Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I approached this Dyson DC58 handheld with a combination of anticipation and skepticism. That's because I own an earlier model Dyson handheld, the DC34. That handheld was excellent when it worked. But it suffered from very short battery life from the day it was new (5-7 minutes max) and, after a few months, started to manifest a problem where the vacuum would only operate for a few seconds between trigger activations. As I subsequently learned, this was a common problem. So, while I really liked the DC34 initially, I grew to dislike it immensely over time. In fact, before I got this DC58, I'd switched to a reasonable mid-line Black and Decker model. It never picked up dirt like the Dyson did at its best. But it also didn't give me any troubles and held a charge much longer. OK, enough back story. How is this new DC58 model? In terms of addressing the biggest out-of-the-box problem with the earlier model--short battery life--they've done something very clever here. Basically, they now offer the user two power step operation. In the lower power mode, the battery lasts 15-20 minutes. In high power mode (Dyson calls it "Boost Mode"), you are back to the old 5-7 minutes of operation. The key here, though, is that for many/most cleaning operations, the lower power mode is perfectly fine. In fact, after testing out both modes, I pretty much stuck to the lower power mode for all my subsequent cleaning tests. The only place where I had to switch back into Boost Mode was to clean some junk out from a narrow crack between the seats in my car. I couldn't get the nozzle far enough down to pull the stuff in using the standard mode, but in boost mode, the suction pulled everything through the air the small extra distance necessary. Generally, this Dyson, like other Dyson vacuums, demonstrates a clear advantage over cheaper brands in terms of being able to maintain very good suction even as it fills up. With my Black and Decker, for example, I am continually having to open the vacuum up to clean the filter--often in the middle of a job--because the suction is deteriorating. No such problems with the Dyson. Cleaning (open the canister, dump into your garbage) is about the same as the old Dyson handheld, and is better than, say, my Black and Decker (due to less problems with the filter getting clogged and needing cleaning). The attachment set is minimal, just like my previous handheld Dyson. But, to be honest, I only use the straight extender wand anyway. So Dyson has won me back to the fold. Whether I remain there depends on whether the battery/electrical system on this one stays the course long term. I am hoping that the obvious implementation of changes to the power system (two speeds) suggests they've addressed other issues as well.