Dyson V11 Outsize vacuum – size matters (cleaning review)

The Dyson V11 Outsize addresses a few pain points most stick vacs have. A wider motorised cleaning head and a larger dustbin are part of the equation. It is for big jobs.

It goes a bit further.

  • A click-in replaceable battery. Not that you will need it in a typical home, but it is nice to be able to replace it on the go if you run out of juice or buy a new one to extend its life to 10+ years – as Dyson quality allows.
  • A massive 1.9L dust bin. It is 150% bigger than the standard .76L (and a lot bigger than the usual .4L in other brands) and most welcome as we usually empty the standard bin twice during a run.
  • A 32cm wide head – 25% wider than the standard. This reduces cleaning time (down the straight!), but a larger head also means it can’t necessarily get into tighter places. Still, it does reduce time.

Dyson V11 Outsize

WebsiteProduct Page
Price$1309 for the Dyson V11 Outsize (Red, 5 tools), $14349 for the Pro version (Gold, 8 tools)
 Spare battery $199
 Dyson floor standing Dock $149
Warranty2-year if you register online
Country of OriginMalaysia
 British engineer Sir James Dyson founded Dyson in 1991. It designs and manufactures household appliances such as vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, hand dryers, bladeless fans, heaters, beauty appliances, and lights.
FromDyson online with free Australia-wide delivery, 45-day money-back guarantee and most major electrical retailers.
MoreCyberShack Dyson news and reviews

First Impression – big

In fact, my wife decided that despite its magnificence, she preferred the smaller Dyson V15 Detect simply because it was lighter, 3kg versus 3.6kg.

But there is no arguing that the 32cm head gets the job done faster, and the big bin is a wonder for dirty homes.

Otherwise, it’s a Dyson and all the engineering that entails.

 Battery Life

The battery is a seven-cell, 25.2V DC, 3600mAh and 91Wh. The charger is 30.45V/1.1A – these are the same as the 2019 V11. But the removable battery makes all the difference.

It has three modes – Auto (it thinks for us), Eco (lower suction for longer life) and Boost (battery sucking but great for dirty surfaces and shag pile).

After a full charge (up to five hours before the flashing blue LEDs extinguish), the Auto readout shows 60 minutes estimated life. We say ‘estimated’ as it needs to learn your patterns to be more exact. You can charge the battery on or off the vacuum.

Test One – the whole of home

We started with 60 minutes ‘in the tank’, and after 15 minutes of vacuuming on hardwood floors, it shows 45-minutes left.

Then to the three carpeted bedrooms, and with an appreciable increase in suction power, it dips to an estimated 20 minutes left.

Then to the two tiled bathrooms and large entry foyer, it goes back to 30-minutes left.

Total vacuum time was 32 minutes, so it should give 60 minutes use.

Test two – endurance

We tested the torque head using Low, Medium and Boost on a carpet tile. Low ran for 60 minutes, medium for 40 minutes and Boost for 9 minutes. The Auto setting favours low to medium speeds in a typical house.

Test three – a vacuum defeating rug

A designer, deep shag pile forest rug defeats most vacuums. With the readout starting at 30 minutes, the torque ramps up and within a few seconds, the readout shows 10, then 9, then 8… At the end of 7 minutes, the readout shows low run time. The key here is to adjust the power-head height so it does not bog in. Interestingly when we fire it up again on the timber floor, it shows 15 minutes left.

Why the detail? Because runtime is directly related to suction needed. Auto or Eco is generally fine for wood and tiled floors, medium for carpets and Boost for lots of detritus.

Dyson’s claim of 60-minutes of fade-free power is correct. So, if your present home takes less than 60 minutes to vacuum, a single battery will do it.

Dynamic Load Sensor (DLS) – 32cm wide head

The variable torque motorised direct-drive works on all floor types. It has nylon bristles (brush) and anti-static carbon-fibre filaments (fine dust). It also has a slider control to adjust suction. Most will leave this on the middle setting, but you can adjust for different floor types (slightly raises or lowers the head).

It is 65cm high (5cm higher than the standard head) and has good edge cleaning. But it gets caught under some cupboard kickboards – the standard head does not.

It is faster in a straight line and marginally reduce vacuum time. But in corners and under chairs, the wider head can be an issue. The smaller 25cm head fits almost everywhere; the 32cm head can get in the way. It is not a significant issue, but we did notice that we needed to use a mini-brush in some spots where the small head just did it all.

Accessories – depends on the model

  • High Torque 32cm motorised head
  • Mr Fluffy is a 25cm direct-drive soft roller head for hard floors.
  • 14.5cm motorised hair screw for hair removal
  • The accessories brushes include a stubborn dirt brush (stiff bristles); dusting brush (soft); crevice tool; and a combo tool.

Power

Dyson does not publish power levels – Air Watts (AW) or motor watts. ModernCastle claims the Outsize is 220AW, and the V11 is 185AW – Boost mode.

LG A9 claims it has a 140W motor that equates to 175 AW. In theory, Dyson has more power.

Cleaning/Maintenance

Remove the wand or tool, place the vacuum over a rubbish bin and pull the lever down.

You can also wipe clean the interior of the plastic bin (easy to remove) and brush the aluminium filter.

You must wash the top cap filter when the LCD readout says. This is easy, but it can take a day or more to dry.

The motorised head brush is easily removable to clean wrap-around hair and detritus.

Weight/use

It has a trigger grip (like holding a pistol) which means your arm and wrist are straight out. Dyson claims this is the best ergonomic layout as the vacuum becomes an extension of the arm.

Regardless, the whole unit, including vacuum (1.7kg), battery (770g), wand (246g) and full-width head (876g), total weight about 3.6kg. That is about 500g (a pound of butter) heavier than the V11 Absolute Extra.

Noise

In Eco mode, it varies between 64-67dB. In Auto mode between 67-70-dB. In Boost from 75-80dB (depends on the floor type).

As a handheld

The V11 Outsize is a little too large if you connect a tool directly to the barrel. It simply gets in the way of cleaning car seats, windowsills, and tight spaces. A flexible extension wand or even a short or telescopic wand would make a vast improvement.

CyberShack’s view – Dyson V11 Outsize – is bigger better?

If you have a large home, then bigger is better. But its extra weight and less manoeuvrable big motorised head make the V15 Detect the one to buy.

This is also suited to shops and offices where speed is more important than finesse.

Dyson V11 Outsize

From $1399
8.5

Features

8.5/10

Value

8.0/10

Performance

9.0/10

Ease of Use

8.0/10

Design

8.8/10

Pros

  • Large capacity dust bin
  • Wide head is suitable for most floor surfaces
  • Removable battery
  • Easy to maintain
  • Fastest down the straight

Cons

  • Heavier and less manoeuvrable in tight spaces
  • Not great as a handheld for the car etc