I have been using Dyson vacuums for years, and a cordless vacuum is my go-to for quick, daily clean-ups. I have reviewed a number of Dyson vacuums, and one of the latest that came my way is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. It is, as the name implies, slim in design and powerful. It features various usability and design upgrades that owners will appreciate.
What is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim?
First off, what is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim? One of the company’s latest entries into the cordless vacuum space, the V12 Detect Slim is a lightweight, cordless stick vacuum.
It boasts 11 cyclones to generate powerful force of up to 100,000g so the dust goes straight into the bin versus clogging up the filter. That combines with the Hyperdynium motor that spins at up to 125,000 rpm. This offers good suction and performance on a variety of surfaces. It can pick up both large debris and small dust particles. The whole-machine filtration traps up to 99.99% of fine dust particles as small as 0.3 microns.
The vacuum has three power modes. Auto mode intelligently adapts to the floor surface and adjusts suction power accordingly. Eco mode is for lighter cleans while conserving and extending battery life. Boost mode is for a quick, intensive clean of a particularly soiled area.
With a battery that lasts for up to 60 minutes per charge, you should be able to tackle an entire home, or at least an entire floor, per charge of the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. Weighing just 2.2kg, it’s easy to bring along from floor to floor. It also seamlessly manoeuvres around corners, up steps, and gets into other hard-to-reach places.
Like other Dyson cordless vacuums, it can transform into a handheld vacuum. This is ideal for cleaning the car, mattress, ceiling fans, stairs, furniture, and more.
The vacuum comes with a variety of attachments, the most notable of which is the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head. Found in other vacuums, like the Dyson V15 Detect Complete I reviewed earlier this year, it consists of angled laser beams that detect every miniscule particle so you can see how dirty (or clean!) your floors are. You get an idea of how much is being picked up via the screen at the top. It shows data from the piezo sensor that continuously sizes and counts dust particles. The screen also shows a running countdown of battery life.
Also included is a Motorbar cleaner head with hair removal vanes for deep cleaning carpets (especially useful if you have pets), combi tool, crevice tool, wand clip, and hair screw tool for grabbing both human and pet hair. You’ll also get the wall dock for docking the vacuum to charge the battery and neat storage when it isn’t being used.
Using the Dyson V12 Detect Slim
I got right to using the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. I instantly noticed one big change from older models: rather than hold down a trigger as you clean, press the power button then run the vacuum as normal. This frees up your fingers, allowing you to maneuver more easily. I found that, with my old Dyson vacuum, I would often hit the trigger button accidentally while grabbing the vacuum, walking around with it, or even emptying it. This welcome design change alleviates that pain point. But it will take some getting used to for users of older model Dyson cordless vacuums.
The purple and satin yellow finish is elegant and sleek, a nice departure from the boring black, white, or silver vacuums you might have used in the past.
As luck would have it, I was given the perfect opportunity to test this vacuum’s limits. We recently sanded a staircase banister, which left flecks of white paint all over the floor and stairs. While our old vacuum wasn’t up to the task, using Boost mode on this one, it dutifully picked them up, including larger pieces.
If you find Auto mode isn’t doing the trick for larger messes, press the silver button below the screen to toggle among the three modes until you arrive at Boost. Do the same if you’re one room shy of finishing and the battery is running low: toggle to Eco to maximize battery life.
Keep in mind that using Boost mode significantly impacts battery life: if I had half an hour of runtime left in Auto mode, switching to Boost would reduce this to just seven minutes. But it ups the suction to an amazing level to capture every particle, and it’s likely a feature you’ll use sparingly for small messes, like a big cereal spill in the kitchen or an extra dirty foyer that sees a lot of foot traffic. It’s best to use the Motorbar cleaner head for these types of jobs.
We don’t have pets but I can see how this attachment with its hair removal vanes (as well as the hair screw tool) would work well for pet owners. To test this, I cleaned out my hairbrush and left clumps of hair on the hardwood floor, bathroom tiles, and carpet to see how well it would work picking this up. Even in regular mode, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim vacuum with the Motorbar cleaner head sucked up the hair as soon as I turned it on, even before I had the chance to run the cleaner overtop the clumps.
I did find some hair curled around the brushes in the end, but it was easy to pull out and never got tightly wound up and stuck inside, which has happened countless times before with other vacuums.
The most fun attachment to use, however, is the Laser Slim Fluffy head cleaner. It is, as the name implies, much smaller and thinner than the Motorbar cleaner, but perfect for certain jobs. My son, for example, loved using it for his bedroom. He could turn off the lights and run it to see how much dust and particles it was picking up. I used this for small hallways as well to get an idea of just how well our robot vacuum did at cleaning these high-traffic areas.
No matter the attachment, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim vacuum glides beautifully along hardwood floors and tiles. It also works well on carpeting, including thin carpet runners and thick area rugs. Note that the suction will be too forceful in Boost mode on these surfaces, however.
It’s easy to get around tight corners, navigating around the kitchen cupboards and appliances with ease, and with a powerful enough suction to grab dirt and debris all the way to the edges: more than my older model was able to capture.
I tested it by spilling crunched up potato chips on the floor, including some bigger pieces, and found it worked well, with Boost mode sucking up what the Auto mode didn’t after a few passes.
Comparing to older-model Dyson cordless vacuums
Along with the new power button design, greater maneuverability, and more powerful suction, there are a few other key differences compared to older Dyson vacuums.
One big difference is with the hygienic emptying process. While older ones had no-touch bin emptying as well, the way this one works is much easier and more effective. Simply hold it over the garbage can, pull down on the red tab, and the bin opens, emptying the contents.
The runtime is also vastly improved: my years old Dyson cordless stick vacuum only runs for about 15 minutes per charge, which means we’d often have to clean a floor at a time then let it charge for about an hour while we tended to other chores before finishing the jobs around the house the robot vacuum couldn’t do. With a rated 60 minutes with this one, I can comfortably tackle every area I need to on a single charge.
I love how it docks neatly into the wall mount charging dock, just like the older models do. It did take some getting used to the lift and remove method from the dock, however, versus the pull forward, lift, and remove design of older ones.
I would suggest looking into a wall-mountable storage basket to keep the additional attachments and accessories neatly nearby for easy access.
Who will love this Dyson vacuum?
I instantly fell in love with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim cordless vacuum. It’s super slim and sleek, making it a great option for those who live in small houses or apartments.
Even those with larger homes, however, will appreciate its versatility and convenience as a secondary vacuum alongside a robot vacuum or even a larger upright or canister. It’s lightweight, easy to maneuver, and perfect for quick clean-up jobs.
Pop on other attachments and use it to vacuum ceiling fans up high, basement corner cobwebs, and blinds. Remove the stick and use it as a handheld for mattresses, stairs, and even in the car. The Laser Slim Fluffy head is a bonus that’s more than just a gimmick: it really makes sense and adds value.
With the laser head, piezo sensor data on the screen, and the running countdown for battery life, the V12 Detect Slim makes cleaning feel kind of high-tech. There’s little I could criticize about this vacuum. If you have the budget, it would be a welcome addition to any home.
See the Dyson V12 Detect Slim at Best Buy Online.
