The Dyson DC14 Vacuum Cleaner is a powerful vacuum with a 17' extendable hose and a brush roller that can be turned on and off depending on the application required. The suction can prove almost too powerful for some-especially those with delicate or wool oriental carpeting as the fibers can be literally ripped out of the backing, even with the brush roller turned to an off position. The cleaning capability of this particular unit isn't the question, it is whether this machine over-cleans to the detriment of flooring and property.

The Dyson DC14 is equipped with a 17' extension hose (14' of flexible hose attached to a 3' wand) hat allows the cleaner to reach cobwebs as well as dust-bunnies and the suction and power of the vacuum is well-matched to this feature. The main drawback to this unit is the over-suction that results when the brush roller on the floor is used. Great suction is usually a good feature in a vacuum cleaner, however, here it is simply overkill and has resulted in expensive damage to various types of flooring.

On precious antiques, wool and oriental-type rugs and carpeting, many of the Dyson models have been known to literally tear the fibers right out of the backing, resulting in at best, a ragged-looking mess where patterns are forever blurred and thinned out portions of the material. Annoying balls of wool accumulate like cottonwood or dandelion seeds in spring across expanses of very expensive carpeting. The key in anything is balance. The Dyson DC14 fall short because this vacuum cleaner has to make up for finesse, it doubles up on the power, knowing that the average consumer looking to clean an investment in flooring will be swayed by what they think is a good vacuum based only on cleaning suction capability.

Other features on the Dyson DC14 include a 1/5-gallon bin that empties with the press of a button. The extra size is appreciated in this model, but it is a little bit of overkill again and results in vacuum cleaner that is on the heavy side and a bit bulky-too bulky to fit underneath beds like a Rubbermaid vacuum can and too heavy to be able to carry it easily from level to level. Another feature, the lifetime HEPA filter, is able to filter out 150 times the airborne mildew and allergy-causing particles than is found in an average air sample.

There is also an automatic carpet height adjustment and a 35 foot cord that allows access to more than one cleaning area with only one plug-in. The 14" cleaning path is thin enough to fit between most chair legs and small enough for residential use, but registers on the small side when it comes to any area that needs to be cleaned that is of any size. Property owners with large areas of carpeting or hard wood flooring that is delicate like wood-flooring and some laminates may experience scratching even with the brush-roller on the "off" position. A better machine for hard-flooring is the Proteam Super Coachvac with the special soft-foot attachment that is designed to leave hard flooring scratch-free.

The best thing about the Dyson DC14 is the generous warranty that extends to 5 years. While the Dyson DC14 is a very good vacuum cleaner and the warranty is generous, major problems don't usually crop up until after the warranty is expired. The problem with this Dyson and others is that they are extremely expensive to fix and require more expensive parts that are not as readily available as other prevalent brands. There are accounts of repair bills equaling the cost of the machine. While the Dyson DC14 is a machine with a lot of suction and a generous extension hose, some of its capability is negatively balanced by the amount it may cost to maintain in the long run.