Dyson V11 Torque Drive, REVIEW

By William | June 14, 2019

An Unbiased Detailed Review of the NEW Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner!

In this review of the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless we will explore the many features and cleaning performance of this new vacuum. Demonstration VIDEOS and Side-by-Side Comparisons are provided for your convenience as well as my recommendation.  Also, alternative suggestions are included for you to consider.

Product Description

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless is engineered to be a whole-house, multi-floor vacuum cleaner that can serve as a Primary vacuum in some cases.

It follows Dyson’s previous successful V10 stick vacuum design with some significant improvements that include: Stronger suction, improved multi-floor cleaning performance, LCD Performance display, and a higher price tag.

Dyson – the Company

Dyson Ltd is listed as a British technology company. It was established in the UK by Sir James Dyson in 1991 to design and manufacture household appliances that include vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, hand dryers, bladeless fans, heater, hair dryers, and lights.

The Dyson brand has become synonymous with the word “Innovation” throughout the household appliance industry. Dyson pioneered bagless vacuum cleaner technology and their corded uprights are renown by many satisfied customers.

As of late, they have focused their attention on cordless stick vacuum cleaner technology and are literally changing the way the world cleans their homes.

Features

• LED Display Screen: Intelligently reports in real time Current Performance, Power Mode, Remaining Run Time, Clean Filter Indicator and Blockage Reports
• Dynamic Load Sensor (DLS) Technology: Torque Cleaner Head Intelligently detects floor differences between carpet and hard floors and automatically adjusts motor speed for optimum performance
• More Suction than any Cord-Free Vacuum, 40% More Suction than the Dyson V8, 20% more than the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute
• Point-&-Shoot Extra Large Dust Cup holds .8 dry qts. and eliminates touching the dirt with fingers
• Up to 60 Minutes of Fade-Free Operating Time in ECO Mode, 25 in AUTO, and 15 in BOOST
• HEPA-Level Full-Machine Filtration removes 99.97% of dangerous particles down to 0.3 microns
• Low Profile for easy cleaning under furniture and other low clearance and tight areas
• Acoustically Engineered for quiet operation removes any unpleasant tones
• Handheld 2-in-1 Vacuum converts with a quick snap off with the wand and snap on with one of the well-designed accessories transforms the V11 into a powerful handheld vacuum for cleaning stairs, furniture, and cars
• Included: Torque Drive Head, Mini-Motorized Tool, Combo Tool, Soft Dusting Brush, Stubborn Dirt Brush, Crevice Tool, Wand Storage Clip, Docking Station, and Charger
• 2 Year Dyson Warranty on Parts & Labor (excludes filter) after registering

Watch this Excellent Customer Review VIDEO of the Dyson V11!

 

REVIEW

By the time I finally got the opportunity to do this Dyson V11 Torque Drive Review, just about everyone and their brother (or sister) had already published theirs.  To be honest with ya I was distracted with a lot of family stuff and wasn’t expecting it be that much of an improvement over the very popular (and less expensive) Cyclone V10 (SEE: Dyson Cyclone V10 at Amazon) .  When I did take a close look at it I realized my assumption had been very wrong, to say the least.

An Evolution of Engineering

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive represents a steady evolution of engineering and technological advancement that has become a hallmark with the brand. Starting with the old, but quite successful V6  and all the way up to the V11, Dyson has demonstrated its determination to establish dominance in the cord-free stick vacuum market.

“Time is our most valuable and limited commodity!”

There was a time when one bread winner with an average income could support a family of 5. Oh how things have changed! Our current economy demands that the average family have two decent incomes to at least have a shot at the American dream. That doesn’t leave much time to relax or for doing the things we love.

Any appliance or tool that promises to save us some time or make our lives easier is usually worth investigating. After all, time is our most valuable and limited commodity!

Everyone’s situation is different but the prospect of having one, two, or three more free hours each month is very compelling. That’s why Dyson, as well as other top vacuum manufactures are seeing skyrocketing sales trends of consumers investing in cordless vacuums.

A Giant Leap!

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Represents a Barrier Breached!

Earlier battery-powered vacuums offered us an option to supplement our cleaning chores. Instead of dragging out the cumbersome corded closet monster every time we clean, a good cordless stick vacuum made it possible to do the day-to-day light cleaning faster and easier. And only use the primary corded vacuum once a month or so for the serious heavy lifting.

Battery and D/C Motor limitations have been a barrier that has prevented the cordless vacuum from replacing the traditional corded vacuum

Dyson engineering has taken cord-free technology a step farther. Actually, it’s more like a giant leap!  Dyson, with their far-thinking engineering staff have actually breached that barrier.

Its last two entries, the Dyson V10 and the new V11 can actually be used as serious primary, whole-house vacuums in many instances.

The Biggest Question: Is the Dyson V11 Worth It?

You’ve probably already noticed the price tag on the V11.

I think the biggest question most people are asking is, is the Dyson V11 worth the hefty price?

I think the answer will have to come from each individual as they weigh the benefits the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless can provide. So, let’s take a look at the features and performance of this exciting new product so you can decide if this product deserves a place in your life.

LED Screen

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless is Equipped with an LED Screen for Intelligent Reports!

Several other name brand manufactures offer their cordless vacs with LED Monitor Screens. Some of them are what I would call gimmicky and do little to enhance the user experience.

However, this is a new feature with the Dyson V Series and it accounts for one of the differences between the V10 model, and the higher price point.

Personally, I really like the concept!

When I vacuum my home my attention tends to drift to other things going on in my life. Having the LED Screen right above my hand feeds me the information I should know while operating a battery-powered vacuum.

Dyson calls this information Intelligent Reports for monitoring the machines operation and condition.

Functions

Remaining Runtime

A common complaint of cordless vacuum owners is not knowing how much more operating time is left before the battery is exhausted. One of the functions of the V11 Torque LED Screen is to monitor battery charge and display the approx. remaining runtime in Countdown format. This information enables you pace yourself and make decisions such as: should I go ahead and vacuum the downstairs bedroom or wait until after a recharge?

Among other differences, the Dyson V11 Animal (SEE: Dyson V11 Animal at Amazon ) DOES have the LED Display, but DOES NOT have the Remaining Runtime function.

Cleaning Modes

Another significant function is to display the Current Mode you have selected.   Dyson calls these “Intelligent Cleaning Modes.” I’m not sure if that means the operator is intelligent for having selected the correct mode. Anyway, I guess it sounds better than just plain “Mode.”

The (3) modes represent a choice of suction power.  When operating a battery-powered vacuum its important to conserve electrical power.  Choosing the appropriate amount of suction for the cleaning task at hand makes sure your are not wasting energy. The more suction you choose, the less operating time you will have.

• ECO Mode: This is the mode you would select for most of your normal cleaning applications. Eco mode is intended for lighter and longer cleans.
• Auto Mode: When Auto Mode is selected the V11 automatically adapts to conditions on a variety of flooring types to provide a balanced amount of suction. Dyson has installed a Dynamic Load Sensor (DLS) in the Torque cleaning head that tells the motor to speed up or slow down as you transition from carpet to hard floors. This feature is intended to optimize the cleaning performance.
• Boost Mode: When you encounter heavy dirt the Boost Mode will provide as much as five minutes of amazing suction power for intensive deep cleaning.

Maintenance Reports

This function tells you when it’s time to Clean the Filter and if there are any Blockages. Dyson has responded to one of the most common customer complaints with battery-powered vacuums.

Because of the smaller filters and smaller air passages typically found on most cordless vacuums, cleaning performance can suffer if a filter becomes too loaded or if there’s a blockage in the air channel system. In my opinion, this feature represents an important advancement in cordless vacuum technology.

In my opinion, the LED Display and the information it provides is very useful for getting the best performance from this machine. This is a feature that you will appreciate more over a period of time and I do believe it is worth the additional cost.

Suction Power

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless has Twice the Suction of any other Cord-Free Vacuum!

I believe most would agree that suction power is a necessity for a vacuum to really do a good job of cleaning. Dyson claims their V11 Torque Drive generates “*Twice the suction of any other cord-free vacuum.”

At 185AW (Air Watts), that’s comparable to some full-size corded plug-in vacuum cleaners. (*Tested at the cleaner head to ASTM F558, dust-loaded, against cord-free stick market.)  However that’s only 15AW’s more than the recently released Tineco PURE ONE S12 rated at 150 Air Watts.

Cleaning Performance of the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless

Carpet

Most cordless stick vacuums I have reviewed did a satisfactory job cleaning low pile carpet and area rugs. The best rated ones performed well on medium pile carpeting, but struggled when it came to long or deep pile carpet.

The V11 Torque Drive cleaning head is designed especially for carpet. Testing showed that the V11 cleans large debris, dirt, and deep down dirt on all carpet with one or two passes.

Not only does the V11 provide deep cleaning on low to high pile carpet, it even cleans soft plush carpet. In fact, you will be amazed at the amount of dirt it will pull out of your long pile plush carpet.

Hardwood

I admit that I was a bit puzzled that Dyson didn’t include a Soft Roller cleaning head like the one that came with the older V8 Absolute.  A vacuum with a spinning brush tends to fling large debris such as dry pet food and cereal.  A soft roller has proven to be a practical solution for dealing with large debris on hard and wood flooring.

As I pointed out the Torque Head of the V11 is equipped with a sensor that tells the motor to speed up for carpet or slow down for hard floors. This feature really does help with the flinging problem but it doesn’t completely eliminate it.

Testing showed that the spinning Torque Drive brush does fling a few pieces of debris here and there but it’s not a big deal.

I view it as a practical compromise that eliminates the issue of having to change floor brush heads each time you transition from carpet to hard floors.

It’s not enough of an issue for me to add or deduct significantly from my overall rating.

In fact, the Dyson V11 is one of the best cordless vacuums for hardwood floors that I have reviewed so far.

Pet Hair

According to a recent survey 70% of American homes have at least one cat or dog in their household. That’s represents a lot of shed pet fur to deal with!

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Stick Vacuum easily removes pet hair from carpet as well as hard and wood floors.

Kitty litter and shredded toys are no match for the V11.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a provision for reducing Hair Wrap like some of the newer corded vacuums.  I suspect that some time in the future this will become a standard feature on Dyson V Series cordless vacs.

Dyson has designed the floor head so it’s easy to access and manually remove any wrapped hair.  So, its not a big issue, even if a person or pet in the household does have long hair.

With the extraordinary suction power and the Dynamic Load Sensor in the vacuum head adjusting the brush speed, the V11 is definitely one of the best cordless vacuums for pet hair management.

Customer Quote: “This little thing is like a shop vac suction wise. If you have pets this is perfect. It gets up pet hair and cat litter very well and the brushes come out of the head very easy to clean out. Yeah it’s expensive, but worth every penny!”

Dirt Cup Capacity and Disposal

A Large Capacity, Point-&-Shoot Dust Cup makes the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Easy to Empty!

Another common customer complaint with cordless vacuums is the limited dirt-holding capacity. Dyson’s previous model, the V10, and the new V11 Torque currently have the largest capacities of all leading competitors at .810 dry quarts.

That will hold a whole lot of dirt and dust, and pet hair.  Hair and carpet fibers tend to take up a lot of space. So, if you do have a pet or relatively new carpet that sheds a lot you will find yourself having to stop and empty the dirt cup more often.

The good news is that Dyson has made that part of the cleaning experience about as easy as it can get. Their cleverly-designed dump mechanism enables you to simply point the dirt bin in the trash can and slide the red handle down.

This opens the hatch door, allowing the loose dirt and debris to fall out at the same time stripping out any stuck hair or fiber clumps. This function completely eliminates the necessity of having to reach in with your fingers or a stick.

This feature alone is a real game changer, especially if you have pets!

Battery

7 Cell Lithium Battery Gives the Dyson V11 20% More Power than the V10 and Up to 60 Minutes of Runtime!

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive utilizes a 7 cell Lithium-Ion battery installed in the lower grip. This larger battery accounts for the longer run time and also accounts for the 1 lb heavier than the V10. This additional weight isn’t a big deal unless you are quite petite or physically challenged. And you’ll only notice it when over-head cleaning. It does give the V11 an improved lower center of gravity that feels better in your hand while vacuuming the floor.

Some shoppers have expressed concern that Dyson designs the cordless vacs with batteries that are built-in. This design prevents them from being readily swapped out for a fully charged battery while on the fly.

I have previously been a strong advocate for cordless vacs with removable/replaceable batteries. Because if you have two battery packs fully charged, you can literally double the run time without having to stop and re-charge.
But with the new V11 that’s not necessary. The one built-in battery provides enough operating time for all but the most extensive cleaning session.

The built-in battery pack that comes with the V11 is removable with a screwdriver and a tutorial video. However, Dyson claims “that won’t be necessary for a long long time.” Unofficially, Dyson has hinted the battery can last up to 15 years.

In reality, after 3 to 4 years of using the V11 you’ll probably be ready to upgrade to the newest V20 or whatever the latest Dyson model happens to be.

Runtime

Another important consideration when shopping for a cordless vacuum is, how long can you operate it before having to quit and recharge.

Every home and every cleaning task is different.  So, stated run times are only approximate and will vary somewhat

Dyson claims up to 60 minutes of run time in ECO Mode.  This mode is intended for light cleaning of carpet and hard floors.   If your home is mostly carpet it will be less but still, even 45 minutes or so is a lot of cleaning time. One customer reported he is able to clean his 5,000 sq. ft. house on one charge. My guess is he doesn’t have any pets or young children at home.  And, I bet he cleans often!

Charging

Charging the battery of the V11 Torque Drive Cordless is accomplished by using a common-looking charger with a pin plug.

You can either lay the vacuum down on the floor near a receptacle or on a table or stand to charge it with the wand removed.  Or you can hang it in the included wall mount to charge it.

The Smart Battery Technology won’t allow you to overcharge it. You can leave it plugged in all the time without fear of damage.

You will find the recharge time from a fully discharged battery to be approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Charger 220V compatibility: The charger does support 220V with a Plug Adapter (Available at Amazon.com)

Filtration

Whole-Machine HEPA-Level Filtration Makes the Dyson V11 an Allergy Sufferers Best Friend!

Of all the features you should give serious consideration when selecting any vacuum cleaner is the Filtration System. Even if you don’t suffer with allergies or Asthma a vacuum cleaner circulates all the dirt on your floors up and into the dirt containment apparatus. If any dangerous particulates such as dust mites, dust mite feces, pollen, mold spores, etc. leak out of the vacuum and into the air it can potentially affect your health.

The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless is equipped with Whole-Machine HEPA-Level Filtration that traps up to 99.97% of those health-damaging particulates down to 0.3 microns.

There are other cordless vacuums that also offer HEPA filtration but some of them have filters that are so small, you have to stop and clean them so often that their not practical. This is not the case with the V11.  You do need to clean it at regular intervals but not as often. That’s why I like the LED Performance Monitor feature, that reminds you when to clean the filter.

And, with the V11 Torque you never have to replace the filters. The HEPA filter is removable and washable and are designed to last for the life of the machine.

User Friendliness of the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless

One of the very attractive attributes of a cordless stick vacuum is the ease of operation. You’re free from dealing with the hassle of a cord and having to plug it in each time you vacuum. Or, having to wrap it up when you’re done.

Cordless stick vacuums are by default light-weight making them easy to clean overhead using just one hand. Although the Dyson V11 weighs in at 6.68 lbs. compared to the Dyson Cyclone V10 at 5.8 lbs. you will probably won’t have any difficulty handling it unless you happen to be physically challenged.

There are other lighter cordless stick vacuums such as the Shark ION Rocket Ultra-Light Vacuum IR101 weighing a minuscule 3.8 lbs. It’s a nice vacuum but doesn’t have as many features or the cleaning power of the V11.

In my opinion, the LED Screen is the most significant user-friendly feature. Having all the important information right in front of you is a welcome benefit you will experience with the V11.

Specs

• Weight: 6.68 pounds
• Overall Length: 50.63 in
• Dust Cup Capacity:  .810 dry quarts
• Suction Rating:  185 Air Watts
• Max. Runtime:  Up to 60 min ECO Mode, 25 AUTO, and 15 BOOST Mode
• Recharge Time:  Approx 3 to 4 hrs.

Thoughts and Recommendation

After reviewing the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum I find myself re-thinking my overall opinion of battery-operated stick vacuums.

Up until the release of the Dyson Cyclone V10 and the new V11 I viewed these wonder brooms as somewhat of a novelty with limited benefits. I’ve never really endorsed the proposition that they could be used as a primary, one-and-only vacuum.

The Dyson V11 is the first cordless stick vacuum I can say with confidence “this is the only vacuum you will need!” Except for unique situations such as multiple fur-shedding pets plus multiple young children in the home the V11 can provide all the cleaning utility you need.

Product Quality

The quality of the V11 is obvious when you first take it out of the box. And when you see how easily all the components snap together you will know you have purchased a quality product.

Dyson always uses quality components in their products. That’s one of the reasons they last so long and why they cost more. The two most important components of a cordless vacuum are the D/C motor and the Lithium battery. Dyson designs their own components with the same quality as the product they go on.

If I had to choose a short phrase to describe this intriguing new product it would be: The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum is the ultimate cleaning experience!

It’s the most technically advanced vacuum cleaner available; bar none!

Do I Believe the Dyson V11 Torque Drive is Worth It?

When I consider all the time I spend each month cleaning my home, any opportunity to convert those hours into time spent on more productive things makes it a no-brainer for me.

If you’re anything like me you probably procrastinate when it comes to doing cleaning chores like vacuuming. With the Dyson V11 you will find yourself actually looking forward to it (At least for the first few months until it becomes the norm).

The end result is probably a cleaner home and more time to do the really important things.

Bottom Line

Personally, I think the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Stick is worth the price, and judging from the huge demand a whole lot of other people think so too.  I believe this product will enhance the quality of life for those who own it plus a cleaner house and more time to do the things they love.  You might even discover some eager volunteers to help with the vacuuming.

I could be wrong, but I believe it will be a long time before anyone develops a better, more capable cord-free vacuum.

I highly Recommend the Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum!

 

Differences Between V11 Torque and V11 Animal

Side-by-Side Comparison of the Dyson V11 Torque Drive and the V11 Animal

Model	Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner	Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Color	Blue	Purple
LED Screen Functions	Remaining Runtime, Operating Mode, and Maintenance Reports	Operating Mode, and Maintenance Reports
Suction Rating	185 Air Watts	185 Air Watts
Approx Runtime on Full Charge	56 min. w/ torque tool LOW, 25 min. AUTO And 14 min. on BOOST	56 min. w/ torque tool LOW, 25 min. AUTO And 14 min. on BOOST
Recharge Time	Approx 3 to 4.5 hrs	Approx 3 to 4.5 hrs
Included	Torque drive head, mini-motorized tool, crevice tool, stubborn dirt brush, SOFT DUSTING BRUSH, combination tool, wand storage clip, docking station, & charger.	**Torque drive head, mini-motorized tool, crevice tool, stubborn dirt brush, combination tool, wand storage clip, docking station, & charger.
Weight	6.8 lbs	6.8 lbs
Power Modes	3	3
Dust Bin Capacity	.810 dry quarts	.810 dry quarts
Automatic Suction Adjustment	Yes	Yes
Cleaning Head	Torque Drive	Torque Drive
Filtration	Whole machine HEPA	Whole machine HEPA
Warranty	2 Years	2 Years