Kirsten McKnight's List: Consumer Reviews

The Dyson Ball DC24 vacuum cleaner.

Here's the dirt: I suck at house cleaning!

I'm no domestic diva, nor do I aspire to be one, but I'm totally stunned, disgusted and amazed by the amount of dirt, dust, debris and who-knows-what that was sucked out of my living room wall-to-wall carpet by the Dyson Ball DC24 vacuum cleaner.

I'm truly embarrassed, but not enough to stop me from showing a few neighbours the motherlode that this little super sucker amassed. This thing is an animal. And thinking of all the dust mite feces and pet dander we've been lounging in while watching TV on the carpet is just plain gross.

The house already looks and feels cleaner, and so does the air. Featuring a lifetime HEPA filter, the exhaust air emitted from a Dyson has up to 150 times less bacteria and mould than the air you breathe. And weighing just over five kg, this lithe and lightweight little number boasts the renowned patented cyclone technology that doesn't lose suction.

A smaller and slimmer version of the U.K. vac-builder's hi-tech uprights, the DC24 does all floor surfaces and features a canister to collect crap, crud and crumbs, instead of a bag which tends to clog up and lose suction as it fills.

The removable clear canister filled up after just one pass around the living room. Small canister? No. It dug up tons of ground-in dirt as I really got down, but not dirty, moving the sofa and loveseat aside to get to places that haven't seen light, or a vacuum, in years.

The dirt collection, captive, swirling and growing before our very eyes, had my 11-year-old daughter and I both spellbound. She even assembled the DC24 by adding the cleaner head, wand and on-board accessory tools, and insisted on helping out. A first!

The cleaner's compact size is inviting -- two-thirds the size of the legendary DC14, which launched in Canada two years ago. It really lends itself to condos and apartments because the telescopic handle easily retracts for storing.

The DC24 provided instant entertainment while getting the job done, as I constantly stopped to check the buildup. Instant gratification! Hey, vacuuming still sucks but the Dyson bin, aided by the incredible cyclone technology, adds fun to domestic drudgery.

I'm not big on uprights since they're traditionally bulky and tough to manoeuvre. But the Dyson's ingenious design -- it sits on a ball with the motor inside -- makes for an easy turning circle and effortless handling. Combined with its superior suction power, it cleaned the carpets, hardwood, in corners and along cupboards where crumbs collect better than any other upright.

While on hardwood and delicate area rugs I turned off the motorized brushbar that spins 90 times per second, as suggested by the manual, and still got great results.

A bit of a disappointment is the plastic coil hose and wand combination designed for high-reach cleaning, which is not as long as I'd like. The vacuum body tipped when I over-reached, so I ended up carrying the device by its handle while vacuuming with my right hand.

Neither is the tiny accompanying tool practical for way-under-the-sofa type cleaning, although Dyson does offer a wider "flat cut head" accessory that can be purchased separately. And I wish the power cord was a bit longer, too.

But hey, overall, I'm sucked in! Cute, compact and powerful, this cleaner leaves other vacuums in the dust. And I love the idea of not buying filters or bags.

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DYSON BALL DC24 VACUUM CLEANER

Price: $499.99; available nationwide at Future Shop, Sears, Home Outfitters, The Bay and other retailers. For more information, visit www.dyson.com or call 1-877-397-6622.

Verdict: Compact, sleek and powerful, this hi-tech little sucker gets top marks in clean-up capabilities and manoeuvrability. If you're in the market for an upright, this is the best I've ever tried and worth the money. With vacuums, you get what you pay for.