Header: Dyson
Dyson, one of the most famous appliance brands out there, has just announced the launch of the PencilVac, a compact cordless vacuum with several new design and engineering features meant to make cleaning easier, particularly on hard floors and around tight edges. With a diameter of just 38 millimetres and a weight of 1.8 kilograms, the PencilVac is Dyson’s slimmest and most lightweight vacuum to date.
The Fluffycones head
One of the new components of this vacuum is the Fluffycones cleaner head, which uses four conical brush bars arranged in two pairs that rotate in opposite directions. This design allows the vacuum to move easily both forwards and backwards, as the brush bars help the vacuum inlet get all hairs and debris rather than having them wrap around the mechanism. The front and rear brush bars rotate in opposite directions to help lift dust and detangle long hair as it is picked up, while angled nylon bristles help guide hair off the brush bar and into the airflow.
The vacuum cleaner also comes with laser-like lighting at the front and rear of the head, making dust on hard floors visible in both directions and, therefore, helping users know when the surface has been completely cleaned.
The slimmest cordless vacuum
To power such a slim device, Dyson developed a new 28-millimetre diameter Hyperdymium motor, which is currently the company’s smallest and fastest motor used in a vacuum. It spins at up to 140,000 revolutions per minute and generates 55 air watts of suction, and in order to fit within the narrow handle, each of its parts was miniaturised without any loss of power.
Alongside the new motor, Dyson also introduced a new dust separation system which uses a two-stage linear airflow path to separate particles from the air. This system captures 99.99% of dust down to 0.3 microns and is designed to prevent filters from clogging, which helps the vacuum stay consistent over time.
All of the dust collected is compressed to ensure that users don’t have to continuously empty the debris’ storage unit. When that moment comes, the vacuum cleaner comes with a new ejection mechanism that pushes debris out in one movement while wiping the internal surfaces of the bin clean. Furthermore, the debris bin holds the equivalent of five times more compressed dust than its 0.08-litre volume would typically accommodate.
But there’s more. The product comes with a swappable battery system that provides up to 60 minutes of suction time per charge and a magnetic charging dock with tool storage, which is perfect for the two cleaning tools that arrive with the PencilVac. One is a rotating combi-crevice tool that can be used in various positions, including vertical and horizontal orientations, while the other is a conical hair screw tool meant for cleaning carpets, mattresses, and upholstery items.
Dyson’s first connected cordless vacuum
The PencilVac is also the first Dyson cordless vacuum that connects to the MyDyson app, allowing users to receive maintenance notifications, battery information, and cleaning guidance directly on their smartphones. An onboard LCD screen also displays real-time status information, including power mode and remaining run time.
“I have long wanted to make a vacuum of only 38mm diameter (the same as my latest hair dryer, the Supersonic r). But first we needed to develop our most powerful Hyperdymium motor at only 28mm diameter to achieve such a slender machine. Then a new dust separation and compaction system was developed. We have taken cleaner heads in a new direction with our four conical brush bars counter-rotating so that the head simply floats on the floor, giving excellent cleaning in any direction.”
James Dyson, founder of Dyson
