You’ll be glad to hear that I finally bought a Swiffer. So far my experience with the swiffer has been nothing short of magical. I will admit that I had a hard time finding it in the store but that's because I was looking in the wrong place. I almost bought a competitor’s version but I’m glad I held out for the genuine article. First off I would like to say that the packaging and logo are quite excellent. The box is nicely proportioned and has a pleasing heft to it – I knew I was getting myself a serious cleaning utensil. The graphics are clean, simple – dare I say beautiful? There is a retro look to the packaging that I think represents a winking postmodern nostalgia on the part of the designers, recalling the glory days of "domestic science": gimicky gadgets targeted at the american housewife. I found assembly of the Swiffer to be a very simple and satisfying experience. The assembly process is often our first interaction with a newly-purchased appliance and involves a firsthand study of the fit and finish. The Swiffer consists of a cleaning head attached to three identical rod sections and a handle section. The individual parts are all solid and well-made which adds up to a sturdy sweeper. I was especially impressed by the quality of the connections, the rubbery texture of the cleaning platen, and the overall heft and sturdiness of the assembled device. The color scheme of the swiffer is a kind of oxide green with a silver handle and white lettering in swiffer italic sans serif. It’s a really beautiful color scheme – the box features yellow highlights – that implies sterile cleanliness and environmental consciousness combined. Using the Swiffer is the greatest treat of all. There is a ballet-like quality to the Swiffer’s motion as it glides over the floor, effortlessly rotating due to an ingenious universal joint that allows for cleaning-head rotation with a simple twist of the wrist. I also found it extremely useful for windows, walls and ceilings – particularly spider-web removal. My sources have also informed that the individual Swiffer-cloths can also be most effectively used for hand dusting; I hope to explore this feature tomorrow.
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