Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: A pet parent’s dream vacuum
Tangled hair and clogged dustbins are a thing of the past
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For the last nine years, my family has been the proud owner of a Shih Tzu named Carlton. He lives with my mom now and is a sassy, mischievous pup who loves nothing more than snacking on a treat while lounging in a comfy spot. He’s also prone to making messes with his snack crumbs, as well as the copious amounts of grooming he needs to maintain tangle-free fur.
When I learned that Dyson’s newest vacuum in its cordless series was designed specifically with long-haired pets (and people) in mind, I knew I had to put the V16 Piston Animal to the test. I’ve now been using it for a few weeks at home and even brought it along to my mom’s to see how well it stacks up against pet messes in real-time.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum before investing in one for yourself.
What: Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum
Price: $1,100
Where to buy: Best Buy | Dyson
Dyson V16 Piston Animal.
Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum review
The Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum boasts some impressive new technology that makes it ideal for those with pets. It features a new adaptive cleaner head for all floor types that easily suctions pet dander, fur, hair and dirt.
The dual conical cleaner head features two rotating conical brush bars to remove and detangle hair up to 25 inches long as it cleans. This leads to fewer blockages and easy emptying of the dust bin – a feature I’m especially pleased with, since I also shed a fair amount of hair.
This isn’t the only upgrade, either: the V16 Piston Animal has an ample bin size of 1.3L, nearly double the 0.77L size of the Dyson V15 vacuum. It also has a new CleanCompaktor feature that compresses collected dirt and dust to hold three times more debris. Simply slide the lever down, and it presses the contents of the dustbin into the bottom to make more space in the container.
Much like the V15 that introduced an Optic cleaner head, the V16 Piston Animal reveals microscopic dust and dirt you can’t normally see on hard floors with a handy green laser. It illuminates dust, dirt and hair particles on the floor while you’re cleaning, so you don’t miss a single spot.
My experience with the Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum
At my house, the V16 Piston Animal made quick work of our laminate floors, as the dual conical cleaner head illuminated all of the hidden dust with its laser technology. This head worked well on carpet, too. Its powerful suction easily removed dust and hair from a woollen area rug, and was able to tackle the dirt, sand and leaves found on the textured indoor doormat in my entryway.
I’ve also been impressed by the suction power of the combination crevice/upholstery attachment, which I used to clean the dust that had collected on my baseboards. The vacuum uses a Dyson Hyperdymium 900W motor that delivers 315 AW of suction, so it’s no surprise that dirt and dust don’t stand a chance against this vacuum.
At my mom’s house, the vacuum performed just as well at suctioning up pet hair and messes as it did human ones. This was my mom’s first time using a laser-powered vacuum, and she was shocked to see how much dust and hair were hidden in plain sight.
Again, the dual conical cleaner head came in handy as it was able to pick up Carlton’s hair (Shih Tzus actually don’t have fur) from both parquet flooring and area rugs. The sound of the vacuum running didn’t bother him either, so that’s a win in our books.
Favourite features: On button, laser illumination, digital display
On button: Many previous Dyson vacuum models feature a trigger button that needs to be held down to turn the vacuum on and start suctioning. Thankfully, this model has an on-off button instead of a trigger, so you can say goodbye to sore fingers after a long cleaning session.
Laser illumination: This isn’t my first Dyson vacuum, but it is the first that I’ve tried that features the illuminating dust sensor. Let me tell you, it’s a complete game-changer. It’s especially noticeable on wood flooring, where grain patterns can hide dust the most. Note that this feature works when you’re vacuuming hard surfaces, but not on carpets or upholstery.
Digital display: The V16 Piston Animal has a digital display screen that’s handy for a couple of reasons. I really like that it shows you the battery level when the vacuum is charging, and also how much runtime you have left when you’re vacuuming.
Least favourite features: Weight, runtime
Weight: This vacuum weighs in at 7.5 lbs/3.4 kg. That may not sound like a lot, but it feels noticeable after pushing the vacuum around while cleaning or while getting around tight corners. If you have mobility concerns, you may be better off with one of Dyson’s lightweight vacuums, like the 2.5 kg Dyson V8.
Runtime: The V16 Piston Animal boasts a runtime of up to 70 minutes. In my experience, a full battery usually lasts me around 45 minutes. I assume that’s because I’m using the more powerful Auto and Boost modes rather than the more efficient Eco mode. However, I’ve found that Eco mode works best if you’re starting with a relatively clean floor, which isn’t always the case.
Who should consider the Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum
As the name implies, the Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum is well-suited for pet owners. It’s able to suction up even long hair without tangling the vacuum head or dust bin, making cleanup even easier. The $1,100 price tag is on the steep end, but this model does offer some major upgrades over previous versions that even non-pet owners will appreciate.
If you have an older Dyson model that’s due for an upgrade, you’ll likely see an improvement by making the switch to the latest technology. If your V15 is still going strong you probably won’t need to rush out for this model just yet, unless you’re in the market for a wet-dry vacuum like the Submarine version of the V16 Piston Animal.
What: Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum
Price: $1,100
Where to buy: Best Buy | Dyson
Dyson V16 Piston Animal Vacuum summary
Power: The V16 Piston Animal is powered by a Hyperdymium 900W digital motor. It delivers 315 Air Watts (AW) of continuous suction for powerful, fade-free cleaning.
Runtime: Up to 70 minutes
Technology: LCD screen; Dynamic Cyclones system automatically adjusts airflow; laser illumination highlights dust and dirt; pet-friendly design includes hair screw tool 2.0; CleanCompaktor bin compresses dust trappings.
Filtration: Five-stage, reusable HEPA filtration captures 99.99% of particles down to 0.1 microns.
Bin size: 1.3L
Great for: Long hair and pet hair, use on carpet and hard floors. Wall-mounted dock is ideal for condos or homes with limited storage space.
Comes with: Two cleaner heads and six tools – All Floor Cones Sense Cleaner Head, Hair Screw Tool 2.0, combination tool, crevice tool.
Charge time: 3.5 hours
Weight: 7.5 lbs/3.4 kg
Warranty: Two years, parts and labour.
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Before and after using the V16 in my entryway.
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