Latest news with #PencilVac
Vogue Singapore
2 days ago
- Vogue Singapore
"The goal is to set something up so that it grows beyond your own lifetime": Sir James Dyson on his design legacy
The new Dyson PencilVac is a true testament to the brand's innovative spirit. With a body that is the same width as the handle of a Dyson Supersonic hairdryer, it is the world's slimmest vacuum, and weighs only 1.8kg. Coupled with a cleaner head that swivels in all directions and cleans from both front and back, it practically floats across the floor with little to no effort. In the meantime, four fluffy conical brush bars at the bottom work to quickly untangle long hair so that they don't get stuck in the process. When the cleaning's done, a new hygienic bin emptying system allows you to thoroughly clear out the dirt without getting your hands dirty at all. All this to say, the PencilVac makes the act of vacuuming as easy and painless as it can get—at least until Dyson eventually dreams up something new down the line. None of which is surprising, of course, given that Sir James Dyson himself founded the company in 1991 by inventing the world's first bagless vacuum. Created to solve the problem of bagged vacuums losing suction as they picked up dirt, the seminal product took five years and 5,127 prototypes to perfect. Since then, the brand has grown into an empire that is constantly pushing the boundaries of technology as we know it—built on James Dyson's revolutionary vision. In a rare interview whilst in town for the launch of the Dyson PencilVac in Singapore, he opens up on his design ethos, the future of innovation and the legacy he hopes to leave behind. James Dyson with the PencilVac's new Fluffycones cleaner head. Courtesy of Dyson Dyson is constantly making breakthroughs when it comes to appliances—how do you decide what technological boundaries to push, or what problems to solve next? We're all consumers, using things every day. As an engineer, you judge whether it's good or not, and when you can see something's being done badly, you want to do it better. Mostly, it's pretty obvious, like how a vacuum cleaner with a bag is a bad idea. I knew it was a bad idea when I was nine and my mother made me vacuum the house, but people weren't expressing this because that's all there was back then. In breaking the mould, is there ever a fear that consumers will not respond to a product well? If you're doing something different and new, sometimes it'll catch on, sometimes it won't. You can't guarantee a new product would be successful. Nobody can, and that's what makes it exciting. I never want to be a gambler, but I do gamble with products. I didn't know whether people wanted a vacuum cleaner without bags. All you can hope is that people think in the same way that you do. What was the thought process behind creating the Dyson PencilVac? Everybody complains that vacuums are too heavy. Everybody complains that hairs get wrapped around the brush bar. By the way, I love complaints, because they give me ideas. But the PencilVac is designed to solve those problems. James Dyson demonstrating the PencilVac's ability to lie flat to clean under furniture. Courtesy of Dyson Over the course of your career, do you feel like your approach to design and innovation has evolved? Conceptually, not much. What was slightly unusual about my approach at the beginning was that I trained as a designer and then became an engineer. But at the time, in the 1960s, that was quite a bold decision. There were engineers on the one hand, and industrial designers on the other, and never the two shall meet. They were opposing camps. One wore white coats and the other wore pink shirts and drew things with felt tip pens. But I decided that was wrong, and that how something looked and how it worked were strictly mixed up and should be done by the same person. So I figured that out, and went against the flow, and that hasn't changed during my life. I've gone on doing that. Of course, everything else has changed. Software has come a long way, and all sorts of things like that, but my basic approach is the same. I'm not splitting design away from engineering—it's the same thing. The principle I started with has stayed with me. How do you know when the design is truly done, especially when innovation is ongoing? The lovely thing about engineers and scientists is they're never satisfied. So if you left it to them, they would never produce a product, because they just go on improving it and changing it. You set out to produce something, and halfway along, you have another idea, or you discover a better way of doing it—which is great, but it mustn't stop you from bringing out the thing you set out to develop. So you have to have a goal, and when you meet the goal, then you put it into production. James Dyson with the new PencilVac. Courtesy of Dyson As an inventor, do you believe that new is always better? Not always, but as the world changes, we've got to try and improve things, even if sometimes we don't succeed. I hope that most new things are an improvement, otherwise they couldn't sell. But regardless, we should move forward. You are 78 this year. You've been designing for five decades now, and have grown Dyson into an empire. What is the legacy you hope to leave behind? Nothing stands still—not time or technology or design. The world changes so fast all the time. But inside I still feel young, even as the body starts failing. I'll go on doing this as long as I can. It's a bit like planting trees. I plant trees now, and I might never see them grow fully in my lifetime. But it doesn't mean I shouldn't do it. I'm doing it for other people. The goal is to set something up so that things can change and grow way beyond your own lifetime. I'm really lucky because I have a son who loves doing what I'm doing, so the company will carry on, and he'll do it in a slightly different way—and probably better than me. Find out more about the new Dyson PencilVac here .
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Expert reveals why you MUST change your ‘outside' clothes as soon as you get home & the bad habit that's making you ill
WE'D all like to think that we take great pride in our clean home. But while many of regularly 2 From chilling on your sofa to sharing towels, there are plenty of habits that spread germs around your home 2 While plonking the luggage on your bed may seem harmless, it might be time to rethink that, the experts warned Credit: Getty Perhaps unsurprisingly, people need to think about anything that's been in contact with places where germs are. Some of these, such as the soles of your shoes and However, there are plenty more unexpected ways harmful bacteria could be making their way in, Kim Hardie, professor in bacterial pathogenesis at Nottingham University, and Change into new clothes By now, most of us should - hopefully - be aware that wearing your outdoor shoes and boots in the read more on homes But the same thing goes for the clothing you've worn to the ''The habit that always grosses me out personally is sitting on (or even getting into) your bed wearing the clothes you just sat on public transport in,'' said Ella. ''The amount of germs your clothes can pick up, carry and transfer is shocking. ''Additionally, not changing when you get home can inflame allergies such as Most read in Fabulous Don't chuck your suitcase on the bed With holiday season now in full force, millions of Brits will be jetting off to somewhere nice and sunny - which also means packing the suitcase. While plonking the luggage on your bed may seem harmless, it might be time to rethink that, the experts warned. Sun tests world's thinnest vacuum at Dyson HQ – and 'PencilVac' is SAS of cleaning After being chucked on the To keep your home pristine and germ-free, always give the luggage a good clean between trips. Clean your handbags Similarly, our handbags come with us pretty much everywhere, especially during the busy Your bag is essentially like the soles of your shoes - it sits on the floor of the bus or train or a dirty seat on public transport. Then, it finds itself on the kitchen counter where dinner is getting prepared - or your ''I think people underestimate or simply forget how dirty our bags are, but it doesn't take an expert to realise how much bacteria and grime lurks on public transport,'' said Ella. ' 'I try to wipe mine down with a leather safe, anti-bacterial wipe most days.'' 10 Grossest Areas People Forget to Clean By Under and Behind the Fridge Crumbs, dust, and spills accumulate over time, attracting pests and creating bad odours. Shower Curtain & Liner These collect mildew and soap scum but are often overlooked. Wash or replace them regularly to keep your bathroom fresh. Toothbrush Holder One of the germiest places in the bathroom, filled with bacteria and toothpaste residue. Rinse and disinfect it weekly. Dishwasher Filter Food particles and grease build up, leading to unpleasant smells and reduced efficiency. Remove and clean the filter every few weeks. Washing Machine Seal The rubber gasket traps mould, mildew, and detergent buildup. Wipe it down with white vinegar and leave the door open to air dry. Light Switches and Remote Controls Touched daily but rarely cleaned, making them germ hotspots. Wipe them down with disinfectant regularly. Under the Sofa Cushions Crumbs, dust, and even lost items hide in the cracks. Remove the cushions and vacuum thoroughly. Kitchen Sink & Plughole Food residue builds up, causing bad odours. Pour boiling water, bicarbonate of soda, and vinegar down the drain to freshen it. Ceiling Fans Dust piles up on the blades and gets redistributed into the air when turned on. Use a microfibre cloth or pillowcase to clean them easily. Doormats They trap dirt and bacteria from shoes but are rarely washed or vacuumed. Shake them out weekly and deep clean them every month. Head to her Instagram pages for more cleaning information @ Don't forget about your phone Another big enemy is your But when it comes to spreading germs, phones are one of the worst offenders, Professor Hardie warned. In fact, studies ''have shown that smartphones carry significantly more bacteria than toilet seats, so keep that in mind next time you're cuddled up in bed with yours'', Ella added. Be aware of the dangers when sharing towels A busy family bathroom in the early morning when everyone is rushing to get out of the house? All of us have been there. But don't go reaching to the nearest towel you can find. Sharing towels could risk skin infections, warned Professor Hardie. Some of these include athlete's foot, verrucas,
The Sun
20-06-2025
- The Sun
I tried world's thinnest vacuum at Dyson's labs – skinny ‘PencilVac' is the SAS of cleaning gear with three killer perks
Sean Keach, Head of Technology and Science Published: Invalid Date, AM I really looking forward to cleaning? Dyson has achieved two impossible feats: making me thrilled about the idea of tidying the floor, and inventing the world's slimmest vacuum. I'm not sure which is more impressive. 10 It's called the PencilVac, and I've had a go with it behind closed doors at Dyson's Oxfordshire labs. Before I even grabbed the thing, I was blown away. Surely this is just a broom in disguise? Is Sir James Dyson having me on? It measures a frankly ludicrous 38mm across. That's about three Dairy Milk bars stacked on top of each other. BIN-CREDIBLE! All of the usual Dyson tech – the batteries, bin, and motor – has been crammed into the handle. So you've got battery cells at the top, followed by the computer system, then a shrunken motor that's Dyson's fastest yet. Next comes the bin, which uses a new compression system to fit five times more dust than its apparent 0.08-litre capacity. After all, Dyson tells me that most of a 'full' bin is usually air – so there's plenty of room for squashing. Then there's a dust separation mechanism, brush bars, and a Fluffycones cleaner head with a cone design that shifts long hair off to the side – so it can be sucked back up instead of requiring you to cut it out with scissors. You don't see most of this, of course. PencilVac just looks like a Dyson that's been hitting the treadmill. I'LL Naturally it all sounds like a vacuum cleaning dream, so I grab the handle and away I go. Watch Sir James Dyson unveil secret PencilVac, world's slimmest vacuum cleaner 10 It's feathery light and easy to manoeuvre. Dyson has built a kind of vacuum cleaning assault course for me that I whizz along effortlessly. I suspect my success is down to the gadget's hi-tech design and not my own cleaning skill – but they don't crush my dreams. This course has straights and hairpin bends – the Nürburgring of vacuuming. And at the end is a low shelf that I drop straight under. This thing lays almost flat – which is no surprise, given that is pretty much is flat. DYSON PENCILVAC – THE TECH SPECS Here's what you need to know... Size: 38mm x 226mm x 1,160mm (W x L x H) Weight: 1.8 kilos Motor: Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor Motor RPM: 140,000 Filtration: Up to 99.99% (dow to 0.3 microns) Runtime: Up to 30 minutes Charge time: Four hours Cleaner Head: Fluffycones cleaner head (for detangling long hair and to-edge cleaning) Accessories: Rotating combi-crevice tool / conical hair screw for mattresses and stairs / magnetic floor-charging dock Picture Credit: Dyson 10 It feels like a tactical weapon: the sort of thing that SAS squaddies would use if dust mites were the baddies. Helping this image is a built-in laser that exposes dirt and debris. It's the vacuuming equivalent of night vision goggles and a red-dot sight. I dart between objects with stunning agility. I was born to do this. The room fades away. I daydream about running off with it, and living out my days as a kind of vacuuming sensei, cleaning the most complicated floor-spaces I can find. But I can't become Dyson's Mr Miyagi just yet, because the PencilVac isn't out until 2026, and still doesn't have a UK price. SIR JAMES DYSON SPEAKS TO THE SUN Here's what famed British inventor Sir James Dyson told The Sun's Sean Keach... Does PencilVac mark the beginning of a whole new era for vacuum cleaner design? Yes, it's a reinvention of the format of the vacuum cleaner – our third reinvention in fact! We started off by removing the bag to ensure vacuums didn't lose suction. Then we pioneered the simplicity and ease of cleaning with really powerful battery-powered cordless vacuums, which were lighter and much easier to use. Now, with the Dyson PencilVac, we're taking it a stage further, pioneering a new way to clean. All the technology is contained in a very slim handle that is just 38mm in diameter. The new Fluffycones cleaner head floats across floors making it very manoeuvrable as you clean; all while it detangles long hair, so you don't have to worry about that. A vacuum cleaner this thin must have seemed impossible for years – when did you first realise it was possible to actually manufacture a working device like this? When something seems impossible, it makes us as engineers want to solve it all the more! Especially if people say, 'It can't be done.' I've wanted to make a vacuum like the Dyson PencilVac for many years. But it required us to miniaturise everything about the product – which is a huge task. The diameter of our hair tools was the inspiration. Through lots of research, we realised that 38mm is the optimal size for most people to hold, and so this was the diameter chosen for our hair tools like the Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap multi-styler and dryer. In order to fit it in the handle of the machine, we had to reengineer every component of the motor – down to the micron – while increasing its speed to 140,000RPM and maximising its power density for high-performance. It was clear that we couldn't use cyclones for the dust separation, because they were too big for the 38mm diameter, so we had to develop something entirely new. The new slim, in-line format meant we could use dust compression technology in a small diameter, but over a long area to maximise the bin capacity, all while ensuring effective filtration performance and no loss of suction. What was the biggest challenge to overcome in building the PencilVac? Developing the new Fluffycones cleaner head was perhaps the greatest challenge we faced – but also the most rewarding! We wanted to develop a cleaner head that would detangle hair, clean right up to skirting boards, and pick up dust and debris in all directions – a cleaner head that would solve many frustrations with existing cleaner heads. The new Fluffycones cleaner head features four conical brush bars. The challenge was engineering the drive system to ensure that all four cones, which are powered by two motors and four epicyclic gear boxes, spin at the same, consistent speed while maintaining its 7.5-degree angle for optimal pick-up performance. I'm delighted not only that we managed this, but in doing so made a vacuum cleaner which is a joy to use. Who do you see PencilVac being the perfect vacuum cleaner for? Once you've used it, and felt it float effortlessly across the floor, you'll realise it's unlike anything that has come before. It may be the only vacuum cleaner you need! Picture Credit: Dyson 10 CLEAN-UP TIME It's a thrilling bit of kit, which might be the first time that's ever been said about a vacuum cleaner. This thing is easy to use, takes up very little space, and gets into difficult nooks and crannies. It feels purpose-built for British homes. It'll make cleaning under and around the dining table an absolute breeze. A treat, even. It really is the SAS of cleaning gear: it's light and agile for tactical cleaning operations, it dispatches long hairs with ruthless efficiency, and it has whole-house endurance with a 30-minute runtime. I can already see myself arguing with my wife over who gets to use the PencilVac – but no matter who does, everyone's a winner. Maybe that's the real Dyson magic. 10 10
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
I tried world's thinnest vacuum at Dyson's labs – skinny ‘PencilVac' is the SAS of cleaning gear with three killer perks
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AM I really looking forward to cleaning? Dyson has achieved two impossible feats: making me thrilled about the idea of tidying the floor, and inventing the world's slimmest vacuum. I'm not sure which is more impressive. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 I tried out the impossibly thin PencilVac at Dyson's Malmesbury labs Credit: Sean Keach 10 Dyson mocked up a miniature assault course for PencilVac testing Credit: Sean Keach 10 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach was decked out in proper testing gear for the occasion Credit: Sean Keach It's called the PencilVac, and I've had a go with it behind closed doors at Dyson's Oxfordshire labs. Before I even grabbed the thing, I was blown away. Surely this is just a broom in disguise? Is Sir James Dyson having me on? It measures a frankly ludicrous 38mm across. That's about three Dairy Milk bars stacked on top of each other. BIN-CREDIBLE! All of the usual Dyson tech – the batteries, bin, and motor – has been crammed into the handle. So you've got battery cells at the top, followed by the computer system, then a shrunken motor that's Dyson's fastest yet. Next comes the bin, which uses a new compression system to fit five times more dust than its apparent 0.08-litre capacity. After all, Dyson tells me that most of a 'full' bin is usually air – so there's plenty of room for squashing. Then there's a dust separation mechanism, brush bars, and a Fluffycones cleaner head with a cone design that shifts long hair off to the side – so it can be sucked back up instead of requiring you to cut it out with scissors. You don't see most of this, of course. PencilVac just looks like a Dyson that's been hitting the treadmill. I'LL Naturally it all sounds like a vacuum cleaning dream, so I grab the handle and away I go. Watch Sir James Dyson unveil secret PencilVac, world's slimmest vacuum cleaner 10 You'd think the PencilVac was a broom if you squinted Credit: Dyson 10 The bin for dust and debris is built right into the handle's lower half Credit: Dyson It's feathery light and easy to manoeuvre. Dyson has built a kind of vacuum cleaning assault course for me that I whizz along effortlessly. I suspect my success is down to the gadget's hi-tech design and not my own cleaning skill – but they don't crush my dreams. This course has straights and hairpin bends – the Nürburgring of vacuuming. And at the end is a low shelf that I drop straight under. This thing lays almost flat – which is no surprise, given that is pretty much is flat. DYSON PENCILVAC – THE TECH SPECS Here's what you need to know... Size: 38mm x 226mm x 1,160mm (W x L x H) Weight: 1.8 kilos Motor: Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor Motor RPM: 140,000 Filtration: Up to 99.99% (dow to 0.3 microns) Runtime: Up to 30 minutes Charge time: Four hours Cleaner Head: Fluffycones cleaner head (for detangling long hair and to-edge cleaning) Accessories: Rotating combi-crevice tool / conical hair screw for mattresses and stairs / magnetic floor-charging dock Picture Credit: Dyson 10 There's even room for a computer system with a built-in display Credit: Sean Keach 10 The PencilVac is built for manoeuvrability – and it really works Credit: Sean Keach It feels like a tactical weapon: the sort of thing that SAS squaddies would use if dust mites were the baddies. Helping this image is a built-in laser that exposes dirt and debris. It's the vacuuming equivalent of night vision goggles and a red-dot sight. I dart between objects with stunning agility. I was born to do this. The room fades away. I daydream about running off with it, and living out my days as a kind of vacuuming sensei, cleaning the most complicated floor-spaces I can find. But I can't become Dyson's Mr Miyagi just yet, because the PencilVac isn't out until 2026, and still doesn't have a UK price. SIR JAMES DYSON SPEAKS TO THE SUN Here's what famed British inventor Sir James Dyson told The Sun's Sean Keach... Does PencilVac mark the beginning of a whole new era for vacuum cleaner design? Yes, it's a reinvention of the format of the vacuum cleaner – our third reinvention in fact! We started off by removing the bag to ensure vacuums didn't lose suction. Then we pioneered the simplicity and ease of cleaning with really powerful battery-powered cordless vacuums, which were lighter and much easier to use. Now, with the Dyson PencilVac, we're taking it a stage further, pioneering a new way to clean. All the technology is contained in a very slim handle that is just 38mm in diameter. The new Fluffycones cleaner head floats across floors making it very manoeuvrable as you clean; all while it detangles long hair, so you don't have to worry about that. A vacuum cleaner this thin must have seemed impossible for years – when did you first realise it was possible to actually manufacture a working device like this? When something seems impossible, it makes us as engineers want to solve it all the more! Especially if people say, 'It can't be done.' I've wanted to make a vacuum like the Dyson PencilVac for many years. But it required us to miniaturise everything about the product – which is a huge task. The diameter of our hair tools was the inspiration. Through lots of research, we realised that 38mm is the optimal size for most people to hold, and so this was the diameter chosen for our hair tools like the Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap multi-styler and dryer. In order to fit it in the handle of the machine, we had to reengineer every component of the motor – down to the micron – while increasing its speed to 140,000RPM and maximising its power density for high-performance. It was clear that we couldn't use cyclones for the dust separation, because they were too big for the 38mm diameter, so we had to develop something entirely new. The new slim, in-line format meant we could use dust compression technology in a small diameter, but over a long area to maximise the bin capacity, all while ensuring effective filtration performance and no loss of suction. What was the biggest challenge to overcome in building the PencilVac? Developing the new Fluffycones cleaner head was perhaps the greatest challenge we faced – but also the most rewarding! We wanted to develop a cleaner head that would detangle hair, clean right up to skirting boards, and pick up dust and debris in all directions – a cleaner head that would solve many frustrations with existing cleaner heads. The new Fluffycones cleaner head features four conical brush bars. The challenge was engineering the drive system to ensure that all four cones, which are powered by two motors and four epicyclic gear boxes, spin at the same, consistent speed while maintaining its 7.5-degree angle for optimal pick-up performance. I'm delighted not only that we managed this, but in doing so made a vacuum cleaner which is a joy to use. Who do you see PencilVac being the perfect vacuum cleaner for? Once you've used it, and felt it float effortlessly across the floor, you'll realise it's unlike anything that has come before. It may be the only vacuum cleaner you need! Picture Credit: Dyson 10 The new Fluffycones head has a conical shape that pushes long hairs off to the side so they can be sucked back up immediately – so you don't have to cut them out manually with scissors CLEAN-UP TIME It's a thrilling bit of kit, which might be the first time that's ever been said about a vacuum cleaner. This thing is easy to use, takes up very little space, and gets into difficult nooks and crannies. It feels purpose-built for British homes. It'll make cleaning under and around the dining table an absolute breeze. A treat, even. It really is the SAS of cleaning gear: it's light and agile for tactical cleaning operations, it dispatches long hairs with ruthless efficiency, and it has whole-house endurance with a 30-minute runtime. I can already see myself arguing with my wife over who gets to use the PencilVac – but no matter who does, everyone's a winner. Maybe that's the real Dyson magic. 10 I was one of the first Brits to test out the Dyson PencilVac Credit: Sean Keach 10 Dual lasers allow you to easily see dirt and debris on your floor Credit: Sean Keach Read iconic British inventor Sir James Dyson's exclusive comment piece for The Sun here.
The Irish Sun
20-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
I tried world's thinnest vacuum at Dyson's labs – skinny ‘PencilVac' is the SAS of cleaning gear with three killer perks
AM I really looking forward to cleaning? Dyson has achieved two impossible feats: making me thrilled about the idea of tidying the floor, and inventing the world's slimmest vacuum. I'm not sure which is more impressive. 10 I tried out the impossibly thin PencilVac at Dyson's Malmesbury labs Credit: Sean Keach 10 Dyson mocked up a miniature assault course for PencilVac testing Credit: Sean Keach 10 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach was decked out in proper testing gear for the occasion Credit: Sean Keach It's called the Before I even grabbed the thing, I was blown away. Surely this is just a broom in disguise? Is Sir James Dyson having me on? It measures a frankly ludicrous 38mm across. That's about three Dairy Milk bars stacked on top of each other. BIN-CREDIBLE! All of the usual Dyson tech – the batteries, bin, and motor – has been crammed into the handle. Read more on Dyson So you've got battery cells at the top, followed by the computer system, then a shrunken motor that's Dyson's fastest yet. Next comes the bin, which uses a new compression system to fit five times more dust than its apparent 0.08-litre capacity. After all, Dyson tells me that most of a 'full' bin is usually air – so there's plenty of room for squashing. Then there's a dust separation mechanism, brush bars, and a Fluffycones cleaner head with a cone design that shifts long hair off to the side – so it can be sucked back up instead of requiring you to cut it out with scissors. Most read in Phones & Gadgets You don't see most of this, of course. PencilVac just looks like a Dyson that's been hitting the treadmill. I'LL Naturally it all sounds like a vacuum cleaning dream, so I grab the handle and away I go. Watch Sir James Dyson unveil secret PencilVac, world's slimmest vacuum cleaner 10 You'd think the PencilVac was a broom if you squinted Credit: Dyson 10 The bin for dust and debris is built right into the handle's lower half Credit: Dyson It's feathery light and easy to manoeuvre. Dyson has built a kind of vacuum cleaning assault course for me that I whizz along effortlessly. I suspect my success is down to the gadget's hi-tech design and not my own cleaning skill – but they don't crush my dreams. This course has straights and hairpin bends – the Nürburgring of vacuuming. And at the end is a low shelf that I drop straight under. This thing lays almost flat – which is no surprise, given that is pretty much is flat. DYSON PENCILVAC – THE TECH SPECS Here's what you need to know... Size: 38mm x 226mm x 1,160mm (W x L x H) Weight: 1.8 kilos Motor: Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor Motor RPM: 140,000 Filtration: Up to 99.99% (dow to 0.3 microns) Runtime: Up to 30 minutes Charge time: Four hours Cleaner Head: Fluffycones cleaner head (for detangling long hair and to-edge cleaning) Accessories: Rotating combi-crevice tool / conical hair screw for mattresses and stairs / magnetic floor-charging dock Picture Credit: Dyson 10 There's even room for a computer system with a built-in display Credit: Sean Keach 10 The PencilVac is built for manoeuvrability – and it really works Credit: Sean Keach It feels like a tactical weapon: the sort of thing that SAS squaddies would use if dust mites were the baddies. Helping this image is a built-in laser that exposes dirt and debris. It's the vacuuming equivalent of night vision goggles and a red-dot sight. I dart between objects with stunning agility. I was born to do this. The room fades away. I daydream about running off with it, and living out my days as a kind of vacuuming sensei, cleaning the most complicated floor-spaces I can find. But I can't become Dyson's Mr Miyagi just yet, because the PencilVac isn't out until 2026, and still doesn't have a UK price. SIR JAMES DYSON SPEAKS TO THE SUN Here's what famed British inventor Sir James Dyson told The Sun's Does PencilVac mark the beginning of a whole new era for vacuum cleaner design? Yes, it's a reinvention of the format of the vacuum cleaner – our third reinvention in fact! We started off by removing the bag to ensure vacuums didn't lose suction. Then we pioneered the simplicity and ease of cleaning with really powerful battery-powered cordless vacuums, which were lighter and much easier to use. Now, with the Dyson PencilVac, we're taking it a stage further, pioneering a new way to clean. All the technology is contained in a very slim handle that is just 38mm in diameter. The new Fluffycones cleaner head floats across floors making it very manoeuvrable as you clean; all while it detangles long hair, so you don't have to worry about that. A vacuum cleaner this thin must have seemed impossible for years – when did you first realise it was possible to actually manufacture a working device like this? When something seems impossible, it makes us as engineers want to solve it all the more! Especially if people say, 'It can't be done.' I've wanted to make a vacuum like the Dyson PencilVac for many years. But it required us to miniaturise everything about the product – which is a huge task. The diameter of our hair tools was the inspiration. Through lots of research, we realised that 38mm is the optimal size for most people to hold, and so this was the diameter chosen for our hair tools like the Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap multi-styler and dryer. In order to fit it in the handle of the machine, we had to reengineer every component of the motor – down to the micron – while increasing its speed to 140,000RPM and maximising its power density for high-performance. It was clear that we couldn't use cyclones for the dust separation, because they were too big for the 38mm diameter, so we had to develop something entirely new. The new slim, in-line format meant we could use dust compression technology in a small diameter, but over a long area to maximise the bin capacity, all while ensuring effective filtration performance and no loss of suction. What was the biggest challenge to overcome in building the PencilVac? Developing the new Fluffycones cleaner head was perhaps the greatest challenge we faced – but also the most rewarding! We wanted to develop a cleaner head that would detangle hair, clean right up to skirting boards, and pick up dust and debris in all directions – a cleaner head that would solve many frustrations with existing cleaner heads. The new Fluffycones cleaner head features four conical brush bars. The challenge was engineering the drive system to ensure that all four cones, which are powered by two motors and four epicyclic gear boxes, spin at the same, consistent speed while maintaining its 7.5-degree angle for optimal pick-up performance. I'm delighted not only that we managed this, but in doing so made a vacuum cleaner which is a joy to use. Who do you see PencilVac being the perfect vacuum cleaner for? Once you've used it, and felt it float effortlessly across the floor, you'll realise it's unlike anything that has come before. It may be the only vacuum cleaner you need! Picture Credit: Dyson 10 The new Fluffycones head has a conical shape that pushes long hairs off to the side so they can be sucked back up immediately – so you don't have to cut them out manually with scissors CLEAN-UP TIME It's a thrilling bit of kit, which might be the first time that's ever been said about a vacuum cleaner. This thing is easy to use, takes up very little space, and gets into difficult nooks and crannies. It feels purpose-built for British homes. It'll make cleaning under and around the dining table an absolute breeze. A treat, even. It really is the SAS of cleaning gear: it's light and agile for tactical cleaning operations, it dispatches long hairs with ruthless efficiency, and it has whole-house endurance with a 30-minute runtime. I can already see myself arguing with my wife over who gets to use the PencilVac – but no matter who does, everyone's a winner. Maybe that's the real Dyson magic. 10 I was one of the first Brits to test out the Dyson PencilVac Credit: Sean Keach 10 Dual lasers allow you to easily see dirt and debris on your floor Credit: Sean Keach Read iconic British inventor Sir James Dyson's exclusive comment piece for The Sun here.
