As a home tech editor, I've spent more than 200 hours testing vacuum cleaners for Homes & Gardens, as well as many hundreds more spent researching the technology and speaking with experts and engineers in the field.
From all the vacuum tests I've carried out in my home, the V12 Detect Slim is one that I continue to use time and time again, and I couldn't recommend it more to massively upgrade your cleaning routine. Better yet, The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is now on offer for $499.99 at Dyson, knocking a massive $150 off its original price.
Put simply, it's one of the best cordless vacuums and best Dyson vacuums on the market, packed full of transformative smart features for flawless cleaning and spotless floors and this deal is definitely worth snapping up.
Why I love the Dyson V12 Detect Slim
The V12 Detect Slim shares the same market-leading smart features as in the Dyson V15 Detect and Dyson Gen5detect – the two best vacuum cleaners we've tested at Homes & Gardens.
This means that it can reveal dust that our naked eyes can't see. It's a game-changing feature that is genuinely amazing at showing me that my floors are dirtier than I once thought. It's also a feature that I've seen other vacuum brands attempt to imitate to mostly poor success, except for in the budget-friendly Ultenic U16 Flex, one of the best Dyson alternatives.
While less powerful than the V15 and Gen5detect, the V12 Detect Slim is still one of the highest-performing cordless vacuums on the market, delivering 150 air watts of suction. In real terms, it's rare that I have to go over the same area twice when vacuuming with the V12, and it's just as capable at picking up large debris as it is fine dust, no matter the surface.
Other smart features include sensors to detect both floor type and dust volume, so that it knows exactly what's on your floors while you clean. This allows it to continuously optimize suction power to the right level, while making sure your battery isn't being wasted on high suction when it isn't needed.
Pet owners will be happy to hear that the V12 Detect Slim features a special anti-tangle floorhead, the Motorbar, that has never once wrapped with hair in the 12 months I've been using it.
It's one of our best vacuums for pet hair for a reason: the suction is strong enough to pull hair from carpets, you never have to worry about hair wrap, and it has whole-machine HEPA filtration, also making it one of our best vacuums for allergies.
The main difference between the V12 Detect Slim and its sister models the V15 Detect and Gen5detect is the size. The V12 is thinner and lighter (5.22lbs compared to the V15's 6.79lbs and the Gen5detect's 7.72lbs), meaning it's super agile, easy to use, and the best lightweight vacuum we've tested.
All in all – the V12 is an intuitively straightforward vacuum to use. Cleaning is easier than you've ever known, with a green laser highlighting any areas you've missed and suction that can remove whatever mess you throw at it. There's a reason I've kept this vacuum in my home throughout all of the many vacuum tests I've carried out. It really is one of the best.
Buy the Dyson V12 Detect Slim for $499.99 at Dyson.
More vacuums we've tested and love
If the Dyson V12 Detect Slim is not quite what you're looking for, here are three alternative options with varied feature sets and price points. We've reviewed them thoroughly using our vacuum testing methodology and can recommend them with full confidence.
Truly one of the only budget vacuums I'll ever recommend, the Ultenic U16 Flex has surprisingly strong performance and a green laser that reveals invisible dust similar to what you'd expect in a Dyson. It's not the best vacuum for carpets at all, but if your home is mostly hard floors, this is a great chance to save money.
Read more in our full Ultenic U16 Flex review.
Still a little cheaper than the currently discounted V12 Detect Slim, the latest cordless from Shark is one of the best Shark vacuums we've ever used. It has a flexible wand for reaching under furniture, and a self-emptying and self-cleaning charging base that minimizes how often you're emptying it yourself.
Read more in our full Shark Cordless PowerDetect review.
You might not have thought that a big, hefty vacuum is what your home needs, but the Shark POWERDETECT is simply the best upright vacuum we've tested. It shares some smart features found in Dyson vacuums, such as floor sensors for automatic suction and lights to illuminate the floor, and its suction power is so relentless that it picks up everything in one pass.
Read more in our full Shark POWERDETECT review.
For more floorcare inspiration, browse through our tested guides of the best vacuums for hardwood floors or the best robot vacuums to take hours off your chore time.
