The new Dyson V12 Detect Slim Total Clean uses lasers to detect your dirt

What a year it’s been for Dyson. With almost the entire population working from home, it’s never been more important than ever to keep the home clean and neat, and Dyson vacuums are one of the hottest commodities now. Their newest model is the V12 Detect Slim, which as we expect, is an upgrade from previous V models, and is what Dyson calls, its most powerful cordless compact to date.

Above: The Dyson V12 Detect Slim Total Clean box.

Above: Inside The Dyson V12 Detect Slim Total Clean box.

Above: All the attachments and motor for The Dyson V12 Detect Slim Total Clean.

What’s particularly new for the V12 Total Clean is the fluffy head with “laser detect” (more on that later) and the Hair Screw Tool that sucks up human hair and pet fur without entanglement.

Above: The laser detect fluffy head (left) and hair screw tool (right).

The star attachment — the Laser Detect Fluffy — makes use of a tiny lens that’s angled down at the floor, and this illuminates dust that you usually can’t see with the naked eye.

Above: The laser dust illumination technology casts a beam across the floor to illuminate particles. Now we can see previously invisible dust.

Here’s the Laser Detect Fluffy attachment at work:

Above: The incredible suction power coupled with the green laser diode (chosen for its ability to provide the best contrast) sucks up dust and dirt efficiently.

And even more impressive, the vacuum measures and records the dust particles and shows it on the LCD screen in real time.

Above: the v12 detect slim measures the dust it detects, and displays it on the lcd screen so you can see how much dust the vacuum has removed, as well as the size of the various particles.

As for the new anti-tangle Hair Screw tool, it picks up hair and pet fur without getting entangled. It has a conical brush bar which prevents hair wrapping around it; instead it spirals it off and into the bin. It works well on sofas, upholstery and hard floors.

Above: The Hair Screw Tool in action, picking up a piece of ribbon as demonstration.

Above: The ribbon inside the bin.

For the V12 Detect Slim, the conventional trigger has been replaced by an on/off button, which I find a great improvement to Dyson vacuum designs. It’s far more convenient to just press the button and leave the vacuum running without having to bother with holding down a trigger. This similar function is also seen on the Dyson Omni-Glide, but not on previous V models like the V11 series.

Above: The on/off power button on the v12 detect slim.

Above: like all other dyson vacuum cleaners, the bin is emptied directly into the trash with the push of a lever.

Above: The filter is easily removed for washing.

Other things to note: There’s a handy auto mode that makes use of the sensor to switch between the Eco and Boost modes according to the amount of dust measured, and like all other Dyson vacuums, the attachment brushes can be easily removed from the Brush Bar and washed. There are quite a few reviews online that gripe about the small size of the bin (0.35l), but to me, it’s a small compromise for a slimmer design and much lighter package at just 2.2kg.

Overall, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim does a phenomenal job of detecting dirt and picking up hair — and that’s really what this new model is about.

The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is available from 24 August 2021, priced from $899 at WWW.DYSON.COM.SG and Dyson Demo stores at Dyson Service Centre & Demo Store – Capitol Singapore, Dyson Demo Zone – Westgate.