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Dyson V11 vs Dyson V12 Slim Stick Vacuums

When it comes to stick vacuum cleaners, there’s one brand that’s on a whole other level—Dyson. The only problem you’ll have with Dyson is choosing which of their leading stick vacuums to choose.

Dyson V11

Today, we’re going to compare the Dyson V11 Torque Drive against the V12 Detect to see which of them is more deserving of your affection.


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Dyson V11 Torque Drive

Smart LCD Display

Something you’ll find in Dyson stick vacuum models is a digital display on the handle. In the Dyson V11’s case, the LCD Detect screen informs the user of which speed setting is currently active, filter maintenance reports, and remaining battery life.

The V12 Detect has a similar kind of digital display, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

60-Minute Runtime

Both of the Dyson stick vacuums in this comparison boast beefy battery packs that offer 60 minutes of fade-free power. This means that from start to finish, the vacuum will deliver consistent levels of suction power until the battery is completely drained.

When you need to recharge, just place your stick vacuum in the drop-in dock and let it sit there for about 4 hours to reach max capacity.

High-Torque Floorhead

What you need to know about the Dyson V11 is that it features a truly unique kind of floorhead. Whatever mode you choose, the floorhead will spin at a much faster rate than most cordless stick vacuums to dislodge any debris hidden in between carpet fibers.

It’s a multi-surface floorhead that works on both carpets and bare floors, so you won’t need to swap between attachments.

DLS Sensor

Another thing that makes the V11 Torque Drive an excellent option is the Dynamic Load Sensor (DLS) system. As you vacuum your floors, built-in sensors constantly detect the size of debris that make their way into the inlet. Greater quantities of large-sized debris, like grains of rice, will crank suction power to the max.

Less challenging jobs will bring the speed back down to Eco Mode.

Built-in Battery Pack

One major point of difference between the V11 and V12 is the battery pack. While both are ultra-beefy (remember, 60 minutes), the V11’s battery is built directly into the handle.

You can’t remove it and swap it for a fresh one when it eventually loses power. As for the V12, you can snap on backup battery packs (sold separately) for larger vacuuming jobs.

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Dyson V12 Detect

Hyperdymium Motor

We can talk about the Dyson V12 Detect all day, but one of the most important things you need to know about this model is that its motor like no other.

It features Dyson’s Hyperdymium Motor, which spins at a rate of up to 125,000 RPM. This means it produces greater amounts of suction for more challenging jobs, like lifting dried pet food from carpeting.

Dyson V12 Detect
Dyson V12 Detect

Radial Cyclone with Multi-Tier Filtration

Here’s another feature that both the V12 and V11 share, though there are slight differences. The V12 uses a series of 11 cyclones to fling large debris upward and away from the filter, thereby leaving it unclogged for the duration of a cleaning session.

As for the V11, you get 14 radial cyclones, though the difference between them is minute at best.

In addition, these stick vacs rely on a multi-tier filtration system, including a HEPA filter, to prevent the tiniest speck of dust from escaping and shooting out into the air. If you know HEPA, you know that they work 99.97% of the time at capturing 0.3-micron particles.

Dyson V12 Detect Stick Vacuum
Dyson V12 Detect

Laser Dust Revealer

Built on the floorhead is a lightbulb that shoots out a super-bright green laser. It works similarly to LEDs that you’d typically find on stick and upright vacuum cleaners, but it’s about a million times better in our opinion.

The laser is positioned in such angle as to reveal debris when vacuuming dark bare floors. The laser doesn’t just illuminate piles of dust; it lets you know where it is by casting a shadow. You won’t find such a system in the V11 Torque Drive.

Dyson V12 Detect Slim
Dyson V12 Detect

Pienza Sensor

The V12 uses an upgraded version of the DLS. It’s called a Pienza sensor that doesn’t just measure the size of particles passing through the V12’s inlet, but it also counts how much is going in. While this might seem like a fancy-schmancy, highly unnecessary feature, it serves one primary goal.

Auto-Power Adjust

Namely, to dictate how much power the V12 Detect should output. Judging by how many small, medium, and large particles the vacuum sucks in, the motor will automatically adjust its suction power based on how much resistance it’s up against.

It’s like the DLS system, but instead of differentiating between surfaces, it determines how much power you need based on what sort of debris you’re working with.

Dyson V12 Detect Slim Stick Vacuum
Dyson V12 Detect

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Our Recommended Stick Vacuums

Our Pick The Eureka NEC222 HyperClean is a versatile and rather useful convertible stick vacuum. It can be used as the main vacuum in smaller homes and apartments, or as a second vacuum cleaner in large homes and apartments.

Lightweight The Shark IZ362H is a lightweight stick vacuum. It's easy to maneuver, and has a bagless design that's easy to maintain and requires less maintenance costs.

Corded What sets this corded stick vacuum apart from so many others is the fact that it is, above all else, very powerful and very effective. The Eureka Flash offers more than enough vacuuming power for just about every vacuuming task..

Best of the Best The Dyson V11 Torque Drive is smarter and more efficient than its predecessors. The suction power automatically adjusts based on floor type—more power for carpets and less for smooth surfaces.

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Last Update: 2024-05-04 | Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About the author

Hi I’m Alex, founder of HouseholdMe.com and I’d like to say thank you for dropping by. Like most of you, the first thing I look at before buying something online is reviews or buying guides. By reading what other people say will help me gauge whether or not a product is good or not.  I am trying to help people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired.

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