**Boring Question Alert**

Hi - I need to buy a dishwasher and vacuum cleaner (got a dog + hard floors). Anyone got any particularly good experiences with any products they are willing to recommend. Price would be mid-range for both.

Thanks!

Dishwasher I can't help with but I can fully recommend a Dyson vacuum cleaner. I've got a hard floor and 4 cats and the dyson does a good job.

Thanks Kate - I went through their very impressive matrix but it all seemed many-fangled to me. Which is the model you have? Is it one of those rolly-ball ones? Is it heavy and do you get all the little attachment-jobbies with it for the sofa and round the sides of the room?

Advice much appreciated.

[Spiderman]

Dishwashers.... well where do i start?

So many to choose from, like Integrated, Semi Integrated or free standing. Then there is the size. Most full size ones are aprox 60cm wide and then there are slimline ones that are aprox 45cm wide.

The good thing about the slim ones is that you can use them daily. they use less water than the bigger one and if its just you and your man thats all you really need. If you go for a full size one then you'll end up either running it 1/4 - 1/2 full (very bad for the planet) or leaving it for days to fill up and running out of plates or knives or something just when you need some. Also the food cakes on if left for a few days and you may not be happy with the cleaning results you get.

Says the man whose never owned a dishwasher in his life.... but sells lots of them

hth.

I'll second the Dyson as I too have four cats and it does the best job.

Now never ask anything so dull again!!!

I've just got the cheapest upright Dyson at about £150 I think, it comes with lots of attachment and thingies and definitely sorts the cat fur.

[johnnyrod]

AEG for a dishwasher if you can afford it. Look up Boots (the chemists) and Tescos for appliances, they (and B&Q) use another company called Fiege, sell the stuff through their own web sites for home delivery. Kitted out our new kitchen through them, good prices. Missus was happy cos she got Boots points on a hob, extractor and dishwasher. What the hell they're for I don't know (the points that is).

I've got through 3 Dysons, and have vowed never to buy one again - once the see-through cylinder clogs up with dust inside its little twirly bits, the section power drops off dramatically. You can't get at that section to clean it.
We had them all replaced under warranty, but eventually got fed up with them.

Mrs Toad now has some German made thingy and is much happier

We've had a Bosch dishwasher for 10 years, and its still going strong - squeeks a bit when the pump is running, but works fine

I'l third the Dyson.

I've got a basic one that you pull along behind you rather than an 'upright' model.

To be honest, between the two, which one you get should be decided by one factor - who in the house has the longest hair? (And that includes all humans!)

I would regularly be having to cut hovered up long hair free of the rotating brushes you get on all upright models. If I didn't do it after each use I'd soon jam the brush solid and it would be useless as a hoover!

I've got the longest hair between me and the dog.

Pull-along-wheelie-jobs don't have rotating brushes so do a far more efficient job for me.

There ya go.

As for dishwashers - I wouldn't recommend the modle I've got. Very temperamental, always breaking down and you really have to push all teh right buttons in the right order to get it to work.

It's kinda complicated programming it and if you mess it up mid-cycle you have to start all over again.


The make is the Housemate 3000. Ha, I bet you thought I was going to say 'Me'. Not a chance. I do the hoovering, he does the washing up.

[TSM]

Dyson have a couple of models with HEPA filters, they are usefull if you happen to be alegic to dust etc.. Mine is fine except for the wire take up spool which seems to have lost some of its return spring, but thats after about 3 years.