Vacuum cleaner first look video reviews Dyson Ball DC50

We travelled to Dyson's headquarters to take a look at its latest bagless upright vacuum cleaner, the DC50. Dyson claims the new 2 Tier Radial cyclone technology on this model allows it to collect tiny particles as small as 1/5,000th the size of a pin head. 

To see this new Dyson vac in action, take a look at our DC50 video review:

 

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Until we send this upright vacuum cleaner to our labs for full testing, we won't be able to tell if Dyson's claims are true, but in the meantime, you can take a look at how other Dyson vacuum cleaners have done in our tests. 

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Dyson 2 Tier Radial cyclone technology

Cyclone Technology

Dyson's Cyclone technology aims to collect tiny dust particles

The Dyson DC50 features Dyson's new '2 Tier Radial' cyclone technology. As with Dyson's previous cyclone technology, the air that is funneled through the cyclones is spun at a high speed, flinging the collected dust into the vacuum's bin. The DC50 has been given a second layer of cyclones above the first - which should help this Dyson filter out even more microscopic particles from the airflow than before. 

How well does it work? It all sounds very promising, but our lab tests will reveal just how much dust and dirt this Dyson is really picking up.

This is something we will be testing in our lab, but in the meantime you can take a look at how the previous models (launched in January 2012) - the DC40 multi floor vacuum cleaner, DC40 Animal vacuum cleaner and DC41 Animal vacuum cleaner - did in our lab tests. 

Better cleaning power?

The new floor head on this vacuum cleaner has two types of bristles - carbon fibre for hard wood floors and nylon for carpet - which now cover the entire length of the rotating brush bar.

The head is also larger compared to previous models and nylon strips have been added to loosen dirt in the carpet, making it easier to pick up.

Simple-to-use features

As with previous models, the Dyson DC50 has an easy-to-use automatic release so you don’t have to use your foot to recline this upright.

The floor head also adjusts automatically when moving onto a different floor, such as from carpet to wood, so you don't have to change it yourself. This means the bristles lie closer to the floor surface, which Dyson says allows it to pick up more dirt.

The hose is easily extended and has a good reach, although we’ll be looking at just how far it will go in our lab.  

As with previous models, Dyson claims the 'ball' design makes this vacuum cleaner really easy to manoeuvre. We found it lightweight to handle and easy to turn in any direction. 

New vacuum cleaning tools

Pet hair tool DC50 Dyson says the new tangle-free turbine tool won't allow hair to get tangled in it

The Dyson DC50 comes with two new attachments. The first is a flexible nozzle (called a flexi-crevice tool) for tight corners and reaching high places, and the other is Dyson's new replacement for the mini-turbo tool - the 'Tangle-free Turbine tool', used for cleaning upholstery and, in particular, pet hair.

Unlike traditional mini turbo tools, which pick up dust and pet hair using a rotating brush bar just like the main floor head (and which are prone to getting tangled up), the tangle-free turbine tool from Dyson has two flexible rotating disks which pick up hair and wrap it into neat bundles. These are then sucked away, saving you the messy job of trying to cut them free. 

The DC50 is a little smaller than the DC40 (the last new upright vac from Dyson), making it ideal for cleaning smaller homes. If you’re not sure what type you need for your home, take a look at our guide to buying the best vacuum cleaner.

Which? first look verdict

The new technology and tools certainly seem impressive, and, if they are proved to do the job in our labs, will be really useful. The compact nature of this vacuum cleaner means it's light to use and can be stored away easily. And the fact that the floor head can change automatically to suit different floor surfaces makes it hassle-free to use. It is, however, quite expensive compared to other Best Buys we have tested - one of the highest scoring Best Buys we've found is just under £200.

You can buy five different versions of the DC50:

  • DC50 multi floor (£329.99) - comes with a combination tool and stair tool
  • DC50 multi floor complete (£339.99) - comes with a combination tool, stair tool, stubborn dirt brush, flex-crevice tool and dyzolv cleaning solution
  • DC50 Animal (£359.99) - comes with a combination tool, stair tool and tangle-free turbine tool
  • DC50 Animal complete (£369.99) - comes with a combination tool, stair tool, tangle-free turbine tool, stubborn dirt brush, flex-crevice tool and dyzolv cleaning solution
  • DC50i (£329.99) - comes with a combination tool, stair tool and stubborn dirt brush and is available at independent stores.

Pros: Small, lightweight and easy to manoeuvre

Cons: Not particularly quiet, expensive compared to cheapest Best Buys vacuum cleaners we've found

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