The vacuum connects to Dyson’s app, where you’ll find resources like how to empty the dust bin and wash the filter, but not much else. It can tell you how long your last vacuuming session was, but no other details, so it’s not as interesting or informative as the data you get from a robot vacuum.

A puffy face

Photo: Nina Farrell

Photo: Nina Farrell

The full name of this vacuum is the Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones, aptly named for the four fluffy cones inside the vacuum head. Dyson’s latest stick vacuum has a fluffy optic cleaner head for vacuuming hard floors. While both have a fluffy roller bar, the Fluffy Cones are conical in shape, which Dyson says will separate and remove hair instead of trapping it around. She plucked the hair out for me, but as I scooped up large chunks of hair from my bathroom floor (a place where my hairbrush, comb, and towel kill many stray hairs), she rolled the hair into a ball and spat it out a few times before finally vacuuming it into the trash.

Although the hair results weren’t great, I loved the vacuum for sucking up the cat litter that constantly plagues my house. It did a great job with flour on my hard floor and a solid job with dry oats, but it occasionally clumped the oats around instead of sucking them up immediately. I was even able to run it quickly over my carpet, but rolling back and forth on the carpet caused a clump to block the cone.

The head is designed to move in any direction. Cones make it easy to maneuver around, and bright green lights on the front and back help you spot any debris you might otherwise miss. With its compact size that fits into hard-to-reach corners, the PencilVac finally lets me vacuum up all the mess around the base of my toilet and pedestal sink. This is part of what makes me reach for this vacuum again and again, even after cleaning my robot vacuum the day before.

Forward speed

Photo: Nina Farrell

Do I think this vacuum replaces Dyson’s current cordless options? No. This vacuum has a specific design for a specific use: small homes with completely hard floors. There is also access here. This lightweight vacuum can be very easy to use for people with mobility and strength limitations. The magnetic charging base makes storage and access easy for a variety of people, whether they struggle with fine motor skills or can’t twist and hold the vacuum.