Dyson Gen5 Detect Review: £650 for a Vacuum – Madness or the Best Cordless Yet?

Dyson Gen5 Detect Review: Is It Worth the Money?

If you’ve been eyeing up the Dyson Gen5 Detect cordless vacuum cleaner, you’re probably wondering: is it really worth over £600? At the time of writing this, Dyson’s own website has these listed at £649.99 — and that’s with a discount. So this isn’t your average cordless vacuum; it’s one of the most expensive models in their range.

Let’s have a proper look at what you’re actually getting for your money, beyond the flashy marketing and slick animations on Dyson’s site.

First Impressions: It’s Heavy

The first thing you’ll notice is the weight. At 3.5kg, it’s no featherweight. That’s the full machine with the pole and head attached. Even if you’re just using the body with a dusting tool, you’ll still feel it after a few minutes. It’s one of those “trade-off” machines: you can have cordless and power, but not without the extra weight. The tech just isn’t there yet to make something both featherlight and properly powerful. Nobody has pulled that off since Oreck, which you can’t buy in the UK any more.

If you plan on lifting it up to dust shelves, pelmets or the tops of wardrobes — prepare for a bit of a workout. In fact, you could probably skip arm day at the gym.

Tool Compatibility — and Dyson’s Usual Tricks

As with many Dyson machines, compatibility with older tools is a bit of a minefield. The Gen5 Detect is a natural progression from the V15 Detect — not quite a facelift, but definitely a new iteration. Standard tools from earlier V-series models (V7, V8, V10, V11, V15) like crevice tools and brushes generally still fit.

But when it comes to powered (electrically driven) tools, it’s hit and miss. Some will fit, others won’t — even some Dyson genuine tools won’t go on. They’ve ever-so-slightly changed the connector design again, just enough to make sure you have to buy new accessories. Typical Dyson move to thwart the aftermarket.

So if you’re buying extra tools, especially powered ones, make sure you’re buying from a seller who knows the difference — someone like us — because chances are what you’ve already got in your cupboard might not fit. Our Gen5 Detect spare parts page is here.

The Hidden Crevice Tool (Yes, Really)

One little party trick on the Gen5 Detect is the integrated crevice tool hidden in the wand. Press the red button and out it slides. It’s a bit like a multi-tool. Whether you think this is clever design or pointless gimmickry will depend on your personal view, but there’s no doubt it’s one of the things you’re paying for in the price tag.

Two Floor Heads: One for Carpets, One for Hard Floors

You get two cleaner heads in the box. The first is a standard motorised head, which is more or less what you’ll recognise from the V10/V11/V15 era — good for carpets, but not deep pile carpets.

The second is Dyson’s fluffy “optic” head for hard floors. This one has a little green laser light that highlights dust and debris as you go. It’s visually satisfying and quite good on smooth floors, but not essential. It’s more of a ‘nice-to-have’ than a must.

No More Trigger – It’s Now a Button

Another change is the loss of the red trigger, replaced with a power button. If you remember the V10s and early V11s, the trigger was prone to failing, so this is arguably an improvement. There’s also a second button on the screen for changing power levels.

However, it always starts up in “Auto” (medium) mode, and if you want it on max, you’ll need to press that button two or three times. Not the end of the world, but a bit tedious if you want full power every time, especially on carpets.

That Gen5 Detect Onboard Screen – Scientific Gimmickry?

The screen on the back now gives you “real-time scientific” data on the types of dust you’re vacuuming up. There may be some lab science behind this, but let’s be honest — most people just want clean floors. The idea that you need particle analysis on a school run Tuesday is a bit much.

For us, it feels like another layer of complexity that looks good in an advert but isn’t something most people will use. How long till the screen conks out?

No Dyson Gen5 Detect review would be complete without a video, so you can watch our full review video below if you like. 

Filter and Battery — Bigger, Not Interchangeable

The filter setup is typical Dyson: a combined pre- and post-motor filter unit that twists off in a quarter turn. But this one’s bigger than the V10/V11/V15 types, so they’re not interchangeable. We stock these filters, but beware — they’re specific to the Gen5.

The battery is also unique. It’s a chunky unit with the familiar red quick-release clip. At the time of writing, these batteries are still around the £100+ mark, as no third-party aftermarket versions have surfaced yet. But they will in time. The aftermarket always responds to OEM price gouging.

Dyson Gen5 Detect Review: New Charger Plug – Again

As usual, Dyson has fiddled with the charger plug design too. The Gen5 Detect charger isn’t compatible with any other Dyson. It’s yet another variation — almost certainly designed to keep the spares market at arm’s length. If you need one, we’ve got them aftermarket already.

Suction Power – Let’s Talk Numbers

We like to test machines using our Marshall Town vacuum gauge. Now, cordless machines can’t be accurately measured this way because they pulse when blocked — they think something’s stuck.

But using two of our custom adaptors, we managed to get a brief reading. The Gen5 Detect peaked at just about 100 inH₂O, which is comparable to many mains-powered machines and on par with a Sebo X7.

So yes, it’s powerful — but that doesn’t mean it’s the best vacuum for every home.

Dyson Gen5 Detect Review: Can It Be Your Only Vacuum?

That’s the big question people ask — can this be your “main” machine?

If you’ve got deep-pile carpet, forget it. You won’t be able to push it across the floor. We always say if you’ve got deep pile carpets, go mains-powered — ideally a Sebo X Series. Self-levelling and built for it.

But for the average family home, hard floors, a bit of carpet in the bedrooms maybe, some stairs — yes, this could be your main vacuum. As long as you’ve got the arm strength for it.

But Should It Be Your Only Vacuum?

That’s a different question. At over £600, you’re in premium territory. For that kind of money, you could buy a brand-new Sebo upright and still have change for a cordless Dyson V8 as your backup machine, and still have about £100 left over. I run a Sebo X4 Pet and a Dyson V8 at home. It’s a solid combo.

We also sell new V8s around the £225 mark — far lighter and perfectly fine for upstairs or quick jobs. The fact that the V8 is still in production means it’s a stalwart in the Dyson range that they don’t plan to dump anytime soon.

Final Thoughts

So, is the Dyson Gen5 Detect a good machine? Yes, it’s capable. The power is there. The design is clever in parts. But it’s not cheap, and it’s not perfect.

You’ll need to stay on top of filter maintenance, keep the brushrolls clean (especially the fluffy one), and empty the dustbin regularly, because it’s not very big.

Dyson are great at making things look futuristic and exciting, but behind the gloss is a heavy, pricey cordless vacuum that suits a certain type of home and user.

If you’re already wedded to the Dyson brand and don’t mind a bit of maintenance, you’ll probably love it. But if you want practicality, value, and serious cleaning ability on all floor types, you might want to spend your money elsewhere.

If you need any spares, we stock genuine and compatible Dyson Gen5 Detect parts, including batteries, triggers, seals, filters and main bodies.

👉 Click here to browse Dyson V11 spare parts

If you have any thoughts on this article, you are welcome to use the comment box below. Also please share links to our articles on Facebook, X, Reddit or whatever other platform you use. We like that. This article was written by Manchester Vacs, who are Dyson repair specialists in Stockport.

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