Product test
New cleaning head, compressed dust: my review of the new Dyson
by Lorenz Keller
The best vacuum cleaner Dyson’s produced in recent years
27.2.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Lorenz Keller
I’ve tested dozens of cordless vacuum cleaners, but the Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones feels different. It’s a smooth-running, flexible, nifty device that’s made hoovering enjoyable for me.
With the PencilVac Fluffycones, Dyson’s managed to achieve something we rarely see these days. The cordless vacuum cleaner seems genuinely innovative – something new, different and never seen before.
Light as a feather
Even the vacuum’s box is much smaller and lighter than one you’d typically get. Once I’ve emptied it, there’s almost nothing lying on the table. The vacuum cleaner consists of three components: the Fluffycones brush head, a stick-shaped battery pack and another stick containing the built-in motor, dust bin and all the other tech.
When I slot all the parts together, I’m impressed. The whole vacuum cleaner is just a handle and a brush head. It feels more like I’m holding a broom than a cordless vacuum. Now, at almost four centimetres thick, the stick’s obviously considerably wider than a broom handle. The thing about the PencilVac, however, is that the entire device is no thicker than a typical cordless vacuum cleaner’s nozzle.
Dyson has gone to drastic lengths to slim it down. Tipping the scales at a total of 1.8 kilogrammes, it’s less than half the weight of the new Dyson V16 Piston Animal. In fact, since the weight’s well distributed, partly concentrated on the brush, it feels even lighter than that.
Gliding into nooks and crannies like never before
When I start vacuuming, I’m enraptured. The brushes rotating in opposite directions pull the vacuum forward virtually autonomously, making the brush head glide almost weightlessly across the floor. As a result, I manage to clean the floor with ease, even using one hand.
The PencilVac’s design allows you to tilt the handle in all directions, giving the vacuum 360-degree manoeuvrability. This works just as well moving forwards as it does backwards, with the handle tilting in every direction. If I turn my hand slightly, the brush head turns 90 degrees, allowing me to reach into narrow gaps with no issues. You’d be hard-pressed to find a typical cordless vacuum cleaner that does this as easily.
This is because Dyson’s fitted the brush head with two pairs of Fluffycones. By comparison, the V16 just has one. Fluffycones, incidentally, are soft brushes that are thicker in the middle than on the outside. Long hairs don’t get wrapped around them, so you’re spared the hard work of cutting them out of the brush later on. Instead, the cones transport hair away from the vacuum, where they’re then sucked up. This worked brilliantly for me when I tried it out.
The multiple brushes ensure everything gets cleaned up in one fell swoop, at least on hard floors. Since Dyson’s given the device a green laser that beams across the floor, making every last particle stand out, it’s super easy to confirm the vacuum’s cleaning power. The laser works especially well on dark-coloured floors and in dimly lit rooms. Funnily enough, I deliberately used it with the lights off so I could see dirt on the floor more easily.
Not for carpets or large homes
Dyson’s decision to trim down its device forces you to make some compromises. For instance, the fluffy brush is clearly designed for hard floors. Although I manage to vacuum my two small rugs with it, it’s not ideal. When the rollers run over the fabric, they don’t get in between the fibres – something that’d be really beneficial for high-pile rugs in particular.
When I use the vacuum on rugs, I can feel that its 55-air-watt suction power is significantly lower than the likes of the V16 (315 air watts). The PencilVac as a whole is obviously designed for hard floors. Although it does a reasonable job of cleaning small rugs, other vacuums are better suited to hoovering carpeted rooms.
The biggest trade-off you need to make is on battery life. The vacuum runs in Eco mode by default, which does the job in everyday life. According to Dyson’s specs, the device has a runtime of 30 minutes. Realistically, you’ll get no more than 23 minutes – half the runtime of a large cordless vacuum cleaner. In Med mode, the battery holds out for about 16 minutes. In Boost mode, it lasts for eight minutes. Once the battery dies, it takes about three and a half hours to fully recharge it.
If I only had the PencilVac to help me clean the family home each week, I wouldn’t be happy with it. The compact vacuum cleaner’s intended as a second vacuum – one for giving your floors a quick once-over between big cleans – or for small homes. It’s a device you’d typically find in a one-person household.
Practically perfect details
Dyson’s really put a lot of thought into the dust bin. The British brand’s engineers had no choice but to build it into the vacuum’s handle. When dirt’s vacuumed up, it’s now stored at the bottom of the stick. There isn’t much space in the dust bin – just about 80 millilitres. By comparison, the PencilVac’s larger counterparts have dust containers ranging between 500 and 700 millilitres in volume.
Even so, it’s more than enough for day-to-day cleaning. I simply emptied the bin each time I was done vacuuming. Incidentally, Dyson’s come up with a nifty solution for this. You take off the brush head, then position the front end of the stick over a rubbish bin – or better yet, inside it. About halfway down the handle, there’s a button you press to release the locking mechanism, allowing you to slide the transparent sheath downwards. This pushes out the dirt.
Since the opening’s only four centimetres wide, you can aim the outgoing stream of dust and dirt really precisely. The process works better than on many of the PencilVac’s main rival vacuums. These are often fitted with a large flap that spews dust in every direction when you open it.
My personal highlight is the small, discreet charging dock that comes included with the device. Although it’s very simply designed and made of really rudimentary plastic, it does what it’s supposed to. You can simply leave it somewhere in the room, then snap the PencilVac into it when you want to charge it or stash it away. The dock even has space for the extra brush.
And to think how often I’ve despaired over this with other vacuum cleaners! Dyson and competing brands do provide brackets, but you have to mount them on a wall. If you’d rather not drill any extra holes in your wall, you’ll have to find a space for the device and plug it in every time. Since most cordless vacuum cleaners can’t stand up on their own, you have to lean them against the wall. However, if you do that, there’s always a risk that they’ll slip and clatter onto the floor.
Because of this charging dock, the vacuum’s not only enjoyable to use, but enjoyable to stow away too.
That being said, there’s one little thing Dyson could still improve on. You hold the PencilVac at the very top of the stick, right where the tube-shaped battery pack is positioned. Unfortunately, its surface is smooth and a magnet for fingerprints. A grippier material would be better.
In a nutshell
The perfect vacuum for quick cleans
The Dyson PencilVac has a clearly defined purpose. It’s ideal as a second vacuum cleaner, perfect for one-person households or small rooms. Its battery life won’t be long enough for your big weekly clean. Plus, the brush head’s designed for hard floors – other cordless vacuums do a better job of cleaning carpets.
The PencilVac’s main plus point? It weighs half that of other vacuums, is super flexible and runs smoothly over floors. Gliding around with it is actually pretty fun. Dyson’s also built in a clever new floor nozzle sporting two lasers and four fluffy rollers. As a result, you can easily spot dirt and hoover it up quickly and efficiently.
Pro
- Light and smooth-running
- Handy charging dock
- Nifty emptying process
- Efficient nozzle
- Long hairs don’t get caught in the brushes
Contra
- Short battery life
- Not ideal for rugs and carpets
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.
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