When it comes to vacuums, the most well known brand of all is probably Dyson. The company has spent millions on ads so we all know it’s got powerful suction that never fades. I’ve owned two Dyson vacuums— one of them for about 15 years and I can attest to the fact is still runs as great as it did when I bought it. That was a corded full size upright. Now, Dyson has come out with a vacuum that’s designed to bridge the gap between that type of device and the light, highly portable cordless devices it’s becoming known for today, like the V11 Absolute. The new Dyson V11 Outsize is specifically engineered for larger North American homes and features a larger bin, bigger cleaner head, more powerful suction and an extra battery. I had a chance to use the Dyson V11 Outsize in my home for a few weeks and here’s what I learned.
Dyson V11 Outsize review: What do you get with Dyson V11 Outsize?
Let’s dig in on the V11 Outsize: this machine is a cordless handheld vacuum known as a stick vac. It has a dustbin built into the handle that’s 150% larger than the V11 Absolute bin, a 25% bigger cleaner head, and it comes with an additional swappable battery to support longer cleans with up to 120 minutes of runtime.
Dyson says this unit has a piece of technology called the Dyson Hyperdymium, which is the company’s most powerful motor ever, going on to explain “it balances power and performance while reducing turbulence and noise and generating 20% more powerful suction than the V11 Absolute.”
Essentially this is the V11 Absolute on steroids!
The V11 Outsize (top) and the V11 Absolute.
The V11 Outsize is built for our bigger North American carpeted homes and actually increases suction when it detects it’s being used on carpets, but it can be used on tile, hardwood and almost any flooring surface.
What’s in the box: Dyson V11 Outsize cordless vacuum
In the package you get quite a lot; there’s the main vacuum body which is the dustbin, and the trigger handle. A small screen is also built into the back to display battery run time and modes.
The LCD screen gives you information about when to replace the clean filters for optimum performance, and how to clean any blockages during operation. The V11’s screen also displays a countdown timer, so that you know exactly know how much battery life is left before the vacuum runs out of juice.
What do the accessories on Dyson V11 Outsize do?
What do the accessories on Dyson V11 Outsize do?There’s the main cleaning head, also known more officially as the High Torque Cleaner Head, and then there’s a whole bunch of additions, extensions and special accessories:
- High Torque cleaner head (main cleaner head)
25% wider cleaner head: The cleaner-head measures 12.5 inches in width, so you can cover more surface area with each pass, making cleaning your home faster than before.
It has a Dynamic Load Sensor (DLS): On the High Torque cleaner head, the vacuum intelligently detects floor types and automatically adjusts suction power. This means carpets are deep cleaned while total run time is extended on hard floors. - Mini motorized tool, (made for upholstery, chairs or vehicles
- Quick-release combination tool with brush. Also known as the Ceiling and Curtain dusting brush, or Combination Brush, this adjustable head is ideal for getting cobwebs from ceilings, or, click to switch the open end for the brush end and dust blinds and shelving, or baseboards.
- Quick-release crevice tool
- Quick-release flexi crevice tool (smaller than the Quick Release combination tool)
- Quick-release extension hose (a neat telescoping hose that automatically shrinks back when released)
- Extra click-in battery
- Wand storage clip (lets you clip some of the tools onto the stick of the vacuum to carry with you)
- Docking station/wall mount
- Charging cord & additional charging cord
Washable parts & filter
Washable parts & filterAll the parts including the filter are washable too. Washable components, like that filter, can be easily removed and rinsed. High-efficiency dust separation means that there’s no need to wash the cyclones or other parts of the machine.
Battery life and charging on Dyson V11 Outsize cordless vacuum
One of the selling points Dyson makes with this vacuum is that it gets 120 minutes of battery life. The Dyson V11 Absolute by comparison gets 60 minutes.
So is that because the battery technology has been improved? In short, no.
A new offering with this vacuum is not just one rechargeable battery but two, swappable batteries included. There’s also two power cords so you can keep both the vacuum and the extra battery charged at all times. Giving it a full charge takes about 4.5 hours.
With both batteries, Dyson says you’ll get plenty of power and 120 minutes of cleaning time. If one battery starts to wane, swap it out with a click.
Why so expensive? Dyson vacuum technology
So what makes Dyson vacuums so good, or as some would ask, so expensive? That’s where the interesting stuff is, because it’s in the technology they develop.
This vacuum is powered by a Dyson Hyperdymium™ motor which spins at up to 125,000rpm, creating the most powerful suction of any cordless vacuum. Dyson’s much publicized Cyclonic technology uses 18 cyclone cylinders to generate immense forces to fling dust into the bin without clogging the filter, so there’s no loss of suction. Dyson’s fully-sealed, six-layer filtration system traps 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. The motor, bin and cyclone are aligned (unlike some other models where there’s a bend or elbow inside that deposits the dirt, so air is drawn into the cyclones in a straight line, helping to create powerful Dyson suction.
Is Dyson V11 Outsize noisy?
Dyson thinks of a lot of factors when it’s designing a vacuum. And since people hate vacuums that sound like industrial machinery, they’re doing their best to keep the sound down. The V11 Outsize is designed to absorb vibrations and dampen noise, to keep sound levels down.
It still makes noise, sure, but it’s manageable.
Emptying the bin
One of the nice features about the V11 Outsize that carries over from the V11 Absolute is the Point and Shoot bin emptying system. After removing the tools, you use a level on the side to flip open the bottom of the bin, and it empties right into the garbage. You don’t need to touch any dirt or get your hands dirty. Then just flip it closed again.
How well does Dyson V11 Outsize clean?
This vacuum is ultra easy to use. It’s completely hand held and while it is heavier than the V11 Absolute, it’s still easy to carry around.
The tools and cleaning heads snap in an out so easily with no tugging or jamming. There’s a good variety of cleaning heads for nearly any purpose; possibly too many for me, since there are some I just never got around to using!
The Dyson V11 Outsize cleans all the surfaces of my home really well: it powers dirt out of carpets like dried mud dog footprints, and gets rid of pet hair well; it’s amazing to see what ends up in the dustbin! It easily sucks up dog hair and dust on the hardwood, and it can handle any kind of crumbs from toaster leavins to crackers, oatmeal and flour on my kitchen tile too. With those attachments, I can clean my furniture, dust the keyboard, or get into small spaces, without having to haul up the upright
I like being able to see at a glance how many minutes of battery life is left so I know when I start vacuuming if I should swap the battery, or just get to work.
Cleaning Modes: Dyson V11 Outsize – Eco, Med, Boost
The Dyson V11 comes with three cleaning modes for a variety of tasks. There’s Eco Mode, Auto/Medium Mode and Boost Mode. Eco Mode uses the least amount of power, and gives you longer overall battery life and run time. Auto or Medium Mode will automatically adjust the engine, to deliver more power on carpeted surfaces. Need MORE POWER? Boost Mode increases suction again to really power out ground in dirt.
I definitely saw a noticeable difference in the Auto/Med Mode. The vacuum switched seamlessly from lower to higher power and really cleaned my carpets like a dream.
To access Boost Mode, just tap the button found on the back of the vacuum, near the screen.
Overall review: Dyson V11 Outsize
Overall, The Dyson V11 Outsize is a great vacuum. It cleans brilliantly and I can’t make any complaints about it. From carpet to hard floors, it’s got you covered. It’s definitely bigger and covers more ground than the V11 Absolute. The fact that it has two batteries means you never need to wait on a recharge to finish your housekeeping, though I do think the extra charging cord is kind of unnecessary.
Downsides? I know folks say the price, but as we looked at earlier, developing all that tech to make pretty much one of the most advanced vacuums out there costs money. Any other complaints about this vacuum can likely be remedied by choosing another model like the V11 Absolute: if you think it’s too big to store, too heavy for you or your kids, or you want the Soft Roller brush for floors, choose the V11 Absolute.
Overall, this is a great vacuum for our home, which does have a fully carpeted basement and I think with this we can finally bid our older Dyson corded upright a happy retirement.
The Dyson V11 Outsize sells for about $1099.99 CAD via Dyson’s website DysonCanada.ca
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