The Right Clean: A guide to navigating Dyson’s cordless vacuum range
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.
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 HyperdymiumTM motor, which runs at incredible speeds of up to 125,000 rpm, and works in union with their highly efficient CycloneTM 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 that pose as 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 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.
| Package | Dyson Omni-glide | Dyson Omni-glide+ (Exclusive to Dyson stores and online) |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning tools & Accessories |
Omnidirectional Fluffy
|
Omnidirectional Fluffy
|
| Price | S$649 | S$699 |
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 V11, 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 V11’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.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the Dyson Digital Slim comes in two variants - the Digital Slim Fluffy Extra in Purple/Iron and the Digital Slim Fluffy Pro in Gold/Iron. Both of them feature one cleaner head, ten tools & accessories, though the latter is a Dyson-exclusive model and includes a handy free-standing dock to hold the machine and its accessories.
| Package | Dyson Digital Slim Fluffy Extra (Purple/Iron) | Dyson Digital Slim Fluffy Pro (Gold/Iron) (Exclusive to Dyson stores and online) |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning tools & Accessories |
Slim Fluffy cleaner head
|
Slim Fluffy cleaner head
|
| Price | S$749 | S$849 |
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
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.
On top of that, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim’s Direct Drive cleaner head can clear ground-in dirt from carpets and rugs, which are usually tricky surfaces to monitor in terms of cleanliness. Meanwhile, the exclusive new Hair Screw Tool (that replaces the usual Mini motorized tool) 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.
You'll want to weigh your options when making this purchase because this vacuum comes in three different variants. First up is the V12 Detect Slim Fluffy, which comes with the Laser Slim Fluffy clean head and five accessories. Then you have the V12 Detect Slim Total Clean, which includes two cleaner heads and six accessories. Lastly, there’s the V12 Absolute Extra which is the most robust variant by far which matches the Total Clean package and bundles two additional accessories worth $337 (for the floor dock and the extra battery).
| Package | Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute Extra (Exclusive to Dyson stores and online) |
Dyson V12 Detect Slim Total Clean | Dyson V12 Detect Slim Fluffy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning tools & Accessories |
Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner Direct Drive cleaner head
|
Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head Direct Drive cleaner head
|
Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head --
|
| Price | S$1,249 | S$999 | S$899 |
Need a deep clean? Go for the Dyson V11
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 V11.
Utilising a total of 14 cyclones, this is currently the most powerful model in Dyson’s range, allowing this vacuum to generate up to 185AW of suction force. Coupled with its larger 0.54L 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.
The V11 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 V11’s High Torque cleaner head monitors the brush bar resistance a whopping 360 times a second! This allows it to adjust the suction force automatically to accommodate different types of flooring without any inputs from the user.
The ‘smart power’ adjustments really enhance the convenience of the vacuum, since we did not have to constantly switch out attachments when moving from hard floors to carpets. This feature also works well in tandem with the stiff nylon bristles and carbon fibre filaments in the cleaner head, which help the V11 pick up dirt and debris on both carpets and hard floors respectively.
As such, if you need a versatile vacuum cleaner that’s got power in spades, 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? Head over here for our full Dyson V11 review.
The Dyson V11 comes in two package options. The Absolute+ edition has the most accessories and comes with an additional High Torque cleaner head that works well with different floor types, including carpets.
| Package | Dyson V11 Absolute+ (Exclusive to Dyson stores and online) |
Dyson V11 Fluffy |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning tools & Accessories |
Fluffy cleaner head High Torque cleaner head
|
Fluffy cleaner head --
|
| Price | S$1,099 | S$899 |
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 store 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)
