Dyson V11 Outsize - Update

We recently got our hands on an updated version of the Dyson V11 Outsize and it became apparent that they have made some significant changes. We first reviewed the Outsize back in 2020 and it scored a very high 94/100. So, have these changes made the latest version better or worse? In this update we find out.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
What has changed from the original Dyson V11 Outsize package? See summary table below.

	Original V11 Outsize	Latest V11 Outsize
SAME	V11 Outsize Handheld & Wand	V11 Outsize Handheld & Wand
	Filter	Filter
	Combo Tool	Combo Tool
	Crevice Tool	Crevice Tool
	Mini Soft Dusting Brush	Mini Soft Dusting Brush
	Stubborn Dirt Brush	Stubborn Dirt Brush
	Wand Storage Clip	Wand Storage Clip
	2 Click-in Batteries	2 Click-in Batteries
	Docking Station	Docking Station
DIFFERENT	Mini Motorized Tool	Hair Screw Tool
	2 Chargers	1 Charger
	High Torque XL Cleaner Head	Digital Motorbar XL Cleaner Head*
		Laser Slim Fluffy Cleaner Head

*Includes de-tangling technology

The most dramatic change is in the cleaner heads.  The newer V11 has a cleaner head with hair de-tangling techngology, and it also includes a second cleaner head that is specially designed for cleaning hard floors.  In addition, the new Hair Screw Tool also has hair-detangling technology unlike the older Mini Motorized Tool.

If you want to learn more about the V11 Outsize you will want to see our detailed review and tests: Dyson V11 Outsize review

IMPORTANT NOTE
Upon creating this update we found out that our more recent V11 Outsize did not come with the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head – but it did come with the new Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head and the Hair Screw Tool. It seems we got a version that was between our older V11 Outsize and the latest V11 Outsize. As a result, in this update we will use the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head from our Dyson V15 in the hard floor cleaning tests. This is the same cleaner head but it is not as wide as the one that is included with the latest Outsize. It should be fine for determining any potential difference in cleaning performance.

CLEANING TESTS
Our approach will be to perform some basic cleaning tests to compare the original and latest V11 outsize, starting with the motorized tools. All tests were performed in Auto Power Mode.

Mini Motorized Tool vs Hair Screw Tool
We placed some debris and hair on medium pile carpet and ran both the Hair Screw Tool and the Mini Motorized Tool over it. See video below.

Both tools did a good job with respect to pickup. However you can see that the Mini Motorized Tool got quite a bit of hair tangled in the brushroll. We had to remove the brushroll and pull the hair off. It was tangled and it took a bit of effort. The Hair Screw Tool, on the other hand, had virtually no hair tangle.

So, this test showed us that replacing the Mini Motorized Tool with the Hair Screw Tool in the V11 Outsize package was an improvement.

High Torque XL cleaner head vs Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head - Carpet
We placed a carefully measured amount of debris (ground cheerios, flax seeds, chili flakes, split green peas) on low pile carpet and ran the machines over it.

Both cleaner heads performed about the same. Most of the debris was picked up but not all of it. The key here is that one cleaner head did not perform better than the other. I had some concerns that the addition of anti-tangle technology in the newer Digital Motorbar cleaner head might reduce general pickup but this was not the case.

High Torque XL cleaner head vs Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head – Hair
The newer Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head has anti-tangle technology while the older High Toque XL cleaner head does not. This is a hair tangle test.

The results of this test were surprising.  We've performed this test with many machines and most that do not have anti-tangle technology end up getting quite tangled with hair.  That wasn't really the case here.  The original cleaner head kept most of the hair off the brushroll.  The newer cleaner head with anti-tangle technology perhaps performed a little better, but not much.  Is It possible that the new cleaner head would show its prowess in a home with lots of hair and longer cleaning sessions?  Maybe - maybe not.  Given the results of this test, we'd have to say that the benefits of the new cleaner head on hair are marginal when compared to the orginal cleaner head.

High Torque XL cleaner head vs Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head – Hard Floor (tile)
We placed a carefully measured amount of debris (ground cheerios, flax seeds, chili flakes, split green peas) on a tile floor and ran the machines over it.

There is really no comparison in results here. We’ve seen these kinds of test results over and over again when comparing the more typical brushrolls to the fluffy brushrolls on hard floors. The fluffy brushrolls are much better, even when used on low power.

So, having the addition of the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head is a big advantage if you are in a home with a significant amount of hard flooring.

VERDICT
It is apparent that the changes Dyson has made to the V11 Outsize package over the past few years have improved the vacuum. It is now a better package for those with hard flooring and with hair to deal with.

The newer Hair Screw Tool performs just as well on fine/small/medium size debris as the older Mini Motorized Tool but it has the added benefit on ensuring no tangling of hair. The older tool has extensive tangling, especially when used on longer hair.

The newer carpet cleaner head (the Digital Motorbar XL) performs as well on carpet as the older cleaner head but, like the Hair Screw Tool, it has de-tangling technology. Even though the newer cleaner head only showed a slight de-tangling improvement over the original cleaner head, a more marked difference may be noticeable during longer cleaning sessions.

The latest Outsize package includes the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head. When tested on hard flooring against the High Torque XL cleaner head provided with the older Outsize, the Fluffy cleaner head blew it away. Pickup was much better. So, the new V11 Outsize package is better on hard flooring than the older package.

The changes are all positive and they have made the V11 Outsize a better cleaning package than it used to be (and the original V11 was already a very high-scoring vacuum).

BUYING A V11 OUTSIZE
Given our experience with receiving some kind of intermediary version of the Outsize, we believe it is prudent to determine – before you purchase – exactly what tools and accessories you will get. If you want the Fluffy Cleaner head (and you should want this if you have any hard floors) then make sure that the package you are getting includes it. This is probably the biggest thing to look out for.

You may also want the carpet cleaner head with anti-tangle technology.and the Hair Screw Tool as opposed to the Mini Motorized Tool.

In addition, some packages include two battery chargers and some include one. In our experience the most recent models only have one charger while older models include two.

Check carefully before you buy.  There seem to be a number of versions of this machine out there.  It's a great machine but some arrangements may be better for some homes than others.