Dyson Micro 1.5kg review: Dyson’s lightest vacuum yet is great for small homes

The Dyson Micro 1.5kg review is one of Dyson’s recent launches, alongside a fleet of innovative machines designed to rival some of the best vacuum cleaners on the market. As the name suggests, the Micro 1.5kg is small. So small in fact, that it weighs just 1.5kg. Now that we’ve cleared up that not-so mysterious name though, here’s everything you need to know about it, from someone who’s tried it hands-on for over a month.

This vacuum cleaner is designed for hard floors, with a soft roller head that miraculously avoids tangles, and a dustbin that ejects smoothly for easy (if not a bit too regular) emptying. I’ve been putting it to the test on my own floors for the past month for this Dyson Micro 1.5kg review, and here’s what I thought.

It’s hard to rank this as one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners, because it has a very specific target market in mind. For those such as myself who just need a neat little vacuum to stay on top of messes, the Dyson Micro 1.5kg is ideal. It won’t take the place of more powerful vacuum cleaners though, so if you have carpets, this isn’t the vacuum for you. 

Dyson Micro 1.5kg

Specs: 

• Maximum power: 50AW
• Dimensions: (H)70 x (W)14 x (D)24cm
• Weight: 1.5kg
• Dustbin capacity: 0.2 litres
• Attachments: Soft Roller cleaner head, mini motorised tool, combination tool
• Battery life: 50 minutes (Dyson claims, but I disagree)
• Speeds: 2
• Charge time: 3 hours

Who will the Dyson Micro 1.5kg suit?

I live in a compact London flat in South London. You’ll probably hear me talking about how small my kitchen is in my appliance reviews, but what I mention less regularly is that the flat features entirely hard floors. 

Most rooms have the original hardwood panels, the kitchen features linoleum, and in the bathroom we have white tiles. Needless to say, the place needs vacuuming regularly, but what it doesn’t need (with the exception of a few rugs, for the sake of our downstairs neighbours) is a vacuum cleaner for carpets. It really feels as if the Dyson Micro 1.5kg was made for homes like mine, because it can’t handle carpets, but has plenty of power to work on hard floors. 

Unboxing the Dyson Micro 1.5kg

Right from taking it out of the box, everything about this vacuum comes very naturally. The packaging is entirely made of cardboard, which is a win for my love of recycling, and I was able to begin cleaning right from assembly because the vacuum came with some charge right out of the box. 

Even though Dyson is a very pretty brand, it doesn’t slot together any differently to other stick vacuums. What is noticeably different about this vacuum is the weight, because while 1.5kg is very lightweight, it really hits home when you actually hold it. I’m not in the habit of vacuuming my walls, but if I was, I could lift the Dyson Micro 1.5kg above my head with absolutely no effort. Our top cordless vacuum pick, the Vax ONEPWR Blade 4, weighs over twice as much at 3.1kg. 

What is the Dyson Micro 1.5kg like to use? 

The On/Off button is on the front of the machine. It’s actually in a bit of an awkward spot. I quite like vacuum cleaners that have a control near the top of the vacuum, where my hand will be. This one is a bit of a reach, and the Boost button is right next to it. While I was ok, there’s a chance that you could get them mixed up. 

The Micro claims to have a battery life of 50 minutes. From fully charged though, mine took 27.46 minutes in total to run flat. Based on some of our reviews, it’s unlike Dyson to overestimate its battery life, but I still found that just shy of 30 minutes was perfectly adequate to clean my entire home. 

Once it’s switched on, this vacuum zips around the floors at speed. I was able to clean my two-bed flat in about five minutes for light daily cleans. The head pivots very easily, with just the turn of your wrist. This makes it straightforward to reach into corners. The attachments also work well in targeting corners and the motorised tool transforms it into an effective handheld. 

The dustbin is very small. Now you’ll find that a lot of cordless vacuum cleaners come with a dustbin under one litre, but 0.2 litres is definitely the smallest I’ve seen. It’s akin to a handheld vacuum cleaner, so expect to empty it regularly. If you don’t have a small home and you’re actually on the other end of the spectrum, you might enjoy having the Micro as a second vacuum cleaner for light run-arounds when you don’t feel like breaking out your heavy-duty canister or upright vacuum cleaner. It’s certainly a lot easier to use than most vacuum cleaners. 

Noise-wise, for those who are curious, it's very comparable to larger vacuum cleaners. I recorded 77dB, which is the kind of noise you'd need to shout over.

Emptying the Dyson Micro 1.5kg

Emptying is fun, actually. You need to take the stick attachment off and then hover the handheld motor over the bin. Press the lever and push, and the contents of your dustbin will be ejected in a clean and enjoyable swoop. 

Things get a little messier with dust and pet hair. Yes, I have had to stick my hand to dislodge a few tangles from the Micro. That’s the case with every bagless vacuum cleaner though, I’m afraid. 

The carpet issue

Yes, the Dyson Micro 1.5kg doesn’t do carpets. It’s a little annoying, granted. If you’re reading this as someone with a lot of carpet, you may as well click away now (ideally to this Beko Powerclean VRT94929VI Cordless Vacuum Cleaner review, which is still my favourite cordless vacuum cleaner I’ve ever tested). 

I have a white Berber rug in my lounge. Trendy? Yes, but a nightmare to clean. Instead of breaking out a different vacuum to tackle this, I found myself using the soft roller on the rug when cleaning. While it’s not designed for vacuums, it didn’t do a bad job of picking up surface level dirt and crumbs, so if you want something for your hard floor flat but want a vacuum that works on rugs, I think you’ll get away with the Dyson Micro 1.5kg for your home. 

Any other cons? 

I’m a renter, so I can’t go installing wall-mounts into my home. That’s why I enjoy cordless vacuums that come with stands, because they keep all the attachments handy and allow the vacuum to charge while sitting pretty in my hall. With the Dyson Micro 1.5kg I’ve had to lean it tenuously against my wall, with the attachments sitting in my cupboard ready for use. It’s not ideal, to be honest. 

Should you buy the Dyson Micro 1.5kg?

If, like me, you live in a small-ish home with hard floors, Dyson had you in mind when it made the Dyson Micro 1.5kg. It’s as affordable and you can save even further using Dyson discount codes. Plus, it does have that same flagship power that other Dyson cordless vacuums are known for. 

It’s a shame it can’t do carpets, and I do lament the lack of stand. The lightweight design and speedy cleaning just about makes up for that, though. 

If you want a Dyson that can work on carpets, I would suggest the Dyson V11 Absolute. It’s a little pricier, but a whole lot more versatile.

About this review, and our reviewer

Millie Fender is small appliances editor at Ideal Home. She reviews everything from coffee machines to robot vacuums from her own home, meaning these tests have been carried out in the same conditions that you’ll be using the vacuum cleaner.

The Dyson Micro 1.5kg was kindly sent to Millie by Dyson, and she tested for a few months before writing this review. This gave her the chance to test all of its functions and check for any troubleshooting. She also gets to keep it, which is a big win for her small flat, and for Ideal Home, because she can keep the review updated as she continues to use the vacuum cleaner.