By Sean Poulter
PUBLISHED: 14:51 EST, 29 October 2013 | UPDATED: 15:32 EST, 29 October 2013
British design experts have added a revolutionary new weapon to the armoury of time-starved families who are fed up with the daily chore of cleaning.
The 'Dyson Hard' is effectively a cross between an old style mop and a powerful vacuum cleaner.
The hi-tech device uses a wet wipe on a pad on the bottom to clean away stains on hard floors, removing dried on kitchen spills such as tea bag drips.
Separately, there is a vacuum which sucks up all the toast crumbs at the same time.
Arguably, the new £249.99 device is the biggest innovation since Sir James Dyson first launched his bagless vacuum cleaners 20 years ago.
Importantly, it taps in to the growing desire among householders for cordless machines, which are not tied up in a cats cradle of cables.
The Dyson Hard also serves as an alternative to plug-in steam mops, which have become enormously popular for cleaning hard floors in the last two years.
Again, the new device has the advantage that it is more convenient. There are no power cables, no water tank to fill or delay while it heats up.
Sir James said: 'Good technology should make everyday tasks quicker and easier.
'Dyson's high-speed motor technology has enabled Dyson engineers to develop a cordless machine capable of vacuuming dirt and wiping away stains simultaneously. One machine doing two jobs, in one action.'
The company will sell packs of wet wipes, which are wrapped around the base and clamped in place. These will be either standard versions or ones specifically for wood floors.
The machine is compatible with packs of wipes available from other manufacturers.
The cleaner head of the machine, also known as the DC56, can be removed to add a crevice and combination tool for cleaning hard to reach places.
The fact it is cordless means that it is also useful for cleaning the car or worktops.
The cleaner is powered by the Dyson digital motor V2, which is one third of the size of conventional motors, yet spins at 104,000rpm.
While this is backed up by a powerful lithium-ion battery, which delivers 15 minutes of fade free performance. For stubborn dirt, there is a boost setting for six minutes of high intensity cleaning.
The machine's body is made from ABS Polycarbonate, which is the same material found in riot shields, while the lightweight reinforced wand is aluminium.
The DC56 was slammed into obstacles from a number of different angles 39,154 times to ensure it was robust and durable. It was also subjected a tumble test with the machine spending over an hour in a rig simulating the effects of a giant cement mixer.
Dyson has become one of the UK's few modern day manufacturing success stories, with massive sales around the world. While its machines are now made in Malaysia it invests nearly £1.5 million a week into research and development, mainly in this country.
The company employs hundreds of engineers and scientists at its Research and Development headquarters in Wiltshire and will recruit 250 more this year, including many recent graduates.
The 'Dyson Hard' will first go on sale in Tesco from tomorrow(thrs) under an exclusive deal before becoming more widely available.
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