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Review: Dyson DC31 Handheld Vacuum

Dyson's vacs are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever did suck. And we mean that in a good way. Meet the debris-gobbling DC31 wonder vacuum.
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Photos by Jonathan Snyder

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Rating:

9/10

WIRED
Sucks like it means it. Accidentally swallowed wedding rings are easy to retrieve from crystal-clear debris chamber. Retractable dust-brush head for when you want to hit the crevices.
TIRED
Big, unwieldy, and weighs in at a wrist-tiring three pounds. Priced higher than many full-size upright vacuums. No wall-mount dock for charging/putting on display.

The DC31 handheld vacuum is here to terminate not just debris, but also Dustbusters, Dirt Devils, Sharks and other inferior portable suckers.

Looking like the unholy crossbreed of a power drill, a French press and an aardvark, the DC31 also roars like a 747 when you pull its trigger. That's because the vac's 65 air-watts of suction power come courtesy of a turbine that spins at more than 100,000 rpm. At that speed, the DC31 can suck for only about six minutes on a single charge – perfect for cleaning a staircase covered in cat hair. Drop the suction to a still-impressive 38 air-watts (a push-button mode change) and you'll get closer to 10 minutes, which should be enough to give your car seats and floor mats a once-over. And if you fumble, say, a can of coffee, the DC31 eliminates the evidence in a matter of seconds.

DC31 Handheld Vacuum

Like its upright cousins from Dyson, the DC31 dumps everything into a clear debris chamber that's blissfully easy to empty.

Let us be clear on one thing: if there's a better hand vac anywhere on the planet we'd like to see it.