Any way you cut it, this is an expensive vacuum cleaner and one that many people may find it hard to justify. With the Dyson V11 Outsize inheriting all of the standard V11's technological features, the main point of difference is in its design. More specifically, its weight, size and the inclusion of a handy new design choice which allows you to extend the Outsize's battery life. We test a vacuum's capabilities by replicating three typical household cleaning scenarios: oats scattered on a tiled floor; carpet freshener and talc scattered on a carpet; and pet hairs on a rug and sofa. We also test maneuverability for cleaning around and under furniture and on stairs, ease of emptying the bin, and battery life. The V15 Detect’s laser dust detection feature is one area where the vacuum cleaner has had a hefty upgrade over the V11 Absolute. Both vacuums come with two cleaner heads, one of which is best-suited to hard floors because it has a soft roller brush that won’t damage the flooring.

If you’ve used a V10, then the Dyson V11 will look familiar. It retains the same basic design, with the large bin (big enough for getting around a standard house) inline with the motor for better performance over the older models, such as the Dyson V8. As it’s cordless and handheld, there’s no need to tug at any cords or balance the Dyson precariously on stairs. As a result, Alison found the V11 Absolute much more efficient on stairs than other vacuums she tested. Cornflakes, rice and leaves were gone in a single sweep, as were sand, toast crumbs and washing powder, leaving Alison's floors look spotlessly clean. In comparison, the Bissell Icon 25V left large bits of debris behind. How does the Dyson V11 Absolute cope with pet hair? That said, unless noise is a particular issue for you, the advantages of this vacuum cleaner more than outweigh its volume levels. Like the V10, the new Dyson V11 features an “in-line configuration” where the motor, bin, and cyclone array are all aligned, meaning “air is drawn into the cyclones in a straight line”– which helps maintain inertia and increases the suction power.

This vacuum sucks (really well)

As with carpets, the Dyson gets right up to the edges and pulls in loose dirt and debris on all types of hard floor. The longest runtime of any Dyson cord-free vacuum, with 50% bigger cells than the Dyson Cyclone V10™. Shows the runtime and performance of your vacuum, to put you in control of your clean. No need to worry about running out of charge.

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Behind the barrel you’ll find the V11’s cyclone array, which consists of 14 cyclones in total. Dyson says that they generate “forces of more than 79,000g to fling microscopic particles into the bin”, including pollen and bacteria. One of the least messy bagless vacuum cleaners Alison has ever used, alongside the similarly tidy Gtech AirRam Mk2 K9, the V11 Absolute is also ideal if you suffer from allergies. It has a six-layer filtration system that Dyson claims traps 99.7% of particles. Alison appreciated the amount of tools included with the V11 Absolute – something for every eventuality – which she didn't always see with other vacuums on test. In comparison, the cordless Hoover H-Free 500 only came with an integrated two-in-one dusting tool, and the similarly-designed Bissell Icon 25V only a two-in-one brush and crevice tool.

Nevertheless, the V11 Absolute is easy to empty and to clean. To empty, you simply push the bin lever to sweep everything out – and we mean everything. Dyson calls this ‘point and shoot’ emptying and that describes it exactly.

In the US, you can get two different models of the new cordless vacuum. Both come with the new High Torque cleaner head (more on that later) and a range of additional cleaning accessories. Large debris (rice, spilled cereal and dried leaves) were whisked away in no time, and smaller debris (toast crumbs, washing powder and sugar) vanished in just a couple of swipes. Once again, the battery has a handy rubber pad on it so that the V11 doesn’t fall over when you stand it up against a wall. It’s a small thing, but great for anyone who’s watched an older Dyson cordless cleaner fall to the ground.

What about runtime?

The Dyson V11 has excellent battery life, with even its lowest setting delivering excellent results, while its High Torque head balances battery life and performance automatically. You should not buy it if… However, if you have hard floors or want proof that your vacuuming sessions really are thorough, then the laser cleaning head along with the acoustic piezo sensor on the V15 Detect is going to be a real draw. The Dyson V11 looks very similar to its predecessor the V10, with a sleek futuristic design that isn't an eyesore if you forget to stow it away in the cupboard.

A more significant change is the new V11 motor, which Dyson claims is 20% more powerful than the V10, delivering 185 air watts (that’s better than a lot of corded vacuum cleaners). The improvement in suction comes via the more powerful motor, but Dyson has made some improvements to airflow, too. These include a more efficient diffuser design that straightens airflow thus reducing turbulence, and a new impeller design. You can choose between eco mode (which gives maximum runtime), auto/medium mode (which automatically alters the suction power for carpets and hard floors), and boost mode for ingrained dirt. This is accomplished using the selection button on the display screen.

Is the Dyson V11 Absolute good value for money?

Elsewhere around the house, the long extension pole and range of accessories make cleaning of all sorts simple, whether that’s high-up cobwebs, or simply cleaning up a spill on a counter.