Dyson Omni-glide cord-free vacuum review: smooth operator

The vacuum cleaner segment in India is booming, all thanks to reduced reliance on house help and people getting into DIY mode for cleaning their homes. Needless to add, the pandemic has a role to play in this. UK-based premium appliance brand Dyson has been making the most of this, and has just launched a new vacuum cleaner in the form of the Omni-glide. Just like its more accomplished sibling, the V11 Absolute Pro (review), the Omni-glide is a cord-free vacuum that’s shaped like a stick. However, the two models are quite different, and I’ll get into the details as part of this review. So read on.

The Omni-glide is said to be Dyson’s slimmest and most maneuverable vacuum yet, and the ‘glide’ in its moniker is quite apt. Unlike the V11 Absolute Pro that has its main unit shaped like a gun, the Omni-glide is closer to a stick, with a straight handle instead. Some elements are similar, like the transparent bin and the ‘cyclones’ on the main unit, though the Omni-glide is smaller and lighter overall.

To set the context for this review, it’s important to note that the Dyson Omni-glide is a floor specialist, and is designed for cleaning hard floors, and small places. It isn’t ideal for large homes, which is where the V11 Absolute Pro comes in. As such, the Omni-glide doesn’t come with too many attachments, unlike its sibling.

The main tool in the Omni-glide’s arsenal is the omnidirectional roller, the attachment that earns this device its ‘glide’ label. Also included is an extension rod, a mini motorised tool more suited for rugs etc, and a crevice tool that also has a brush to loosen stubborn dirt and grime.

The main unit has Dyson’s Hyperdymium motor that spins up to 105,000 rpm, and eight ‘cyclones’, with the transparent bin attached at front. The handle at the back is completely straight, and has two buttons below – an on/off toggle and one that activates turbo mode. The very top of the handle has a small latch, opening which you can pull out the removable battery. The battery can be charged directly, or in-device, using the bundled adapter. You also get a small dock using which you can mount the Omni-glide on the wall for storage.

Coming to the meat of the matter, the omnidirectional roller is really the star of the show, along with Dyson’s powerful motor and the design that helps create strong suction. The omnidirectional roller head features a pair of soft motorised rollers, and angled carbon fibre elements. Thanks to its ingenious design that includes an articulating neck and four 360-degree castors, the roller is an engineering marvel by itself. It slides, rolls, twists, turns, and basically, glides on the floor and into the tightest of spaces, without any effort. You can get under furniture easily too. The vacuum cleaner is quite lightweight as well, so you don’t really need to think twice before picking it up and sucking up that bit of dirt in the corner right when you notice it. And it’s quite effective – one smooth glide over a dirty floor sucks up the grime in a jiffy. Not just that, it isn’t too noisy either.

On the not-so-good side, the Omni-glide’s battery is rated for just 20 minutes of use. Now that might seem really low, but because of the fact that it’s so effective, it can still clean up small homes on a single charge. The turbo mode reduces the run time drastically, but based on my experience, you probably won’t need to use the mode much. The small bin, however, might need to be emptied out more than once during the cleaning process. Thankfully, it’s quite simple, and courtesy its point-and-shoot design, you don’t even need to get your hands dirty. Just press the red latch on the back of the bin, and push the container outwards to empty its contents. Cleaning the bin and the attachments like the omnidirectional tool is pretty simple too – you can just wash them with water and make sure they’re completely dry before using them again.

I don’t like the fact that there’s no battery level indicator, or that the battery takes 3.5 hours to charge fully. Sure, since the battery is removable, you could possibly buy an extra battery and keep it charged for use in contingencies. Dyson could have done well to include an extra battery in the retail pack itself, but really, the ideal solution is for the company to reduce the gap between the run time and the charging time. Prolonging the former and reducing the latter would make this device so much more useful.

Verdict

For its asking price of Rs 34,900, the Dyson Omni-glide is by no means a straightforward buy. You’d need to figure out if it’s for you. As mentioned earlier, it’s meant for small homes and tight places, and that’s where it feels right at home too. It has its niggles, and the short run time combined with the long charging time, is something you’d need to keep in mind. However, the fact that it’s so light, so easy to use and so effective, make the Dyson Omni-glide worth considering if you can’t tolerate dirty floors.

Editor’s rating: 4 / 5

Pros

• Lightweight & highly maneuverable
• Can get into tight spaces
• Very effective
• Removable battery

Cons

• Mainly designed for floors
• Short run time
• Small bin
• Takes a long time to charge