What is the Dyson Digital Slim vacuum, and should I buy one?

Dyson tends to make quite a fuss when it releases a new vacuum (and rightly so). But towards the end of 2024 we spotted what looked like a brand new cordless vacuum that had been stealth-launched, with no fanfare: the Dyson Digital Slim.

It’s not a flagship model, and at the time of writing it was only available direct from Dyson in the US, although there are Amazon listings in both the US and AU. It looks to be a pared-back, slimmed-down, more budget-friendly alternative to the brand’s flagship models. (It’s not to be confused with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, another non-flagship model, which launched alongside the Dyson V15 Detect in 2021.)

We haven’t had a chance to test this one out ourselves yet, so ahead of our official review, here’s everything we know about the Dyson Digital Slim, and how it compares to the rest of the best Dyson vaccums…

Dyson Digital Slim: design & features

As you might have guessed from the name, one USP here is that this is a more streamlined stick vacuum option. The Digital Slim is lighter than any of the flagship Dyson stick vacuums, with a shorter overall height. It also has the smallest dust cup – one that’s small enough to be annoying if you have a larger home or are dealing with lots of dirt or pet hair. Although one saving grace is that the bin-emptying mechanism is the current, simplified design found on the newest models.

Dyson is widely considered to be one of the best cordless vacuum brands, and you’re getting all the standard benefits of other stick models. Namely, it’s easy to maneuver with a super-pivotable floorhead, it comes with an optional wall dock for charging, there’s no cord to fuss around with, and it can easily be converted into a handheld by removing the wand and adding a detail tool.

It’s operated via a trigger, which needs to be continuously depressed. Only the newest Gen5detect replaces this with a more finger-friendly one-touch button. You can choose between three suction modes – low, medium and high.

Information is conveyed via a small LCD screen on the main body of the vacuum. This will tell you how much battery you have left (in hours and minutes) and which mode you’re using, as well as alerting you of any maintenance tasks that need doing – for example, if the filter needs cleaning. That screen is a relatively modern addition in the Dyson vacuum range, first introduced in 2019 with the Dyson V11.

The Digital Slim has an inline design, where the wand, bin, cyclones and motor are all stacked one after the other. This was introduced with the Dyson V11, and is designed to maximize suction efficiency.

Under the hood, there’s a Hyperdymium motor that rotates at 120,000rpm. That’s actually a better motor than you’ll find on the Dyson V8, the oldest flagship model in the current lineup, although Dyson says it generates slightly less suction than that model overall. Filtering is in line with older flagships – designed to capture 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.

At a maximum of 40 minutes, the battery life matches the V8. That increases to 60 minutes on the V11 and V15, and to 70 minutes on the Gen5detect, but it’s important to note that the extra power comes with the payoff of extra weight. 40 minutes of cleaning (or less, if you need to amp up to medium suction model) should still be plenty for most smaller homes.

In terms of Dyson tools and floorheads, it’s a minimal selection included with the Digital Slim. The floorhead is a Motorbar with hair-detangling features, and suitable for use on both hard floor and carpet (there’s no extra Fluffy floorhead, specialized for hard floor use). You’ll also get a Combination tool, which includes a smaller nozzle and brush for general detail cleaning, and a longer Crevice tool for getting into narrow spaces. Other tools may be compatible, and the extras can vary depending on retailer, so it’s worth double-checking what’s included before you buy.

As you’d expect, you’re not getting the fancier features that come with the newest Dyson stick vacs. There’s no automatic suction adjustment based on floor type or dirt levels, no real-time reports on what’s being sucked up, and no laser-equipped Fluffy floorhead for illuminating dust on your hard floors. However, for many, these kinds of features aren’t essential.

Dyson Digital Slim: price & availability

The Dyson Digital Slim started appearing online in fall/winter 2024. At the time of writing, it was only available to buy direct from Dyson in the US, at a list price of $499.99 but discounted to $249.99 (also at the time of writing). It’s also on sale via Amazon US, with the same discount. In Australia, it’s not available to buy direct from Dyson, but does have an Amazon AU listing, with a price of AU$813.26. It’s currently not available in the UK.

At list price, that places the Digital Slim between the V8 (at $469.99) and the V11 (at $569.99). However, if we take the discounted price, it’s the cheapest Dyson cordless stick vacuum option by some margin.

At TechRadar, our mid-range price bracket for vacuums is $250-$500. Anything above that is premium, and below is budget – so at it’s discounted price, the Digital Slim would be considered a budget model. It’s more advanced than most of today’s best cheap vacuums, with features like the LCD screen for information.

Dyson Digital Slim: specs

Below, we’ve compared the Digital Slim with the least advanced Dyson stick vacuum in the current lineup (the Dyson V8), the newest and most advanced (the Dyson Gen5detect), and a mid-range model (Dyson V11).

Should I buy the Dyson Digital Slim?

Considering buying it if…

Don’t buy it if…