Skip the Dyson: This $147 Vacuum Shows You the Dust You Didn't Know Was There – Then Sucks It Up Swiftly

The 'dust-revealing' laser found in Dyson's expensive vacuums brings with it transformative cleaning, revealing what you didn't know was there, then showing you how truly clean the floor is afterwards.

But as those market-leading Dysons can cost upwards of $800, it's exciting to have discovered a similar feature in the Dreame R20, which costs only $147.99.

After personally testing this model, and as a frequent user of a Dyson at home, the similarities in the Dreame R20 are why we have crowned it as one of the best Dyson alternatives on the market.

The Dreame R20 Reveals Dust That You Didn't Know Was There

Dyson-style dust light

Dreame R20 | was $449.99, now $147.99 at Dreame (save $302)

Emulating many of the features that we adore in Dyson's vacuums, the Dreame R20 is a robust alternative that seems like a loophole around Dyson's unaffordable price tags.

Read more in my full Dreame R20 review.

View Deal

I have spent more than 300 hours testing vacuum cleaners, and the Dyson V15 Detect, with its market-leading green laser, is one of the enduring best vacuum cleaners in the world. It reveals dust that you can't see, then the strong suction pulls it from your floors in seconds.

Having this heightened awareness of dust at home is how I have avoided that horrible feeling of catching dust when walking around my home barefoot, and the sneezing and asthma symptoms from rising pollen – both of which are common problems now that we're heading into spring.

If your vacuum is leaving dust behind, bringing this premium dust light into your home will reveal exactly where those hidden dust spots are. But instead of paying $850 on the Dyson, the Dreame R20 is the robust alternative without the unaffordable price tag.

And once you've experienced it, it becomes hard to imagine cleaning without it. The light makes the cleaning process easier, by showing where needs to be vacuumed and where doesn't, but honestly, it also makes it more enjoyable. Being able to see precisely how your floors are becoming cleaner creates repeated dopamine wins.

For a cordless stick, the Dreame R20 is more powerful than many competitors, even if it can't match the cleaning power of the Dysons. As the light revealed dust, I saw firsthand that, on hard floors and thin carpets, and rugs, it picked up almost every visible mess after a few passes.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it if your home is heavily carpeted – if that's the case, the Shark POWERDETECT Upright is a stronger option, which also has LED lights that help to illuminate dust on the floor.

But the Dreame R20 screams premium floorcare without the premium price tag, and when combined with its strong performance, easy cleaning, and greater insight into your home's dust levels, is a financially-smart upgrade.

It doesn't fall into the traps of many other budget cordless vacuums, too. Its runtime is optimized as you clean using floor sensors, which increase or lower the suction power depending on floor type and dust volume, meaning you can clean for around 30 to 40 minutes on average before needing to charge it.

The Dreame R20 is discounted to $147.99 at Dreame.

More to Shop

The Dreame R20 stands out as one of the closest competitors to Dyson's signature, dust-revealing laser to date – but it isn't the only one that we've loved after rigorously testing. Here are six more winners from our testing sessions.

All prices correct at time of publication.

Next, see which vacuum cleaners top our guides of the best vacuums for pet hair and the best robot vacuums after rigorously testing 93 models.

Love the latest product news and helpful shopping advice? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.