The best Dyson cordless vacuums – tried and tested

When unboxing this cordless cleaner, we wondered how much better it could realistically be than the already excellent V15 Detect. But we were blown away when testing it. It’s phenomenally powerful – with 262AW of suction versus the V15’s 230 – enough so that it sucks up nearby dust and debris in an instant.

It has all of the technology of the V15 Detect, including the green laser and piezo sensor – and then some. One of its best new features is the crevice tool built into the top of the wand for instant handheld cleaning. But you’ll also get an armful of other great accessories, including the hair screw tool and the jointed low reach adapter that lets the Gen5 lie flat to get under sofas – without you having to join it.

Our one reservation (beyond price) is its weight. Thanks to the new battery that powers the upgraded motor, the Gen5detect weighs 3.5kg/ 7.7lbs. It is Dyson’s heaviest cordless yet – and it feels it.

Buy it if: You want the latest and greatest Dyson tech – and you have strong arms.

As the “Animal” part of the name suggests, this is a vacuum cleaner that’s optimised for dealing with pet fur. It’s also Dyson’s latest flagship, just released in the UK and not out in the US until 2026. The model comes in two forms: as a dry-only vacuum (£749.99), and as a wet and dry model, with a redesigned Submarine head (£899.99). We can’t weigh in on whether that extra spend is worth it as we only tested the dry vacuum.

Changes from the Gen5detect include upgrades (suction power has leapt from the Gen5detect’s 262 to 315 air watts), new features (app connectivity, a larger, compacting bin) and a pet-friendly design. It retains some of the best features of the last few models too: notably the green illumination that lights up hair and crumbs and a trigger-free operation.

We were most impressed with the conical rollers on the floor head, which make it one of the few vacuum cleaners that never requires you to cut away tangled hair. It also comes with the excellent hair screw tool, which makes it simple to clean upholstery, stairs and pet beds.

However, not all of the new features were a hit for us: the smart features felt unnecessary and the fact that the floor head comes to a point at the front makes it a bit more complicated to clean right up to a wall ahead of you.

Buy it if: You have pets – and deep pockets.

The Car+Boat is Dyson’s handheld model, optimised to clean awkward spots. That means it’s ideal for giving your car, caravan, shed, stairs or sofa a good vacuum. It comes with three attachments – a crevice tool, combi tool and mini motorised tool – but no wand or floor head.

It has a V8 motor and is very similar to the Dyson V8 stick vacuum, but there are some differences. The Car+Boat has an extra 10 minutes of run time, it’s 64g lighter and it doesn’t come with a long stick wand, floor heads or a docking station. The Dyson V8 also costs £80 more than the Car+Boat at full price but as the V8 is an older model, you can find it on offer for less, which may make it a better buy.

When testing it, we found it to be extremely powerful and very effective but there are a couple of downsides. It takes 5 hours to charge, which will be an annoyance if it conks out mid-clean, and it features the dreaded Dyson trigger, which you’ll have to hold down the entire time you’re using it.  

If you already own a Dyson, there’s no need to buy the Car+Boat. Just pick up the mini motorised tool from Dyson online.

Buy it if: You want a dedicated hand vacuum for your car (or boat).

The V15s Detect is essentially the V15 Detect vacuum with an additional wet floor cleaning head, the Submarine, which you can use to mop – although it can’t steam or sterilise a floor. Bear in mind that the motorised parts of the two vacuum cleaner models are not interchangeable: if you already have a V15 Detect, you can’t buy the Submarine head for it.

With the V15s Detect, you’ll get the Submarine Wet Roller, the Digital Motorbar for carpets, the Fluffy Optic cleaner head for hard floors, the Hair Screw tool, a crevice tool, a combination tool, a transparent wand clip, a drip tray, the charger, and a docking station. It’s the entire cleaning package, with a tool for every floor type and situation.

We found the Submarine head to be a very effective mop alternative. You can use it with plain water or with detergent. But it’s best for regular cleaning: it won’t be effective on ingrained dirt. It’s self-propelling as well, which is a plus given the vacuum’s 8.3lbs/3.75kg weight (plus a bit more when the water tank is full) and the fact that the trigger is back – you’ll need to hold it down when the vacuum is in use.

It’s a pricey proposition but if you’re looking for a vacuum for carpets, hard flooring and mopping, this is the best all-in-one option currently available.

Buy it if: You want a single vacuum that can do it all.

Dyson’s second wet floor cleaner – and its latest release – is a wet and dry vacuum for all types of sealed hard flooring. Just to be clear: you can’t use it as a carpet cleaner. But the WashG1’s big benefit is that you won’t need to vacuum and then mop separately: you can do it all in one sweep. Bear in mind, though, that it can’t sanitise floors as you can’t use it with very hot water or bleach.

The WashG1 also offers something different in terms of the way it works. It doesn’t use vacuum suction to pull water, hair and debris from the floor. Instead, the rollers pick up mess, flick debris into a tray and a small pump pulls the dirty water into a wastewater tank. What this means is that solids and hair never enter the machine, so there are fewer opportunities for clogs and there’s no need for debris filter inside, which can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

It’s light, manoeuvrable and easy to use, and its pickup of hair and fluff and spill removal is excellent. Its clean and dirty water tanks hold around 1 litre each, and you can easily pop them off the machine together to empty and fill them. The WashG1 has a self-cleaning cycle for its rollers but you’ll have to empty the debris tray by hand, and it’s not a pleasant job.

Altogether, the WashG1 offers speed and convenience but it’s pricey.

Buy it if: Your home has a lot of sealed hard flooring and very few carpets or rugs. But bear in mind that, unlike Submarine models, you can’t use it for dusting or vacuuming spots such as stairs.

The V15 Detect is crammed with great Dyson technology. The green laser illuminates dust you might otherwise miss. Meanwhile the piezo sensor works in conjunction with the LCD screen to analyse and display the number of particles of dust you’re vacuuming up in real time. The screen also displays troubleshooting info and the remaining cleaning time.

The suction has improved from the V11: the V15 is a powerful vacuum that’s good on both carpet and hard flooring. But bear in mind that vacuuming on carpet will eat up its battery life – you’ll only get 20 minutes with the high-torque brush in Auto mode. Still, the battery is swappable and if you invest in a second one, you can double the potential cleaning time to two hours.

The V15 Detect comes with some redesigned accessories, including the clever Hair Screw tool which winds hair away and into the bin, saving you from having to remove it by hand.

It’s come down in price since its launch and is well worth a look.

Buy it if: You want excellent cleaning performance and the brilliant green laser for cleaning hard floors, but you don’t want to shell out for the Gen5detect or the Piston Animal.

The Omni-glide is one of Dyson’s specialist cordless cleaners. It’s designed for hard floors only. It feels virtually weightless in operation, thanks to the four casters on its base, which also allow it to move in every direction. It genuinely does glide. 

It has a maximum battery life of 20 minutes and charges in 3.5 hours. But there’s no way to tell when the battery is running low (until it goes dead), so you’ll want to keep it charged.

We gave the Omni-glide our Appliance of the Year award in 2021 for its brilliant design. But that doesn’t mean it’s flawless. It’s no good on carpets, it has a tiny bin and its handheld mode is the opposite of compact. 

Buy it if: You live in an apartment with hard flooring and clean regularly. It’ll make vacuuming a breeze.

The V12 crams all of the V15’s features into a lighter, slimmed-down model, weighing just 2.2kg/ 5.2lbs. It has a maximum runtime of 60 minutes (on Eco mode – you’ll get just 8 minutes in high-powered Boost mode) and it charges in four hours. It has a swappable battery as well.

Best of all are its techy features: the green laser diode that’ll make dirt, dust and hair impossible to miss, and the piezo sensor that works with an LCD screen to show you the number and size of dust particles it’s vacuuming up. Even more usefully, the screen will show you how many minutes of vacuuming time you have left. It comes with the handy Hair Screw tool as well.

But there are compromises to be made: it’s only as powerful as the 2018 Dyson V10, and the bin is tiny (0.35 litres/ 0.1 gallons) and clogs easily.

Buy it if: You want a light, easy-to-use model. A good option for a second vacuum.

The V11 Absolute is still a powerful cordless cleaner. It has excellent suction and some great features. Its LCD screen shows how long you can vacuum on your current settings with the battery life left and displays troubleshooting graphics in the event that something goes wrong. 

The V11 has a maximum of 60 minutes’ battery life, which the screen should help you maximise. The battery takes 4.5 hours to charge but newer V11 models have the option of a swappable battery, which will allow you to double your cleaning time.

Opt for the Absolute over the Animal and you’ll also get the Torque head, which automatically detects the surface it’s cleaning and adjusts the suction accordingly.

In fact, the only issue with the V11 is its price, which has remained remarkably steady since its launch. It can still cost around £600/$600 which is not significantly less than the much newer, tech-crammed V15 Detect. But it’s lighter than newer flagship models, which is a good reason to get one.

Buy it if: You want an all-round great cordless cleaner and you’ve spotted an excellent deal on it.

The Cyclone V10 was Dyson’s first cordless vacuum that could really provide a compelling alternative to a corded cleaner. Now, it’s a well-priced way to get a powerful Dyson with good suction – as long as you don’t mind missing out on LCD screens and lasers.

We say well-priced – but this is still a Dyson and it’s not cheap. Still, you should be able to buy the Animal model for around £350 in the UK, and we reckon this is the best value edition. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as budget-friendly in the US, where it’ll still cost $499-$550, depending on the model.

The V10 is great on carpet and hard flooring, weighs a reasonable 2.68kg/5.9lbs, comes with a good array of accessories (but what you get depends on the model you choose and where you buy). 

Buy it if: It’s long been superseded in power and features but if you want a good multi-purpose Dyson, this is your best value option – in the UK at least.