When did vacuum cleaners become gadgets?

A vacuum cleaner. Yes. There I said it. This post is about a vacuum cleaner.  I'm a nerd and obsessive about things being organised and cleaned appropriately, especially the carpet in our family home.  We've had a German manufactured Sebo model for more than 15 years and it still works.  But it's like a ball and chain when using it.  Getting the kids to take responsibility for their own cleaning jobs has always been a sore point — a challenge before giving them a ball and chain to do vacuuming with.  While I'd seen Dyson brand and become aware of the profligate nature of James Dyson's patented 'cyclone' technology which power their range, I looked at Dyson's as another brand of ball and chain, if not prettier and sexier looking.

Over the summer I was out with the missus at our local John Lewis department store, when before you knew it, we were talking about portable vacuum cleaners with a  sales assistant.  We took it home and of course I test drove it. Well, that was it. Hooked.

It doesn't have a computer on board.  No software.  It's all mechanical but runs off a battery.  But damn, this thing works and better than the Sebo. No wires, much lighter, cleans better (even animal hairs) and with their assorted suppled attachments gets to the places you often wanted to clean.  The only downside is that  the supplied battery lasts 15-minutes, and only 6-minutes on the high suction mode for tough carpets. So we bought a second battery to flip over to. It stands up as strange space age device the hidden corner of our hallway. As an extra touch, it has a docking station to have it docked against a wall like it its supposed to be there.  Nice.

Vacuuming now happens daily. Mess is hoovered up in seconds. The kids just get on with it. We don't have a dustpan and brush anymore.  We don't use the Sebo anymore. Anyway, it's called the Dyson DC35 animal. Thought you should know.