When it comes to the best vacuum cleaners to tackle our floor needs, Dyson is right up there for its innovative technology, advanced filtration and ergonomic design.
And so it comes as no surprise that the brand would launch its latest addition to the line — the Dyson Car + Boat handheld vacuum cleaner. As the name suggests, this is designed to deep-clean cars or (if you’re fortunate enough) your boat. But if you have neither, fear not — this is also ideal for cleaning sofas, mattresses and picking up pet hair around the home.
At a retail value of $199 on Amazon, it does come at a steep price compared to other handheld car vacuums on the market. However, since I test Dyson vacuums for a living, I know first-hand of its unbeatable power and spotless cleaning results.
And while I don’t own a boat (sadly), we do own a family car that seems to collect infinite dust, debris from grubby shoes, and crumbs buried in crevices from all those road trip snacks. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time it was given a thorough spring clean.
With all that said, I decided to put the Dyson Car + Boat handheld vacuum to the test and see if it was worth the hype. Here’s what happened.
First impressions
It didn’t take any time to set-up, as everything was all ready-to-go, inside the miniature box. At first glance, the Car + Boat looked like a miniature Dyson V8 vacuum, just minus the long wand and the big brush roll head.
It comes with three handy attachments that you can swap out. This includes a motorized brush (best for hair and dirt ), a combination tool, and a crevice tool for those awkward nooks and crannies.
While it has the Dyson signature colors and design, it doesn’t have the usual LED display screen, and only comes with two power modes (normal and Max).
Its super compact size makes it lightweight, at 4.2 pounds, which is ideal for travelling with. Plus, it doesn’t take up much space.
The only downside is that you can’t remove the battery to charge as you would with Dyson cordless cleaners. However, this isn’t a deal breaker as such.
Tiny but mighty
First, I tackled the car trunk that is usually subjected to all sorts of grime from footwear and suitcases to garden waste bags. I was impressed by the sheer power of the Dyson Car + Boat as it quickly sucked up dirt, dust, and was even powerful enough to suck up some of the fibers covering it.
Once I put it to ‘Max’ mode, it gave an extra boost to ensure no traces were left, and the trunk looked spotless.
Next, I went to work inside the vehicle, using it on the seats and floor mats, picking up gravel, dust and garden debris. I found the crevice tool particularly handy for getting into those awkward or hard-to-reach spots like under the seats, around the belts and between the upholstery. It was also great for getting rid of dust that had settled on the car doors, and the brush tool handled the upholstery with ease.
Bear in mind that the dustbin is quite small, at 0.14 gallons. But unless you have a lot of heavy-duty messes to clean often, that's adequate for smaller clean-ups.
As for battery life, Dyson claims between 40 to 50 minutes — which is more than enough time to clean a car. And while my cleaning session wasn’t that long, I still had unwavering power after about 35 minutes. Just bear in mind that it takes up to five hours to fully recharge.
A couple of caveats
There were a couple of caveats though. Like all Dyson stick vacuums, it comes with a trigger operation, meaning you’ll need to hold it down to clean. I found this tricky when trying to quickly maneuver inside the car, especially when pointing it at an angle.
In addition, the handheld started to feel heavier after a long period, so if you’re used to a simple on/off button, this might take some getting used to.
Secondly, the noise level ramps up when using the Max mode, so you might want to consider the time you wish to clean to not disturb your neighbors!
Still, these are no major deal breakers in the grand scheme of things.
The bottom line
Granted, you could probably buy a decent car handheld vacuum cleaner for half the price — but that wouldn’t necessarily get the job done well.
The Dyson Car + Boat may be miniature, but it certainly packs in the power. Not only did it suck up gravel, dirt, debris and dust inside my car, but was able to tackle ingrained crumbs in those hard-to-reach crevices.
I liked its compact, lightweight size that made it easier to manage. Plus, it’s super convenient to carry around or travel with (if you do happen to have a boat or yacht!).
It may not come with any smart or fancy mod-cons, but if you simply want a powerful clean, and spotless results each time, the Dyson Car + Boat is a worthwhile investment.
Look out for my full Dyson Car + Boat handheld vacuum review to come.
Where to buy
The Dyson Car+Boat handheld vacuum cleaner is available on Amazon for $199. It is also available on Dyson.com for $279.
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