It’s a suction showdown
Swept up in spring cleaning? Two new vacuums have landed in stores, just in time. First up is the Dyson Slim, a compact model that weighs about 15% to 20% less than the company’s other uprights. Also making some noise -- and a lot of it -- is Shark’s loud new Infinity line, which purports to provide the same kind of never-loses-suction technology as Dyson at a fraction of the price. How did each fare in test drives? Let’s just say the search for the perfect vacuum continues.
Dyson Slim: This little dynamo -- a variation of the Ball, for all you Dyson aficionados -- comes with many of the same features found in the company’s full-size vacuums, including a bagless design, a motorized brush that can be turned off when rolling over wood floors and a washable HEPA filter that the company says never needs replacing. During test runs in two homes with dogs, pet hair and dirt filled the Slim’s dust bin with remarkable -- some might say embarrassing -- speed. That actually proved to be a drawback: The bin was too small and needed to be emptied several times while vacuuming the whole house.
Other downsides: The telescoping cleaning wand seemed cumbersome to one user (but clever to another). We wished the 25-foot cord were longer and more hose attachments were standard features, not optional purchases. One last peeve: no headlight. Complaints aside, this nimble, dirt-gobbling model performed well enough to persuade our testers to join the cult of Dyson. The Slim is available in stores or can be purchased for $469.99 (shipping included) via the Dyson website, www.dyson.com.
Shark Infinity: “Infinity never loses suction and provides the most powerful suction available,” the press release says. Sound familiar? Lower-end manufacturer Shark is clearly aiming for the Dyson crowd with the new Infinity series of bagless cyclone vacuums, which, like the Dysons, come with a washable HEPA filter that the manufacturer says lasts a lifetime.
The two introductory Infinity models include the NV31N (shown here), with special attachments “for advanced pet hair cleanup.” One tester found the unit to be heavy, almost unwieldy, and vulnerable to tipping over when the cleaning wand and hose (17-foot reach) were used. Storage for the hose attachments was awkward, and the suction seemed aggressive bordering on extreme -- akin to driving a 350-horsepower SUV for a short run to the grocery store. It’s way more power than anyone needs for a routine chore. Then again, there are lots of SUVs on the road. The suggested retail price for the standard Infinity model, the NV30N, is $199.99; the NV31N pet care model is $249.99. Both are available in stores or through www.infinityvac.com.
-- Times Staff
