Best Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner

Dyson Gen5Detect

First released in 2022, the Gen5detect is the best cordless Dyson vacuum available, not least as it’s Dyson’s most powerful cordless vacuum and its longest lasting in terms of run time. That’s just the half of it, with an innovative design and clever accessories helping it to stand out as the best Dyson has to offer. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t come cheap, as we’ve come to expect with the latest Dyson’s.

Key features

– 70 minute run time
– 4.5 hours for full charge
– 0.77 litre capacity
– 3.5 kg weight 

The 70 minute run time is 10 minutes quicker than the 60 minutes we’ve come to expect with Dyson cordless vacuums – including the V15 Detect, V12 Detect Slim and V11 – and the suction power of 280 air watts makes it comfortably Dyson’s most powerful vacuum. That’s some 40 air watts stronger than the next best, the V15 Detect. Not only is the Gen5detect super powerful, its HEPA filtration captures 99.9% of particles and traps viruses.

As well as being the most powerful and longest lasting, this is the most advanced Dyson yet with multiple technologies and tools packed into its 3.5kg frame. A Fluffy Optic cleaner head via an angled blade of light helps find twice the amount of invisible dust on hard floors, whilst a Digital Motorbar cleaner head intelligently adapts its suction power to different floors, with hair removal vanes working to de-tangle hair from the brush as you clean.

There’s a neat single-button power control, so you can press once for continuous cleaning rather than hold a button until you want the cleaning to stop. And with another simple click you can transform the vacuum into a handheld, where the vacuum stick detaches leaving a built-in crevice tool that is stored inside the machine. The Gem5detect also has a sensor that counts and sizes particles and displays how clean the floor is, and it automatically increases power when it identifies that the floor is still dirty.

Dyson V15 Detect

Whilst it is not on a par with the Gen5detect, the 2021-released Dyson V15 Detect is a superb cordless vacuum in its own right and not much of a downgrade. It has a reduced run time compared to the Gen5detect and is less powerful, but still holds up strongly compared to most cordless vacuums on the market. It also comes in cheaper than the best Dyson cordless, but it’s still an expensive option as we’ve come to expect with Dyson.

Key features

– 60 minute run time
– 4.5 hours for full charge
– 0.76 litre capacity
– 3 kg weight 

With a run time of 60 minutes when fully charged, the V15 Detect offers ten minutes less than the Gen5detect, and the time for a full charge is no different at four and a half hours. Its suction power of 240 air watts makes it one of Dyson’s most powerful cordless vacuums, though it is less powerful than the Gen5detect.

Whilst the run time and suction power is not comparable to the Gen5detect, the V15 Detect does share a number of similarities. The two vacuums have an almost identical bin capacity and the same Fluffy Optic cleaner head and Digital Motorbar cleaner header, so you’ll find the same de-tangling and lighting technology that you get with Dyson’s latest model. Other accessories like the combination tool – great for switching between tasks – and the crevice tool means you’ve got a wealth of tools at your disposal for almost any cleaning job.

The V15 Detect comes with three cleaning modes – Eco, Auto and Boost – so you can control how much power you use at all times. You’ll get the full 60 minute run time with Eco mode, but a lot less when you switch to Boost mode. Whilst you can control the power of the vacuum yourself, the V15 Detect has a sensor that will automatically increase suction when it identifies higher dust volumes, and the LCD screen keeps you updated on what’s been removed as it cleans.

Dyson V15 Detect Submarine

If you have hard floors in your home, then the Dyson V15 Detect Submarine is an extremely attractive cordless option. The V15 Detect Submarine has many similarities to the V15 Detect, but it has the added bonus of being a wet and dry vacuum, so you can wash all the hard floors around your home as well as clean them of dust and debris. This is Dyson’s only wet and dry cordless, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Key features

– 60 minute run time
– 4.5 hours for full charge
– 0.77 litre capacity
– 4.1 kg weight 

The V15 Detect Submarine’s main selling point is its ability to wash hard floors with clean water from start to finish. The specialist Dyson Submarine wet roller head – that only works with the V15 Detect Submarine – has been engineered to absorb everything in its way, including stains, liquids and debris, leaving your floors with a clean finish you’ll be happy with. It’s great over all hard floors including laminate, vinyl, stone, tile, wood and ceramic. There’s also a handy drip tray for storing the Submarine roller head, that collects any water droplets so you don’t need to worry about leaving a mess behind.

Switching between wet and dry cleaning is easy with the V15 Detect Submarine, and you have the same suction power and tools available as the V15 Detect when it comes to dry cleaning. That includes the Fluffy Optic cleaner head and Digital Motorbar cleaner head, as well as the combination tool and crevice tool. There’s a hair screw tool too, which has been specifically designed to pick up both pet and long hair.

The run time of 60 minutes is the same as the V15 Detect, and you’ll also find that the V15 Detect Submarine has the same three cleaning modes, LCD screen and intelligent sensor that increases suction when it’s needed. You should only opt for the V15 Detect Submarine if cleaning hard floors is something you need, if not a vacuum like the V15 Detect would be a better – and cheaper – cordless option.

Dyson V12 Detect Slim

If it’s a lightweight cordless vacuum that you’re after, then the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a handsome option. Weighing in at 2.2kg, the V12 Detect Slimi is comfortably Dyson’s best lightweight cordless, hitting the scales at more than a kilogram lighter than the Gen5detect and the V15 Detect Submarine. Its 60 minute run time is comparable with most cordless vacuums that Dyson has to offer, but the lighter frame does result in some drawbacks when compared to the Dyson cordless range.

Key features

– 60 minute run time
– 4 hours for full charge
– 0.35 litre capacity
– 2.2 kg weight 

With less weight comes less power, with the V12 Detect Slim offering up to 150 air watts in suction power, which is the same as the Dyson Cyclone V10 but nearly half of the 280 air watts you’ll get from the Gen5detect. There’s also less bag capacity in the V12 Detect Slim compared to other Dyson cordless models, which offer more than double the V12’s 0.35l capacity.

This is still an excellent cordless vacuum, and the total charge time of 4 hours is half an hour less than you’ll get with the likes of the Gen5detect and V15 Detect. The V12 Detect Slim comes with the Fluffy Optic cleaner head and the Motorbar cleaner head you get with all of the latest cordless Dysons, as well as the LCD screen that’s become synonymous with Dyson vacuums. You’ll also find a one-click power control, making cleaning easier as you don’t need to hold the trigger and can swap hands whilst moving around obstacles.

Ultimately, the V12 Detect Slim is not the best Dyson cordless vacuum, but if you want something light and easy to maneuver and you’re not worried about having the most powerful vacuum available, it’s a great option that offers many of the tools and cleaning heads that the best Dyson’s have to offer.

Dyson V11 Cordless

First introduced in 2019, the Dyson V11 Cordless has three different models available – Absolute, Animal and Torque Drive – and it still stacks up well to Dyson’s newer cordless vacuums.

Key features

– 60 minute run time
– 4.5 hours for full charge
– 0.76 litre capacity
– 2.97 kg weight

At 60 minutes, the V11 has the same run time as the V15 Detect, v15 Detect Submarine, V12 and V10, which should be plenty of time to vacuum a whole house. It’s also got comparable bin capacity to those vacuums, and a 4.5 hour charge time which is the same as the Gen5detect, the V15 Detect and the V15 Detect Submarine.

However, the Dyson V11 comes up short in terms of suction power compared to Dyson’s latest models, but its 185AW power is stronger than the V12 Detect Slim as well as the Dyson Cyclone V10. The Dyson V11 was the first Dyson cordless to get a smart digital display, which you now find with the latest Dyson models.

To find out more about the Dyson V11, see our Dyson V11 review to find out.

Dyson Cyclone V10 Cordless

Released a year before the Dyson V11 in 2018, the Dyson Cyclone V10 is another superb cordless vacuum that has many upgrades on Dyson’s earlier cordless models. However, with newer releases it’s fallen some way behind the very best Dyson has to offer.

Key features

– 60 minute run time
– 3.5 hours for full charge
– 0.76 litre capacity
– 2.68 kg Weight

With the introduction of the Cyclone V10, Dyson significantly enhanced the run time of their cordless vacuums when you compare to earlier models. At 60 minutes, the V10 can still only be bettered by one Dyson cordless – the Gen5detect – and even that is only by 10 minutes. The charge time on the Cyclone V10 is also an hour shorter than all of the latest Dyson’s, despite the fact that other than the Gen5detect it offers the same run time.

Whilst it does have less suction power than newer cordless vacuums from Dyson and doesn’t come with a smart digital display, the V10 is still a very powerful cordless vacuum that will have no trouble cleaning carpets, hard floors and upholstery. It has comparable bin capacity as the latest Dyson cordless models and is also lighter at 2.68kg, though it has to be said it’s not as lightweight as the Dyson V12 Detect Slim.

If you’re interested in finding out more, see our Dyson Cyclone V10 review.

Dyson V8 Cordless

The Dyson V8 may no longer be one of Dyson’s latest cordless vacuums, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good option if you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner. The V8 was released in 2016 and improved on Dyson’s earlier cordless models. If you’re not looking to pay the price for the latest Dyson cordless, the V8 remains a very good alternative.

Key features

– 40 minute run time
– 5 hours for full charge
– 0.54 litre capacity
– 2.56 kg Weight

With a run time of 40 minutes, the V8 offers twice the run time of the Dyson V6 and ten minutes more than the Dyson V7, which could be the difference between cleaning your home in one go or having to wait and recharge. Talking of recharging, that’s the Dyson V8’s main weakness when compared to other Dyson cordless models, as it will take five hours to be fully charged. That’s up to an hour and a half longer than the Dyson V7, but only half an hour longer than the newest Dyson cordless vacuums. 

Though it falls short of the latest Dyson cordless models, the Dyson V8 Cordless is more powerful than earlier Dyson cordless models, with 150% more brush bar power than the Dyson V6. Whilst the bin on the Dyson V8 is the same size as the Dyson V7, it’s around a third less than the latest Dyson’s. For more on the V8, see our Dyson V8 review.

Older Dyson cordless models – such as the Dyson V7 and Dyson V6 – are no longer available to purchase directly from major UK retailers but remain worthwhile second-hand options if you can get your hands on them. They’re just quite a downgrade now on the best Dyson cordless vacuums.

If you’re looking to see how Dyson stacks up against other premium cordless vacuums, check out our Halo Capsule vs Dyson comparison.