Dyson DC18 Slim All-Floors Cyclone Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuums often disappoint. They're either unwieldy in size, take too much work to change out longer hoses or put on attachments, etc., need costly bags, or they're heavy or take up too much storage space. And, lastly, they frequently don't live up to performance standards. Well, the Dyson Slim delivers in all but one small category.

As the Cleaning Editor for BellaOnline, I look at cleaning equipment with a serious eye. The first thing I noticed about my Dyson Slim is that performance-wise, it delivers, pulling up cup-full after cup-full of hair, dust, and everything else you find in carpets -even the ones I had just vacuumed with my regular vacuum (I had to perform a quick "quality assurance" test).

The Dyson Slim also delivers in several other categories, such as storage (it takes 1/3 less space than a regular vacuum), and ease of use. It has the "flick of the wrist" action of the Dyson Ball without the massive weight of the Dyson Ball. This is important to me because I broke my wrist last year and had neck surgery in February. I need a vacuum that I don't have to muscle around the house and that torques my wrist and lower back.

Another spot where it delivers is the size of the vacuum head. It's not as wide as regular vacuums and I was reluctant to buy it because a wider head means more coverage; or so I thought. Actually, the shorter vacuum head, combined with the low profile, means the vacuum gets into very small spaces and underneath sofa skirts, etc., easily and more proficiently than a standard-sized vacuum, helping you to vacuum more quickly and with greater agility.

Where didn't it perform? The attachment heads were a disappointment. There's not a good-sized brush or wide head attachment. The attachments seemed a little cheap and overlooked -with one exception. The crevice tool/brush combination it comes with is absolutely perfect for vacuuming baseboards (Halleluiah!). But, I also find that I need a nice-sized brush for areas like wood shutters and a wide head attachment to do places such as stairs and tiled areas. However, you can always buy the Dyson wide attachment ($50) and brush separately. Or, I just bought the Kenmore brand attachments that fit the Dyson perfectly. The wide head was only $9.99 -and it fits in the slot for the Dyson attachments on the vacuum body.

For a vacuum that's easy to maneuver, easy to clean and maintain, takes up less space and gives all the power of a regular-sized Dyson vacuum, the Dyson Slim is a hands-down winner. The only drawback in my mind (better attachments) was no problem because I found an inexpensive work-around. Besides, I'd rather have an easy-to-use vacuum that works well and has chintzy attachments than great attachments on a so-so vacuum. I'd recommend this vacuum to anyone, especially if you want all the power at half the size.