuum.  You may want to check our online shop for bestselling Dyson accessories.

A few other DC18 bells and whistles include the following:
- A Direct Drive gearbox and therefore no belts to break or replace
- A low profile cleaner head for getting under furniture
- Soft wheels ensure floors are not marked up
- Comes with combination accessory tool and upholstery tool
- Approved for allergy sufferers by the British Allergy Foundation
- Comes packaged with corrugate cardboard that is 100% recyclable

Consumer Sentiment

A review of many consumer comments from a number of sources indicates the following common likes and dislikes about the Dyson DC18 Slim:

PROS
- Very powerful
- Lightweight
- Dust container is easy to empty
- Washable filters
- Very good warranty
- Small & maneuverable

CONS
- No retractable cord
- Dust container is a little small
- Loud (a few comments on this)
- Expensive
- Power cord is short
- Picture book manual – not well documented
- Attachments of limited quality

A compilation of consumer ratings from several quality sources can be found in the table below: 

Interestingly there are a few areas regarding the Dyson DC18 where consumers seem to disagree.  The weight of the vacuum (is it heavy or light) and the maneuverability of the machine.  With respect to the weight of the DC18 some folks feel it is very lightweight while others actually feel it is a bit heavy.  If you compare it to the DC25 which weighs in at 7.4kg then the DC18’s weight of 6.7kg is really no big deal.  But then the DC07 weighs in at 8.7 kg and frankly when you are lugging these things up and down the stairs every kg counts.  So perhaps we can say that 6.7kg is lighter than other Dyson uprights but still isn’t a featherweight.

Also, some consumers indicate that the DC18 is hard to move around while others call it highly maneuverable.  The Dyson means of locomotion seems to take some getting used to.  We have run into many a consumer who indicated at first that they could not get the hang of it and didn’t like it, only to become a convert after they started to be able to use it more effectively.  Maneuvering a Dyson Vacuum around definitely seems to be something that requires a bit of practice.