Dyson’s Revamped Robot Vacuum Is a Dust Bunny’s Worst Nightmare

Mar 09, 2023

By Robert Leedham

Before the inevitable AI apocalypse arrives, it sure would be nice if a robot could properly clean our living room first. No, this isn't just the dream of many a slovenly GQ staffer—it's also shared by the vacuum cleaner experts at Dyson whose brand new 360 Vis Nav instantly ranks as the world's most advanced robot vacuum cleaner to date.

Announced alongside the company's new Dyson V15s Detect Submarine—an all-in-one wet-and-dry cordless vacuum cleaner—and a Big+Quiet air purifier that really is quite gargantuan, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav represents the culmination of a floor-sucking journey that's been two decades in the making. Founder Sir James Dyson first created a robot vac prototype way back in 2001, only returning to the concept in 2014 with the much smaller and (mostly) smarter Dyson 360 Eye. Finally, with the Dyson 360 Vis Nav, it seems as though this is a robot vacuum you can actually rely on.

For those who didn't jump straight on the robot vac bandwagon the moment they first caught sight of DJ Roomba in Parks and Recreation, it's worth pointing out that these appliances have a mixed track record to date when they’re not being relied on solely to haunt colleagues with the Black Eyed Peas on loop. Rather than eradicating dirt from your floor, many models tend to shuffle it around the place instead, before getting lost on their way back to the charging dock. With the 360 Vis Nav, Dyson is promising those days are over.

Its Hyperdymium motor claims to deliver six times the suction of any other robot vacuum, while a much-improved 360-degree vision system means this machine can create an accurate map of your home and even zone off certain areas for cleaning or to be left well alone. In other words, your new pup, vintage furniture, and other breakables can rest easy in its company.

"A robot vacuum cleaner should not be a novelty," says Jake Dyson, chief engineer at Dyson. "We know there are many frustrations with current robot vacuum cleaners—some have low suction power, or inefficient navigation systems which that they often get stuck and don't do a proper job of vacuuming. Dyson Engineers have focused on developing machines that overcome these challenges."

While this is all very important stuff for any robot vacuum of note, the other major change to the 360 Vis Nav is its design. Ditching the "stubby puck" aesthetic of past models, this machine instead opts for a flatter and wider build in order to scoop up as much muck and dirt as possible at the first time of asking. Crucially, it also features a new side sweeper, so it can clean closer to the edges of your home meaning there's much less chance that you’ll have to do a quick vac yourself afterwards.

Although the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is by far and away the company's most significant new announcement—especially given its ongoing work in home robotics—it's by no means the only one. With wet and dry vacuums growing in popularity, the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine's arrival will be an instant boon to anyone who likes the idea of a gleaming kitchen floor, but is less infatuated with the manual labor involved. No, this hybrid mop and vacuum head works to eradicate dust, spills, and stains in one fell swoop.

As for the Dyson Big+Quiet air purifier? It really does exactly what it says in its name. The company's quietest air purifier yet, it's designed to bring clean air to large homes and office spaces with up to 87 liters of airflow per second of purified air over 10 meters. For those who don't know much about these things, that's a lot of air the Big+Quiet is pumping out in near serenity. Think of it as the industrial-sized companion to Dyson's truly wild Zone headphones/personal air purifier, which makes you look like Bane while you kick it to the new Dave Matthews album.

By Gerald Ortiz

By The Editors of GQ

By Gerald Ortiz

As of yet, there's no release date set for the Dyson Big+Quiet, but both the 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum and V15s Detect Submarine are due out later this year. So they should sneak into our lives just ahead of the AI apocalypse after all.

This story was originally published on British GQ with the headline, "Dyson's 360 Vis Nav is an all-seeing, all-sucking robot vacuum that'll rule over your home".