The Right Clean: A guide to navigating Dyson’s cordless vacuum range

As homeowners, nothing fills us with greater pride than seeing our residence clean, tidy and dust-free, but keeping it that way is where the real challenge lies. Certainly, you’re going to need a vacuum cleaner for such purposes, but when all you see in a store are rows after rows of different models, how can you be sure that you’re getting the most suitable one for the job?

At the very least, you know you’re going with a Dyson model. The company is easily the top contender for cordless vacuums, which have been refined multiple times over the years. As such, it might not be apparent what one model has over the other, but then again, that’s what this handy buying guide in collaboration with Dyson is here to address.

In this guide, you'll find out where and who will best appreciate the Dyson Omni Glide, the Digital Slim, V12 Detect Slim, and the latest Dyson V15 Detect Absolute. Before we dive in, we share what's common with all of them.

What sets Dyson’s vacuum cleaners apart from other makers

Over time, Dyson has perfected the art of delivering high-performance cordless vacuums through key engineering features that have since become synonymous across their vacuum models and also keeps them ahead of the game. Take Dyson’s patented Hyperdymium^TM motor, which runs at incredible speeds of up to 125,000 rpm, and works in union with their highly efficient Cyclone^TM technology that generates forces of more than 79,000g to fling the fine dust into the bin without clogging the filter and maintain fade-free suction power.

These vacuums also expel cleaner air into your home courtesy of the whole-machine filtration system, which captures, filters, and traps 99.99% of dust, allergens, and other unwanted particles as small as 0.3 microns within the bin¹. This prevents them from being blown back into the room.

Fuss-free maintenance is the cherry on top of this cake. In fact, emptying the bin is frankly our least favourite part of typical vacuum cleaner maintenance. However, Dyson manages to make this a delightful process without even touching the debris within the bin itself! All we had to do was activate the hygienic ejection mechanism, which dumped collected dust and debris into a waiting trash can in one swift motion. Should there be stubborn debris, just pump the ejection mechanism a couple more times to dislodge anything left within the bin.

As for the Fluffy brush bar and filter, these can be detached and washed under tap water and left to dry completely before reassembling them back for duty. The simplicity in cleaning elements that are most prone to get dirty gives us much satisfaction in knowing the vacuum can be cleaned thoroughly where it matters most.

However, the needs of homeowners occupy a wide spectrum, and when it comes to vacuums, one size rarely fits all. Some of us live in small apartments, others in multi-story homes. Size aside, depending on homeowners’ preferences, flooring could greatly differ between tiles, parquet, and other hard flooring finishes such as floor screed. Let’s not forget rugs and carpets pose a very different terrain for vacuum cleaners. Some of us also own furry pets, and that could tilt your vacuum buying considerations. Dyson is acutely aware of the numerous combinations, and thus they’ve developed a variety of cordless vacuum cleaners to accommodate the needs of different owners.

Dyson Omni-glide: Enjoy effortlessly smooth cleaning and save time

First up is the ultra-manoeuvrable Dyson Omni-glide, and it’s our go-to if you’re hunting for a vacuum cleaner that’s specifically designed for cleaning hard floors and tight spaces with ease. As its name suggests, this vacuum features Dyson’s first-ever omnidirectional Fluffy cleaner head, allowing us to manoeuvre effortlessly around obstacles during testing. At just 1.9kg in weight, it’s also easy to handle.

Coupled with the Omni-glide’s unique articulated neck that lets it lay flat on the ground, you can bid farewell to the age-old problem of the conventional vacuum - its general lack of flexibility. Case in point, we didn’t need to wrestle with the vacuum to clean under our sofas, which was probably the last thing we wanted to do after coming home from work. You can see plenty of examples first-hand in our video review.

The Omni-glide’s unique capability is thanks to its two motorised Fluffy rollers and four 360-degree castors, letting it move and clean smoothly in any and all directions - forwards, backwards and even sideways. Unlike conventional vacuum cleaners which tend to clean unidirectionally, we did not have to constantly readjust our grip as we tidied up the house, making it much less taxing on our wrists and arms. Check out our video above to see how easy it is to manoeuvre.

Of course, the vacuum’s handheld form certainly helps as well, since it's even more lightweight and handy to use. Thanks to its button-operated power switch, instead of a trigger-based one, it’s well-suited to single-handed operation when reaching high to clean walls and ceilings. No more “scrubbing” the wall with the nozzle of your bulky old-school vacuum - all you need is one good clean sweep with the Omni-glide and you’re good to go.

As for running time, the vacuum provides up to 20 minutes of uninterrupted fade-free power per full charge which is more than enough time for a quick thorough clean of a regular three-room HDB flat. There’s also the option to purchase an extra swappable click-in battery to double that run time in a jiffy which would allow you to vacuum much larger homes as well.

As good as that sounds, its unmatched manoeuvrability is the undisputed star of the show. By allowing you to clean those awkward areas effortlessly, it will save you a ton of time and effort in the long run. It’s also an excellent consideration for homeowners who have more heavy-duty machines as their primary vacuum cleaner and might like the idea of busting out a secondary vacuum for frequent spot cleans, which is Omni-glide’s speciality.

The Dyson Omni-glide package is available from S$649 and comes in a standard set with three cleaning accessories, or you could choose to go for the Omni-glide+ package that adds an additional light-pipe crevice tool to assist with cleaning dark, narrow spaces efficiently.

Dyson Digital Slim: Bringing both versatility and value to the table

If the lightweight handline of the Omni-glide seems tantalising but you’re also keen on having more suction power and intelligence to handle multiple different surfaces around the house, then cast your eyes over to the Dyson Digital Slim. Where some cordless vacuums sacrifice suction power for lightness or versatility, we found that this vacuum doesn’t make that compromise. It delivers exceptional performance while also being a lighter, smaller, and easier-to-use alternative to the Dyson V15, providing up to 40 minutes of fade-free suction power that ensures a steady, consistent clean around your home.

The Dyson Digital Slim is practically tailor-made for homeowners in need of a vacuum that doesn’t sacrifice performance for portability, as it comes with a re-engineered Slim Fluffy cleaner head, which is 20% smaller and 30% lighter than the powerhouse V15’s Fluffy cleaner head. This gives the vacuum a lower profile allowing it to reach further under furniture, and when paired with a motor integrated into the brush bar it achieves uninterrupted edge-to-edge cleaning.

Of course, this vacuum is no less intelligent, sporting a useful LCD panel that screenshots current performance data for you - including details on their selected power mode, remaining run time, filter maintenance and blockage. This was a particularly convenient feature for us, as it kept us from being caught off-guard by a battery running low or a blockage that needed clearing. 

And then there’s also the acoustic engineering, which dampens the sound produced and is a godsend for anyone looking to catch up on sleep during weekends. This is easily one of the quieter vacuums we’ve used, and the fact that it’s still powerful enough to guarantee quick yet thorough cleans makes it an excellent pick in general. Want to know even more about our experience? Head over here for our full Dyson Digital Slim review.

The Dyson Digital Slim is available from S$699 and depending on the package options on sale, you'll find them offered with a wide set of cleaning tools that will help you keep your home spick and span.

 

Dyson V12 Detect Slim:  The tech-enhanced cleaning utility

But surely modern technology can do much more than just make a vacuum easier to use and control?

As a matter of fact, yes, and the next vacuum on this list - the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is proof of that. If you’re as big of a tech nut as we are, you’re going to get a real kick out of this one. Not only is this Dyson’s only vacuum with laser and dust detection technology, but it even features an LCD display that reports data in real-time as you clean.

The Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head comes with a 250mm-wide brush bar and low profile, allowing us to get into narrow spaces, like in between cupboards, much more easily. An inbuilt laser also detects unwanted particles that we might otherwise miss and illuminates invisible dust to ensure a thorough and more complete clean. Frankly, we had no idea just how many dust particles existed in our living space prior to this, but the use of this vacuum gave us great peace of mind.

The Laser Slim Fluffy is tailored to work well on hard floors, and we’re happy to report that it lives up to its description. We had no difficulties cleaning up our hardwood floors at home, and the introduction of the laser made it feel like a treasure hunt of sorts.

Meanwhile, the exclusive new Hair Screw Tool (that replaces the usual Mini motorized tool in older Dyson vacuums) with an anti-tangle conical brush bar lets you pick up clumps of long hair or pet hair quickly and prevents them from getting entangled in the brush bar, so there’s one less thing to worry about when vacuuming upholstery.

Adding on to its already impressive repertoire of features, the V12 also comes with an in-built piezo sensor, which monitors particles at a whopping rate of 15,000 times a second and automatically adjusts the vacuum’s suction power to match the size of the particles it takes in, the contents of which are then displayed on its LCD screen. We found that this helped to highlight problem areas around the house where mould and dust might collect, which was especially useful when these areas were difficult to check.

Like the Omni-glide, this vacuum also turns on with a single button press, which is convenient for long cleaning bouts compared to older models that require us to hold a trigger button down to keep them powered. Speaking of extended usage, this vacuum can also run for up to 60 minutes on eco mode, making it an excellent choice for larger homes.

The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is available from S$899 and comes in different variants. The V12 Detect Slim Fluffy is the most economical of the trio that packs in one main cleaner head, and a few choice cleaning tools, including the above-mentioned Hair Screw Tool. The V12 Detect Slim Absolute packs two cleaning heads, both the Laser Slim Fluffy and a brand new Motorbar that debuted with the V15 (see more below), along with a variety of cleaning tools.

The Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA): The most powerful, intelligent cordless vacuum with HEPA filtration

But what about homes with lots of carpets and rugs? Pets that shed a lot? Or homes with people who suffer from allergies? In these cases, you might need a vacuum cleaner with loads of extra “bite” – like the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) with whole machine HEPA filtration.

Utilising a total of 14 scrolled cyclones, this is currently the most powerful model in Dyson’s range, allowing this vacuum to generate up to 230AW of suction force. Coupled with its larger 0.74L bin and up to 60 minutes of runtime, we were able to clean an entire flat before even needing to empty it, not to mention that we had little to no issues picking up even the toughest clumps of dirt - thanks to the included Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, which comes with anti-static carbon fibre filaments to remove dust from hard floors and narrower gaps.

The V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) doesn’t just have power to boast about though. It also has an impressive suite of functions to complement its immense suction force. For example, in Auto Mode, the Dyson Dynamic Load Sensor in the V15’s High Torque cleaner head monitors the brush bar resistance a whopping 360 times a second! This allows it to intelligently adapt power across different floor types without any inputs from the user.

The new Digital Motorbar cleaner head that comes with the cordless vacuum also powerfully sucks up dust and hair from all floors, with a de-tangling comb that automatically clears hair from the brush bar. No more having to deal with balls of tangled hair or fur with your hands! But what truly makes the V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) stands out, if you haven’t realised it by now, is its HEPA post-motor filter to trap microscopic dust particles as small as 0.1 microns.

As such, if you need a versatile vacuum cleaner that’s got power in spades and has your well-being in mind, this is the pick for you. We all want tidy, spotless homes, and this vacuum just makes the concept seem that much more achievable. Want to know even more about the plus points and user experience? Check out our Dyson V15 Detect Absolute (HEPA) review here.

The Dyson V15 Detect Absolute is available from S$1,299 and comes in two versions. The V15 Absolute Detect (HEPA) edition is a Dyson Store exclusive complete with more accessories and even a free-standing dock, while the non-HEPA V15 Detect Absolute is available islandwide.

 

There's a Dyson for every home

No buying guide would be complete without telling you where you can pick one of these vacuums up. All you have to do is hop on over to your nearest Dyson Demo stores such as in Vivocity, Jewel Singapore, or visit dyson.com.sg. But the best part is that the benefits don’t stop after you make a purchase.

Specifically, all Dyson products come with a 2-year on-site warranty period, and you can even arrange for their Home-Based Repair service should you encounter issues with your cleaner. For such cases, a technician will be dispatched directly to your home to diagnose and repair your device on the spot, and that’s probably as convenient as it gets.

1: Based on ASTM F1977-04 test standard. Tests performed by third-party independent laboratories under the required test conditions. A standard test method for determining the initial filtration efficiency of a vacuum cleaner system. The filtration efficiency of six particulates of non-continuous diameter is measured by the entire vacuum cleaner system (0.3 micron, 0.5 micron, 0.7 micron, 1.0 micron, 2.0 micron, and 3.0 micron or more), the vacuum cleaner system is placed in a fixed state throughout the test process, by counting the number of upstream particles and downstream particles for analysis and obtaining results. Test environment: air temperature (21.1 ° C ± 2.8 ° C) and humidity range 35% – 55%. (From Dyson’s Website)

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