Dyson DC31

The most powerful hand held vacuum cleaner – I bought this model at least four years ago and it's never disappointed us. We use it daily for spot cleaning around our house which has timber floors (very easy to spot dust on polished floorboards!) and have purchased the entire range of accessory tools to reach cobwebs in the ceiling corners, dust on top of bookcases, picture rails and… Read more

skirting boards. Having gone through a series of less expensive dustbusters over the years, we were really impressed with the suction power of the Dyson, its lighter weight and even the pistol grip being vertical (compared to dustbusters which have a horizontal grip and more tiring to hold). The Dyson is excellent to use for vacuuming the car too, and we were really pleased to find that all of the accessories which we bought also fit our Dyson barrel DC29.

As the battery lasts for 15 minutes before needing recharging, we solved that problem and simply bought a spare battery from the Dyson Australian call centre. That way, without breaking out the DC29, we can keep on spot vacuuming, swapping battery packs when one needs recharging. We were initially concerned about buying a UK brand but were very happy to find that Dyson have an Australian call and service centre. When we couldn't easily find the battery for the DC31 on Dyson's website, we phoned them and they immediately found and supplied us with the correct battery.

The best things about Dyson are no more vacuum cleaner bags and interchangeable accessory tools between models. Whilst more expensive, the trick is to wait patiently for store sales and price reductions.

It's not IF it will breakdown but WHEN – Decided to splurge and buy the DC31 instead of another cheaper brand. What a mistake! Buy a cheaper one and save your money! It stopped working within a month of purchase and went in for repair after a lady on their customer service line went over all the possible causes for it not working - there are a lot of possible issues it seems. The… Read more

warranty procedure was long and painful, we were without the item for months chasing them up. It came back repaired not replaced, it now it works intermittently when it feels like it and only for 5 seconds before shutting off. After an hour or so it may feel like another 5 second burst of sucking or it may not. We talked to customer service and were asked to again submit it for repair, this time we have given up, we don't have time to lodge it again - it's clearly a piece of rubbish.

My husbands employer bought two for the office at the same time as us and both have stopped working within 3 months. After repair they have the same issue as ours only worse, they cut our after less than 5 seconds!

Look at these reviews Dyson, how can you sell this product to people knowing you are robbing them blind. Ironically you are robbing yourself, we bought this thinking we'd love it and want to buy a big Dyson for the carpets to - Dyson lost themselves a sale there after our experience with the DC31.

Best Christmas present ever! – I wasn't at all put out when my husband bought me a Dyson Motorhead for Christmas about 2 years ago - it was exactly what I wanted. Cleaning our carpeted staircase was one of the worst chores with our large Dyson - dragging and balancing the unit mid-stairs to vacuum was such a pain that often I just didn't get around to it, but with the "baby"… Read more

Dyson I can quickly clean all edges with the pointy tool and use the motorhead for the body of the stairs without any real effort. I don't experience the same battery rundown as others when cleaning the car - I usually remove the car mats and bang as much dirt from them as possible, then use the motorhead on the seats, carpet and mats, and pointy tool for the hard to reach areas. I bought the tool accessories to complement the "baby" Dyson and I find them very handy. If the car is cleaned regularly I don't have to spend excessive time on it and the battery doesn't run out before I'm finished. I also find after young family members visit that crumbs and dry food messes are quickly cleaned up, and it's especially handy for a quick run over the messy high chair. I leave the Dyson Motorhead charging all the time, ready for instant action clean-ups, and would be lost without it now. compact, easy to clean, powerful, extremely portable would be nice if the battery charge lasted longer

I Love it – Great vacuum. I sweep every day the hard floor areas and them vacuum the mess, so quick. Battery last a couple of weeks just doing quick pickups of mess, esp hair on bathroom floor. battery lasts 6 min cleaning the car but even though i have a 4 wheel drive I can do it in 6 min. Knowing it only lasts 6 min means I move fast which is fine knowing I… Read more ·  1

am spending such a little time Vacuming. I have a 3 & 4 yr old so plenty of crumb in the back seat too.

It's excellent – It does a great job cleaning the floor, car, carpet and hard floors. I haven't had trouble with the battery time. I use half on full power and half on standard power. The filter is easy to clean and it has been reliable over the last three years. Just now, I've noticed the motorised brush not working but that has been the only problem in the last… Read more ·  1

five years. This gadget has certainly saved me a lot of time. Very good suction Motorised brush bar broke after three years

The best hand held Vacuum cleaner – I love this machine it's always on charge and works really well in the kitchen great on stairs and for the car great power would love the longer attachment so I didn't have to bend as much it's perfect for carpet and floorboards . The attachments get in to all the nooks between the seats in your car too. Design and they have the best customer… Read more

service people working for them The battery life is a bit short however l purchased a second battery so there never is a problem

Support/Parts for DC31 Motörhead experience from Dyson – I have had the DC31 for approx. 7 years and has performed reasonably well during this time. Unfortunately the battery decided to die, after 7 years of use that’s fair enough, time to get a replacement battery. I decided to contact Dyson direct to order the battery, not so easy, the DC31 is no longer manufactured, again fair enough, however the… Read more

worst was yet to come, no replacement batteries are available. I was offered a replacement vacuum at a special price, hopefully this wasn’t going to be a refurbished unit, this happened in a past experience I had with Dyson.

This is not why I purchase expensive products and why I have decided to replace all my Dyson products with an alternative manufacturer that does provide backup service and replacement parts.

My recommendation is don’t buy Dyson unless you have deep pockets and a desire for poor backup service.

Ok Except for batteries – It works nicely when it works. I've failed several batteries, some after only a few cycles and the filter needs frequent cleaning when using it with finer dust. I like to use it on my library shelves and around my office with the long extension; it saves a lot of bending.  Show details

So disappointed! – I love Dyson products, BUT!! I have contacted Dyson to get a replacement battery for my DC31 Motörhead- admittedly it is 7 years old, still in perfect condition other than the battery and they can't supply me with one- not longer available. So disappointed!! Offered a discount on a new model- if the same thing happens I will be "really" furious.  Show details

Only works for a few seconds – I had the problem where it would only work for a few seconds. I disconnected the battery and clean the contacts on both the battery and unit with methylated spirits and that made a huge difference. I still think my battery is close to expired but at least it would run for a couple minutes. Show details

Love my DC31 – Bought about 7 years ago, battery was failing, bought new 3000mAh 6 cell from China via eBay for $33. Now it is just like new, battery has not run out after a good workout. Show details

Another Dyson disappointment!!! – The DC31 hand held machine looked hi tech and worked well when new - on our polished wooden floors. However, after about a year or so it stopped. Dyson advised new battery ($80), which did not help. Connecting cord was OK - I had it checkd. Dyson advised to buy a new machine - they stopped selling/servicing D31. Most disappointed - will never again get a Dyson product - quick at selling, but unsatisfactory after sales care!!’  Show details ·  1

Alright until now – I bought this quite a while ago to replace my other handheld. Since then the battery life is absolutely terrible. While using it for at least 30 seconds the battery just dies and needs to be recharged. Contacted dyson and they don't have any replaceable batteries. The waste part at the back keeps on falling off the main component. Time to purchase a new one  Show details

Trigger's Broom – The vacuum is powerful when it works. The design looks great. Shame that it is just not reliable as I have had to replace the main body as the switch failed, the battery as that failed and now the charger had given up. I will definately not be getting another, it was expensive even before buying the replacement parts which I now wish I had not… Read more

done. Should have purchased cheaper and thrown away, instead of expensive and unreliable. Never again Dyson. Such a shame.

Terrible, terrible, terrible – Like everyone else here, my DC31 has died. I have used it maybe once every couple of months for the last 3 years since I have owned it. Spoke to Dyson who offered me a new battery for $76. I think that's excessive. This thing was expensive and should last longer than that. They even acknowledged there were known issues with the DC31. What a poor… Read more

service model - so sick of getting shafted by these companies. You buy their products in good faith and when something goes wrong they just want more of your money. It's disgraceful really.

Extremely Disappointed – I have 2 Dyson vacuums (upright plus handheld) and neither of them work. My DC31 is 4 years old and has been lightly used (typically a single 3 minute session each fortnight). Dyson's service centre has assessed the DC31 and just advised me that it has multiple defects. Among other issues, both the battery and charger need replacement. The experience of Dyson's "customer care" has also been off-putting. I'm stunned.

Very disappointing – The battery didn't last very long at all, in spite of minimal usage and wall-mounted near a power-point. I now get only a one-second burst before it dies and I have to try for another one-second burst and hope I get a small job done. Looks like it is headed for the rubbish-bin. I changed all the filter pads but it made no difference. The bottom… Read more

clip doesn't let go easily to empty the canister either - I have to use pliers to undo it. The button that is supposed to press it open has NO chance.

Poor Battery life, – Great suction for a handheld & very convenient but lucky to get 2 minutes use per charge. After a year with minimal use the battery packed it in completely. Dyson service provided over the phone diagnosis & provided a new charger with no result. An expensive vacuum that now doesn't work at all, it now gathers dust. Good suction Expensive, poor warranty backup. Won't purchase another dyson. We have a virtually brand new one that does't work.

Great performance, lousy battery – We bought on of these 2 years ago & used it lightly. Great for keyboards & anything up high. Brilliant for small spills, saves getting the big Dyson out. This is the 3rd Dyson vacc we have & I really miss it. Why do I miss it, after about 1.5 years the battery gave up the ghost & I can't get a replacement battery for sensible money. I… Read more

would have given it 5 stars but for the battery. For a handheld vacc it really performs extreemly well Short battery life & very expensive to replace.

Small but oh-so-mighty! – Could not recommend this little handheld vacuum cleaner highly enough. It is seriously small and handy but has an excellent suction - what you'd expect of a Dyson. We use it on our carpets and it vacuums everything out really well. We have a large Dyson as well and use this heaps more than our large Dyson. Battery life is excellent also. Excellent suction, small and handy. Good battery life.

Run out of time – This hand-held vacuum cleaner boldly states that it can be used to vacuum your car. Well, it can't. Not in one session. You see its battery runs flat after exactly six minutes. So don't expect to cover the whole interior of the car and the boot as well. Just get what you can done in that six minutes,then wait an interminable three and a half hours… Read more

for it to recharge. Tried to circumvent this problem by buying a second battery. However, batteries are incredibly difficult to remove and refit. Also, batteries can only be recharged while fitted to the vacuum cleaner.

The battery for my drill lasts longer, recharges in half the time and recharges whilst it is not fitted to the drill. So I can recharge one battery whilst using another. Useful in the house for little jobs. Can get into all those little crevices in the car. Good pickup. Batteries runs flat very quickly and takes a long time to recharge.

Good – Overall, this is a nifty little vacuum that is very handy for those quick jobs when its too much of a pain to get out the big vac. I use it almost every day and wouldn't be without it now. This vac keeps up its suction right until it runs out of charge. It looks space age, which encourages the kids to use it too! I like how you can see what is… Read more

being sucked up, so you know when it needs to be emptied. Sometimes when getting into awkward spots bits fall out again when you hold it at an unusual angle. Also as gross as it is, I use it to vacuum up flies. My dad calls it "the fly blender". I think the flies maybe able to escape. Best to empty it straight away. I would also like some warning that the battery is nearly flat.

I love my Dyson! – Very handy for quick little clean-ups. Quick and easy to grab from the cupboard and do a quick spot clean before the visitors arrive, or after the grand-kids have gone home. Good power and suction. Does go flat quickly but then I only need it for quick little jobs. Saves dragging out the bigger vacuum cleaner for those quick tidy-ups. Love it! Light, easy to use, great suction. Short battery life - but you soon get used to that.

How did i live without this? – Friends had always seemed surprised that I didn't have a dustbuster, so I finally succumbed, & read heaps of reviews before making a purchase. A lot of people seemed to me, to be unimpressed with the standard cheap models, or perhaps their requirements were less than mine. I have 3 dogs & 2 cats, all with long hair, & a 2-storey house with a… Read more

carpeted staircase. Having a shoulder injury, & after battling with electrical cables, & flex hoses that pull against you & want to recoil, I discovered the Dyson DC31 Motorhead. As the name implies, the motorhead attachment has an additional separate motor. I was aware from reviews I had read that the battery charge lasts only between 6-10 mins, depending on whether you use the Boost option which requires more power. But I decided I could live with that &, with economical use, ie. not running the motor continually, but instead, each time I lift the machine, releasing the trigger, I can complete the whole staircase without the battery dying. It is quick to recharge & I keep it charged all the time.

In the rest of the house, I do a major vacuum with my upright Dyson, & do minor tidy-ups with the DC31 throughout the day as required. The motorhead makes the suction more powerful, it has a little rotating brush inside which is great for removing pet hair, & is easy to remove to release the hair. I vacuum my mattress with the motorhead, & you can see in the clear canister, just how much dust & fluff the machine removes. This is one powerful little hand-held vacuum &, although expensive in comparison to others, it is a true vacuum cleaner, just small & lightweight which can be a huge advantage. It has 2 other attachments, a long crevice cleaner, and a brush for upholstery. It is easy to empty into a bag or bin with the press of a button & you don't need to dirty your hands. So if you want a serious little hand-held vacuum cleaner, I would recommend spending the extra money & buying this little machine. So handy, reliable, powerful, yet lightweight. Expensive, but worth it

Expensive – Cheap units always failing I decided to bite the bullet & buy the 'best' (most expensive). It does work better than others but has limited endurance which can be frustrating. Best of a bad bunch Expensive, poor battery life.

Great love Dyson – Great product sucks up everything super better than any hand held vacum I have had fully recommend the outlay as idysons last for many many years. Super suction, easy emptying

Best ever hand held vac!! – I love my dyson!!! I've got the upright vac & it's fantastic - I knew it would be good but it's not good it's fantastic!! It's light, powerful, easy to use & can get into tight areas. Still sucks as strongly now as when I got it! Everything - it's the best hand held vac I've ever had It's expensive - dyson vac's are

Powerful and easy to handle, perfect for those crumbs on the carpet – For years I have struggled with cordless vacuum cleaners, awkward to handle and lacking suction power. The Dyson DC31 is in another category, it is a pleasure to handle, easy to empty and get the job done to clean my carpet. Pity that the battery life between recharges is not great, otherwise I would have give it the 5th star! Light and powerful A little short on battery life

My DC31 compliments my floor cleaning life. I already love my DC08 but I enjoy the ease of use – No regrets in buying my DC31. It is always great to use as I know it will do the job at hand,, as long as it is not too big. It is perfect for those quick jobs to spruce up to house. I like it best for cleaning our mattress as my wife suffers from asthma, so I know it does a an excellent job. Ease of use, reliability and Dyson suction power. Need to be mindful of battery life when using it. Show reply

fantastic, excellent handheld vac – Fantastic. We recently got ourselves a robotic vacuum, and use the dyson handheld for everything the robot can't get to. Also find it brilliant for the car, staircase and anytime you just want to vacuum something but don't want to get out a big vacuum: filters and grills, computer, furniture, window sills, etc. Between this and the robot… Read more

vacuum, it's the ultimate in convenience in cleaning. decent suction, the accessory kit is excellent. comfortable to hold. wish it had longer battery life just for the car.

Best present ever – I got one of these for my Birthday last year, best present I have ever received. I use it for everything, cleaning the car, sucking up pet fur etc. Still sucking strong 12 months on! Reliable, good suction, good battery life, easy to empty

Perfect hand held – So glad I bought this, powerful,great suction, much better than my last 2 purchases from Breville! Highly recommended, if you are looking for a hand held, the Dyson range is the one to go for. efficient and powerful expensive than others

Excellent – Compared to other brands on the market, this actually does what it states. It is quite suprising the amount of dirt it sucks up, i was worried 10 minutes battery life would not be enough, but it is adequate for all those small jobs around the house. If you can afford the extra amount for the motorhead will definately recommended getting that one… Read more

if you have carpeted floors. Great handy device with consistent constant suction, the motorhead works extremely well on carpet, handy to spot clean all areas, and picks up long hair in bathroom, plus easy to use on the staircases too.

Excellent – We upgraded to this after a little Hoover handheld vacuum and the difference is amazing. Yes, you do pay quite a lot more for the Dyson but it is worth it. We got it when we bought a new car as we wanted to keep it nice looking and I use it for loads more than I was expecting to. Great for furniture, getting dust out of curtains, cobwebs,… Read more

getting into little areas that are a pain to try and get with a big vacuum...the list goes on and on. Great product. Works shockingly well! Doesn't lose power gradually on battery mode. Has dual power so if your cleaning a dirty car you don't have to try and get it done quickly. Very quick recharge. Easy to empty and clean.

Excellent – Did a lot of research and looked at several other makes and models before I purchased the DC31, despite the extra price tag it was a no brainer. If you can go the extra money do it, you will not be sorry. A well balanced unit with excellent sucking power even on low, easy to empty, looks good, overall a very Tec smart hand held that performs in line with what the manufacturer claims. Only the price