Dyson V15 Detect Review

Exceptionally powerful, the Dyson V15 Detect not only ups the game in terms of raw power for a cordless vacuum cleaner, it introduces some smart features that make it easier to use. A particulate sensor is a great addition, as it shows both how much dirt is being collected and lets the vacuum adjust its power automatically. And, the new laser is a great way to see dirt and make sure you’ve got it all. If you want the best, this is it.

Related: Best vacuum cleaner

Introduction

How do you really know if your home is clean after vacuuming? Just because it looks it doesn’t mean that there aren’t fine particles of dust that you can’t see. The Dyson V15 Detect is designed to not only provide the best cleaning experience but to show you that your house is clean.

A clever laser highlights dirt on hard floors, while the piezo sensor shows you how much dirt is actually being picked up, adjusting the power of the vacuum on the fly. The combination is the most sophisticated and powerful cordless cleaner that I’ve ever tested.

Design and features – The Dyson V15 Detect has a laser that highlights dirt

• Screen shows live battery and cleaning status
• New floor heads are brilliant
• Lightweight and easy to use

Open it up, and from the outside, the Dyson V15 Detect doesn’t look that much different to its predecessor, the V11. The same-shaped body is in existence here, with a trigger that you have to hold down to turn the cleaner on and off. It’s a tried and tested design, although anyone that has trouble squeezing a trigger constantly would be better off with a vacuum that has a dedicated on/off control.

When you turn the vacuum cleaner on, the differences start to show up. Although this vacuum has an LCD display, as introduced with the V10, it shows different information. Thanks to the piezo sensor inside, the Dyson V15 Detect can measure particulate matter (that’s dust to me and you) at different levels, so you get a visual representation of what’s being sucked up.

Not only that but the piezo sensor is also used with the two main floor heads, the Laser Slim Fluffy and the High Torque cleaner head with anti-tangle comb, to automatically adjust the vacuum cleaner’s power according to the level of dirt. 

If you do want to override the setting, then you can tap the button on the back to change to Eco or Boost modes. However, for most situations, you’ll want to stick with Auto and let the cleaner do the hard work.

On the display, you get a real-time battery life display in minutes counting down. This adjusts based on the power mode you have set and the tools attached, so you can always see how much more cleaning time you have left.

There’s only a single battery in the box, but it is removable, sliding out the bottom of the vacuum cleaner. You can even charge a spare battery directly from the power adaptor, so you can have one battery running and one on charge at any point.

I can’t go any further without mentioning the green laser on the fluffy head. This shines a blade of light in front of the head, highlighting dirt on the ground, so you can visually ensure that an area is clean.

Why a laser? The green laser is bright enough to show up under any lighting condition and it’s also bright enough to highlight any dirt; UV light, on the other hand, works best when it’s dark and it only highlights dust that reflects UV. In practice, the laser works brilliantly, clearly showing where you need to vacuum. It’s a really smart addition and Dyson is the only company to do this.

With the High Torque head, you also get Dyson’s DLS technology, which measures the resistance of the head 360 times per second and adjusts speed automatically as you change floor surface. Combined with the dust sensor, you’ll get the best automatic power mode.

As the name gives away, this also the first cleaner head from Dyson to have anti-tangle tech, which means that hair (human or pet) doesn’t get caught around the roller. The same tech is on the mini brush, which is great for stairs, sofas and pet beds. Finally, we have a Dyson cleaner that doesn’t require hair to be cut away from the roller.

On the front of the High Torque head is a slider that adjusts airflow through the head. You may well need to adjust this. On fairly deep carpet, anything other than minimum made the cleaner hard to push; on short pile carpet, I could go for the middle or Plus option.

In the box, you also get a crevice tool, dusting brush, stubborn dirt brush and combination too. That’s pretty much every accessory you could need for daily cleaning.

Dyson provides a handy clip that attaches to the wand, letting you carry your two favourite accessories around with you; the charging dock, which attaches to a wall via the provided screws, also has two slots for tools, so you shouldn’t have much mess in the cupboard where you keep the cleaner.

Although the most powerful vacuum cleaner in Dyson’s range, the V15 Detect is also quite light at 3.08 kg. That’s light enough to easily move around and light enough that cleaning up high isn’t a struggle; it helps that the vacuum is so well balanced.

There’s a large 0.75-litre bin in this model, which meant that I could largely complete a clean before having to empty it. Dust is ejected forwards and down, so it’s pretty clean emptying this cleaner, and you can remove the entire bin for full cleaning.

A filter comes off at the back, and can be washed and dried. Neatly, the vacuum cleaner’s screen will tell you when it’s time to clean the filter and will show you how to clean it; and it can give you hints if the cleaner gets blocked.

Performance – The Dyson V15 Detect effortlessly cleans everything

• Smart battery life management
• Auto mode is perfect for any job
• Effortlessly cleans on any surface

I began my performance tests with my suction tests, which lets me measure the raw power of a vacuum cleaner in airwatts (AW), which is a combination of suction power and airflow. It’s the only real measurement of a vacuum cleaner.

Here, I measured the Dyson V15 Detect at 54.31AW on Eco, 99.53AW on Med, and a huge 280.93AW on Boost. That’s the highest score I’ve ever seen from a vacuum cleaner. To put the To put the scores into context, these are more in line with what I’d expect from a plug-in cleaner.

I should point out that the medium reading is with a crevice tool attached; with a floor head, the cleaner goes into Auto mode, which will vary suction based on the level of dirt. 

While raw figures tell me that this is a powerful cleaner, it’s the quality of the clean that actually matters. I started out with my carpet test, spreading an ‘X’ of flour onto my test carpet, then I gave the Dyson V15 Detect a pass forwards and back on Auto mode using the High Torque head. 

As you can see from the images below, the cleaner left a perfect sweep through the middle, getting everything. That’s impressive going.

Carpet test: Dirty carpet (left) vs Clean carpet (right) – move slider to compare

Next, I spread a teaspoon of flour on carpet tiles up against the skirting board. This is a tough test, but the Dyson V15 Detect passed with flying colours. A sweep forwards and back with Auto mode was enough to clean everything right up to the edge. This is the single best performance I’ve seen from a vacuum cleaner, cordless or otherwise.

Edge test: Dirty carpet (left) vs Clean carpet (right) – move slider to compare

Next, I combed pet hair into the carpet and then gave the cleaner a swipe through it on Auto mode, which removed every trace of dirt easily.

Pet hair test: Dirty carpet (left) vs Clean carpet (right) – move slider to compare

Finally, I moved onto the hard floor test, spreading a teaspoon of rice onto the floor. Using the Laser head, I put the Dyson V15 Detect into Auto mode and gave it a sweep backwards and forwards. I was left with a clean path through the dirt and no grains of rice fell out.

Hard floor test: Dirty hard floor (left) vs Clean hard floor (right) – move slider to compare

Really, I found no need for the Boost mode, although it’s nice to know that the extra power is there if needed. 

Battery life is quoted at topping out at 60 minutes, although on Eco mode with the Fluffy head, I got more than this. Swop to Boost mode and you’re looking at around 10-minutes of power: really, this is something you use sparingly when you need full power, such as for cleaning out a hard-to-reach crevice or around the back of a chair.

On Auto mode, battery life differs depending on how much power is needed. Expect around 40 minutes or so of power.

Remember, all of these figures are trigger time: that is when the button is held down. Given how much time vacuuming is spent moving around and moving furniture, the figures here are impressive. It’s certainly enough time to clean my entire house (three floors).

Not only is the V15 Detect powerful, but it also very quiet and I measured it at just 67db on Eco, 69.8dB on Auto and topping out at a quiet 71.7dB on Boost.

Conclusion

If you want the most advanced cordless vacuum cleaner, the Dyson V15 Detect is it. It’s extremely powerful, and its clever Auto mode and laser make it easier than ever to clean thoroughly. 

There’s no getting away from the price, and if you can do without the new features, the older Dyson V11 Absolute is cheaper and capable of cleaning an entire home. If you’re after something different completely, then check out my guide to the best cordless vacuum cleaners.

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Verdict

Exceptionally powerful, the Dyson V15 Detect not only ups the game in terms of raw power for a cordless vacuum cleaner, it introduces some smart features that make it easier to use. A particulate sensor is a great addition, as it shows both how much dirt is being collected and lets the vacuum adjust its power automatically. And, the new laser is a great way to see dirt and make sure you’ve got it all. If you want the best, this is it.

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