It seems like Dyson releases a new vacuum just about every month. And now, not content with dominating the stick vacuum market, the company has branched out into robot vacs and hard floor cleaners.
Each new model has an increasingly more complex name: there's the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine Absolute and the V15s Detect Submarine Complete.
Does the Absolute lack certain fittings that would otherwise make it Complete? Or is the Complete a step down from the Absolute best? It's somewhat hard to know.
How can you tell which is which, and – most importantly of all – which one is right for you and your budget?
Amongst all the names, numbers and ranges, how can you tell which is which, and – most importantly of all – which one is right for you and your budget?
We'll tell you what you need to know. Plus, exclusively for CHOICE members, we'll reveal the best Dysons from our tests.
If you just want to get straight to the best products, you can jump to the results now.
On this page:
- Are Dyson vacuums worth it?
- Dyson disappointment: The model not to buy
- Which Dyson accessories should you get?
- Are Dyson vacuums easy to use?
- What are the best Dyson vacuums?
Expert tester Adrian meticulously tests stick vacs in our lab.
Are Dyson vacuums worth it?
The name Dyson is almost synonymous with stick vacs. Dyson dominates the market and its unique designs make Dyson vacs instantly identifiable.
But Dyson stick vacuums have big prices to match the big reputation: prices start from $799 for a basic stick vac, and go all the way up to $1699 for the fanciest stick with all the bells and whistles.
And now there's a Dyson hard floor cleaner for $749, a wet floor cleaner for $999 and a robot vac for $1999.
"Dyson stick vacuums tend to perform well in our tests, with some exceptions," says CHOICE vacuum expert Adrian Lini.
"If you do your research before you buy, then you'll probably be happy with a Dyson. They're definitely worth considering if you have the budget for them."
You don't necessarily have to pay Dyson prices to get Dyson-level performance
"But not every Dyson vacuum is a good performer and, conversely, not every high-performing vacuum is a Dyson – there are other brands out there that give Dysons a run for their money, and give you a great vac for less money."
So yes, Dysons are (generally) worth the money in that most of them perform well, but you don't necessarily have to pay Dyson prices to get Dyson-level performance.
Designed for hard floors, the Omni-Glide doesn't actually perform well on hard floors or carpet.
Dyson disappointment: The model not to buy
Buying a Dyson just because it's a Dyson is a bit of a gamble.
On the one hand, you could pick up a superlative stick vac; on the other, you might end up with a fancy flop that'll leave your bank account sadly depleted.
Even the biggest brands sometimes get it wrong, and Dyson is no exception. Of all the Dyson vacuums we've tested over the years, some have delivered disappointing results that don't live up to the brand's hype.
There's one Dyson vacuum in particular that we suggest you avoid buying, even if you find them it on sale for a great price:
The Dyson Omni-Glide ($749): a stick vacuum designed specifically for hard floors that (embarrassingly) bombed out in our hard floor tests and is one of the lowest scoring stick vacs overall in our current review.
The Gen5detect Absolute comes with a range of accessories.
Which Dyson accessories should you get?
"Some Dysons come with a million accessories that you may not actually need – and conversely, some come with very few accessories," says Adrian.
"If you want to buy accessories, they don't come cheap, so make sure you buy the ones that suit your needs."
He says the most useful accessories are a hard floor head, brush head, mini head and the crevice and upholstery tools.
Is it worth buying a second battery for your Dyson stick vac?
One downside of stick vacs in general is that their batteries don't tend to last long before they run out of charge. The Dysons in our stick vacuum review only lasted from 6 to 14 minutes (under our test conditions).
For context, though, those are pretty respectable run times for high-performing stick vacuums.
"This is because stick vacs that clean well have higher-powered motors, so they use up battery charge faster," says Adrian.
"You may find other stick vacs that run for longer, but that's because they don't create strong suction, so won't give you a good clean."
One downside of stick vacs is that their batteries don't tend to last long before they run out of charge
You could always buy a second battery so you can switch it over when the first runs out of juice. But a spare Dyson battery can cost up to $200, which is a lot when you've already spent as much as $1649 for the vacuum itself.
Some other vacuum brands such as LG, Samsung and Electrolux sell their vacuums with a spare battery as standard, and some even come with an extra battery charger.
There are plenty of Dyson-compatible batteries manufactured by other companies available online, and they're much cheaper than the Dyson-branded batteries. However, you could void your warranty if something goes wrong with your vacuum while using a non-Dyson battery.
Battery life
Eventually, stick vacuum batteries will reach the end of their life and you won't be able to recharge them any more.
If you can replace the battery with a new one, you'll give your stick vac a new lease on life, but if the battery isn't replaceable then your stick vac is effectively useless.
Many cheaper stick vacs don't have replaceable batteries, so they'll have a much shorter lifespan and end up in landfill sooner. (Or ideally they'll be recycled!)
Paying more for a stick vac often means you can replace the battery, so even though it costs you more upfront, you'll be able to extend its lifespan with a new battery.
A note about running time
You may notice that the running time we report on in our reviews is far less than what Dyson advertises for its stick vacs.
We measure running time based on using the stick vacuum at maximum power, on carpet. Dyson's run time figure is based on using eco mode on a hard floor, which obviously uses far less power (and suction), and means the vacuum will run for longer.
"No matter which run time figure you look at, just remember that it could be different for real-life usage," Adrian says.
"While your mileage may vary, you can use these numbers as a point of comparison between stick vacuums."
Are Dyson vacuums easy to use?
For each vacuum we test, we give it a score based on things like how easy it is to manoeuvre, how much effort it takes to empty and clean the dust collector, what the controls are like to operate, and how our testers find using and storing the accessories.
Dysons tend to score quite well on these measures, but one bugbear you might have is turning it on and off. Many new vacuums have a basic on/off switch, which means they run from the moment you turn them on until the moment you turn them off.
But most current Dyson models use a 'trigger' mechanism: you need to push the button down and hold it for the vacuum to run. This can be difficult if you have dexterity challenges, and tiring even if you don't.
Most current Dyson models use a 'trigger' mechanism: you need to push the button down and hold it for the vacuum to run
"Early stick vacuums, particularly those made by Dyson, often had a trigger mechanism feature to help preserve battery life," says CHOICE vacuum expert Kim Gilmour.
"This can put undue pressure on weaker hands. The idea was that you would just hold it down for short periods of time when vacuuming up the occasional bit of dust or dirt, and then use a full-sized vacuum for longer cleans."
Kim says that most brands now have an on/off switch so the vac can work continuously without having to hold down a button.
"This is more practical, especially now that people are using stick vacuums as total replacements for their traditional corded vacuum."
And Dyson seems to be following suit. "Dyson is phasing in the on/off switch on some models now, such as on the Dyson V12, which only has a single button control," she says.
What are the best Dyson vacuums?
We independently test and review dozens of stick, barrel and robot vacs each year in our onsite lab, and our experts know exactly what to look for to help you find the best product.
If you're not yet a member, join CHOICE to unlock this article and find out which Dyson is best for your needs, and to get instant access to our detailed vacuum testing data. If you're already a member, log in to read on.
Our review includes models such as the Dyson Gen5detect Absolute ($1549), V15s Detect Submarine Complete ($1649), V12 Slim Absolute ($1349), V8 ($799), Cyclone V10 ($1099) and Omni-Glide ($749). As a member, you'll also get access to all of our expert, independent reviews, from fridges and freezers, toasters and TVs, kettles and cots, and more.
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