Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Professionals
- Laser actually works
- Good stability between dimension and energy
- No have to preserve the set off depressed
Cons
- Small bin can clog simply with pet fur and hair
- Solely as highly effective because the V10
Our Verdict
It’s slimmer, lighter and fewer expensive than the V15 however has the identical flagship options, together with the inexperienced laser for illuminating mud and hair. As a trade-off, it’s not as highly effective and has a smaller bin however for a lot of, this shall be a compromise that’s straightforward to make.
This slimmed down Dyson has lots of the similar key options because the flagship V15. Its inexperienced laser lights up crumbs and hair so that they’re straightforward to identify, and its full color LCD display shows a visible breakdown of the mud and dust you’re vacuuming up.
V12 Detect Slim design and look
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim seems – nicely, like a Dyson. And that’s actually the purpose of its look. Its garish color scheme and distinctive form signifies that the nanosecond that somebody enters your private home, they know immediately that you’ve a DYSON and never some common outdated cordless cleaner.
Does it look good? If you need a horny cordless vacuum cleaner, I’d level you within the route of the Samsung Bespoke Jet. However the issue with that’s that most individuals have by no means heard of it, so it doesn’t have the identical impact as saying: oh sorry I didn’t hear the cellphone ring, I used to be simply vacuuming with my model new DYSON.
However there’s a purpose Dyson has the fame it does. And the V12 Detect Slim has so much going for it
It has the attribute Dyson laser gun type. And one good characteristic of this mannequin is that, though the grip is identical as different V fashions, you don’t want to carry down the set off to hoover. It makes a shocking quantity of distinction: it’s a lot simpler to make use of.
The trade-off is that it doesn’t supply the identical battery safety because the set off button design. To preserve battery life, you must swap if off if you’re not vacuuming. Don’t go away it on if you pause to maneuver a chair.

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And also you’ll want two palms to show it off because the the on/off swap – a giant, purple clown nostril of a button – is nowhere close to the set off. It’s on prime of the machine. One other little bit of bizarre button placement is the separate key, proper beneath the color display, that permits you to choose the vacuuming mode from Eco, Medium and Increase.

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The 0.35 litre bin is straightforward to entry, though you need to take away the wand to take action. There’s an useful slide mechanism that opens the bin and dislodges its contents, however you’ll most likely should manually take away the the previous few coils of hair and fluff balls. Keep in mind that when you’ve got quite a lot of pet hair to hoover up, the filter can get clogged fairly simply. However it’s detachable and washable by hand.

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Dyson V12 Detect Slim efficiency
The V12 has suction of 150AW, which is identical because the V10, Dyson’s 2018 cordless vacuum launch. This shall be lots for laborious flooring and most carpets, though when you’ve got very deep pile carpets and pets, you would possibly need to go for one thing extra highly effective.
I discovered it to be a really efficient vacuum, with a worthwhile trade-off of energy towards weight and worth.
What actually units the V12 Detect aside from different Dyson cordless fashions is its flagship options. If you happen to’re utilizing the primary Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, a inexperienced laser will illuminate the ground in entrance of you, making hairs, crumbs, mud and spills on the ground stand out (though you’ll be able to swap it off).
I’ve used vacuum cleaners with lights on the entrance (that are very useful for vacuuming in darkish corners) and wasn’t anticipating the laser to be considerably higher.
However it’s. It’s so extraordinarily efficient that I began switching off lights earlier than cleansing, because it improves visibility a lot. I’ve a cat with luxuriant fur, significantly extra of which appears to reside on my ground than on the cat itself. Pet hair is an ongoing downside. The laser actually helped to focus on all of it.
The one points with the laser are a) that if you happen to fail to hoover for some time, it’s a really shame-inducing expertise and b) if you happen to return to a freshly vacuumed room ten minutes later, it’ll level out all of the hairs you missed and those who have settled on the ground in your absence. It’s, arguably, a little bit TMI.
The opposite key characteristic is the piezo sensor and LCD show, which work collectively to measure and show the amount and dimension of particles you’re vacuuming. Personally, I didn’t get so much from it and located it’s be a little bit of an empty gimmick.
The display’s way more helpful perform, nonetheless, is to show the vacuuming time left in whichever mode you’re utilizing. From a full battery, you’ll get 59 minutes in Eco mode, 36 in Medium and eight in Increase. It expenses in 4 hours.
If there are any issues with the vacuum, the display will even show troubleshooting info, though this was not one thing I skilled whereas testing it.
Which equipment does the V12 Detect Slim include?
Dyson equipment fluctuate, relying on which nation you reside in and which mannequin you purchase. The important thing ones are the Laser Slim Fluffy cleansing head and the Hair Screw software, which twirls hair away and into the bin. If you happen to typically end up having to tug or reduce lengthy hairs out of your vacuum cleaner curler, you’ll discover it extraordinarily efficient.
Within the UK, you will get the Absolute (£529.99), or the Absolute + (£559.99). The previous comes with the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, the Hair Screw software, the Motorbar cleansing head, a crevice software, mixture software, the up-top adapter, docking station and charger.

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The Absolute + moreover comes with a mattress software for deep upholstery vacuuming, and a wand clip, so you’ll be able to preserve a few key instruments on the vacuum with you as you go.
Within the US, the V12 Detect Slim comes with the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, the Hair Screw software, the Motorbar cleansing head, a crevice software, mixture software, wand clip, docking station and charger.
If you happen to purchase the Absolute mannequin, which is available in a gold colourway, you’ll additionally get the up-top adaptor (which lets you create an angle between cleansing accent and vacuum), material and mattress software and a mini comfortable dusting brush.
Ought to I purchase the V12, the V15 or one other Dyson cordless?
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim has lots of the similar options because the flagship V15 Detect. Most notably, it options the inexperienced laser, piezo sensor and full color LCD display. Nevertheless it’s about 20% lighter than the V15, weighing simply 2.2kg (5.2lbs). If you happen to discover the normal Dyson cordless cleaners a bit heavy, this could possibly be the one to go for.
As a tradeoff, the bin is lower than half the scale, so that you’ll have to empty it much more typically and it’s much less highly effective, at 150AW versus the V15’s 240AW.
Nevertheless it’s much less expensive as nicely: $649.99/ £529.99 versus $749.99/ £629.99 (within the UK, that is for the Absolute variations of every mannequin).
If you happen to’re deciding between the V12 and one other certainly one of Dyson’s lighter cordless cleaners such because the Micro or the Omni-glide, it’s value noting that the V12 is an in-between dimension. Whereas it’s not as massive because the V15, it’s not a mini cordless like these fashions.

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The V12’s suction is thrice extra highly effective than the Omni-glide and the bin is a 3rd bigger.
Dyson V12 worth and availability
Within the US, you should buy the Dyson V12 Detect Slim from Finest Purchase, Walmart or Dyson itself. On the time of writing, there’s no worth benefit from selecting any particular retailer as all are promoting it for $649.99, however if you happen to purchase the Absolute mannequin, you’ll get extra equipment.
Within the UK, it’s extensively out there from retailers together with AO.com and Currys with a worth distinction of lower than a pound, so it makes most sense to search for free supply.
Verdict
Whereas the V12 Detect Slim doesn’t have suction that’s as robust because the V11 or the V15, it’s lighter and also you gained’t have to carry down the set off as you vacuum. If you happen to don’t have an enormous property, or deep-pile carpets that want most energy, the V12 could possibly be the right compromise between dimension and efficiency. Plus, it has Dyson’s newest options: the sensible inexperienced laser and piezo sensor.
If you happen to’d prefer to see different choices, take a look at our round-up of the perfect vacuum cleaners we’ve examined or discover out which Dyson cordless vacuum is best for you.
V12 Detect Slim specs
Weight: 2.2kg/ 5.2lbs
Suction: 150AW
Dustbin dimension: 0.35 litres/ 0.1 gallons
Charging time: 4 hours
Working time: 60 minutes Eco; 5 minutes Increase