Updated 14 Oct 2026
Is the Dyson PencilVac worth it?
Only as a second vacuum for hard floors.
It's as thin as a broom handle, hair doesn't wrap its cone brushes and it's great for quick hard-floor cleans. But the brush stalls on carpet, the bin is tiny and it runs about 20 minutes in tests. For the same money a V12 Detect Slim does all of that and carpet too.
- Very slim and light
- Hair doesn't wrap the brush
- Laser shows dust on hard floors
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Get it if…
- You only have hard floors and want a second vacuum for quick cleans.
Skip it if…
- You have any carpet or rugs.
- You want one vacuum for the whole home.
- You have a big dog that sheds a lot.
Things to know before you buy
- 01
Vacuum Wars scored it 0.4 out of 10 on carpet; the brush stalls.
- 02
Tested runtime was about 24 minutes on Eco and 11 on Boost.
- 03
Cleaning the filter is fiddly.
Reviewers like it on hard floors and with pet hair, but it can't clean carpet, the bin holds 0.08 litres and runtime falls short of Dyson's claim. That makes it a second vacuum at a first-vacuum price; most homes are better off with a V12 Detect Slim.
Not quite right? Get this instead
Dyson V12 Detect Slim
Also light and has the laser, but cleans carpet too.
Still deciding?
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: Gadget Review, TechRadar, Trusted Reviews, Vacuum Wars, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 14 Oct 2026How we decide