Design, Practicality & Perception

After 5 years, I finally got rid of our Dyson upright, which had stopped working 100% after the first 2 years of use (yes, it lost suction, and more).

I begrudgingly continued to force it to work (knowing it really wasn’t picking up much) over the next 3 years because I wanted to maximize its utility — squeeze out the last bit of $ poured into it.

It had promise when I first purchased it. Aesthetically pleasing and powerful, it unfortunately proved heavy and tiresome to use (features not pointed out on the packaging, ads or reviews).

On the market for a new vacuum cleaner, my priorities shifted somewhat. I still wanted style, but this time I wanted practical substance — meaning I was looking to pay way less for something I knew I’d probably end up ditching after a year or so of use. It’s just the practical way to think about it….

I happened upon the solution completely by luck & intuition. Not having researched at all, I just went to TARGET and picked the one that met my established budget (sub $100) and felt the most right to me.

The Electrolux Ergorapido 2-in-1 Sweeper — so awesome. It actually works, is under $100, doubles as a carry away mini that you can take out to the car to take care of cookie crumbs (yes, I have kids), & sports very clean, aesthetically pleasing lines.

Most importantly, it’s an investment I won’t mind ditching when it stops working — & I know that it eventually will. Three years with an overly designed and not-fully-functional vacuum cleaner taught me a lot about design & consumer perceptions.