The V8 Slim Fluffy+ (available on Lazada) is the latest model in Dyson's stick cordless vacuum cleaner series. At $599, it is also the most affordable model of the series, which is led by the $999 V11 Absolute.
It uses the digital motor first introduced three years ago in the original V8 model. But this motor is no slouch - it is capable of 107,000 rotations a minute.
At 2.15kg, the V8 Slim is lighter than its bigger cousins. For example, the V11 Absolute weighs 3.05kg. It feels even lighter during use, almost like wielding a broomstick.
In terms of design, the V8 Slim looks no different from the original, with a hand grip that has a trigger you press to activate the suction.
A transparent bin in front of the trigger lets you see the amount of hair and dirt collected, which you dispose by holding the main unit over your rubbish bin and lifting the ejection handle to open the bin's bottom lid. The main unit can be easily dismantled and cleaned.
A slider behind the ejection handle lets you switch between normal and maximum suction power.
For floors, normal suction will suffice. But for bedding or carpets, you might want to switch to the maximum suction.
Included are an array of cleaning tools, such as the new Slim Fluffy cleaner head (for floors and general use), a mini-motorised tool (for sofas or cushions), a combination tool (for table surfaces), a light-pipe crevice tool (for hard-to-reach spots), a mini soft-dusting brush (for furniture) and a mattress tool.
And it is these tools that really differentiate the V8 Slim from its predecessors.
For instance, the new cleaner head is smaller and lighter by 40 per cent from the original, making cleaning the tight corners of small flats easier. And the light-pipe crevice tool has two LED lights at its suction end to make cleaning small dark spaces a breeze. In fact, I believe this is the first time Dyson has such a "lit" tool.
But Dyson continues not to include a trigger lock. Without it, I find myself having to change the finger I use to press the trigger often, as my finger goes numb pretty quickly.
According to Dyson, the V8's battery life is around 40 minutes if you use small attachments like the combination tool. But if you use the cleaner head, the battery life drops to around 25 minutes.
Thankfully, the latter is the time I normally take to vacuum my 90 sq m flat.
During my test, I find the V8 Slim able to pick up most of the dust and hair around my home.
Still, it is not as thorough as my $3,000 industrial-grade heavyweight vacuum cleaner.
The V8 Slim does much better with maximum power but that only lasts seven minutes on a full charge. And it takes five hours to charge the battery to full again. This is made worse by the fact that it does not use a removable battery.
FOR
• Lightweight and easy to manoeuvre
• Most affordable Dyson vacuum cleaner
• New cleaning tools
AGAINST
• No trigger lock
• Non-removable battery
• Battery life could be better
SPECS
PRICE: $599
WEIGHT: 2.15kg
RATING
FEATURES: 4/5
DESIGN: 5/5
PERFORMANCE: 4/5
BATTERY LIFE: 3/5
VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
