I'm finally bagless

I am simply beside myself, because at last I can finally say goodbye to these little monkeys.

This vacuum cleaner bag may look like an innocent little thing but the reality is it represents the worst of my incompetencies and whenever I've used them, I feel like I'm battling with the enemy.

Vacuuming has always brought out the worst in me and vacuum cleaner management has certainly not been my strength.

There have been the "stretching it out" moments, where I would hope upon hope that the bag would take a few more square inches of dust, even poking its contents in a little deeper to create a little more room.

Then there was remembering to buy the bags, which always cost a fortune. And once I'd bought a pack of three, could I ever find one again when I needed another replacement? Oh No! So I'd go and buy some more, wasting even more cash.

And as for the struggle to fit them into the vacuum cleaner. Well, I was never any good at that either.

My efforts could definitely be classed as "Could do better". The only thing I was good at was remembering to put the bags in my compost bin (tearing them up first of course), but in all other areas of maintenance all I can say is no wonder my vacuum cleaner always had problems sucking up the crap from the carpet.

So when Dyson dropped me an email and asked if I'd like to join some other bloggers in testing out a bagless cleaner, I was simply champing at the bit to say "oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!" and headed off to London for an introduction to Dyson and its cyclone technology.

And what a great day it was. As well as an introduction to the bagless cleaners, we also witnessed how indestructible the latest models are, including dropping the cylinder from high and even hitting them with a hammer. You might laugh, but as a parent of a four-year-old who could possibly be tempted to do either of these, it actually mattered a lot.

And we also had the opportunity to meet the designer, who demonstrated the washable filter that she's patented.

Yes...that's right a WASHABLE filter.

So that means no buying bags or filters.

And after all my hard work, watching the demonstrations, eating crisps, asking questions and drinking coffee, I have been blessed with my very own DC-23, suitably called "The Animal".


There is so little maintenance, even a useless old bird like me can hack it!

And as Dyson are keen to get regular feedback on the product, I've already struck up dialogue about the packaging, which is mostly recyclable cardboard but still has a minor unrecyclable element.

So with no bags to worry about I've already vacuumed more in three weeks than I managed in the last three months with my old one. My task now is to test out the appliance and see if I really need all the attachments that came with it

And it is so satisfying just looking at the rubbish that gets sucked up and is already acting as a new form of entertainment for the kids. Okay okay, I admit it, it's not only the kids. I've been sucked in too. And it is indeed very satisfying just "pouring" my vacuum rubbish into the compost bin. Gee whizz. I think I'm finally becoming domesticated!