James Dyson started making vacuums in the ’80s. By 2007, he had become so good at his craft that he was tagged with a “Sir” on the start of his name. Through varied innovations (trademarked cyclonic suction, swiveling heads and bagless emptying), his namesake company has become something akin to Apple or Bose — a brand whose products are the benchmark to which everyone else’s will be compared and scrutinized. Each successive Dyson device is, therefore, a sort of directional industry compass.
Enter the new Dyson Cyclone V10 — a cordless, handheld vacuum with what Dyson believes to hold so much promise and power that, after 35 years and 27 models, will spell the end of Dyson’s run making upright, corded vacuums. The Cyclone V10 boasts huge peak suction power for any vacuum — corded or cordless — is lighter, easier to empty, comes with all the Dyson goodies you could want and claims to have a longer-lasting battery. But is it worth its $500+ price tag? Much like the inner-workings of the machine itself, it’s complicated.
The Good: A smattering of easily-detachable and surface-specific heads, a well-balanced 5.5-pound carrying weight, somewhat less noisy when active and plenty of suction are all quickly noticeable and commendable when using the V10. Starting at three, then five and ultimately six, each successive V10 model comes with more heads to match more surfaces and situations. I tried all six on varied surfaces — tile, hardwoods, a shaggy area rug, carpet and my dog’s bed — and had no issues cleaning with more than a quick back-and-forth. I even crunched up various pantry snacks and threw them about in an attempt to trip it up (pretzels, for god’s sake) and didn’t have a problem.
The machine is easily maneuverable with one hand, and I say this as a particularly trim person without much in the way of arm strength. On suction levels below max, it performs its duty quietly enough to run in the evening without pissing off neighbors. It is indeed louder on max, but it’s fine in bursts to detach clinging dirt and dog hair. The bin-emptying mechanism is simple and clean. With no more than a quick push, all the collected debris is flushed out.
As with all Dyson products, there’s the added benefit of Dyson’s incredible customer service team, available seven days a week to answer all vacuum-related inquiries.
