Testing and writing about vacuums for a living comes with its perks. I get to review some of the world's greatest models from the world's most established vacuum brands, and I'm fortunate enough to keep them afterward. Naturally, my home has never been cleaner.
Of the 12 vacuum cleaners I've tested for Homes & Gardens, there's only one that I still use in my own home: the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. It's perfect for my messy shared house with its mix of carpeted and hard floors.
My only real gripe with the V12 Detect Slim is its price, but it's available with a pretty decent discount for Black Friday. At Dyson and Walmart you can now grab the cordless vacuum for just $399.99 which puts it in the same price range as your average vacuum cleaner. That's rare from one of the best Dyson vacuums.
Why the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is so good
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim's FluffyOptic floorhead revealing dust that the naked eye can't see
There are two ways to look at the Dyson V12 Detect Slim's excellence: it provides one of the best cleans you'll ever find in a vacuum, and it has smart, unique features that set it apart from the competition.
The V12 Detect Slim is one of three Dyson vacuums with the signature green laser. I can assure you that this isn't at all a gimmick – it genuinely does reveal dust that the naked eye can't see. The floorhead that uses this laser also has a soft brushroll to pick up those super-fine particles, and in my seven months of using it, it's never failed to pick everything up in a single pass.
When testing the V12 Detect Slim alongside vacuums from Shark, Tineco, Proscenic and Numatic, the Dyson was the one I relied on to clear the messes that the others couldn't handle. The green laser was also an easy way of checking whether the floor was completely clean.
My home has a mix of hardwood, laminate and tile floors as well as carpets and area rugs. I love the V12 Detect Slim as it comes with two main floorheads: the FluffyOptic (as mentioned above) and the Motorbar. The Motorbar works like a dream on carpets and rugs. It takes a few seconds to swap between the floorheads and it means each section of my floor is being thoroughly cleaned, every time.
The Motorbar floorhead is also designed for hair and fur, with anti-tangle bristles that avoid hair wrapping around the brushroll. The bristles are incredible at digging into carpets and removing hair from deep within the fibers, and in my time using it, I've never had to manually remove any hair.
Vacuuming hair with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim's Motorbar floorhead on carpet in our test center
Another unique advantage of this cordless Dyson is its ability to count the particles it's picked up. In theory, this does very little to improve your cleaning, but over time it gives insight into which parts of your floors are dirtier, and it helps to know when there's nothing left to vacuum.
The same sensor creates responsive suction power within the vacuum. This means that when you pass over a particularly dirty section of your floor, the V12 will ramp up its suction power to make sure everything's been picked up. It'll also do this when you move onto carpets and rugs to make sure it gets all the embedded dirt.
When this isn't necessary, it'll revert back to its standard mode to preserve the battery life for when you need it, and it makes these automatic adjustments within a fraction of a second.
The screen of the Dyson V12 Detect Slim displaying how many particles have been collected, while vacuuming a mattress in my home
It's also incredibly easy to use, as many cordless vacuums are, and you can take it apart to use the crevice tool, dusting brush, or hair screw tool within seconds. You can also remove the wand to transform it into a handheld vacuum which is perfect for cleaning cars, furniture and anything above the head.
The only things worth noting are its small size. The V12 Detect Slim is the smaller alternative to the V15 Detect and Gen5detect. They all share the same features and similar cleaning power, but the V12 has a smaller dustbin, meaning you have to empty it more often. Personally, this isn't a problem at all; I live in a four-bedroom house and I only empty it once or twice during cleaning. And on the upside, the smaller size also means that it's lighter.
Like I said, my only real problem with this vacuum cleaner is its price. It offers unparalleled cleaning power, genuinely useful smart features, and an easy-to-use design, but it has a $650 retail price to reflect that. Now that it's on offer for $399.99, its lowest price ever, it costs about as much as any good cordless vacuum. So if you're looking for a vacuum upgrade this Black Friday, my professional advice is to go for this one.
Not quite what you're looking for? Instead, consider one of the best Dyson alternatives or the best vacuums for pet hair.
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