- Dyson has introduced the brand new ultra-thin, ultra-light PencilVac
- Its new Fluffycones floorhead is designed to keep away from hair tangling
- It appears like a specialist mannequin for laborious flooring
I write about vacuum cleaners for a residing, and whereas efficiency varies, most new fashions nowadays are likely to look roughly the identical.
So when information of a brand new addition to the Dyson vacuum lineup landed in my inbox, I anticipated to see one thing much like its present fashions: slick and high-quality, however not particularly distinctive or shocking.
How flawed I used to be.
The newly unveiled Dyson PencilVac does not simply have an uncommon identify, it is all-round probably the most distinctive vacuums I’ve seen. This model is aware of what it is doing on this market – it makes among the finest cordless vacuums you should purchase, and in the present day’s best possible Dyson vacuums embody options you continue to cannot discover wherever else.
So whereas the PencilVac strays a good distance from the tried-and-tested formulation of what works for vacuum cleaners, I am very optimistic about its efficiency. This is a rundown of probably the most intriguing options on this new launch…
1. It is ridiculously skinny
Essentially the most instantly noticeable factor in regards to the PencilVac is that it is extremely streamlined. With out the floorhead, the entire thing is 1.5 inches / 3.8cm in diameter. To make that doable, the model needed to develop a tiny new motor – the Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor is simply 1.1 inches / 2.8cm extensive, and hidden solely inside the deal with.
The PencilVac can also be impressively light-weight, clocking in at 4lbs / 1.8kg. For context, the lightest possibility in our greatest cordless vacuum roundup proper now’s 5.7lbs / 2.6kg, and there are a selection of fashions that weigh over 6.6lbs / 3kg.
Usually, while you shrink down a vacuum, you sacrifice energy. That is why handheld vacuums are usually a lot much less ‘sucky’ than full-sized choices. That holds true for the PencilVac – there’s 55AW of suction, in comparison with 115AW for the V8 (the oldest Dyson stick vacuum within the present vary) and a large 280AW for the latest-and-greatest Gen5detect. Nevertheless, whereas it is unlikely to be appropriate for a really deep clear, that is nonetheless a good quantity of suction for the scale and weight.
As a facet be aware, the 1.5-inch / 3.8cm diameter is not incidental. Model founder James Dyson says, “I’ve lengthy needed to make a vacuum of solely 38mm diameter (the identical as my newest hair dryer, the Supersonic r)”. The Dyson Supersonic r is the pipe-shaped dryer that was initially launched for professionals solely, however not too long ago joined the principle shopper vary.
2. There are cones as an alternative of rollers
Transferring all the way down to the enterprise finish, and you will find the brand new ‘Fluffycones’ floorhead. It feels like a Pokémon, but it surely’s really a reimagined cleaner head. Vacuums historically have one brush roll, most two, they usually’re tube-shaped. The Dyson PencilVac has 4 brushrolls, they usually’re all conical.
There’s logic to the tapering form: it helps direct lengthy hair alongside the roll and into the mud cup, whereas with parallel rollers the hair tends to only wrap round and keep there, till your rip it off or assault it with scissors. Dyson’s hair screw device additionally has a conical brush roll, and works precisely because it’s meant to in terms of tackling lengthy hair.
The cones venture out on the sides to allow them to clear proper to the sides of rooms, and the entire thing can lie flat to the bottom, with a clearance of simply 9.5cm / 3.75 inches off the ground.
I am excited by Dyson’s description of the rollers as ‘fluffy’, as a result of within the model’s vocabulary that often signifies a smooth curler to be used on laborious flooring solely. In reality, the extra I take a look at this vacuum, the extra I am satisfied it is a specialist mannequin only for use on laborious ground. It isn’t specified within the press materials I’ve thus far, however it will make sense with the decrease suction and smaller mud capability.
3. There isn’t any seen mud cup
Some of the baffling issues in regards to the PencilVac is that it does not seem to have a mud cup. After all, there’s one – just like the motor, it is hidden away contained in the deal with.
The capability is next-to-nothing: simply 0.08L. Nevertheless, Dyson has launched a mud compression system, which makes use of air to squish down the particles so that they take up as little room as doable. Dyson claims which means it may possibly maintain 5 instances the bodily quantity.
The emptying course of has additionally been reimagined, with a push-lever system changed by an exciting-sounding “syringe, no-touch bin ejection mechanism”.
Because it pushes out mud and particles, the mechanism concurrently wipes the ‘shroud’. I am not completely clear what the ‘shroud’ is on this context, however I do know that protecting the interior mechanisms clear is essential to environment friendly vacuum efficiency, so this looks as if a very good factor.
4. The floorhead glows and seems to drift
In addition to siphoning off hair as you clear, the floorhead cones have one other trick up their sleeve. The cones rotate in reverse instructions, the purpose being that this vacuum cleans simply as properly when it is pushed ahead as when it is pulled again. It is a little bit of a weak spot on the common Fluffy floorhead – it has no bother sucking issues up when shifting forwards, however pull it again and particles will pool behind it.
I am intrigued to see how this new method works in apply – particularly as a result of Dyson describes it as “floating” throughout the ground. I ponder, too, if it would make this vacuum reversible altogether, given the truth that the deal with part appears very symmetrical.
Dyson has additionally added “laser-like” illumination to each the back and front of the floorhead. That is one other characteristic borrowed from the exsiting Fluffy floorhead, and helps create massive shadows on the tiniest bits of mud, which in any other case may go missed. It solely works on laborious flooring, which is one other indication this vac is probably going not for carpet.
There’s an intriguing addition to the device lineup within the type of a ‘Rotating combi-crevice device’, designed for cleansing in awkward gaps. This appears particularly geared in the direction of cleansing high-up, the place it may be tough to get your angles right. It makes explicit sense for an ultra-light vacuum like this one, which is much simpler to raise above your head than your common stick vacuum.
As an apart, it appears just like the PencilVac is button- moderately than trigger-operated. That is dictated by the streamlined form, but it surely’s additionally nice information for maneuverability and straightforward of use – the truth that many Dyson vacs nonetheless use a set off to activate is a perpetual bugbear of mine.
You may additionally get a Conical hair screw device, much like the one included with the latest Dyson stick vacuums, for tackling lengthy hair on furnishings. Each may be saved on the magnetic charging dock.
6. It is app-connected
I am a lot much less enthusiastic about this characteristic, but it surely really feel like I ought to level out that that is the primary Dyson cordless vacuum to hook up with the MyDyson app. The app will present extra details about battery life and likewise report on filter standing. Nevertheless, there’s additionally a display on the vacuum itself exhibiting remaining battery, so I am hoping the app connection is an optionally available further moderately than a necessary.
Value & availability
The PencilVac will arrive in Australia first, with launch scheduled for August 2025. It is as a consequence of go on sale within the UK someday in 2026, and I am awaiting data as to if/when it’s going to come to the US. As of but I haven’t got any pricing data in any respect – I am going to replace this text with extra particulars when I’ve them.
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