I’ve been writing about vacuums for a long time now, and every new cordless vacuum that comes out seems to offer more suction and longer runtimes. Dyson has bucked that trend with its new launch. The Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones has suction and runtime specs that, if I was being polite, I’d describe as ‘underwhelming’. Despite that, it’s one of the best cordless vacuums I’ve tested in a long time, and I truly think it’s going to shake up the vacuum market.
In its PencilVac, Dyson has embraced a completely new form factor. It looks more like a broom than a cordless vacuum, with all the main mechanical components (motor, filter, dust cup, battery) shrunk down and hidden within the handle. It’s incredibly streamlined and impressively lightweight.
It’s designed for use on hard floors, and for that it’s absolutely perfect. I’ve been testing it out for several weeks (my full review will be live on Monday, when the embargo lifts) and it has no trouble clearing every last speck of dust from my tiled kitchen floor. I can see how much of a good job it’s doing, because there are lasers mounted to the front and back of the floorhead that light up the tiniest specks of dirt like a beacon.
The reason the lasers are on the front and the back is because this cleaner works from both directions, which cuts cleaning times in half. It’s ultra-nimble and incredibly low-effort to use – I loved flinging it around my kitchen and watching the laser-illuminated dust disappearing before my very eyes.
A forgotten market
This kind of vacuum will be perfect for anyone who struggles with lifting or maneuvering a traditional stick vacuum. It’s a chunk of the market that has been somewhat forgotten about lately. Generally, in their quest for ever-more suction and ever-longer battery life, brands have been compromising on weight. Dyson is particularly guilty of this. Its newest models, the V16 Piston Animal and Gen5detect vacuum, both weigh a hefty 7.5 lbs / 3.4kg. The PencilVac, in contrast, weighs 4 lbs / 1.8kg.
This kind of compact, easily maneuverable vacuum will also suit anyone with awkward corners to clean. What’s more, the lightweight build is perfect for cleaning up high, with the detail tool attached.
Sure, it won’t suit everyone. The design is specifically for hard floors and perhaps the occasional canvas-style rug – the floorhead design and suction level won’t work for carpet. That’s fine; those with carpets to clean have plenty of alternatives to choose from.
The relatively short runtimes (you’ll get around 30 minutes’ cleaning in Eco mode and 20 in Med, whereas most modern vacuums offer an hour or more in the lowest mode) aren’t going to be a problem for everyone either. I found that a. Eco mode was sucky enough to clean my hard floors efficiently, and b. 30 minutes was plenty of time to clean my large kitchen and three bathrooms, partly thanks to the efficient design and smooth maneuvering.
The Dyson PencilVac is proof that there’s space for different kinds of vacuum cleaners on the market. By (to some extent) ignoring suction power and battery life, Dyson has freed the PencilVac up to shine in different areas. I’ve already seen my first dupe, and I’m confident it won’t be the last.
The best Dyson vacuums
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