I Banished Winter Debris With the High-Powered, Cordless Dyson V12 Detect Slim – It's $250 Cheaper Right Now
It's one of the most powerful cordless sticks we've ever tested
Battling winter dirt can seem like a never-ending task. We're not even spending that much time outdoors, but somehow, the grit piles up, the carpets get dirtier, and the cleaning gets harder.
That's why I'm thrilled to see the Dyson V12 Detect Slim discounted by $250 this time of year. I used it as the primary vacuum in my busy home for an entire year, and it never failed to keep up with the winter messes, even on our thick rugs.
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim Is Your Effortless and Effective Answer to Winter Dirt
Grit, mud, and household dust are no match for this slim and lightweight cordless stick.
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is more powerful than you'd expect from such a light, slim, and nimble vacuum cleaner. In true Dyson fashion, they've managed to pack in an impressively powerful motor, generating strong airflow that can pull stubborn dirt from thick carpets.
Whilst the Dyson V15 Detect is bigger, I would absolutely snap up this Dyson V12 Detect deal right now as it's $100s cheaper, has all the same smart features, and its suction is strong enough to clean winter debris from hard floors, thick rugs, and carpets.
I know this first-hand. It was once my main vacuum at home, and throughout the seasons, it never failed to clean up after my three messy housemates. We all work in different environments, from construction to festival work, and tracked-in mud and detritus were never a challenge with the V12 to hand board.
I've since upgraded to the bigger Dyson V15 Detect, but I'm fortunate enough to be sent these premium models to test.
Speaking of which, I've tested the discounted model in a local cat and dog shelter. Aside from vanquishing the different messes from such a busy establishment, the V12 Detect Slim had no issues pulling up fur from the various mats, carpets, rugs, and sofas that get covered daily with animal hair, making it one of the best vacuums for pet hair if you want something lightweight but powerful.
And while our energy levels are low this winter, grabbing a big, bulky upright vacuum out of the closet never seems fun. That's why the V12 Detect Slim's 5.22lbs weight is so desirable: You can deep clean your home using just one hand, removing mental barriers to vacuuming, and improving your comfort and wellbeing in these darker months.
I have suspected ADHD, and this is the cordless vacuum that helped me clean more. During winter, it's even more important for me to make cleaning as easy as possible. Small tasks like lugging a heavy vacuum up stairs, moving from outlet to outlet, and feeling overstimulated from a large vacuum's loud motor all help me put off this essential task.
But the V12 Detect Slim makes it effortless. It detects what's on your floors to adjust the suction levels for you – no guesswork, simply pass onto carpets or a dirty patch of floor, and the vacuum will up the suction when it's needed. Then, when the floors aren't as dirty, it'll lower it again to preserve the battery life.
And the green laser actually makes cleaning... fun? It reveals dust that your naked eyes can't normally see, revealing whether your floor is truly clean. Then, watching it get sucked away in one swift motion is so satisfying.
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is discounted to $479.99 at Dyson.
More to Shop
It's an incredible offer, but it isn't the only way to save big on high-powered floorcare this winter. Here are a few more of our tried-and-tested picks.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Bigger and more powerful, the Dyson V15 Detect is the best cordless vacuum we've ever tested, and the vacuum I use almost every day in my own home. It's expensive, but if you can afford it, you'll learn to love cleaning.
Read more in my five-star Dyson V15 Detect review.
The Dyson V11 actually has stronger suction than the V12 Detect Slim, but it doesn't come with any of the smart features like the floor sensors or dust-revealing laser, which is why it's usually cheaper at full price. But right now the V12 is cheaper, so only go for the V11 if you want higher suction and can't quite afford the V15 Detect (yes, I know a lot about Dysons).
Read more in my full Dyson V11 review.
The Dyson may be unbeaten in its convenience, but the Miele Guard L1 Cat & Dog boasts the strongest cleaning performance out of all of the 90 vacuums we've tested at Homes & Gardens. It's expensive, but with the right care, a Miele canister vacuum can last longer than a decade, so consider it an investment worth making.
Read more in my five-star Miele Guard L1 Cat & Dog review.
Its cleaning performance is pretty similar to the Dyson, but for $30 less, the Shark comes with extra features such as an anti-odor cartridge, floor sensors that automatically adjust suction when needed, and a 'Lift-Away' pod that detaches from the main vacuum for more lightweight cleaning.
Read more in our five-star Shark POWERDETECT review.
Not as powerful as the Dyson, Shark or Miele vacuums I've recommended, but packing a strong punch considering its low price, the Bissell SurfaceSense Allergen Pet Lift-Off performed excellently on carpets during testing, and doesn't wrap with hair.
Read more in our full Bissell SurfaceSense Allergen Pet Lift-Off review.
To offload some chores during winter, let a robot vacuum handle the mud, grit and household dust for you. This is one of the best robot vacuums we've tested, that costs around half the price of other models that perform similarly. And as it mops, too, it's dealing with the sludge and outdoor residue that winter brings.
Read more in our full Yeedi S14 Plus review.
Next, see which vacuums we've selected as the best Dyson alternatives after our testing sessions, to save big on high-powered floorcare.
