Dyson cut down the weight in its latest flagship vacuum, but it still isn’t comfortable to use – I asked a Dyson engineer why

I’m a big fan of Dyson vacuum cleaners. They’re nimble, powerful, and they consistently push boundaries when it comes to innovation. However, the one area where they consistently seem to fall down is comfort.

The most recent flagship vacuums are some of the heaviest cordless stick models on the market. And while the older and less tech-packed Dyson options might be lighter, there’s nothing in the way of shaping or padding around the handle, which might boost user comfort.

I had a chance to sit down with Dyson engineer Steph Parker to pick her brains about how the company designs its vacuums – and I started by asking about the weight issue of its flagship models.

Steph explains that when designing the new flagship, the V16 Piston Animal, keeping the weight down was “a key focus” – and, specifically, it was “a target not to go any more weighty than a [previous flagship] Gen5”.

(Image credit: Future)

At the end of this process, Dyson appears to have been successful – the V16 is 7.5lbs / 3.4kg with its wand and main floorhead attached, and the Gen5detect is almost exactly the same weight. Plus, if you take the wands and floorheads off, the newer option is lighter (and more streamlined in shape) than the older model.

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Unfortunately, though, Dyson’s models remain significantly heavier in the context of the wider market. This is one reason that it’s the model down from the Gen5 – the V15 Detect, at 6.8lbs / 3kg – that holds top spot in my ranking of the best Dyson vacuums.

To Dyson’s credit, on both the Gen5detect and the V16 Piston Animal, the company has added a pad above the handle, to bring some cushioning to that area. “It’s designed so that it’s comforting the top of your hand, because that’s where the most of the weight is going,” explains Steph. Ideally, I’d like to see similar padding on the cheaper models, too, because while they might be lighter, I still tend to find they rub awkwardly on my thumb joint when used for long periods.

Getting in shape

The other comfort issue I’ve found with Dyson vacuums is that all their handles are straight-edged, whereas other brands mould theirs to make them more ergonomic. A shaped handle would be especially welcome on Dyson’s heavier, flagship vacuums – the elongated configuration of the top section means they can be especially unwieldy when used in handheld mode, with users benefitting from being able to achieve a more secure grip. Steph says this isn’t on the cards, however.

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(Image credit: Future)

“We fine-tune the sizes of that handle depending on our 95 percentile [so 95 per cent of hand sizes can hold the handle comfortably]. We’d go through multiple testing with user trials, just to make sure it is as comfortable as possible,” she assures me. “But in terms of molding it, that’s basically as far as we’d go to try to make it as comfortable as we can.

I ask if it’s a style choice – after all, Dyson has a distinctive and established design aesthetic, one that leans heavily towards clean lines. However, Steph clarifies that it’s more to do with ensuring the handle is nice and sturdy.

“I think it’s probably mostly focused on structural [aspects] and just making sure the products are as robust as they can be while being comfortable to most of our users,” she continues. “It will go through vigorous testing, so it needs to be structurally sound. And we don’t want a visual kind of design [decision] compromising that at all.”