I have a Dyson DC11 so I can't comment on the weight of their upright models... It's no heavier (practically speaking) than any other quality cannister brand (Miele, etc..) And one of Dyson's claims to fame is certainly reliability. "Never loses suction" is a strong comment on reliability.

Other brands just don't offer much in the way of innovation. Dyson's new DC15 "The Ball" is sure to do well in all markets. The US subsidiary has pulled their only cannnister, the DC11, from their lineup, but has just added the DC15 stand-up. Unfortunately, no Dyson machines are yet officially available in Canada. So it's still eBay or "cross-border" shopping for some people. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that I might be able to buy a Dyson washing machine sooner rather than later too.

Bruno