By Martin Vedris

SYDNEY: Dyson’s new compact DC24 Ball upright vacuum cleaner (RRP $649) is in stores now and Dyson is claiming a new category for this machine that is designed for smaller dwellings with its compact storage solution and downsized footprint.

“It’s not a full-sized upright vacuum cleaner, and it’s not a stick cleaner either,” said Dyson Australia’s managing director, Ross Cameron.

“It really is a new category we’re calling ‘compact’, and it’s for consumers looking for a small machine that still delivers a powerful cleaning performance; in the case of the DC24, the performance is the same as a full-sized Dyson, we’ve just concentrated the technology to create a compact size offering,” said Cameron.

Dyson said the DC24 matched other models for suction power and performance. And for storage, the DC24 has a retractable handle that slides down to shrink the height by 33 per cent. This same handle also comes off the vacuum cleaner and attaches to the end of the hose for a long handle extension to reach high places such as ceilings.

It also features the unique ball design instead of wheels, which gives the vacuum greater maneuverability over conventional designs. This ball is derived from the ‘Ballbarrow’ that was invented and designed by James Dyson and released in the UK in 1974.

The DC24 uses Radix Cyclone technology so it is also accepted by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice program.