The new Dyson is stronger and better for your health – but also more expensive
3.8.2023
Translation: Eva Francis
Dyson’s latest cordless vacuum cleaner is called Gen5detect. It’s very similar to the predecessor – which isn’t a bad thing. But...
Dyson has made it. The brand name has become synonymous with cordless vacuum cleaners. But to keep this status, the British manufacturer has to come up with quite a few innovations. Even Dyson can’t manage to develop and launch a completely new vacuum cleaner every year. Therefore, the new Gen5detect is more of an upgrade to the V15 Detect, which has been available in a range of versions since 2021.
There wouldn’t be anything wrong with that if the price hadn’t been upgraded, too. The Gen5detect costs almost 1,000 francs. The Dyson V15 Detect Extra was launched for 830 francs, but is now available for 700 francs.
Battery, power and filter upgrade
Let’s take a closer look at what’s been improved.
Suction power: As with almost every new model, the manufacturer has improved the suction power. The motor spins up to 135,000 rpm and boasts an output of 280 watts. The V15 Detect featured 125,000 rpm and 230 to 240 watts.
Battery: The battery – wich can still be switched out – has a longer running time. It previously offered up to 60 minutes of power with one charge; now it’s up to 70 minutes.
Filter: Some of the predecessor versions already featured a filter with Hepa certification, but it’s been improved. The Gen5detect filter removes up to 99.99 per cent of all particles as small as 0.1 microns, including viruses. In older models, it was only 99.97 per cent – if they featured a Hepa filter at all. By the way, the filter is washable and will last as long as the vacuum cleaner does.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Hands-on: upgrades hardly noticeable
Honestly, I didn’t really notice the improved suction power, battery and filter when I tested the Gen5detect. It’s a great device for daily vacuum-cleaning. and removes every bit of dirt in one go. The Gen5detect usually runs at half power in auto mode and only cranks up once in a while if there’s a lot of dust or a pile of cat hair. In other words, you’ll never run out of power reserves.
The battery life hasn’t improved noticeably either. On paper, Dyson has reduced the gap to the most enduring vacuum cleaners, which offer up to 90 minutes of battery life. In my test, it still wasn’t enough to vacuum my large flat with four to five rooms thoroughly in one go. However, most competing models can’t do this, either.
The solution? Either change your habits or buy a second battery. Replacing the battery is easily and quickly done at the push of a button.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Surprisingly clever accessories
Three brushes and half a dozen other accessories were supplied to me by Dyson. My test device was a pre-production model that doesn’t quite correspond to the configurations that are available now.
In everyday use, these accessories were a positive surprise. If you remove the long tube from the hand piece, you’re not left with just a short stub, as with many competitors. Instead, the Gen5detect features a built-in dusting and crevice tool. There’s even a bristle attachment that extends automatically.
Source: Lorenz Keller
This is very convenient if you’re vacuuming with the regular floor attachment and then briefly want to clean something with the handheld vacuum cleaner. The transformation takes just one click and you don’t have to mount a separate nozzle. With other models, you have to attach a separate brush for this.
I also really like the narrow crevice tool, which is designed to get to tight areas – between car seats, for instance. You can easily rotate this tool up to 22 degrees to get into gaps even easier.
Source: Lorenz Keller
What’s important to know is that Dyson launches several versions of its models, each with different accessories. You can also buy some of these extras separately, such as the free-standing charging station with storage, which is handy if you don’t want to mount a bracket on the wall.
With its heavy head, the Dyson doesn’t stand on its own, so you have to either lean it against a wall or lay it on the floor. The station, on the other hand, can be placed anywhere, so you can just hook the vacuum into it and it will automatically charge.
Unchanged strengths and weaknesses
The Gen5detect is similar to its predecessors in many ways. At 3.5 kilogrammes, it’s even a bit heavier. You’ll definitely notice that after a while, as you hold some of the weight in your hands. What you get in return, however, is vacuum cleaner that’s really powerful and yet rather quiet.
The click-in system for tubes and nozzles is smooth and stable, and the design slightly futuristic – on brand for Dyson. However, some features are missing that other vacuum cleaners in this high-price segment offer. A cleaning station, for instance.
I still really like the green laser on the brush that’s used for hard floors. It truly makes even the smallest speck of dust visible, allowing you to see exactly where you still need to clean.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Dyson’s got rid of the trigger button, which, in the past, had to be held down to keep the cordless vacuum cleaner running. Now, there’s just an on-off button. Unfortunately, the button’s placed in such a way that you can’t get to it with one hand. It would’ve been easy to solve this in a better way. In my opinion, a combination of a trigger button for fast vacuuming and a power button for longer vacuum-cleaning sessions would be ideal.
The equipment also includes sensors that analyse the dust that’s been sucked in. Based on this information, the suction power is automatically adjusted. You also get to see on the screen the number and size of particles that have been removed. This is nice to have, but is of no practical use in everyday life.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Verdict: good update, but strong competition
Overall, the Dyson Gen5detect is a good cordless vacuum cleaner at a rather hefty price. The improvements – more runtime, improved suction power and better Hepa filter – make a lot of sense.
However, there’s plenty of competition for cordless vacuum cleaners, not only from other brands, but also from Dyson itself. The predecessor model V15 Detect, for example, is available for just over 700 francs. The somewhat more compact, lighter and smaller V12 Detect Slim Absolute costs just over 600 francs. That’s why I’d rather go for an older model. After all, you won’t notice much of a difference in your day-to-day cleaning routine with this new model.
Header image: Lorenz Keller
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.