Does the Dyson Gen5detect make vacuuming fun? We tried the brand's newest innovation to find out

I'm afraid to report that Dyson vacuums, and the Dyson Gen5detect in particular, are just as good as you've always heard they are. On my trips to Ideal Home's testing facility, after a long day of reviewing vacuums by throwing all manner of things on the floor, the one I always reach for to tidy up is our resident Dyson.

Why? Because it's simply better than the rest at picking up debris and getting the job done fast. No need to revisit the same spot with six or seven do-overs, and controls that feel (verging on) enjoyable to use. I know, vacuuming and enjoyment should not be seen in the same sentence, but using a Dyson is the closest you'll get to it.

With that in mind, you'll be unsurprised to hear then that the Dyson Gen5detect is at the very top end of our round-up of the best vacuums and the best cordless vacuums. Here's why. 

Dyson Gen5detect review: Specs

• Max. run time: up to 70 minutes 
• Bin volume: 0.77 litres
• Weight: 3.5kg
• Dimensions: H127.6 x W25 x D27.6 cm
• Modes: auto, boost, eco

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions of the Dyson Gen5detect

If it's a crime to enjoy something as boring as unboxing a vacuum then lock me up and throw away the key, because I always like setting up a new one. My favourite part of the task is laying out the parts and looking at the attachments, especially with a Dyson. The Gen5detect is the brand's slickest yet, with the blue HEPA filter and the continuation of the purple and gold look from the V8 and V15. 

The box is all cardboard with all-cardboard scaffolding. The whole experience is akin to unboxing a new iPhone and all feels very slick.

Here's what you get in the box: the body of the vacuum (where the LED panel and dust bin are), the stick (which is home to a built-in dusting and crevice tool very cleverly), a Fluffy Optic cleaner head, a Digital Motorbar cleaning head, a hair screw tool and a charger. There's also a connector which twists in different directions and allows you to get under particularly low furniture. 

Slot everything together and you're good to go. Remember that you will need to store whichever rollerhead you're not using in a convenient place as if you live in an intermittently carpeted and hard-floored place, you'll be chopping and changing those out quite a bit.

Depending on which retailer you buy this vacuum from you should also receive a stand or have the option to wall-mount a holder for it. As I rent, I unfortunately have to just keep mine in a nearby cupboard, but it's light and manoeuvrable enough for this not to be an issue.

What's the Dyson Gen5detect like to use?

Charging the Dyson Gen5detect takes four and a half hours to charge fully, and once it is there you should get 70 minutes of use out of it. I live in a two-bedroom flat so one full charge tends to last a while, but even if you live in a house, 70 minutes at a time should suffice if you don't need to use the Boost mode the entire time.

On my first try with the Dyson Gen5detect, I was impressed by the overall finish of the vacuum. Every part of it fits seamlessly together, and I was bowled over by the reveal of the hidden crevice tool when you unclip the stick section. It means that you don't need to seek out another attachment to get into a tight space or vacuum up high. 

The haptics with this vacuum are top-notch. The satisfying 'boing' motion to turn it on and the button to switch between the modes feel very polished, and the screen also displays how many minutes you have left to zoom around.

All of this together means that if you've got anyone cleaning-shy in the house, one try with the Gen5detect might just convince them that vacuuming is the superior household chore out there.

I've used the Dyson Gen5detect for over six months now, so I've had time to see how it's held up when it comes to cleaning my flat, as well as that great first impression. 

Of the two heads, the carpet-specific one is by far my favourite. I have a rug and carpet in my bedroom, and I use the Gen5detect every day to keep on top of dust and other fluffy bobbly bits. With just one sweep around the room I can pick everything up, and the hair never ever gets tangled in the brushroll.  

I think that's due to the anti-tangle tech and the angle of the vanes, which cut away any hair that does get stuck. The other great thing about it is that it amps up the power in areas where it senses more dirt, which for me is when I get to the rug under my desk. You can hear the power shift up, and my bedroom floor is noticeably cleaner after every once-over.

The swivel of the carpet floor head is very far reaching, and the lightweight feel of the vacuum means it's just generally good to push around, with not too much exertion needed on your side. 

Another major change from the generation before this is the removal of the trigger button to operate, as was the case with the Dyson Omni-Glide. Instead there's just one single button to operate, which is a lot less strenuous on your hands. The ergonomic handle is also great, meaning that that heavier top part of the vacuum feels nice in your hand. 

On the controls front, the LCD touchscreen is a point of contention between my partner and me. I previously tested a vacuum that had a colour-coded system to tell you when an area was clean or dirty, and he was so enthused about it that he took to vacuuming as a pastime. 

Unfortunately, he's not so impressed with the LCD screen on the Dyson, which instead has bars which denote the number and size of dust particles the vacuum is picking up. It's probably a bit more technical than it needs to be, but I still enjoy the gimmick of it. I do think on the whole however that an easier-to-understand graphic might be a bit more useful. 

Though my heart lies with the floor head for carpets, the real star of the show with this vacuum is the Fluffy Optic cleaner head. Dyson claims that it can reveal twice the amount of dust than you can usually see on hard floors, and stretches 30cm in whichever area you're cleaning. 

It is so impressive, and it's so great to be able to see how clean your floors really are. It gives me a great indication of the areas I need to go back over with one of the best steam cleaners too.

On the whole, I do think this vacuum's performance on carpets surpasses its performance on hard floors, especially after trying out the Dyson OmniGlide, which is built strictly for carpets. 

You'll still find that on hard floors this vacuum impresses you more than any other you've tried, and the head itself is also large enough to deal with chunkier bits of debris too.

The more technical aspects of this vacuum are also worth mentioning here, with Dyson claiming that the HEPA filtration system can capture up to 99.9% of particles down to 0.1 microns in size. 

During a trip to Dyson's HQ in Malmesbury, I got to see the attention to detail that goes into crafting vacuums like this, and though I can't speak to the effectiveness of the HEPA filter with scientific analysis, I do find the suction on this vacuum to be better than any other rival I've tried.

Another insight that I got at Dyson's facility was to see exactly how each attachment works and why they were designed. The hair screw tool, which is whizzing away in the video, is by far my favourite. The hair intake on it is phenomenal, which means that for those with pets, this is a must-have. 

It's also the perfect size for properly vacuuming your mattress, which is an essential step in my cleaning routine and makes my sleep space feel much more hygienic. I love it for my sofas too. 

Cleaning the Dyson Gen5detect

The dust-bin emptying mechanism is something that Dyson has perfected on all of its vacuums. With one touch the entirety of the canister is pushed out into your waste, meaning there's no need to deal with the resulting cloud of dust or stick your fingers in the bin yourself.

The dust bin itself however is quite small, as is to be expected with cordless vacuums to keep the weight of the unit down. When using this vacuum in my flat I need to empty it every few days, which is fine by me, but if you prefer to go longer between emptying, you might want to look elsewhere, like the Dyson Outsize, which is equipped with a 1.9-litre tank instead.

How does the Dyson Gen5detect compare to other vacuums?

If you're in the market for a cordless vacuum, then any Dyson will be pricier than other brands out there. If budget is the thing holding you back then I can wholeheartedly recommend the Vax Blade 5 (£333.00 at Amazon), which consistently ranks second behind Dyson when we're doing head-to-head tests at our facility. 

Alternatively, if you just have hard floors at home, you could save yourself a good amount of money by opting for the Dyson Omniglide instead, which you can often find for around £200 (like at Currys for £199) and save yourself a whole lot of money. 

Should you buy the Dyson Gen5detect cordless vacuum cleaner?

I'm well aware that £749.99 is a lot of money to spend on a vacuum cleaner, no matter how great it is, but even the eye-watering price isn't enough to mark this vacuum down even by half a star – that's just how good it is. 

It's great on hard floors, even better on carpets, and is the closest you'll come to enjoyment while vacuuming. After six months it works just as well now as the first day I used it, and though it's hard to call anything with that price-tag value for money, there's no doubt it's massively improved the overall cleanliness and hygiene levels in my home.