Dyson has firmly made its mark as one of the best vacuum cleaners To date, and after owning and testing a few over the years, there’s no denying Dyson’s exceptional cleaning power, advanced filtration and innovative features to simplify household tasks.
So when they announced the launch of their first wet and dry vacuum cleaner, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Finally, a Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner that can vacuum my hardwood floors and wash them too?
The Dyson V15s Detect Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner is essentially an upgrade from its predecessor, the V15 Detect Absolute. The only difference is that it comes with the additional wet/dry attachment head. This motorized wet roller head is designed to vacuum up liquids, debris and remove stains, which are continuously drawn from the roller as it rotates.
The only caveat is that you can’t buy the head separately if you already have a cordless device – a clever marketing ploy by Dyson. In any case, I was eager to see if the Dyson Submarine will exceed my mopping expectations and if it’s worth its premium price.
Plus, the idea of saying goodbye to my trusty mop and bucket and cutting down on cleaning time was very appealing. I put it to the test to find out.
DYSON V15S DETECT SUBMARINE REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is available to purchase in the US at Dyson.comand costs $949.99 and up Amazon for $895. In the UK, you can pick one up at Dyson.co.uk and Dyson Demo Stores, priced at £799.99.
DYSON V15S DETECT SUBMARINE REVIEW: DESIGN
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine has a similar design to the Dyson V15s Detect Absolute and weighs just 9 pounds. Plus, it comes with a selection of cleaning heads/tools.
This includes the standard digital motor wand cleaner head for deep carpet cleaning, an optical fluffy cleaner head, a hair screw tool, a combination/crevice tool, the underwater mop head, and a handy drip tray for place after use.
Its convenient one-button control LCD screen gives you real-time information on performance, dust particles, run time countdown and maintenance alerts. While you can switch between three power modes: Eco, Auto and Boost, depending on the cleaning task. Overall, it’s a slim, stylish stick vacuum that’s easy to store, although you’ll probably need to find extra space for the numerous accessories.
DYSON V15S DETECT SUBMARINE REVIEW: EASE OF USE
Like everything dison vacuum cleaners, Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is easy and simple to set up. The different head accessories are easily exchanged using its characteristic red click and lock buttons.
There are no complicated instructions, and even the Submarine wet/dry roller head setup has numbered diagrams to guide you. Simply take out the water chamber from the wet roller head, unscrew the cap and fill it with clean water. Unlike the traditional mop and bucket, no hot or warm water is used, only room temperature, and no detergent such as dish soap is used.
I found it very easy to push my low-pile carpets and hard floors with ease, thanks to its swivel head mechanism that allows it to reach into corners and tackle the edges of baseboards (without hitting them!). Since the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is lightweight, I didn’t find it difficult to pick it up and carry it around the house.
In addition, emptying the trash container is very simple; A simple pull down on the red lever opens the chute directly to the trash can. The 0.77L capacity is suitable for light cleaning around the home and does not overfill.
The only minor drawback is that strands of hair often get caught in the crevices and need manual attention, but it’s not a deal breaker in the grand scheme of things.
DYSON V15S DETECT SUBMARINE REVIEW: PERFORMANCE
First, I tackled my low-pile beige carpet with the detangling cleaning head. Although we don’t have pets at home, the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine did a great job of lifting up my long strands of hair that were deeply rooted in the fibers. And the impressive suction power of it quickly cleaned my carpet of dirt and dust in no time, making it look almost new again! This was also helped by the Hair Screw Tool going deeper into the stairs, while the crevice tool nailed down the edges.
Since we have mostly hardwood floors, perhaps my favorite tool was the Fluffy Optic cleaner head. This emits a bright laser to reveal dust and dirt buildup while vacuuming hard floors. This allowed me to do a deep clean, including all the spots I normally would have missed without it. What’s more, my 12 year old son enjoyed using this tool as it made vacuuming his room more “fun”, making it a win-win!
Next up (and what I was most looking forward to) was the Submarine wet/dry roller head. The motorized head comes with eight water jets, spaced evenly along the roller, and 18ml of water is released every minute to thoroughly wash floors. The dirty water is then sucked into a separate 360ml chamber for emptying.
When I pressed the handle, it quickly went to work washing my hardwood and tile floors. After two sweeps, it seemed much cleaner, however, I found it difficult to reach tight corners and angles, which a traditional mop can easily access.
Another disadvantage is that if you pause mid-stream, the roller can leave streaks of dirty water, where the suction has essentially stopped. In which case, you will need to go over the area again to remove the marks. However, considering the sheer power of the Dyson V15s Submarine, this wasn’t a major issue.
Drying time was also quick and didn’t leave a saturated floor like some traditional and steam mops tend to do. Plus, the LED display on the handle tells you how much clean water is left, in case you need to address other rooms. Once you’re done mopping, simply empty the dirty water tank down the drain and rinse the brush roll thoroughly with water. If I’m being picky, the only thing missing is an automatic self-cleaning mode to speed up the task.
Also, keep in mind that the head contains a small water tank, so it will never replace a full bucket. So while it quickly removes minor stains and dirt on hard floors, it’s no substitute for the deep cleaning you’d achieve with a good mop. Instead, I would recommend it for tackling those small messes or spills, especially if you have small children or pets at home.
DYSON V15S DETECTED SUBMARINE REVIEW: VERDICT
If you’re looking for a cordless wet and dry vacuum cleaner that offers impressive power and convenience, the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine does a good job. Easy to assemble and use, you can quickly transform it to adapt it to each task at hand.
Battery life is also impressive, although I mainly used it on the Eco setting to conserve more power. After using it a few times around my house, the battery lasted an impressive 76 minutes, which is longer than other cordless vacuums I’ve tested.
We enjoy the convenience of using the mop’s roller head to wash and clean hardwood and tile in seconds. And while it doesn’t have the water coverage to tackle larger rooms or intensive cleaning jobs (like a mop and bucket do), the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine offers top-notch performance.
