Dyson V15 Detect cordless vacuum cleaner review

It’s not often that we get excited about testing a new vacuum cleaner, but when the Dyson V15 Detect arrived at our front door, we couldn’t wait to rip open the box and start cleaning.

Why, you ask? Well, this latest Dyson includes some never-before-seen features, including a futuristic laser that shows exactly where the microscopic muck on your floor is hiding, making it easier to spot and get it sucked up. It also counts the particles, so you know exactly how unclean your house was. This laser-guided system certainly sounds impressive, but does it actually work and does it mean the V15 Detect is really worth the £600 that Dyson wants you to stump up to own one?

Now, you might be thinking that a laser-guided vacuum cleaner is just a gargantuan gimmick from Dyson to tempt you into buying a new gadget. And honestly, when we first heard about the technology… that thought crossed our minds too.

Founded by inventor James Dyson back in 1978, Dyson is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of new technologies. But we have to admit, the Dyson V15 Detect continues in that tradition. Snap-on the laser cleaning head, hit the power button, and a ray of green light spills out across the floor in front of you – revealing every bit of grim, crumbs, and even the tiniest spec of dust is trying to hide.

There’s something immensely satisfying about sucking up those bits of hair, crushed rice crispies, and fluff you’d usually miss with a standard vacuum and there’s no doubt that it really works …well, most of the time.

Although that may sound disappointing, V15 Detect does come with another cleaning head in the box that absolutely loves your carpets. The impressive anti-tangle Hair Screw not only gives the fibres a really deep clean but, as the name suggests, it doesn’t get clogged with hairs and dirt, which means you don’t need to clean it.

Dyson says the head has been designed to deal with human and pet hair, with its engineers delicately tweaking the precise angle of the bristles on the tool so the muck goes straight into the dust din rather than getting tangled up. It works well and should certainly mean you’re not stuck with the horrible job of pulling old dog hair out of the brush.

The next impressive new addition to the V15 Detect is its new “piezo sensor”, which analyses what is being sucked from your floors. It’s all done in real-time. A bar chart appears on the built-in display showing exactly what has been sucked up from beneath your feet.

To be honest, the colourful graphics look nice but it’s hard to fathom out what it all means and we’re not sure how many people will understand, or care, what’s being displayed. After all, when was the last time you vacuumed your home and gazed into the engorged dust bin wondering what exactly is making up the majority of the mess?

Fortunately, it’s not simply a gimmick as the piezo sensor is also able to recognise when an area of the floor has more dust on it. When it finds a dirt-filled area, it automatically pumps up the power, which is very handy.

This auto setting means the vacuum only adds more suction when it’s needed so you’ll be able to eke out more battery life. You can override this option and set things yourself, but we’ve left it in auto throughout most of our testing and it’s left our floors looking spic and span without running out of juice.

In fact, with this option switched on we were easily able to clean a four-bedroom family home and still have 50% left in the tank. You can also constantly see how much battery remains in the tank via the in-built screen on the top of the handle.

There is loads to love about this clever new V15 Detect, but are there any issues?

Other than the incredibly high price tag, we honestly don’t have many complaints. It’s quite heavy to use, so might not suit everyone and the 0.7-litre dust bin fills up pretty quickly, so it will need emptying after most cleans. Fortunately, the mechanism to dump the contents into the bin is cleverly designed so that you don’t have to touch the dust, which is nice.

Like all Dyson vacuum cleaners, you can’t switch the battery pack so anyone owning a Premier League-style mansion might find it annoying when the juice runs out mid-clean – especially as it does take some time to refill it again once plugged into the mains.

Other than that, this is one seriously impressive cleaning solution that comes packed with extra accessories – including a Crevice tool, Torque Drive Cleanerhead and Quick-release mini soft dusting brush – to make sure every inch of your home stays spotless.

A laser-guided cordless vacuum cleaner may sound like a ridiculous gimmick …but as soon as the Dyson V15 Detect illuminates the dust, dirt, and germs hidden in plain sight on your floors, it certainly doesn’t feel like a gimmick anymore. For those who want to be completely sure they’ve cleaned every inch of grime from their home, the laser will show you exactly how well the job has been done.