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The Dyson V12 Detect Slim was only mentioned in passing during the official launch of the V15 Detect – it was almost as though Dyson didn’t really want much to do with the V12 because it wasn’t a flagship. But I’ve just spent a few weeks with both new Dyson stick vacuums and I’m pretty impressed with what the V12 Detect Slim can do… at a slightly lower price than the V15 Detect.

Compared side by side, the V15 flagship is the clear winner in terms of performance, with far superior suction, but given the V12 Detect Slim comes with the headline-making features like the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaning head and the piezo sensor that ‘listens’ to what’s getting sucked up, but in a slightly cheaper package, there’s not much to complain about here. While it’s not the most powerful model from this brand, it still compares well to the best cordless stick vacuums when it comes to suction, and it might well be the best Dyson vacuum for people with smaller homes.

The smaller, lighter build includes a far smaller bin than you’d find on the average stick vacuum. It’ll be annoyingly small if you have a larger house or shedding pets, and I also found the compact size meant hair and dust regularly got stuck when emptying.