I tested Dyson's impossibly compact new vacuum, and it was a revelation – here's why

The Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones is almost impossibly streamlined and lightweight. It isn't powerful enough for carpet, but it's perfect for clearing surface dirt from hard flooring – with the dual dirt-highlighting lasers to reassure you how good a job it's doing. The only major misstep is the angled floorhead, which can't get flush to the edges of rooms. Otherwise, this is an incredible innovation from Dyson.

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  Ultra-light and extremely compact

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  Very nimble and maneuverable

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  Soft rollers excellent on hard floor

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  Compression maximizes bin capacity

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  Lasers illuminate hidden dirt

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  Useful screen counts down runtime

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  Not the most powerful suction

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  Angled floorhead awkward for edges

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  Not suitable for carpet

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  Still rather a small bin

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  Particles get stuck in bin casing

Dyson PencilVac: two-minute review

The Dyson PencilVac looks nothing like any vacuum I've seen before. All the mechanisms – the motor, filters, battery, and even the dust cup ...