Dyson is getting back to its roots. After messing around with space heaters and radical concept sinks, the UK-based company is rocking the vacuum boat again, this time with a powerful handheld model and its first vacuum that will only be available in the United States.
The Dyson DC59 is the latest iteration of the company's handheld product, which the company claims is as powerful as an upright vacuum. It looks similar to past versions, but it's been redesigned with a different kind of motor, an easier-to-remove filter and an upgraded battery.
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The DC59 motor now uses four electromagnets instead of two, which makes it 50% more powerful than the previous DC44 at 350 watts. On top of that, the revamped battery has more capacity than before, so battery life is increased to 26 minutes. On the downside, the new batteries are incompatible with previous vacuums and chargers.
I got some hands-on time with Dyson's new handheld, and noticed the DC59 is considerably lighter than the last model, too. Dyson senior engineer Rob Green said this is mainly because the design uses a lot more carbon fiber, which gives the structure the sturdiness it needs to withstand a motor spinning at 110,000 rpm (about 5 times faster than a race car engine).
We tried out the new vacuum on some messes like powdered sugar and coffee grounds in a demo area that Dyson prepared. It did a great job of picking everything up on the first pass, but I was most impressed with how it handled edges. Thanks to a wider brush head in the stand-up accessory, the DC59 picked up every particle right up to the edge of wall.

Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani

Dyson also unveiled a new upright vacuum for the American market, the DC65. The new vacuum is specially designed to perform on both hardwood floors and carpets, Dyson said, with a more gentle brush head that can keep rotating on a hard floor without potentially damaging it (you can still shut it off for extra caution on the Bolivian Rosewood, Mr. Rockefeller).
As with anything Dyson, a relatively extreme price tag is attached. The DC59 is $499.99 and the DC65 starts at $499 for the "Platinum" model, although models with more accessories for picking up pet hair and cleaning difficult spots (like stairs) will run you $599 and $649.
Both vacuums are available starting Jan. 19, although the DC65 upright will be exclusive to Best Buy.
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