Dyson has released its latest flagship vacuum cleaner in Aotearoa and you'll likely be seeing it displayed as you brave the malls amid the chaos of Christmas shopping.
The Gen5 Detect has the laser and piezo dust measurer introduced in last year's model and other new stuff, like a stronger motor and extra attachments - including one that is a bit of a game-changer for me.
But it's also the most expensive Dyson vacuum on the market with a price that might make eyes water amid the cost of living crisis, especially as we approach Christmas.
At the time of writing, the Gen5 Detect costs around $1600 on Dyson's website, while the V12 Detect Slim Complete is $1050 and the V8 Extra is $550.
Those cheaper options - especially the V12 - are enough vacuum for most Kiwis.
The Gen5 Detect is the latest and greatest with a few cool new features one should consider carefully before splashing out on. But what does the extra cash get you?
I've used the Dyson Gen5 Detect at home for a few weeks and here's what those new features are like.
New attachments
The best new feature of the Gen5 Detect is also the simplest.
When you take the main stick off, there's a smaller one inside, so it automatically converts to a handheld vac without having to pop on a different attachment.
Switching between these two types of attachments is something I do a lot of when vacuuming and this innovation saves a few seconds every time, which will add up a lot over the years. It also means I'm more likely to actually vacuum the skirting boards and get into those pesky crevices more often.
I'm pretty sure this is also one of the cheaper innovations Dyson has introduced, which means there's a good chance it'll come to cheaper models in future, too.
There's also a new 'awkward crevice' attachment, which can get in under furniture and around corners and is also pretty handy.
More powerful motor
This is a "Gen" model rather than a "V" model due to the fifth-generation Hyperdymium motor that powers it.
It delivers 262 air watts of suction, Dyson says, which is a significant jump on the 115 of the V8 or 150 of the V12. Meanwhile, Samsung's latest flagship vacuum packs 210.
The Gen5 Detect features a fully sealed HEPA filtration system which Dyson says can capture 99.99 percent of particles down to 0.1 microns.
The extra power is actually hard to notice when using these vacs side-by-side in my house, rather than a lab. But I trust Dyson's measurements and if they were somehow incorrect, independent testers would have called them out on it by now. So if suction power is crucial to you, well, this is Dyson's strongest sucker yet.
Also worth noting: the laser is more powerful than that on the V12, so it's brighter and even easier to see all that dust and dirt.
Button instead of trigger
The Gen5 Detect is a bit easier on your hand thanks to it having an on/off button instead of a trigger you have to press on.
This may mean you run out of battery quicker if you leave it running when you pause vacuuming, but for people with arthritis or bad wrists, this could be a great improvement.
I kind of wish the button was where the trigger normally is, however, rather than up on top where they've put it - meaning using it is a two-hand maneuver.
Simplified UI
The data gathered by the piezo dust measurer introduced last year has been greatly simplified.
Instead of having numbers in the thousands, millions and billions quickly amassing on the little screen, now you get bars that go up and down to indicate the level of dust and particles being picked up.
When you turn the thing off it then gives you the total numbers vacuumed up, so you still get the gamifying aspect of it, but this simpler system makes a lot more sense.
I still wish this could be automatically recorded through a companion app, and don't know why that seemingly simple functionality hasn't been introduced yet.
The verdict
Comparing the latest Dyson vacuum to models from previous years, there are definitely upgrades, but not all of them are noticeable.
If you want to fork out on what is very likely the best vacuum on the market, I can recommend going for this one.
I would definitely urge you to consider the cheaper options and have a think about spending the extra though - not everyone needs what the Gen5 Detect offers.
For those who do decide the Gen5 Detect is for them, if you're upgrading from an older stick vacuum and you're as odd as I am, be prepared for a weird amount of satisfaction to come from the one-click conversion with that main stick to mini-vac.
Ahhh, the things that become great fun as you approach middle age.
Newshub was supplied a Dyson Gen5 Detect for this review.
