This Handheld Dyson Vacuum Is as Powerful as My Upright and Gets the Job Done in Half the Time
Handheld vacuums are one of my favorite inventions. When it comes to cleaning, there’s not much that beats the sheer satisfaction of suction power and sounds of a vacuuming job well done. Especially when that job can be done with a tool that doesn’t cause you to jump over cords and can fit in one hand. Courtesy of Dyson, I was able to test out their new Humdinger handheld vacuum that launched earlier this month, and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
I didn’t consider how light a two pound vacuum would be until I actually held the Dyson Humdinger in my hand. Most of its weight is in its base, where the handle, rechargeable battery, washable filter, and Dyson Hyperdymium motor are located, so it feels sturdy and durable while handling — not like it’ll fall out of your grip if you move too quickly. I love the underside grip of the Humdinger in comparison to my old hand vac that has a handle on the top. It makes me feel like I have more control of the vacuum, can steer it easier, and turn it in directions that just aren’t as easy to do when you have to hold it from above.
The Humdinger comes with three different attachments that snap on and off with an effortless press of a button. The worktop tool is for smooth surfaces, the mini motorized tool has a spinning brush that helps with pet hair and hard-to-clean dirt, and the combi-crevice tool is a narrow nozzle with a sliding adjustable brush so it can be used two ways. This is the attachment I’d definitely use most often in the car and underneath shelves in my apartment that are close to the floor, since it can reach those tight spaces the best. However, my favorite Humdinger attachment is the mini motorized tool. This is fully coming from a place of emotion, but it saved me when I was in a cleaning pinch!
I had friends visiting for dinner after well over a year of only worrying about myself in my apartment. It’s safe to say that I’ve been a little neglectful of deep cleaning — and maybe even let a few too many packages pile up. I was understandably in a mad dash to clean more thoroughly and my upright vacuum also happened to be out of commission. I initially planned to use the Dyson Humdinger to spot clean with the spinning brush attachment, but before long, I’d gone over my entire living room floor with it. Considering it holds a charge for 20 minutes of vacuuming at a time, this speaks volumes for its efficiency. There’s a MAX button on the Humdinger specifically designed for intense spot cleaning, but even on its normal setting, it’s surprisingly powerful. It’s also really fun to use, and picked up so much undetectable dirt that I felt like my living room was even cleaner than I imagined it would be!
Another plus for me was how easy it is to empty the canister once it’s full. Other hand vacs that I’ve used haven’t always reattached easily or properly on a consistent basis. (Trust me, having the top of your hand vacuum fall off in the middle of cleaning is hardly a good time.) The Humdinger has two options for opening the canister to empty it, and both are incredibly simple. You can either open the canister lid and dump the dirt, or remove the canister altogether for emptying.
The Dyson Humdinger also comes with a charging dock and hardware to mount it to the wall. I haven’t hung mine up yet since I’m still looking for an ideal placement, so for now it sits upright on a shelf. The base is heavy enough to stand on its own as long as none of the tools are attached. It’s in the spot where my old hand vacuum used to be, now that I’ve passed it along to another owner in my family. If you’re looking for a good replacement for a hand vacuum or even something to stand in temporarily for a full-scale vac, the Dyson Humdinger doesn’t disappoint!
Buy: Dyson Humdinger, $299.99