Dyson v12s Detect Slim Submarine vacuum cleaner review

Just because your home looks clean, doesn’t mean it is actually clean. That’s what I learnt after a few days with the new Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine. Despite our home being cleaned everyday using traditional methods (read: jhaadu/pocha), using the latest Dyson vacuum cleaner has been a literal eye opener.

Dyson has become a marquee name in the cordless vacuum cleaner space thanks to its design, feature set and capabilities. With its newest launch, the brand has retained all the good bits from the V12 Detect Slim and taken things up a notch. The V12s Detect Slim Submarine gets a couple of new attachments, chief among which is the Submarine wet roller head that can mop the floor and clean tough stains or spills. Having spent the past few days with this vacuum cleaner, here’s our Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine review.

Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine design

If you’ve used the V12 Detect Slim, then the Submarine won’t feel a lot different. It is still quite portable, weighing in at just 2.2kgs, though things do get a bit heavy when you attach the wet roller head (more on that later). As the name suggests, the machine is also slim and can be easily stowed away in a corner of your home.

One of the key differences when compared with some of the older Dyson models is the big red button on the top. With a simple press of this power button the vacuum cleaner comes to life and stays on until you press the button again. Though we miss the trigger, which made the older Dyson models look like a weapon out of the Star Wars universe, we must admit that the button has made things a lot more convenient.

The top part of the vacuum cleaner has a circular LCD screen that shows the battery percentage, the power mode, as well as the kind of dust being cleaned. The multi-coloured UI makes it easy to decipher the data even in the midst of a cleaning session.

Sitting just below the heart of the Dyson submarine is the bin, which traps all the dust collected during a session. Clearing the bin is as easy as pushing the red lever down. Once pressed, the dust is pushed out with the force of a person being ejected out of a James Bond car. One can further unclip and detach the bin for periodic cleaning.

Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine attachments

This is where the Dyson Submarine is a level above the V12 Detect Slim. The machine comes with a bunch of attachments, including the Submarine wet roller head, which only works with the Submarine model. This attachment has a roller at the bottom to scrub the floor and two small plastic containers just above – one to fill clean water and the other to hold the dirty water. Needless to say, this fixture is designed in a way that the water from the tanks doesn’t mix or get sucked into the vacuum cleaner.

Besides this, there’s also the fluffy optic attachment with a more powerful laser detection system that scopes out dirt with the precision of a trained sniper. The hair screw tool continues to be an effective attachment for cleaning softer surfaces like carpets or mattresses. And finally, there are the unmotorised attachments for more flexibility in cleaning.

Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine performance

We put the Dyson vacuum cleaner to test, by spending a weekend cleaning different parts of our home and trying out all the attachments. At the vacuum cleaner’s heart is a 150 AW Hyperdymium motor, which spins at up to 1,25,000rpm and can generate up to 1,00,000g of force. Simply speaking, this miniature tornado being formed every time you hit the power button will suck up even the most stubborn of dust.

As for the attachments, the highlight is the Submarine wet roller head, which works exactly as Dyson advertised. Much to my mother’s horror, I spilled some ketchup and coffee on the living room floor just to test out the attachment. It was able to clean both stains with ease, and also mopped the floor without leaving it wet.

The fluffy optic attachment with its laser is an eye opener when it comes to seeing dirt not easily visible to the naked eye. It was really helpful in scoping out dirt in the dark crevices under the table and sofa, and also the room in general with all the lights shut off. It’s worth noting that these attachments are only meant to be used on hard floors. Carpets, sofas and mattress were cleaned using the hair screw tool, and again we were shocked by the amount of dust particles the vacuum cleaner was able to capture. This tool also feels godsent for homes with pets that shed hair like a tree in autumn.

Battery life on a cordless vacuum cleaner is largely subjective and depends on the size of your home. We consistently got about 40-minutes of run time, which is more than enough for regular cleaning. But it feels a bit less for deep-cleaning sessions. The removable battery takes about four hours to fully charge from zero. If you’re planning frequent cleaning sessions, it would be advisable to invest in a backup battery pack.

Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine review verdict

Dyson’s vacuum cleaners are getting better and more capable with each new iteration, and the V12s Detect Slim Submarine is a prime example. The addition of a wet roller that can clean stains and mop the floor adds a new dimension to what Dyson’s cordless vacuum cleaner can do. It won’t be replacing your traditional mop anytime soon, but when you come across a stain during a vacuuming session, at least you won’t have to switch tools.

At Rs 62,900, the Dyson Submarine is certainly not light on your pockets. But if you do decide to spend the big bucks, you get an impressive machine that looks premium, is built well, and comes with a feature set that can tackle any cleaning session.

If you’re wondering, there are other cordless vacuum cleaners available in the market at various price points and offering different sets of functions from the likes of Philips, Eureka Forbes, and even Xiaomi to name a few. But as an overall package, the closest competitor to the Submarine is actually Dyson’s older vacuum cleaners.