Dyson Gen5 Detect review: epic clean, epically expensive

Dyson’s latest premium cordless vacuum cleaner is the Gen5 Detect. It was revealed late in 2022, but took a while to reach UK shores.

It’s eye-wateringly expensive even compared to other top-end Dysons like the compelling V12 Detect series and even more compelling V15 so the key question is, what’s different?

Power, that’s what. It’s got the latest-gen (Gen5 geddit) motor which generates 262 Air Watts to suck up large debris. The sealed HEPA filter system is also larger than the V15’s while the hard-floor-loving Fluffy Optic Detect head has binned the laser previously used and opted for directed LEDs instead to show up twice the dust of the previous version.

If you’re thinking shining light on dust across a hard floor is a gimmick, let’s just say we thought the same as you until we used the V15. It is a revelation, particularly to see debris in dim light alongside kitchen cabinets and under tables. This works even better than on the V12 and V15 Detect.

Dyson’s colour schemes are a bit crazier these days. The Gen5 is available in Absolute guise (Purple/Iron in colour) or the Complete model (Prussian blue/Copper).

There’s also a 10 minute longer run time than Dyson’s other vacs, up to 70 minutes. Practically, we were getting nearly that. The top of the main tube (Dyson likes to call it a wand) has a clever built-in dusting and crevice tool with the intention being that you rarely need to change attachments.

That’s unless you are swapping between the Fluffy Optic hard floor head and one of the other two carpet/upholstery heads with their anti-tangle hair tech).

The addition of the built-in crevice tool is great, but it can be a little more fiddly to replace the wand once you’ve used it than on other Dyson cleaners. You do get used to this though.

There’s also a new (separate) low reach adapter for getting right under sofas and sideboards – you’ll probably find you need that.

As before, the vac features a piezo sensor to measure dust particles, but the display is different – the bars showing the different particle sizes change so you know when the area is clean.

As with the V12 Detect, Dyson has removed the classic trigger meaning you no longer have to keep your finger held down while you clean. This is fine, though you do have to have your second hand free to switch the cleaner on and off so it’s not a total moment of clarity. And because you now need two hands, it’s no longer quite as easy for very quick clear-ups.

But it is a step forward overall, especially for longer cleans. We would have liked a more pronounced power button though, it’s too flush on the control panel and you don’t always know you’ve definitely pressed it.

There are a couple of disadvantages to the Dyson Gen5 Detect – it’s heavier than many other cordless cleaners in the hand. And it’s hard to get away from that sky-high price.

Dyson Gen5 Detect specifications

Dirt bin capacity	0.7l
Run time	70 minutes
Power levels	3
Weight	3.5kg