I Tried The Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine. It Made Me Rethink Deep Cleaning

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Previously, for me, the term meant spending almost an entire Sunday dusting, sweeping, and mopping the entire house. My family tends to deep clean our home on a biweekly or monthly basis as it's more practical due to our busy schedules.

Cleaning daily, while ideal, was never an option since we own a cat and an eight-year-old. The speed at which things get messy in my house can put lightning to shame.

So, when I had the opportunity to try out Dyson's first all-in-one, wet and dry cordless vacuum, it was an interesting, eye-opening experience.

When Dyson claims that you get to deep clean your space, they mean it. With the Fluffy Optic cleaner head, microscopic particles that are difficult to spot with the naked eye get illuminated under the green laser light.

I discovered that my floors were extra clean and spotless after using the Fluffy Optic cleaner head. Also, it was satisfying to see all the dust disappear during each clean-up session.

Previously, I always felt like there was still dust despite spending hours cleaning. With the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine, I legit felt my floors smooth and clean under my feet.

The first thing you'd notice when you turn on the device and vacuum is the LCD screen which displays what has been sucked up. The dust and dirt are categorised into four categories, each coloured differently: hair particles and pollens (yellow), microscopic dust (orange), dust mites (purple), and sugar (pink).

Now, while I found this feature fascinating, my wife on the other hand experienced mild anxiety knowing that dust mites are lurking around the house. If you are obsessively, compulsively concerned about cleanliness, this feature is not for you.

One workaround I hope Dyson introduces in future models is the ability to turn the feature off or allow users the option to purchase a model without this feature at a lower price range.  

Now, the model that I tested out came with the Fluffy Optic cleaner head, the Motorbar cleaner head, and the Submarine wet roller head, alongside a crevice tool, a combination tool, a wand tool, a hair screw tool, a docking station, and a charger for the removable battery.

The vacuum can be toggled between three modes: Eco, Auto and Boost. I recommend using Eco mode for longer and bigger cleans, as it's to conserve battery. Use Boost mode for short, quick, and intensive cleaning.

I mostly used Auto mode as the vacuum comes with built-in sensors that automatically decide which modes to use depending on the surface and dirt type.

What I also appreciated was that the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine wasn't loud. I can see families taking advantage of the Eco mode, especially after putting the little ones to sleep.

Speaking of little ones, the wet roller head is a godsend especially when it comes to cleaning up all that mess after mealtimes. The wet roller head is designed to clean tile, stone, wood, ceramic, vinyl, linoleum, and laminate floors.

Weighing only 2.2kg when it's fully attached, cleaning the floor, mattresses, rugs, carpets, and furniture with one hand was a breeze. My arms didn't hurt like they used to with other competitor models that were bulkier and heavier.

The Boost mode, while being super effective against stubborn dust and dirt, drains the battery significantly. I saw my battery drop from 95% to 15% within 15 minutes of use. Charging the vacuum, unfortunately, can take up to four hours.

Also, the vacuum struggled to suck dust that lurks in corners. Coupled with the Fluffy Optic cleaner head's laser, vacuuming can become frustrating. Thankfully, I was able to mitigate this using the crevice tool and Boost mode.

There were moments when I wished that the vacuum also came with a plug-and-play option to mitigate the battery life issue.

If you're looking for a vacuum to deep clean your house to prepare for Hari Raya, the Lunar New Year or Deepavali, this is not the one for you. There are other, more powerful Dyson models designed for bigger spaces and longer cleaning sessions.

That said, what the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine did was reexamine my family's cleaning routine and break it down into small, less than 15-minute daily chunks that freed up our Sundays to do whatever we like.

For a vacuum priced at RM4,899, it's a small investment if you want your house to be clean all the time.