Dyson V15 Detect Review – Is Dyson's Premium Stick Vacuum Worth the Money?

Pros/ConsReal-World UseTestsUsabilityValueAlternatives

Real world use and testing

As huge fans of the V11 Outsize, we were wondering what Dyson's next act would bring. Its successor, the new Dyson V15 Detect, is similar in some ways. In others, the V15 Detect goes far beyond the older stick vacuum, however.

We purchased our V15 from Dyson direct. Before doing so, we had seen commercials and taken more than one trip to Dyson's website. Features that were heavily marketed were the V15's Laser Slim Fluffy head, the LCD screen which shows "real-time scientific proof of a deep clean" among other things, an acoustic piezo sensor which counted microscopic particles as they were sucked up into the vacuum.

And, of course, powerful suction and a long runtime.

Our Dyson V15 Detect, battery and included accessories. Image © VacHQ.com

When our V15 cordless vac arrived we unpacked the vacuum, its accessories and plugged it in to fully charge the swappable battery. Quality is evident in the vacuum's engineering.

Attachments and accessories

While the battery of our latest Dyson was charging, we took inventory of all the accessories the cordless vacuum cleaner ships with. The two main cleaning heads are new designs for the V15 Detect.

The High Torque Head is similar to the short, stiff bristle one which shipped with the V11 with the addition of an anti-tangle comb. The Laser Slim Fluffy head is a new design altogether, picking up where the V10's soft roller head left off. We will cover the main cleaning heads in more detail below.

The V15 is the first Dyson stick vacuum that has offered something simply better than the competition while at an appropriate price in years. No, the V15 is not inexpensive by any measure. But, we feel it is worth the money if what you want is the highest performing cordless stick vacuum money can buy.

As far as accessories go, there isn't much more that could have been provided. The V15 Detect+ may ship with more accessories than any other cordless stick vacuum. A full inventory is below, but one standout is the Hair Screw Tool. Meant to clean pet hair off upholstery, the tool also employs anti-tangle technology which actually works.

All accessories confidently click into position, and each part feels well made.

After waiting out a full battery charge (as recommended in the instruction manual) we were ready for our first cleaning session with the Dyson V15.

The V15 Detect Laser Slim Fluffy head (we love it)

Full disclosure: this is a feature which we thought would turn out to be a gimmick. Boy were we wrong. We had to see for ourselves, so the Laser Slim Fluffy head was the first head we cleaned with. That laser? It's a game changer over the standard fluffy cleaner head (also known as the soft roller head).

The Laser Slim Fluffy Head in use during the day. Image © VacHQ.com

It's fantastic at showing the amount of dust, hair and other dirt and debris which needs cleaning. Another great aspect of the laser light is being able to clearly see what areas have been cleaned and which have not. Someone in our home turned it off. Once. Never again!

In short, Dyson's latest cordless' suction was amazing, and the Laser Slim Fluffy head is a game changer. After using it once you realize that many more high-end cordless stick vacuums will have this someday. The laser light is far more useful than a headlight, or that lack of either, which is what you'll find in most competing vacuums.

Dyson technology is counting what's going in the dustbin

While vacuuming the round LCD screen displays how much of what size particles have been vacuumed courtesy of the piezo sensor we mentioned earlier.

In Auto mode the V15 Detect also uses the sensor to increase suction power when more dirt and dust is detected. The feature works with both full-size cleaning heads as well as the smaller, upholstery sized anti-tangle attachment.

Cleaning carpet with the High Torque cleaner head

The High Torque cleaner head that comes with the V15 did a fantastic job on carpet. It actually did too good of a job until we moved the red slider to reduce the amount of suction. Without doing so the vacuum was nearly immovable in Boost mode.

The High Torque cleaner head with Anti-Tangle comb. Image © VacHQ.com

The suction control slider has a plus on one end and a minus on the other. Moving the slider toward the minus on deeper pile carpets or delicate flooring surfaces makes vacuuming easier.

After vacuuming on several surfaces over several months, we are impressed by the V15 Detect's cleaning ability on hard flooring, tile and carpeting.

Cleaning stairs and upholstery with the Dyson V15 Detect

The majority of the time we have the soft roller head on the vacuum ready to vacuum are ever-dusty hardwood floors downstairs. More and more often, the vacuum is making its way upstairs with the high torque cleaning head, or the soft dusting brush.

Cleaning stairs with the V15 Detect and Laser Slim Fluff Head (in handheld mode). Image © VacHQ.com

Cleaning stairs and upholstery was straightforward. Our only word of caution would be to those who prefer a light vacuum. Most of the V15's weight is in the handle (the battery, to be specific). When used as a full-size cordless stick vacuum, the weight is somewhat offset by the cleaning head being in contact with the floor. As a handheld vacuum, it did feel heavier than other cordless vacuums we've reviewed.

While the dog hair in our home is on the shorter side, we did test the Anti-tangle Hair Screw tool using synthetic hair. The cylindrical design of the roller head works hair up the screw and into the dustbin as opposed to it getting stuck.

Cleaning tests

Dyson's V15 Detect performed exceptionally well in all cleaning tests. Our aggregate scores below take into account multiple testing methods on each surface type.

Dyson V15 suction, technology and battery life

The size of dust particles and debris determines where they will be trapped by the V15. The first level of filtration is a metal mesh filter which can be seen through the walls of the clear dustbin. Anything larger than 250 microns remains here at this first level, in the dustbin.

LCD status during a charge of the Dyson V15's battery. Image © VacHQ.com

Next, dirt and debris are drawn into the V15's cyclones. Here dust, dust mites and other mid-sized particles (relatively speaking) are removed from the airflow, falling back into the dustbin. A pre-motor filter is the next stop. Here an electrostatically charged layer attracts and stops smaller particles.

Allergens and remaining irritants and particulates up to 0.3 microns (microscopically small) are handled by the post-motor filter.

The V15 Detect+ model has an additional HEPA filter. This allows it to trap microscopic particles as small as 0.1 microns. It also has a soft dusting and crevice tool incorporated into its wand. We found this to be incredibly handy. It makes it incredibly easy to switch from normal vacuuming to taking care of a trouble area.

Suction in terms of air watts (AW) in each mode are as follows:

Actual run time for the V15 in its various modes met what the Dyson engineers approved for publishing on their website. Of course, a number of factors determine battery life. Using a non-powered head, for instance, increases battery life as does using the Eco suction mode. In our real-world use we keep the vacuum in Auto mode, allowing it to adjust the suction as it cleans.

We have no gripe with battery life, and can vacuum all the tile, hardwood flooring and carpeting in a 2,500 square foot home without fully depleting the battery.

Ergonomics and usability

With high-performance comes weight, namely in the battery department. The Dyson V15 Detect has what they call a clickable battery, Dyson-speak for user-replaceable, or removable battery. It takes a heavy, high-density battery to provide the performance the V15 Detect offers.

With that said, when used as a full-size stick vacuum, maneuverability is excellent. This was a surprise, especially when first unpacking the vacuum. Using the V15 as a handheld vacuum is where the weight really comes into play. Those who are used to a very light handheld may find it tiring to use in this configuration.

The usability is fantastic overall on the V15. We were impressed with the LCD screen, not just because it displays what the piezo sensor counts, but because of everything else it does.

The LCD screen shows remaining battery life in minutes, and even provides visual instructions for cleaning the on-board filters and other light maintenance.

There's a lot that ships with Dyson's V15 line. We've cataloged that below as well as a few specifications and features. Do note that the Detect and Detect+ ship with a few differences.

Value

We have had a hot-and-cold relationship with Dyson cordless vacuums. As their stick vacuums have evolved, they've undoubtedly improved in suction and battery life. We have, however, taken issue with their pricing. More clearly, some older Dyson models have simply cost too much for the performance they offer.

Dyson really pulled out all the stops when designing and pricing the Dyson V15 product line. Some will balk at the price, and that's fair. But, the price-sensitive consumer isn't who this vacuum was designed for. The Dyson V15 line was made for those who want the convenience of a cordless vacuum but still want the highest level of cleaning performance available.

To be clear, we recommend the Dyson V15 Detect as it is the best cordless vacuum we have tested as far as overall performance is concerned. While the price may seem steep, the non-plus Detect sells for under $700 which seems appropriate for this level of performance.

One notch up, and only available direct from Dyson, the V15 Detect plus sells at $749 MSRP. The plus model has two exclusive features, a post-motor HEPA filter and the in-wand dusting and crevice tool.

Both are excellent, and we recommend both without hesitation for anyone shopping for a premium cordless stick vacuum.

Alternatives worth consideration

As it stands today, the Dyson V15 is literally in a class of its own. With its unique features, incredible suction and ample battery life, it truly does offer something we cannot find in other vacuums. But, there's a lot of cordless stick vacuums available at every price point.

Final thoughts

For a homeowner that is sensitive to dust, pet dander or could, even to themselves, take on the label of full or part-time germophobe, the V15 will be a no-brainer. We aren’t among those user groups.. And, we were highly cynical with Dyson and what we assumed were gimmicks that the V15 offered. We were happily wrong, and the Dyson V15 is a welcome addition in our home.

The V15 is the first Dyson stick vacuum that has offered something simply better than the competition while at an appropriate price in years. No, the V15 is not inexpensive by any measure. But, we feel it is worth the money if what you want is the highest performing cordless stick vacuum money can buy.