Dyson V11 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, 760 milliliters, Blue

Product Information

As with all cordless vacuum cleaners, the V11's bin capacity is small (Alison needed to empty it after only two rounds), but Dyson claims it's actually 40% larger than those on its V8 machines.

V11 should you choose? | Currys Which Dyson V11 should you choose? | Currys

Any way you cut it, this is an expensive vacuum cleaner and one that many people may find it hard to justify. The display also rids another problem: battery anxiety. While the old V10 had only a basic display on the battery to show a rough level of charge, the V11’s screen shows a countdown timer, so you know exactly how long is left. If last year’s model signalled the death of corded models, the V11 gives them that final push over the edge. In addition, the cordless vacuum cleaner is also available as the cheaper V11 Animal. Nevertheless, the V11 Absolute is easy to empty and to clean. To empty, you simply push the bin lever to sweep everything out – and we mean everything. Dyson calls this ‘point and shoot’ emptying and that describes it exactly.With the Dyson Cyclone V10, the vacuum cleaner company announced the end of its development of corded models. This year, Dyson continues to move forth with that promise by launching the Dyson V11 Absolute, the next-generation cordless model. With some smart new sensing tech to adjust power automatically, and a screen on the rear this model is clearly designed to be the best a – and it delivers. It's one of the priciest cordless vacuums out there, but if you want one of the most effective and user-friendly cleaners money can buy, and can stretch to the price tag, it’s money well spent.

Dyson V11 Absolute review: Peerless cordless cleaning power | Expert Dyson V11 Absolute review: Peerless cordless cleaning power

With that in mind, if you’re going to buy a Dyson V11, you might as well go the whole hog and get the Absolute. Otherwise, you’re missing out on one of its key new features – the pressure-sensing automatic suction mode enabled by the High Torque head. Turn the vacuum cleaner around and the new screen is impossible to miss. Adding an LCD to a cordless vacuum may seem like madness at first, but once you start using the V11 it makes a lot of sense. The V11 Absolute also makes light work of the normally onerous task of cleaning stairs, with the mini motorized tool powering up our test flight with ease, and cleaning right into the corners The only real issue she experienced during testing was having to continuously hold down the power button. This is to preserve charge so that you’re only using power when you’re actually vacuuming. While we can see the point of this, Alison has arthritis in her fingers and holding the switch down became uncomfortable after a time.We test a vacuum's capabilities by replicating three typical household cleaning scenarios: oats scattered on a tiled floor; carpet freshener and talc scattered on a carpet; and pet hairs on a rug and sofa. We also test maneuverability for cleaning around and under furniture and on stairs, ease of emptying the bin, and battery life. Alison appreciated the amount of tools included with the V11 Absolute – something for every eventuality – which she didn't always see with other vacuums on test. In comparison, the cordless Hoover H-Free 500 only came with an integrated two-in-one dusting tool, and the similarly-designed Bissell Icon 25V only a two-in-one brush and crevice tool. A more significant change is the new V11 motor, which Dyson claims is 20% more powerful than the V10, delivering 185 air watts (that’s better than a lot of corded vacuum cleaners). The improvement in suction comes via the more powerful motor, but Dyson has made some improvements to airflow, too. These include a more efficient diffuser design that straightens airflow thus reducing turbulence, and a new impeller design. In either case, Boost mode sees up to a four-minute run-time improvement over the V10. Note that Boost mode will rarely be required; you’ll be fine in Eco or Medium modes for much of the time. Powerful, efficient and with little touches that make a huge difference, the Dyson V11 Absolute outperformed all other cordless vacuum cleaners we put through testing.

|Dyson V11 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, 760 milliliters, Blue Dyson V11 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, 760 milliliters, Blue

Weighing in at 3.3kg with the wand and soft roller cleaner attached, the Dyson V11 Absolute feels light in use, despite weighing a little more than the V10 models – the position of the battery means the cleaner feels perfectly balanced when you’re using it, and the extra weight is barely noticeable. The V11 moves around easily on both carpets and hard floors, whether you're using the High Torque cleaner head or the soft roller cleaner head, and the articulated design of the heads makes cleaning under furniture a breeze.At this point, you may as well buy a slightly cheaper companion cordless cleaner to go with your main vacuum. One of the least messy bagless vacuum cleaners Alison has ever used, alongside the similarly tidy Gtech AirRam Mk2 K9, the V11 Absolute is also ideal if you suffer from allergies. It has a six-layer filtration system that Dyson claims traps 99.7% of particles. Remove the extension pole and the V11 Absolute turns into a capable handheld unit. It’s a touch chunkier than some of its competition, but not to the point of being unusable. The motorised brush makes light work of each step, with standard mode our preferred choice of power mode. You can even use the main power heads for a bit more power.

Dyson V11 Absolute Review | Trusted Reviews Dyson V11 Absolute Review | Trusted Reviews

Moving seamlessly between floor types, the Dyson V11 Absolute is a breeze to use on a day-to-day basis. The suction adjusts automatically depending on floor type to ensure optimal battery life and efficient cleaning – there's 185 air watts of suction power in boost mode. As for noise, the V11 is a tad louder than its predecessor, the V10. Using the same High Torque on both machines on the highest suction mode, the V11 reached 47dB on hard flooring and 48dB on short-pile carpet. The V10 measures 44dB and 41dB, respectively. The High Torque head has another significant benefit, too. On either edge of the cleaner’s head, there are grooves that allow for dust to filter in from the sides, giving the head a wider cleaning path than its direct drive counterpart. The vacuum is really manoeuvrable overall with a vacuum head that swivels to get into corners and under furniture, although there are unfortunately no lights to see those darker spots. With around an hour of run-time, you should have enough power to whizz round an entire house. After all, with the trigger action, you’re only using battery power while physically vacuuming. Those with larger houses may find that the run-time isn’t quite enough. With 4.5 hours for charging, some people may need to change their cleaning schedule a little to get a full clean.As with the V10 the filter unscrews, lifts off and can be washed under a tap until the water runs clear. The bin empties in the same way, with the trigger opening the end and sliding the unit forward and into the bin without spitting dust everywhere. As a result of the design of the bin, you have to remove the pole or accessories to empty it – a fair trade-off, given that you can prevent dust spilling out. READ NEXT: Dyson V8 Absolute review: Still the best cordless vacuum? Dyson V11 Absolute review: Design and features