The worst Rechargeable Vacuum Cleaner ever ! – I own 4 Dyson Vacuum cleaners. One DC16 Rechargeable and 3 Mains powered - a DC08, a DC26 and in fact I just bought the new DC41 Ball. All of the mains powered cleaners are fantastic but the Rechargeable is a piece of junk.
I couple of years ago, I purchased a DC16 Motorhead rechargeable Vacuum Cleaner. This particular unit has been a massive disappointment - essentially due to the extremely poor battery life. Dyson sent me a new Battery but that didn't change anything. I never get 3 minutes worth of use before the red light starts flashing and it cannot be used any more. It has been like this since new. I want to buy a new DC35 Animal but my reluctance is based on the poor performance of my DC16 - there's no way I am investing another $400 for a unit to just sit in the charging stand never to be used (like the DC16) because I can't get long enough use out of it. If Dyson have trust in their products, then I would hope that they would buy back my DC16 and sell me a DC35 for the difference in price, especially since I am the owner of 4 of their cleaners.
UPDATE: Dyson inspected the unit and honourably replaced it with a new model. The replacement model is "chalk & cheese" when compared to the original DC16
Very Poor Battery Life
Hi Chuck & Mark, Sorry to hear you are having issues with the batteries on your machines. Unfortunately, like many other batteries, our DC16 batteries have a lifespan.
You can purchase new batteries from us at external link or, if you would like to discuss this further please email askdyson@dyson.com.au and we will be in touch.
Best wishes,
Shan
I have the DC16 for 3 years , and use it about 3 times a week,, have begun to experience the exact same problem quite recently. Hopefully its only a batterylife problem because I love the machine. 3 to 4 years is perhaps reasonable. The many reports of same deffect with new or replaced batteries is disturbing. Dyson response did not answer this issue. Expect more serious answer from serious company.
I've just replaced the charger unit as this had stopped working now that the new charger unit has arrived only to find I also have issues with the battery as well. Have only had about 2 weeks use from the product the rest of the time it sat in the cupboard as never seemed to charge and when it did I only got a few minutes use from it. It is the fourth dyson vac we have owned the rest ( mains power have been fabulous) this however has been a disappointment. Now I have to order a new battery which sucks really as have waited a week for the rest of the replacement accessories and add ons to arrive.
Hi Sid & Dallboy, Sorry to hear you are having issues with your machine.
If you would like assistance or to disuss your machines further please email askdyson@dyson.com.au
Best wishes,
Shan
After the first batt died, I bought a new one on the Web for 29$, only to discover that the new one would not charge either, so I took the DC16 apart and removed all of the useless electronics. Then I connected the new batt straight to the motor, replacing the Dyson on/off switch, which only takes 200 mA, for a more powerful one from an old hand drill that takes a couple of Amps, but luckily had the same size. I also soldered a 15V Zener diode in series with the LED that come on the DC16 to indicate when the voltage on the motor drops below 20 volts, so I know it is time to recharge. I also hooked the batt to the contacts on the bottom of the DC16, so I can still use the original sliding charger. I have a count down timer set to 2 h, that is enough to bring the batt back to full charge at about 24 V. The solution is not elegant, but it does the trick.
We have had the same DC16 in daily heavy use for around five years and it has been brilliant. Just guess you guys got a bad batch. My wife is obsessive about keeping things clean so it doesn't have a soft life. It is massively better than others we have used, maintains its suction. But it is not for cleaning the whole house....that is for the Dyson upright DC41!
Not defending them, just trying to provide a balance from a satisfied customer
I have the same problem. Now it just sits in the cupboard. You can't vacuum much in 3-4 seconds at a time. It would appear the problem is endemic to this machine. It is a ripoff and should have been recalled.
ProductReview.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ProductReview.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.
Could not agree more.The Motorhead's Li-Ion battery is useless. Mine died after a year, and when it was working only did it for about three minutes. Very frustrating. A quick Google search will show you how many people had the same issue w/the Motorhead battery. A good example of marketing overriding technical design, again. Bought mine at at Retravision.