Dyson recently launched its latest V12 Detect Slim cord-free vacuum cleaner in India, priced slightly higher than the previous generation V11 Absolute Pro flagship and ranked as the company’s most intelligent compact vacuum cleaner. With the new iteration, Dyson focuses on making the cleaner easier to operate and adds some exciting innovations, such as a laser sensor and a piezo sensor to detect fine dirt particles that analyze and calculate the time it takes to pull dust in real-time.

So, does all this news add up to a meaningful difference? Let’s answer this in our Dyson V12 Detect Slim Review.

Price and availability

In India, V12 Detect Slim has an MRP of 58,900 and is available on Dyson’s official website at R 55,900.

Dyson V12 design and attachment

The focus of this generation is on further improving the v12. It is noticeably thinner and lighter than the last-gen V11 Absolute Pro. The original body weighs only 1.5 kg and weighs less than 2.5 kg even with the windshield and cleaning head attached – and this basically means that the V12 is quite comfortable to hold and handle for a long time.

The original cleaner body is still shaped like a sci-fi blaster but the trigger has been replaced by a one-touch button, which is again more convenient.

There is a round LCD display on the back with a single button to switch the performance mode. The display primarily relays data from piezo-electric sensors, charging notifications, and battery countdown.

The bin has a 0.35 L capacity and you can easily remove the collected dust using a clip at the bottom. The bin has a marker that will tell you when it’s time to empty and if the bin is full when you clean it, you’ll get a notification prompt to empty it. You can remove and wash the bin and Dyson recommends that you let it dry for at least 24 hours after washing.

The cleaner also has a sealed 5-layer filtration system to capture dust particles before expelling air from the rear.

Here are all the attachments bundled in the box:

• Laser Cleaning Fluffy Heads (Motorized) – Suitable for hard floors
• Direct drive cleaner head (motorized) – for hard floors, carpets and dirt on the ground.
• Hair Screw Tool (Motorized) – Effectively removes hair, good for cleaning car seats, mattresses, car upholstery.
• Combi Tool – has soft nylon bristles; Can quickly switch between dusting and cleaning. Good for dusting walls and ledges.
• Crack tool – to clean the cracks hard to reach
• Soft Dusting Brush – Suitable for dusting furniture and tablets.
• Stubborn dust brush – stiff nylon bristles; Helps remove dirt from carpets, floor mats and car interiors.
• 706 mm stick
• Wall dock, wind clip and charging adapter

Up-top adapters, extension-hose and mattress tools are some of the notable omissions.

Dyson V12 performance

Suction power must be high on your priority list when buying a vacuum cleaner. We all rightly hope that a premium vacuum cleaner can be an absolute beast that can shake and shake off all the dirt that has been lying dormant for ages.

As we discussed in the last section, Dyson vacuum cleaners have become thinner and more manageable. And yes, these modifications come at the expense of some suction power – but fortunately, not much has been compromised.

The V12 Detect Slim’s hyperdimium motor has 11 ‘Root Cyclone’ chambers compared to the V11 Absolute Pro’s 14 chambers, but these 11 handle 150 air watts of suction power which is significantly more than you would find on most conventional devices. Vacuum cleaner

There are three power modes that you can switch between – Echo, Auto / Med and Boost.

Maximum power is reserved for boost mode which is surprisingly powerful but completely wipes out the battery and thus you will not use it often. In fact, it is extremely difficult to glide the broom head on a heavy board while the mode is on. The mode has proven to be quite useful for cleaning sharp sofas and beds.

Most of the time you will use V12 Detect Slim in auto mode, it works really well. V12 can remove an amazing amount of dust from my carpet in auto mode, and a single sweep was usually enough when cleaning the floor.

Base Echo mode is no slash and is great for cleaning screens, tabletops and other light dusting.

Among the new innovations, the first is the Fluffy Cleaning Head, a precision angled Class 1 laser light (certified safe to use). The first time I tried this head, it was in a sunlight chamber and the laser guide was barely visible. And since I almost always do my cleaning work in the morning, we were willing to write it down as a strategy. However, that is definitely not the case!

In dark environments or under artificial light, laser detection sensors make it incredibly easy to detect dust particles on your floor that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. As you glide over your head, you get the instant gratification of this disappearance. So much so that it’s easy to track your sweep strokes, especially when you’re clearing hard-to-reach places, such as the bottom of a bed or sofa.

If you’re worried, the laser doesn’t take much battery. In auto-mode, you can continue to clean hard floors for about 50 minutes on a full charge. We noticed that the laser light automatically shuts off when you accidentally hit a hard object, such as a castor wheel, on the chair legs.

The piezo sensor can detect and measure your selected dust particles. I’m guessing most users will ignore these statistics, but they give a user a way to purposefully track exactly how much dust they’ve pulled in a particular cleaning session. This gives you a clearer way of knowing if your rug is dirtier than usual.

It would be great if this data could be synced with a smart app and better analyzed based on an activity or cleaning session. However, this sensor helps the cleaner to better optimize the auto mode. It analyzes this data and automatically increases or decreases the suction power in auto mode.

The conical brush is also new and this motorized head shape has been optimized to push pet hair into the bin. Okay, I don’t live with a buddy so it was hard to judge the effectiveness of hair removal, but its relatively compact size made it more suitable for car interior cleaning.

In short, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a champion performer, and it’s even better for its high price. I mean, it’s not a magic wand that you can just wave your furniture to miraculously get all the dust out of the wood carving, but it can suck up very effectively which can rub and irritate some brush head attachments. You will see the magic whenever a clean head can lock perfectly on a surface you are cleaning. It’s easy to do on cushions, mattresses, rugs and even the floor, but not always for more abstract surfaces like ceiling fans, tails or curtains.

It should be noted that this is not a wet cleaner and cannot be doubled as a blower.

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Dyson V12 Detect Slim Review: Battery Life

The V12 Slim Detector takes about 3 hours to fully charge (which is less than the 4 hour charge time claimed by Dyson). When the cleaner is plugged in, you can monitor the battery percentage by pressing a button on the LCD display. When the cleaner is running, you get a countdown of how long the battery lasts so you can plan your session accordingly.

In auto-mode, the V12 detector’s battery can last from 25 minutes to 45 minutes. Mileage is long when you clean hard floors, tabletops and screens. The task of cleaning a carpet can drain the battery in 30 minutes. Boost mode can last for about 6 to 8 minutes. In eco mode where suction is kept light, runtime can last for more than an hour.

During our review, there were some instances when we ran out of charge a few times in the middle of an intensive cleaning session, but on most days the full charge was sufficient. The battery is also interchangeable but you will need to purchase a replacement separately and currently, there is no word on the price and availability of an interchangeable battery for the Dyson V12 Detect Slim.

A charging dock station bundle with Dyson V12 Detect Slim where you can throw it away after cleaning so you can conveniently make sure it’s all juice and ready when you need it.

Dyson V12 Review: Judgment

All told and done, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is a premium product that is great for cleaning a wide variety of surfaces. It provides strong suction, is very convenient to keep and has an LCD display that keeps you informed about the accumulated dust and residual runtime. Laser detection sensors and piezo sensors are great additions that add value to this iteration.

If you spend a premium price of US 55 55,990, you are probably considering robotic vacuum cleaners that require minimal cleaning effort and are generally considered good for cleaning hard floors. The Dyson V12 Slim Detect, on the other hand, is a versatile tool that can be used for more targeted and intensive cleaning throughout your home or your car, and will be comparatively more reliable in terms of intensive cleaning performance.