Sentosa

i guess I've been lucky with small appliances, still using a hand mixer, hairdryer and liquidiser I have had 14 years. Also an iron and a 2nd hairdryer I've had for almost 10 years. I did have a prob with a coffee machine I bought last October, it started spitting hot water out of the back in Feb so I e. mailed the manafacturer only to be told that it would take 2 weeks to proccess my inquiry, so the same day I called them, 4 days later I recieved 2 new coffee pots on the same day, e. mailed again asking if they wanted me to return one they said keep both. A week later the one coffee machine i was using did the same thing so i e. mailed them again asking if i was doing something wrong [it has a special water filter thing in and i thought maybe i was fitting it in wrong]no reply but 4 days later i recieved another coffee pot, meanwhile i had worked out what was causing the problem, i called them back to see if they wanted me to return it again they said keep it. So I have now 3 coffee machines.

bxpuser7543

i just tried checking the US spec against the UK spec on a new dyson DC15,no motor wattage figures on the US ones i found,anyone know what the wattage is.I just cant believe you get a cheaper/smaller motor in the US

Bob

Errr...the smaller motor is mainly because of the power supply over here, was cheaper for him to license a mitsubishi motor than re-design there own one...it's still a great vac and does an awesome job, but it's slightly less powerful.
The animal version is great, but if you got the standard dyson, you can get the animal attachment for $50, it's bascially a mini vac in the head attachment bit as far as I could tell...
What you should tell your hubby though, using a dyson is more economical because it cleans better wouldn't have to vac as much, it puts out less heat so won't warm the place as much affecting the A/C, it's a lighter vac so easier to vac making it also quicker...all things to save on electricity, not to mention all that money on bags and hepa filters....

Bob

It is smaller and slightly less wattage, not much to make a difference, but it's to do with voltage supply, was cheaper for dyson to license a new motor from mitsubishi than to make new one, mostly cost of changing machines in the factory wasn't worth it, so they buy the motors in for the US market.

bxpuser7543

i was just doing some research to see if this thread is correct,i noticed the new DC15 "ball" type only has a 1050 watt motor in the UK,whereas the standard dyson had a 1400 watt motor

fatbrit

It's also probably got something to do with the domestic electric supply. Since the voltage over here is halved, you need to double the current to produce the same power. However, losses due to undesired heating are proportional to the square of the current, and you therefore either need to increase the diameter of the conductors significantly to offset, provide additional cooling, or accept less reliability. Simply put, 110V is not really up to the job.

Elvira

Now I'm really puzzled: there's Eskimo posting about beer at 7.15 pm, and you rambling on about household appliances at 8.52 pm.

Was it just a quick 'dinner' then?

Sorry, just being curious... - couldn't resist!

Taffyles

Tell him do all the vacuuming then. The cheap hoovers here are junk, false economy IMO- even the more expensive ones aren't very good- I went through about 5 vaccuums before Dysons came out over here- wish their washing machines were available here too. Although I splashed out and got the big whirlpool front loaders...after 11 years of top loaders I would have paid anything to get decent machines.

Dimsie

According to my husband, Kirby for vacuum cleaners and Maytag for washers, fridges etc are the "Rolls Royce" of domestic appliances here.
I think Kirbys look like something from the 1950s, but after having a door to door crew clean and shampoo my living room carpet with a Kirby I might change my mind - though I balk at spending $1000 on a vac - I can think of better things to spend it on! Likewise the frontloader washers, which I do prefer. I'm stuck with Maytag top-loaders like my Mum had when I was a kid (longer ago than any of you can remember!) - but heck - my clothes were clean then! Living in this time-warp is not all bad - or so I keep trying to convince myself.

Neathborn

We found we had to pay a bit more to get something decent. We went through lots of kettles before finally finding a Krups Aquafilter kettle, which we've had for years now and it has only once needed to be descaled.

On the vacuum cleaners, we had one that had dual voltage (European & American) and the suction power went way down when we used it in the States. It was so bad, we had to discard it and buy a new one.

Bob

Thing is, Kirby are industrial vacs, you can get them in blighty, probably used at school and stuff....there not meant for average home user....just like the dyson isn't meant for industrial use, would knacker it quick being used that often because the filter would need cleaning more often.

Bob

Anyone thought of using a hob kettle? we've got a nice lecrusset jobby...

as for your vac, might have been dual voltage, but like you said, would lose power, would be fine if you got a power convertor, though bit extreme lugging that around from socket to socket just for a vac *l*

woodsey

we had dinner at little later than planned..

Dimsie

In this area, Bob, Kirbys are sold door to door, for home use.

http://www.cockeyed.com/citizen/kirby/kirby.html
Have a read of that - it's pretty much what happened to us. The machines are good, but at those prices they's better be!

Bob

Aye, but it is something straight out of the 70's for design, and those things weigh a tonne to lug about...and they throw out a lot of heat.