Dyson V15 Detect Review
Why a Cordless Stick Vacuum?
I transitioned from using high-end robot vacuums (Roomba S9+, Roomba M6 Mop, and a Roborock S7) to a single stick vacuum: the Dyson V15 Detect. Why would I ever do that?
After selling my robot vacuums I still had a wad of cash in my pocket that was screaming stick vacuum. I’ve heard horror stories about cheap stick vacuums that perform poorly and break down easily. I didn’t want a cheap device, so I researched the best stick vacuums money can buy.
The more I thought about it, the more I ALSO really wanted to ditch our old canister/hose vacuum, especially for the hardwood floor. I don’t enjoy lugging around a canister behind me and playing the cord and outlet dance. Dispense the cord, find an outlet, plug it in, pick up the attachment and hose, drag around the canister while cleaning, accidentally pull the plug halfway out of the wall, unplug, find new outlet and repeat. This breaks my back and I’m tired of it.
Pros
+ Green “Laser” Clearly Illuminates Dust and Debris
The hardwood floor attachment is equipped with a small green light that shines just above the floor. This green laser light is NOT a gimmick. Whether or not you define the light as “laser” light, I’ve found that it’s very helpful in revealing all the tidbits on the floor.
We have a hardwood floor that makes it easy to hide crumbs, pet hair and dust. With the light on you can see tiny dust particles on your floor, and assuming you have more than a few pieces of debris, see the pathway this vacuum carves on the floor.
On more than one occasion I found myself turning off lights or trying to dim the ambient light to take more advantage of the green light. It would still be a good vacuum even without this feature but I must admit that it adds to the satisfaction of the chore - and I hate vacuuming, so that’s a compliment to Dyson.
+ Battery Life is Great
I’ve used this vac for a year now and I can vacuum the majority of my 3,400 square-foot house with a fully-charged battery. I’m sure there is some level of battery degradation, but the battery seems to be lasting just as long as when I bought it new.
You can buy an extra battery if you find yourself running out of juice. But I would use it for a few weeks before jumping on extra batteries.
+ The Attachments Won’t Ruin Your Hardwood
One of the reasons I migrated away from robot vacuums was that my hardwood was getting damaged by a certain robot (a story for another day). I almost always use the soft hardwood floor roller attachment for our hardwood and I haven’t noticed any signs of scratching or damage to the surface. In a pinch, I’ve also briefly used the main “Full Clean” carpet attachment on our hardwood and haven’t noticed any issues or damage.
There were many other small attachments included but I rarely use anything besides the soft roller and the full clean carpet attachment.
+ It Destroys Hair
I love that there are never any hair tangles on any of my attachments. The carpet attachments have teeth that apparently sever hair as it gets sucked up. The result seems to be that hair tangles on the roller are a thing of the past.
+ Auto Mode for the Win
When set to Auto, the vacuum will temporarily kick into a boosted mode if an elevated level of particles is detected. I found this setting to be reliable and predictable - for this reason, I typically leave it on Auto. Other settings include Eco and Boost which are dedicated to light and heavy suction levels.
In terms of noise level, the Eco mode is nice to reduce the overall volume level but the trade-off is weaker suction. Boost is noticeably louder than Auto, and is great to have as an option but is fairly extreme. I haven’t felt the need to use Eco or Boost very often.
Cons
- Cost
This vac was around ~$700 when I purchased it. This seems crazy to me to spend this much on a stick vac.
Summary
- The green "laser" really helps the job and it's addictive/fun in a low-light room
- No recurring costs for bags
- Useful attachment options - especially the hardwood floor head
- Performance and reliability are excellent
- Costly
Learn more about my experience and review process.