When it comes to anything Dyson, the first and foremost question that comes to your mind is probably “Is it really worth it?”. And I don’t blame you. The prices for Dyson products are pretty panic-inducing. But if you’ve ever used its Airwrap curling iron, Coralle straightener, and air purifier, then you’d know that the results justify the pricetags.
That’s why when Dyson dropped the new robot vacuum, I knew I’d have to test it out asap so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into before dropping a cool $1,649. Below are my honest thoughts about the Dyson 360 Vis Nav Robot Vacuum.
How the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum works
Dyson products are known for their funky designs. And the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is no different. Coming in a bold shade of purple, the D-shaped vacuum resembles our beloved Pacman. Its body is flat and wide, with a transparent brush bar attached to the front and a giant dustbin on the other side.
As with most robot vacuums, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav can be controlled via an app. To maximise all of its features and get real-time updates on the cleaning progress, users are required to download the My Dyson app. Once the app is installed and connected to WiFi, you can do a multitude of things: map your home, split zones, choose cleaning modes, schedule a cleaning, and detect areas with the most dust after a session completes.
Alternatively, you can also select a cleaning mode from the LCD touchscreen that sits atop the robot. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav also comes with a charging dock, though it doesn’t have the ability to empty itself like most robot vacuums.
BTW, it’s the same app you use for the Dyson Air Purifier – if you’re already a proud owner of one.
Setting up the Dyson 360 Vis Nav
Setting up the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is pretty simple. Plug it in to charge and hook it up with your home WiFi network to get the My Dyson app going. Once you’ve opened the app, follow the instructions to map the area and start a clean. Don’t forget to tidy up the floor and remove loose objects so the vacuum doesn’t get stuck during the cleaning process.
Testing its 4 vacuum modes
There are 4 vacuum modes on the Dyson 360 Vis Nav: auto, quick, quiet, and boost.
Auto: this mode analyses dust level in your home and decides on a suitable suction speed for different areas in your home. It’ll also automatically increase the motor power when it detects a high level of dust. Often, I’ll go with the Auto setting if I’m not fussy about the noise level or the duration of the clean.
Quick: choose this mode if you’d like to do a speedy clean. I opt for the Quick mode when I just need to quickly hoover around prior to guests coming over or if it’s only been a day after a deep clean.
Quiet: a clean using the quiet mode produces less noise but takes a longer time due to reduced motor power. If I need to run the robot while on work calls or watch TV, I’d choose this option. Take note that, although at a minimum, there’ll still be hairdryer-level noise coming from the vacuum.
Boost: the vacuum uses maximum suction power that’s suitable for deep cleaning and homes with a high level of dust. Because of that, it’ll sound like a mini airplane taking off.
Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum review
The pros
The suction is powerful. It’ll whiz around and suck up every single speck of dust, strand of hair, crumb of food, and even my child’s dried-out bits of Playdoh. If you choose the Auto mode, the robot will automatically boost suction when it passes by and detects dust. Thanks to the triple-action brush bar that combines soft nylon, stiff bristles, and anti-static carbon filaments, the 360 Vis Nav is outstanding on marble and wooden floor, as well as carpets and rugs.
As for its battery life, the robot is quick to charge and said to be able to last for up to 65 minutes – which is pretty solid. That said, it depends on how big and dusty your home is, as well as the cleaning mode you choose. The robot vacuum was able to hoover my 2-bedroom apartment twice before it had to return to the dock for a recharge, so I’d say it passed the battery life test.
To empty the dust bin, all you need to do is pull the handle up, unclick the dust bin, hold it over the trash can, and push the big red button on it. IMO, the ease of disposal is probably one of the winning features of the vacuum.
The Dyson Eye that sits atop is highly accurate. With a 360 degree view and 26 different sensors, it precisely maps the whole house and navigates with ease around furniture and other objects. Also, the vacuum’s silhouette is quite flat, making it easy to go under the couch and TV console. Not once did I have to rescue the robot from getting stuck under a chair or tripping over a step.
One of the most hype features of the 360 Vis Nav is its ability to clean around the edges and along the walls. Thanks to its flat edge and extendable side ducts, the robot vacuum can reach dust that’s been blown in the corner or pushed up against the wall. And it actually worked. The robot was able to suck up most of the dust bunnies right up against the wall.
The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a breeze to set up. Instructions given on the app and in the manual are laid out in very simple terms. For a tech illiterate like me, it only took a mere 10 minutes to get the robot going. After each clean, the app will show you where the dustiest areas in your place are. In my case, it’s the living room where the windows open up to a busy street. So I’d say the Dyson dust map is pretty accurate.
The cons
At $1,649, the 360 Vis Nav doesn’t come cheap. Like, I can’t even imagine how shook my parents would be if I told them I spent almost half of my paycheck on a vacuum. With such a hefty price tag, one would assume the vacuum comes with all the bells and whistles. But no, it lacks mopping and self-emptying functions – 2 common functions which can be found in many robot vacuums for half the price.
On several occasions, the vacuum got lost when trying to return to the dock. Given my apartment is the size of a shoebox, I was confused as to how the robot couldn’t find its way back to the giant indigo charging station that sat right in front of it.
The hypey edge cleaning function, though did its job, wasn’t fully thorough, especially in harder-to-reach areas like along the walls underneath the cabinets. After doing 2 runs around my kitchen, I still found bread crumbs near the fridge and had to deploy a stick vacuum to finish the job.
Lastly, the robot’s purple appearance might not suit every home’s aesthetics. While it might fit right in with a maximalist type of interior design, a minimalist or boho chic home design might find it more appealing to go with a more neutral-coloured vacuum.
Is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum worth it?
Overall, I’d give the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum a 7/10 for its powerful suction, simple app interface, quick charging ability, accurate dust mapping, painless navigation around furniture and objects, and long lasting battery life. As for its edge cleaning function, there’s room for improvement. I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next Dyson robot vacuum.
Here’s to hoping that it’ll be a much more improved version of the 360 Vis Nav and look less like a purple Pacman.
For more product reviews:
Photography by Nicole Ang.
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
