Dyson PencilVac Review (2026): Limited but Handy

The vacuum connects to Dyson’s app, where you’ll find resources like emptying the trash can and washing the filter, but not much else. It can tell you how long your last vacuuming session was, but no other details, so it’s not as interesting or informative as data from a robot vacuum.

hairy face

The full name of this vacuum is the Dyson PencilVac FluffyCones, aptly named for the four fluffy cones inside the vacuum head. Dyson’s most recent stick vacuum has a fluffy optic cleaner head for vacuuming hard floors. While both have a fluffy roller bar, the FluffyCons have a conical shape, which Dyson says will detangle and remove hair, rather than getting hair stuck around it. It detangled the hair for me, but when I vacuumed large chunks of hair off my bathroom floor (a place where many stray hairs die at the hands of my hairbrush, comb, and towel), it actually gathered the hair into a ball and spat it out a few times before eventually tossing it into the trash.

Video: Nena Pharrell

Although the hair results weren’t great, I liked this vacuum for sucking up the cat litter that constantly plagues my home. It worked great with flour on my hard floors and did a solid job with dry oats, but sometimes it would just clump instead of soaking up the oats right away. I was also able to run it quickly over my carpet, but moving a bunch back and forth on the carpet caused the cones to clog.

The head is designed to rotate in any direction. The cones make it easy to move around, and the green lights on the front and rear help you identify any debris you might otherwise miss. With its compact size that fits into tricky corners, the PencilVac finally lets me vacuum up all the litter around the base of my toilet and pedestal sink. This is part of what motivates me to reach for this vacuum again and again, even after having been cleaned by my robot vacuum the day before.

forward motion

Photograph: Nena Farrell

Do I think this vacuum will replace Dyson’s existing cordless options? No, but Dyson has plans for other new vacuums that can do this. This vacuum has a specific design for a specific use: small homes with completely hard floors. There is opportunity for access here too. People with mobility and strength restrictions may find this lightweight vacuum much easier to use. The magnetic charging base makes storage and access easy for a variety of people, whether they struggle with fine motor skills or can’t bend over and hold the vacuum.