As if Dyson's vacuums weren't already renowned for their incredible performance and innovative features, their newly announced cordless V16 Piston Animal vacuum promises to take Dyson's cleaning excellence to the next level.
At this year's IFA in Berlin, where tech brands from across the world showcase their latest and greatest developments, I was there to see founder James Dyson unveil the new V16, coming to the US in 2026.
It boasts higher suction power than any of the best Dyson vacuums, which top most of our vacuum guides already. As an expert home tech editor who spends my days testing the latest releases, I love the look of Dyson's new and improved Submarine wet vacuum head, which promises to clean even deeper by washing your floors.
Why I'm excited about the powerful new Dyson V16 Piston Animal
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal marks a shift for Dyson's cordless vacuums, taking its latest release to a whopping 315 air watts of suction – higher than any consumer vacuum out there. In comparison, the Dyson V15 Detect is currently our best-on-test, and that delivers just 250 air watts of suction.
I've written extensively about the Dyson V15 Detect and other Dyson vacuums, which repeatedly outperform all of the best vacuum cleaners we've tested, so I'm thrilled to see our favorite vacuum brand up its spec in this way.
The V16 Piston Animal also has a new conical floorhead that promises long hair pickup with no tangling. As Dyson's vacuums are already some of our best vacuums for pet hair, I'm intrigued to see how they've improved performance in this area.
Keeping a home clean with pets, especially furry ones, is no easy task, so any added power for clearing hair from carpets will land well, in my view.
What's more, the Dyson V16 has the same smart features that I adore in Dyson's Detect vacuums (such as the Dyson V12 Detect Slim and the Dyson Gen5detect). A green laser reveals dust that the naked eye can't usually spot, and using floor sensors, the vacuum knows the floor type you're vacuuming and how dirty each area is to automatically adjust the suction and brushroll speed.
This means you don't have to worry about changing the settings yourself. You can pass from hard floors to carpet, and these Dysons know the right level of cleaning power needed, and will preserve the battery life on easier surfaces, including when cleaning hardwood floors.
Less frequent emptying
Another new and exciting feature is the 'CleanCompaktor' dustbin that compresses dust as it's collected, so you don't have to empty it for up to 30 days. Frequent emptying is one of the biggest gripes with the best cordless vacuums, and I'm intrigued to find out if this real-world dust compression comes with a loss of suction as the dustbin fills, or if Dyson's engineers have finally found a way to solve this issue.
In line with the floorcare industry's growing trend towards complete cleaning solutions – as seen in the Roborock 4-in-1 appliance announced at IFA or the best robot vacuums that vacuum, mop, and clean themselves for you – the Dyson V16 Piston Animal has the option for a Submarine floorhead and a self-cleaning dock.
The Submarine floorhead is an upgrade from the one used in the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine, using a motorised, microfiber roller to wash, mop, and remove stains from your floors.
The self-emptying dock has been a key feature in many of the best Shark vacuums, so it's great to see Dyson introduce this as a way to save time and store the vacuum more neatly.
Suffice to say, I was excited about what I heard as part of an early press cohort on this Dyson update. As someone who tests vacuums for a living, this is one of the most significant announcements from a floorcare brand that we've seen in some time and I can't wait to get my hands on the V16 and put it to the test.
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal is available in the UK for £749.99 at Dyson and across Europe for 849€, and will be available in the US in 2026.
What to shop
While the Dyson V16 Piston Animal is only available in select countries, here are some other top-rated vacuum recommendations from our rigorous testing sessions.
If you're considering shopping for a new Dyson now but perhaps want to wait for the V16 Piston Animal, remember: You can trade-in your appliance to get money off an upgrade, direct at Dyson.
All prices were correct at time of publication.
If you're fortunate enough to live in the UK, the V16 Piston Animal came out today on September 9, and is available for £749.99, or £899.99 with the Submarine wet cleaner head.
The Dyson V15 Detect is our all-time favorite vacuum, with flawless suction on every surface and any mess, and it's the only vacuum I continue to use every week after testing 28 for Homes & Gardens. Right now, it's discounted by $200 at QVC.
Read more in my full Dyson V15 Detect review.
The V12 Detect Slim is the slimmer, lighter version of the V15 Detect, sharing all the same innovative features but costing a little less. Its only sacrifice is a smaller dustbin and slightly lower suction.
Read more in my full Dyson V12 Detect Slim review.
The Dyson V11 is the most powerful Dyson vacuum that doesn't have any of the smart features, such as the dust-revealing green laser or the floor sensors. If you don't need these, it's a great way to save money on high-performing cleaning.
Read more in my full Dyson V11 review.
If your budget's tighter, the Shark PowerDetect Cordless is one of the best Dyson alternatives we've tested, with strong performance across all floor types and pet hair, and costing $100s less.
Read more in our full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review.
If you live in a big home, perhaps with pets and kids who tend to make lots of mess, an upright vacuum might be better for you. The Shark POWERDETECT is the best upright vacuum we've tested, and will make light work of any mess you throw at it.
Read more in our full Shark POWERDETECT Upright review.
For more floorcare inspiration, check out our guides to the best Miele vacuums and the essential cleaning tools every household should have.
