Dyson V11 Outsize Review
- Details
Avg. consumer rating = 94/100
The Dyson V11 Outsize is essentially a normal V11 on steroids. It has a bigger cleaner head, more cyclones, a larger dust bin, and one version of the Outsize comes with 2 batteries. This is the unit you need if you have a large area to clean but you still want cordless convenience.
Does it have a downside? Sure, it’s larger and heavier, but if you get it for the right reasons it’s a great machine.
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Can sense floor type and adjust power |  |
Need to keep trigger depressed for power | |
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High quality air filtration | |
A bit large for a cordless vacuum | |
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Useful tools | |
Bulky when mounted on wall | |
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Moves and maneuvers well | |
Heavier than other Dyson cordless | |
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Swappable battery | |||
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Low profile cleaner head | |||
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Long enough run time for large home | |||
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Large dust bin | |||
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Displays remaining run time |
| Quick Specs | |
| Type | Stick Vac |
| Bagged/Bagless | Bagless |
| Best for... | Hard Floors & Carpet |
| Pet Hair Features | No |
| Approx. Weight | 7.85 lbs |
| HEPA Level Filtration | Yes |
| Power Cord Length | Cordless |
| Motor Driven Brushbar | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Disclosure: We recently approached Dyson and requested the Outsize so that we could do a review. They agreed and sent one over. Please note that this in no way affects how we review the vacuum.
Availability: The Outsize is currently available in the USA and will be available in Canada starting August 11, 2020.
Consumer Ratings
We found several well-known online retailers who offer the Outsize and gathered owner ratings data in the table below:
| Source | Consumer Rating | # Ratings |
| Amazon | 4.58 stars out of 5 | 19 |
| Bed Bath Beyond | 4.50 stars out of 5 | 92 |
| Best Buy | 4.88 stars out of 5 | 104 |
When we applied a weighted average to the figures above we got an overall vacuum score of 93.8 out of 100. This is an excellent score. You can compare it to the score of other Dyson machines in our Dyson Vacuum Ratings table. You can also view all of our vacuum scores in our Vacuum Cleaner Finder application.
Current V11 Models
The V11’s are the most powerful machines in Dyson’s stable of cordless stick vacuums. There are currently 5 models:
V11 Outsize – 2 batteries
V11 Outsize Origin – 1 battery
V11 Absolute (difficult to find in the USA)
V11 Torque Drive
V11 Animal
V11 Outsize Origin – 1 battery
V11 Absolute (difficult to find in the USA)
V11 Torque Drive
V11 Animal
Why Did Dyson Create the V11 Outsize?
Back in March of 2018 James Dyson announced that his company would stop developing new corded vacuum cleaners, instead they were going to focus on improving cordless models. Popular Dyson cordless vacuums currently include the V7, V8, V10, and V11. I have them all and have reviewed each one in detail. For the most part I have found them to be great machines in terms of their ease-of-use and practicality, but there has always been one thing missing. How do you clean a large home with one of these? They are compact, have limited run times, and some don’t have the power. To clean large spaces effectively you’ve always needed a full size, corded vacuum cleaner - until now.
Compared to other V11’s, the Outsize models have:
- A dust bin that is 150% larger (0.5 gallons).
- A cleaner head that is 28% wider (12.5 inches wide).
- 18 cyclones. Other v11’s have 14.
- The Outsize has 2 swappable batteries which doubles the run time.
- A dust bin that is 150% larger (0.5 gallons).
- A cleaner head that is 28% wider (12.5 inches wide).
- 18 cyclones. Other v11’s have 14.
- The Outsize has 2 swappable batteries which doubles the run time.
Important Specifications & Comparisons
In the table below we have provided important specifications of the different V11 and V10 models.
V11 & V10 - IMPORTANT SPECS
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V11
Outsize
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V11 Outsize
Origin
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V11
T. Drive
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V11
Animal
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V10
Absolute
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V10
Animal
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V10
MHead
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| Max Power (air watts) | 220 | 220 | 185 | 185 | 151 | 151 | 151 |
| Med Power (air watts) | 49.5 | 49.5 | 38.6 | 38.6 | 33.8 | 33.8 | 33.8 |
| Low Power (air watts) | 24.9 | 24.9 | 26 | 26 | 15.8 | 15.8 | 15.8 |
| Weight (lbs) | 7.85 | 7.85 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
| Dust Bin Size (gal) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.14 |
| Power Tools | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Non-power Tools | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Includes Soft Cleaner Head | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Intelligent Floor Cleaning | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Run Time Countdown | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Swappable Batteries | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Includes 2 Batteries | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
What's in the Box?
What do you get when you buy your V11 Outsize?
- V11 Outsize vacuum
- Filter
- High Torque XL cleaner head
- High Torque XL cleaner head
- Mini motorized tool
- Combo tool
- Crevice tool
- Mini soft dusting brush
- Stubborn dirt brush
- Docking station (wall mount)
- Wand storage clip
- 2 chargers
- 2 click-in batteries
- Combo tool
- Crevice tool
- Mini soft dusting brush
- Stubborn dirt brush
- Docking station (wall mount)
- Wand storage clip
- 2 chargers
- 2 click-in batteries
Tools
The following tools (as highlighted in the list above) are provided with your V11 Outsize
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| Combo Tool - 2-in-1 tool for tackling dust and ground-in dirt on carpet and bare floors. | Mini Motorized Tool - Useful for pulling up hair and dealing with ground-in dirt in cramped areas. |
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| Crevice Tool - Reaches into narrow gaps. | Mini Soft Dusting Brush - Has soft bristles that lift dust and allergens from surfaces. |
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| Stubborn Dirt Brush - Cleans coarse carpets, mats, etc. | Wand Storage Clip - Clips to wand and allows 2 tools to store on-board vacuum. |
Our Outsize package did not actually include the Stubborn Dirt Brush or the Mini Soft Dusting Brush (the photos for those two tools above are from our V11 Torque Drive tool set). Instead of those tools we received the following two tools (see below). We're not sure why but it may be that our Outsize came from Canada.
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| Flexi Crevice Tool - Bends and can be extended. Can reach into narrow spaces. | Extension Hose - Provides 2 ft of additional reach (attach to end of handheld unit and attach a tool). |
The Wand Storage Clip is new for the V11s and we find it quite handy. Not all tools will fit on this and we usually attach the rather lightweight crevice tool and combo tool (see image below). Having a few tools on-board while you are vacuuming can be really handy. It is a pain to have to go back to the cupboard or closet to get a tool when you need it.
LCD Control Panel
The V11 Outsize has the LCD control panel – the same panel you will find on the V11 Absolute and the V11 Torque Drive (but not the V11 Animal). This control panel sits on the back of the handheld unit and provides a host of information, such as remaining run time (in minutes and seconds), maintenance alerts (complete with videos showing you how to resolve problems), and power settings. A button on the bottom of the panel allows you to cycle through the 3 power modes which display in 3 very bright different colors. Green for ECO, blue for AUTO/MED, and red for BOOST.
We find the remaining run time feature to be very useful. In each power mode it indicates just how much longer you can vacuum until the battery is empty. It is much more refined than the 3 light system (1/3 charged, 2/3 charged, 3/3 charged) on many other Dyson cordless units.
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Power Modes
The Outsize has three power modes (same across all V11 models):
- ECO
- AUTO or MED
- BOOST
ECO mode provides the longest run time but it has the lowest suction level.
AUTO mode provides an average run time with medium levels of suction. But in this power mode suction power adjusts automatically depending on the floor type. Dyson sometimes refers to this as “Intelligent Floor Cleaning”.
BOOST mode provides maximum suction but it has the shortest run time.
- ECO
- AUTO or MED
- BOOST
ECO mode provides the longest run time but it has the lowest suction level.
AUTO mode provides an average run time with medium levels of suction. But in this power mode suction power adjusts automatically depending on the floor type. Dyson sometimes refers to this as “Intelligent Floor Cleaning”.
BOOST mode provides maximum suction but it has the shortest run time.
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A word on AUTO & MED Power Modes
The V11’s have an AUTO power mode. This is not available on any previous Dyson cordless vacuums. In AUTO mode the power adjusts automatically depending on the floor type. This is accomplished via sensors in the battery, the motor, and the High Torque cleaner head. Brushroll resistance is measured many times per second and the vacuum power is automatically adjusted for optimal cleaning performance. If you are using the vacuum and frequently switching between hard floor and carpet then this power mode is particularly useful. Frankly, we usually just leave our Outsize in this power mode when we are cleaning. What about MED mode? Well, in terms of the cleaning tools only the High Torque cleaner head has a sensor in it. So AUTO mode will only work when you are using the High Torque cleaner head. When using any other tool (powered or not) the vacuum only has the MED option ("MED" will actually show up in the LCD display instead of "AUTO"). MED is a fixed power mode like ECO and BOOST (it does not automatically adjust power up or down).
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Battery Life
How long will the V11 Outsize battery last while you are vacuuming? We performed run time tests on our low pile carpet (using fully charged batteries and a stopwatch) and compared them to other V11s and even V10s:
RUN TIME - TESTED
| Power Mode |
V11 Outsize
2 batteries
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V11 Outsize
1 battery
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V11
Abs/TD/Anml
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V10
Abs/Anml
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| ECO/LOW | 1hr 54min 16sec | 57min 8sec | 55min 14sec | 40min 17sec |
| MED/AUTO | 1hr 24min 46sec | 42min 23sec | 44min 17sec | 20min 23sec |
| BOOST/MAX | 24min 4sec | 12min 2sec | 12min 52sec | 7min 14sec |
In our opinion the V11 run times are excellent, expecially if you have the Outsize with 2 batteries which effectively doubles your run time. We predominantly find ourselves using the Outsize in AUTO power mode so we are getting almost an hour and a half of run time. We have not experienced this kind of lengthy battery life with any other cordless vacuums to date.
Battery & Recharging
One of the most popular features of the V11 Outsize is the swappable battery. Dyson cordless owners have been asking for this feature since the DC59 was introduced. Folks have been expecting this on every new cordless vacuum - only to be disappointed. Well, it’s finally here.
The battery can be easily removed by depressing a red button on the front of the battery, and a new battery can be attached. The process is seamless and it only takes a few seconds, so you can get back to vacuuming with almost no downtime.
A full recharge of a depleted battery takes about 4.5 hours. The Outsize (not “Outsize Origin”) includes 2 batteries and 2 battery chargers so you will always have a spare either fully charged or on charge.
The battery can be charged while it is attached to the vacuum or it can be charged on its own (see image below).
The V11 battery is larger than the batteries found on the V10/V8/V7. Outsize battery specs are the same as the V11 Absolute/Torque-Drive/Animal.
- 7-cell Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery Pack
- 25.2 V
- 21.6 A
- 3600 mAh
- 91 Wh
The battery provides what some manufacturer’s call “fade-free power”. The battery imparts the same level of power until it is depleted, then the vacuum turns itself off. Power does not wane as the battery charge is drawn down.
- 25.2 V
- 21.6 A
- 3600 mAh
- 91 Wh
The battery provides what some manufacturer’s call “fade-free power”. The battery imparts the same level of power until it is depleted, then the vacuum turns itself off. Power does not wane as the battery charge is drawn down.
Cleaner Head
The cleaner head on the Outsize is much larger than the cleaner head provided with any other Dyson cordless vacuum. It is designed to cover more area per pass. We measured it across the top at about 12.5 inches while all other units (V11, V10, V8, V7) measure about 9.75 inches across the top. By our measurements it is about 28% wider so it does indeed cover more area, and as a result will clean larger areas with less passes. In the image below we show the V11 Torque Drive cleaner head beside the V11 Outsize cleaner head.
Movement & Grip
Like most Dyson cordless machines, the V11 Outsize is highly maneuverable. The articulation of the cleaner head is very good and it can turn at complete right angles. This makes cleaning into corners and moving around furniture very easy. Dyson has made a real effort to ensure the cleaner heads on their cordless machines can be run at almost any angle and they have been successful. The system does not look particularly complicated but it does the job well.The cleaner head slides easily on our low pile carpet and two small wheels on the underside of the cleaner head help movement on hard surfaces (they also help to some extent on the carpet). However, when moving the vacuum back and forth and turning the machine you will notice the additional weight of the Outsize. This is particularly obvious if you are a previous Dyson stick vac owner. The Outsize, while highly maneuverable, is still heftier than its predecessors.
The grip is the same as the V10 and V11 and is comfortable. We find the grip area roomier and the vacuum a little easier to hold than our V7s/V8s. However, like all the Dyson cordless machines, you still have to hold the trigger down to get power. Since Dyson started manufacturing their cordless vacuums there has always been a group of owners who don’t like to have to hold the trigger down for extended periods of time. There have been calls for some kind of built-in trigger lock. We haven’t seen one yet.
The grip is the same as the V10 and V11 and is comfortable. We find the grip area roomier and the vacuum a little easier to hold than our V7s/V8s. However, like all the Dyson cordless machines, you still have to hold the trigger down to get power. Since Dyson started manufacturing their cordless vacuums there has always been a group of owners who don’t like to have to hold the trigger down for extended periods of time. There have been calls for some kind of built-in trigger lock. We haven’t seen one yet.
Maintenance
FILTRATION
All V11 models have a sealed system and a HEPA filter. They are all certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. You can see the filter on the back of the handheld unit (image below). It comes off with an easy twist but fortunately does not fall off easily when you are vacuuming. When dirty it can be rinsed in water and reused. Just be sure to only put the filter back on when it is completely dry.
CLEANER HEAD
The Outsize cleaner head has an easier system for removing the brushroll than previous Dyson cordless machines. A simple pull tab on the side allows you to slide the brushroll out for cleaning and/or removal of tangled hair/string/thread. This is an improvement over other cordless models where a coin or screwdriver is needed.
The Outsize cleaner head has an easier system for removing the brushroll than previous Dyson cordless machines. A simple pull tab on the side allows you to slide the brushroll out for cleaning and/or removal of tangled hair/string/thread. This is an improvement over other cordless models where a coin or screwdriver is needed.
DUST BIN
The Outsize dust bin is much larger than the dust bin on other Dyson cordless vacuums, but it uses the same system for emptying, and it is fairly easy to do. However it may be a little more difficult for some folks due to its large size.
To empty the dust bin you must first remove the wand (the dust bin door will not open with the wand attached). Then you simply push the red tab forward until the dust bin door opens and the debris falls out (see our video below showing how to empty all the different Dyson cordless vacuums). You may find some hair or other debris stuck in the canister and you will likely have to dig it out with your hands. This is fairly common with bagless machines.
The Outsize dust bin is much larger than the dust bin on other Dyson cordless vacuums, but it uses the same system for emptying, and it is fairly easy to do. However it may be a little more difficult for some folks due to its large size.
To empty the dust bin you must first remove the wand (the dust bin door will not open with the wand attached). Then you simply push the red tab forward until the dust bin door opens and the debris falls out (see our video below showing how to empty all the different Dyson cordless vacuums). You may find some hair or other debris stuck in the canister and you will likely have to dig it out with your hands. This is fairly common with bagless machines.
Also, should you want to remove the canister completely (if you want to wipe it down for example) you first open it, then if you look underneath and towards the front you will see a small red tab with a large white number “1” on it. If you depress this tab and pull the canister forward it will come off easily (and it is pretty easy to slide it back on).
Vacuum Weight
The Outsize is the heaviest Dyson cordless vacuum to date. This is a bit of a downside but one that is generally expected for a larger machine.
V11 & V10 - VACUUM WEIGHT
| Dyson Stick Vac Model | Weight |
| V10 Motorhead | 5.50 lbs |
| V10 Abs/Anml | 5.90 lbs |
| V11 Abs/TD/Anml | 6.68 lbs |
| V11 Outsize | 7.85 lbs |
If you are used to another Dyson stick vacuum then you will immediately notice the extra weight of the Outsize. There has been a fairly steady progression in terms of weight and features going back to the V6 (5.1 lbs).
While the Outsize seems heavy when compared to other Dyson cordless machines, it is interesting to note that some other manufacturer’s cordless vacuums weigh in the same neighbourhood as the Outsize but do not have as large a dust bin or as long a run time. For example, the Shark Rocket Pro weighs 7.3 lbs but has a very small 0.085 gallon dust bin and a shorter run time (see our Shark Rocket Pro review). It should be noted however that the Rocket Pro is a fraction the cost of a V11 Outsize.
Also, remember that this is a 2-in-1 vacuum. The wand and cleaner head can be removed so that you also have a handheld vacuum. The Outsize handheld component is very large and it is heavier than previous Dyson cordless machines. It is usable but the Outsize may not be a good choice if you intend to do lots of handheld cleaning – especially in cramped areas like a vehicle interior.
The handheld component weighs in at a hefty 5 lbs 6.8 ounces (5.36 lbs). This is almost as much as the entire Dyson V10 Motorhead (5.5. lbs).
We weighed V10 and V11 handheld components on a digital scale:
V11 & V10 - HANDHELD WEIGHT
| Dyson Stick Vac Models | Handheld Weight (approx) |
| V10 Motorhead | 3.43 lbs |
| V10 Abs/Anml | 3.65 lbs |
| V11 Abs/TD/Anml | 4.45 lbs |
| V11 Outsize | 5.36 lbs |
Dust Bin
The Outsize dust bin has a capacity of 0.50 gallons, a full 2.5 times as large as the V11 Absolute, V11 Torque Drive, and V11 Animal. The large volume ensures that you do not have to empty this vacuum too frequently.
Noise Level
We used a digital noise level meter to determine the decibel output of the Outsize. In the table below we compare the Outsize to the other V11s and even the V10s.
NOISE LEVEL - TESTED
| Power Mode |
V11
Outsize
|
V11
Abs/TD/Anml
|
V10*
Abs/Anml
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| ECO/LOW | 64.5 dB | 63.7 dB | 63.2 dB |
| MED/AUTO | 67.2 dB | 68.4 dB | 71.4 dB |
| BOOST/MAX | 72.5 dB | 71.0 dB | 72.5 dB |
*V10 Motorhead noise levels are very similar to the V10 Absolute and Animal. For details see our Dyson V10 Absolute vs Animal vs Motorhead article
The noise levels of the vacuums in the table above are all fairly similar. When using these vacuums we find the noise levels quite comfortable in ECO/LOW and MED/AUTO modes. It does get a little loud in BOOST/MAX mode but even in this mode these machines are still not as loud as most full size vacuums.
Cleaning Tests
Given that the Outsize is designed for larger home cleaning we decided to pit it against one of Dyson’s full size corded uprights, the Dyson Ball Multi-Floor 2, as opposed to one of the smaller cordless machines. The Multi-Floor is a bagless upright that weighs 15.6 lbs, has a 31 foot power cord, a 0.42 gallon dust canister, and it generates 245 air watts of suction. This may seem like an unfair comparison and in some ways it is. The goal is to determine if the Outsize is a real option for cleaning large areas (we know it has the run time, but is the cleaning ability up to snuff?).
We set the Outsize to AUTO for these tests as continuous vacuuming in BOOST mode would likely not provide sufficient run time for cleaning a larger home. The red suction switch on the front of the cleaner head was set in the middle.
CARPET (LOW-PILE) TEST
We placed debris (ground cheerios, flax seeds, chili flakes, split green peas, chunks of fruit loops) in a 5 ft long line on our low pile carpet and performed a forward and backward pass.
We weighed the debris picked up on our very sensitive digital scale:
Outsize - 99.5%
Multi-Floor - 99.0%
We ran these tests a few times and the results were similar. It seems the Outsize picked up the larger debris but left very small amounts of lightweight debris behind (remember in AUTO mode it has a fraction of the suction of the Multi-Floor). The Multi-Floor on the other hand picked up all the small debris but the low cleaner head pulled some of the larger (and heavier) debris behind it on the pullback. If you come around and go back over the larger debris with the Multi-Floor you will pick it up fairly easily - but this test was 1 forward and 1 backward pass only.
HARD FLOOR TEST
The same test (same criteria as carpet test) was performed on our tile floor with the following results:
Percentage pickup by weight is provided below:
Outsize - 96.7%
Multi-Floor - 99.2%
The Outsize struggled a bit on this test and in the video you can see that there is some scatter and it leaves more debris behind than the Multi-Floor. Most of the Dyson cordless machines provide similar performance on a hard floor when using the High Torque / Torque Drive / Direct Drive cleaner heads. If you require better hard floor cleaning then you may want to consider a soft roller cleaner head which comes with the V11/V10 Absolute models. We have not seen a soft roller cleaner head that would fit the Outsize however. If you are concerned about hard floor cleaning performance consider that you probably are not going to be dealing with quite so much debris as shown in our test. The test is a little extreme and is designed to amplify any difference in results between the two machines.
EDGE CLEANING TEST
Chili flakes were sprinkled along our baseboards and the vacuums were run up tight against the wall. This was a simple visual test.
Outsize - Good
Multi-Floor - Good
Frankly, we were surprised at how well the Outsize did. We have run this test in the past with many full size uprights that did not perform as well.
CLEANING TAKEAWAYS
The Outsize is effective on carpet (although probably not the best choice for deep pile carpet), but it struggled a little in our hard floor test. Hard floor cleaning is average but this is the case with most Dyson cordless vacuums. If you want better hard floor cleaning with your Dyson cordless you may want the soft roller cleaner head (we haven't seen one that will fit the Outsize though). We were impressed with the unit's edge cleaning and found that it performed as well or better than some of our full size uprights.
Warranty
The Dyson V11 Outsize carries a 2-year manufacturer’s parts & labor warranty.
Verdict
The Outsize is one of those vacuums that does precisely what it was designed to do – in this case tackle large area cleaning while retaining cordless convenience. However if you buy it with different cleaning needs in mind you will run into shortcomings. If you have a smaller home or apartment then the V11 Outsize is overkill and the size and weight will work against you. In this case you should consider a V7, V8, V10 or normal size V11. Also, the vacuum is best on carpet. It is ok on bare floors but that is not where it shines.
This vacuum really comes into its own if you have a large area to clean. The giant dust bin ensures you can keep cleaning for long periods without having to continually empty out the dust/debris, the extra wide cleaner head ensures maximum coverage per vacuum pass, and the extended run time (in the case of the Outsize with 2 batteries) allows you to finish your cleaning job without having to stop for a battery recharge which can take over 4 hours.
If you have a large home and you want something much lighter than a traditional upright or canister, and you don’t want to be tethered by a cord, then the V11 hits the spot. It has retained many of the cordless advantages while adding full-size vacuum capabilities.
If you have a large home and you want something much lighter than a traditional upright or canister, and you don’t want to be tethered by a cord, then the V11 hits the spot. It has retained many of the cordless advantages while adding full-size vacuum capabilities.
Dyson V11 Outsize Manual
Like all Dyson vacuum manuals the Outsize manual uses a lot of illustrations to get the points across. It is very easy to follow. It may lack some detail but the basics are there. You can see a copy of the manual here: Dyson V11 Outsize Manual
Nigel Russco has been reviewing and testing vacuums for over 14 years. He is a professional engineer and uses his review platforms to help consumers determine which vacuum cleaners are the best for their cleaning needs. Follow Nigel on facebook or view his vacuum review videos on the Vacuum Cleaner Advisor YouTube Channel.
