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We’ve all heard the phrase April showers bring May flowers, but with a German shepherd and a husky under my roof, the warmer weather brings a relentless showering — not of rain but of fur.
Thanks to my dogs’ persistent spring shedding, my navy duvet cover practically has a new top sheet made entirely of their double coat remnants, and tumbleweeds of fur roll and accumulate across my hardwood floors, eventually tucking themselves into corners if I don’t vacuum them in time.
As someone who is always looking for new tools to combat consistent shedding, including a great vacuum for pet hair, Dyson’s new 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve been testing the 360 Vis Nav for more than a month now, and the D-shaped vacuum is unlike any robot cleaner I’ve used — and not just because it's as purple as my childhood GameCube video game console.
At a Glance
Pros
- Incredible suction power
- Better edge cleaning capabilities than competing robot vacuums
- Effortless setup and control with a user-friendly companion app, built-in LCD screen, and support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home for voice controls and routines.
Cons
- Despite its expensive price, it lacks a self-emptying feature and built-in mop
- The vacuum’s strong suction comes at a noisy cost
- Run time: Up to 65 minutes
- Charge time: 2 hours
- Weight: 9.9 pounds
- Suction Power: 65 air watts
- Cleaning modes: Auto, Boost, Quick, Quiet
- Special features: Side-actuator for precise edge cleaning; suction adjusts to surface being cleaned; onboard LCD display shows particles picked up, battery life and performance alerts
- Filter: Washable, whole-machine HEPA filtration
- Dust Capacity: 0.13 gallons
- Warranty: Full two-year warranty
- Dimensions: 3.9 x 13 x 12.6 inches
Why I Like It
Cleaning Performance Is Seriously Impressive
Dyson claims the 360 Vis Nav is the world's most powerful robot vacuum, with double the suction power of any other robot vacuum (at 65 air watts). Before testing the new vac, Carolyn Forté, Executive Director of the Home Care & Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, told me that Dyson is very forward-thinking.
“Their stick vacuums are powerful and amazing at sucking up pet hair,” she says. “We’ve had great experiences with them.”
Needless to say, my expectations of the 360 Vis Nav were high, but I was cautiously optimistic. Especially since my usual stick vacuum struggles with the thickness of my medium-pile living room rug, forcing me to use it on its lowest suction setting. Even then, it still feels like shoveling snow.
After setting up the Dyson 360 Vis Nav, I was amazed at how effortlessly it glided across my rug. It also excelled in my debris pickup tests.
The robot’s versatile cleaner head features an extra-large, soft roller with stiff nylon bristles that remove deep dirt in carpets without scratching delicate hardwoods. In "auto mode," the vacuum automatically cranked up the suction when it encountered a mix of flour and crumbs I'd embedded in the carpet fibers, leaving my floors nearly spotless.
The Dyson takes a unique approach to edge cleaning, ditching the traditional spinning brushes that are prone to getting tangled and torn for a retractable "side-actuator" duct. Combined with the vacuum’s D-shaped body, this innovative design directs suction power to edges and corners for a deeper clean alongside baseboards and furniture.
While Dyson’s approach is undoubtedly original, it wasn't flawless in my tests. It occasionally missed scattered rice kernels under my kitchen cabinets left behind from meal prepping. On the plus side, the Dyson didn’t flick debris away from the vacuum path like some traditional side brushes do. It also did a great job of avoiding “snowplowing” scattered cereal on carpet and hard floors in my tests.
It's Easy to Maintain
Robot vacuums are fantastic for convenience, but pet owners like myself know there's a hidden cost: maintenance. Pet hair typically gets tangled everywhere — brush rollers, side brushes, wheels, you name it! I've even resorted to using pliers to extract hair and extend the lifespan of my brush rolls and dust cups.
While the Dyson may have a higher upfront price tag and lacks a self-emptying base, it’s easier to use and more affordable to maintain than competing robot vacs. A removable, washable filter eliminates the need for expensive monthly replacements. The dustbin is larger than average, meaning less frequent emptying and no need to purchase replacement bags. A simple button press detaches the bin, and a clever slide switch ejects debris hands-free, eliminating dust clouds. The bin and brush roll are washable too, ensuring the vacuum maintains peak performance for longer. The vacuum will even remind you when it's time to clean the filter.
Given its superior suction and innovative brush design, the Dyson is an absolute beast at picking up pet hair and human hair without the frustrating tangles that plague other robot vacuums. The Dyson also boasts a HEPA filter that captures up to 99.99% of dust particles, to help me maintain cleaner air quality.
It’s Extremely User Friendly
Speaking as someone who has been using robot vacuums since 2012, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is hands down the easiest robot cleaner I've set up. With four main parts and no side brushes and filters to install, assembly takes less than five minutes. The hardest part was deciding where I wanted to put it. You need a clear area with at least 20 inches of free space on each side of the dock for the robot to navigate.
Once I did that, I had to scan a QR code to download the free “myDyson” app, create an account and connect the vacuum to my Wi-Fi network. For the privacy conscious and for those who hate “smart” things, you’ll be happy to know you can set up and use the 360 Vis Nav without an app. Plus, the vac’s navigational camera automatically deletes captured images after each cleaning session, ensuring they are never uploaded to the cloud.
The robot offers three ways to start cleaning: manually by interacting with its onboard display, via the app (if the robot is docked) or with voice control using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Mapping my space only took a half-hour, and the app makes it easy to label rooms and set “no-go” zones — a setting you can enable so the vacuum will avoid certain spots in your home.
Room for Improvement
Navigation and Object Identification
Dyson's robot vacuum opts for a camera-based navigation system over laser navigation (LIDAR), which many competitors in its price range use. While the camera helps it avoid obstacles, my initial tests found it less precise. In one instance, the camera mistook the dark space under a cabinet for stairs, causing it to end the cleaning prematurely. It also got stuck on a phone charging cable.
However, creating a new map improved its navigation performance, and the vacuum successfully navigated around my dining chairs and various table legs throughout my home. Its oversized wheels helped the vacuum overcome steep thresholds, as well.
No Self-Emptying Base or Mop Mode
The Dyson 360 Vis Nav lacks features many users expect in a high-end robot vacuum, such as self-emptying, self-cleaning, and mopping capabilities. Given most robot mops’ subpar performance, I could live without the mop functionality. But, while testing Dyson’s robot vacuum, because I live with two large dogs, I had to make a habit of emptying the dust bin after each cleaning. So, a self-emptying base would have ultimately saved me time in the long run.
Short Runtime
Dyson claims the battery lasts up to 65 minutes, but the runtime is dependent on factors such as the size of your home, the amount of debris and power settings. In my 1,400-square-foot space, cleaning three medium-sized rooms on Auto mode took 35 minutes for a thorough clean before the 360 Vis Nav needed charging. Larger homes will likely require multiple cleaning cycles, with a 2-hour recharge in between.
Fortunately, the vacuum is smart enough to dock itself, charge and return to where it left off in the event it depletes its battery. It’s also worth noting that “Boost” mode only lasts 12 minutes, so a deep clean on a single floor using the highest suction power could take as long as 4 hours. However, given the Dyson's incredible suction strength, I found the “auto” mode to be sufficient and as strong as competing robots.
How I Tested the Dyson 360 Vis Nav
In the Good Housekeeping Institute, experts in the Home Care & Cleaning Lab have been testing robot vacuums since they were first introduced onto the market and have tested dozens of models using a custom-built obstacle course. To test the Dyson 360 Vis Nav, I performed similar dry pickup tests at home, as well as let it run its course through my dog-hair-laden space.
I put the robot vacuum through its paces by scattering a mix of flour, cereal, coffee grounds, and rice across hard floors and a rug, focusing on corners and edges to analyze its cleaning performance. I also paid close attention to how it transitioned between carpets and hard floors, squeezed under furniture, crossed thresholds between rooms, and tackled everyday obstacles like shoes, stray cables and dog toys. To see how successful it was at sucking up fine dust and pet hair after cleanings, I also relied on the assistance from the Dyson’s V15 Detect, which features an onboard laser dust-detection system that revealed any particles the robot may have missed.
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The Bottom Line: Is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav Worth It?
The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a worthwhile investment that's ideal for homes that benefit from frequent weekly cleanings. It offers more powerful suction than the competition, better edge cleaning and outstanding cleaning performance on both carpets and hard floors.
Although its navigation performance isn’t as impressive as that of LIDAR-equipped vacuums, and it lacks a self-empty base and the ability to mop your floors, the Dyson is reliable, easy to use, quick to maintain and resists hair tangles.
BUY THE DYSON 360 VIS NAV ROBOT VACUUM
Brandon Carte is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience covering technology, gadgets and appliances. His reporting has been featured on Best Products, Top Ten Revies, Good Housekeeping and USA Today. When he's not researching washing machines or testing robot vacuums, you can find him at concerts, swimming laps, or at the movies. He thinks smartphones are too big, prefers MP3s to Spotify and misses his iPhone’s headphone jack.
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.
