No matter how capable a vacuum is, having to drag it out of a closet and manage the power cord is enough to deter me from vacuuming as much as I know I should. A battery-powered vacuum sacrifices some suction, but the lack of cord is so convenient that I use it more frequently, resulting in a cleaner home overall. Out of all the cordless vacuums I’ve tested, the Dyson Gen5Detect is the easiest to use and longest-lasting. It’s even strong enough to replace the need for a corded vacuum in many households, including my own Brooklyn apartment.
Dyson didn’t invent the cordless vacuum, but back in 2012, its DC44 became the first one with the suction power and battery life needed to replace a full-size corded vacuum in many households. At the time, Dyson ingeniously designed its charging cradle to be wall-mounted in a visible location, encouraging its owners to clean more frequently — and their houseguests to inquire about the futuristic-looking gadget. Each subsequent iteration has added more run time, increased suction, and improved attachments, culminating in the Gen5Detect, which automatically adjusts suction power commensurate to the level of filth on the surface it’s cleaning — and adds a literal laser into the mix. At 7.72 pounds, it is nearly a pound heavier than its most recent predecessor (the V15Detect) and many of its closest competitors, but its exceptional suction power and unique feature set make it worth the additional weight.
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What makes the Gen5Detect special?
The laser certainly looks cool, but it’s not just for show. Mounted to the front of the motorized “Fluffy Optic” roller attachment for hard floors, it causes any dust, dirt, or other debris in its direct path to glow bright green from up to about two feet away during daylight hours (much farther if it’s dark). Being able to see precisely what needs to be cleaned and confirm when it is done is quite satisfying, like watching a Zamboni at work.
The integrated above-ground cleaning attachments are also unique to the Gen5Detect and allowed me to easily clean dusty trim without having to carry a separate tool around the house. The dusting brush deploys automatically when you remove the floor-tube extension and slides back to reveal the pointy crevice tool when you need it. It would be nice if there were also a way to carry the upholstery tool, but that would add even more weight to an already hefty machine.
Like all Dyson vacuums, all of the Gen5Detect’s roller attachments use combs to prevent long hair from tangling around the axles, which has been an occasional yet reliable source of disgust every time I think to check the roller brush on my corded canister vacuum.
There is also an LCD screen on the back that tracks how much dirt and of what size is being sucked up at any given moment. It moves too quickly to discern any kind of useful pattern in the data, but what matters more here is the real-time battery-life meter below the particle counts.
How long does the Gen5Detect battery last?
To extend its run time, the Dyson uses particle-sensor data to determine how hard it should work, ensuring it doesn’t waste power on areas that aren’t dirty. On a full charge running on the default auto mode, the counter might report over 45 minutes if it’s working on a relatively clean, hard surface. Conversely, a dirty rug might bring that number down to the low 20s. In Boost mode — which is about as powerful as a corded vacuum — it’ll run for about nine to ten minutes flat-out. On Eco mode, it’ll last up to 70 minutes, but that’s only recommended for touch-up cleaning on hard surfaces.
My 2,200-square-foot, two-story house has hardwood floors covered by a mix of flat-weave and Oriental rugs throughout and two shedding cats. I get about 25 to 30 minutes of use on a full charge, which is enough to finish one floor and the stairs, but not both floors. Those with larger homes may be better off cleaning a few rooms at a time as opposed to doing everything in one go. On the other hand, I can clean all the hardwood floors and the one big rug in my 650-square-foot apartment several times over without needing to recharge.
Like all rechargeable batteries, the Gen5Detect will lose capacity over time with use. But I do appreciate that Dyson now makes it easier to swap it out for a new one when the time comes with a flick of a mechanical switch.
What are the downsides of the Gen5Detect?
My biggest complaint about the Gen5Detect is the “poof” — which is what I call the cloud of dust that emerges from the kitchen trash can every time I empty it. The Gen5Detect is actually better than most bagless vacuums in this regard because it has an ejection mechanism that shoots the contents of the canister into the awaiting receptacle. However, it still kicks up enough to be visible during the ejection process — and each time a hefty item gets tossed into the trash thereafter. (One way around this is to empty the trash after emptying the vacuum.) It’s a far cry from the more sanitary monthly experience of removing a snow-white vacuum bag full of dust I’ll never see from my corded canister vacuum — but at least the Dyson will never run out of bags at an inopportune moment.
A close second would be the way the Dyson’s roller head tries to slurp up the thinner, lighter rugs in my house. Rug pad, no rug pad, it makes no difference. Once it piles up and jams the roller, the only way to get it going again is to turn it off and on by pressing the button on the back. Reducing the suction level using the slider on the front of the attachment helps, but only partly. I suspect the real culprit here is too much friction, not suction. The Dyson’s roller bristles are stiffer, shorter, and more tightly packed than the ones on my much more powerful corded vacuum. They stick to certain textures and materials (shorter-pile Oriental wool rugs and cotton flat weave are particularly challenging), and the battery-powered roller motor stalls because it doesn’t have enough torque to power through them.
The Gen5Detect’s extra heft doesn’t matter when it’s being supported by an extension tube and floor-roller attachment, but it feels notably heavy in handheld mode. At five pounds, two ounces, it weighs about twice as much as my older Dyson DC62 with the crevice tool attached (two pounds, 13 ounces). It’s heavy enough that I would recommend against getting rid of a handheld vacuum if you already have one — although I wouldn’t go as far as to recommend buying one if you don’t already have one.
My final gripe with this thing is that there’s no good way to clean stairs. The best method I’ve found is to directly attach the motorized upholstery tool directly to the body after removing the extension tube and integrated crevice tool. Leaving it fully assembled in floor mode is another option, but then I have to hold it in a way that blows the warm exhaust directly into my face.
What maintenance does the Gen5Detect need?
Besides emptying the bin regularly and replacing the battery every few years, the main thing to remember is that the HEPA filter needs to be washed and dried once a month. To do this, you simply twist off the translucent cyan filter housing on the back, knock it against the rim of the trash, then rinse it in the sink while squeezing gently until the water runs clear. Afterwards, squeeze out the excess moisture and let it dry for 24 hours in a warm area before reinstalling it. If it’s still looking grimy after washing thoroughly, replacements are $30. Knockoffs abound on Amazon, but I’d recommend going with a genuine replacement to ensure you’re getting the full benefits of the filter.
Is the Gen5Detect worth it?
If you live in a single-level home that’s smaller than 1,500 square feet and have hard flooring, the Dyson Gen5Detect offers more than enough cleaning power and battery life to handle all of your day-to-day floor and handheld vacuuming duties, so long as you don’t mind a bit of extra heft. And it’s especially appealing for smaller homes that may not have space to store a separate handheld and floor vacuum.
For people in larger homes with many rugs, stairs, or carpeted floors, the Dyson is still the best cordless vacuum. And if you can make a habit of cleaning a few rooms or a single floor at a time instead of going through the whole home in one session, it could be the only vacuum you need. That said, you could get a high-end corded vacuum, like the Miele C1 Turbo, add a lighter, older Dyson handheld model (such as the excellent V8), and have the best of both worlds for less cash than a single Gen5Detect. But this wouldn’t necessarily leave you with a cleaner home.
Even if the Gen5Detect can’t clean my whole house in one go, having it visible makes me more likely to use it. And when I do, the dust-highlighting laser makes vacuuming feel more like a game than a chore. So even if my corded vacuum does a better job of cleaning when I think to use it, having the Dyson around has helped keep my home cleaner overall. At $950, it’s a lot to ask if you have a lot of rugs, stairs, or carpets that would be better handled by a corded vacuum. But if you can make it your only vacuum, it’s absolutely worth it.
Other floor cleaners we like
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