The Dyson PencilVac may be just 38mm in diameter, but don’t let its size fool you
They say good things come in small packages. And the newest launch by Dyson, the PencilVac, is no exception.
The Dyson PencilVac, touted as the world’s slimmest vacuum, officially lands in Singapore this month. Measuring just 38mm in diameter (yes, the same as Dyson’s Supersonic r hairdryer) it’s a sleek, ultra-compact powerhouse that promises the same suction, performance, and filtration Dyson is known for, in a radically reengineered form; size isn’t the only thing worth talking about when it comes to the PencilVac.
Made in Singapore
Ahead of the local launch, we were invited to Dyson’s Singapore Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) site. This was a visit that, to be honest, left us completely sold on the product before it’s even released.
At the SAM site, Dyson’s signature motors, the “heart” of every Dyson machine, are built by a combination of precision robotics and highly skilled engineers. The facility is a study in efficiency: the production line runs 24/7, including weekends and public holidays, to meet global demand. It’s also the birthplace of the all-new Hyperdymium 140k motor, developed specifically to power the PencilVac. If it’s not already obvious, yes, the motor lives up to its name by spinning up to 140,000 revolutions per minute to generate 55AW of suction power.
“I have long wanted to make a vacuum of only 38mm in diameter,” shares James Dyson, founder of Dyson. “But first, we needed to develop our most powerful Hyperdymium motor at only 28mm diameter to fit such a slender machine.”
Watching it all in motion—an assembly line of robotic arms and real-time monitoring—was both mesmerising and oddly reassuring. The future of appliance manufacturing, it seems, is already here.
The Power of Slim
And now, we talk about the star of the show.
The PencilVac might be slim and light (it weighs a mere 1.8kg at its heaviest), but it’s no lightweight when it comes to cleaning. The reengineered Hyperdymium motor delivers powerful suction and airflow in a package that weighs under 2 kg. Switch to the lighter attachment, and suddenly reaching high shelves or ceiling corners doesn’t feel like a mini arm workout.
Beyond the impressive hardware, several clever design choices make this vacuum truly stand out — especially for anyone who has long hair, pets, or a mix of both. First off, the four conical fluffy brushes rotate inward on a 360-degree roller head: instead of hair getting tangled and snagged in the rollers (as it usually does), strands are funnelled smoothly toward the edges and sucked into the bin. No more interruptions to cleaning sessions by having to run for a pair of scissors to detangle the hairs. It’s not just practical—it’s kind of genius.
Our second favourite feature would be the the extended Fluffycones–this means even that stubborn sliver of dust right up against your skirting boards won’t stand a chance. No more “almost clean” floors.
There’s also a nifty double green laser illumination system built into the cleaner head. The front-facing laser helps you spot every speck of dust before you clean, while the rear-facing laser offers instant visual proof that your floors have, in fact, been thoroughly cleaned. It’s the kind of gratifying feedback loop we didn’t know we needed, and now can’t live without.
Bin emptying is satisfyingly swift and hygienic. A single push and pull, an action reminiscent of reloading a shotgun, ejects dust and debris deep into your bin; no more clouds of backdraft, and no lingering mess. The filtration system captures fine dust and allergens while ensuring only clean air exits the machine, especially critical for homes with sensitive occupants.
And if you’re wondering about battery life, yes, a slim body does unfortunately mean a more modest runtime; a full-charge takes approximately four hours, while continuous runtime goes on for about half an hour. But fret not; Dyson offers a swappable battery pack that extends cleaning time to around an hour, and it charges conveniently on the accessories dock that comes standard with the PencilVac.
“Engineering our smallest and fastest vacuum motor is no simple feat,” says John Churchill, Dyson’s Chief Technology Officer. “It’s not just miniaturising every piece of technology; it’s a precise integration of motor design, electronics, software, and hardware, all working together seamlessly. From a new motor and cleaner head to a new separation system, the Dyson PencilVac represents our most advanced engineering to date.”
Verdict?
Simply put, we’re endlessly impressed. This is a small package with a big impact, and for once, we’re not dreading our next Sunday reset. Who knew we’d be saying that?
The Dyson PencilVac will arrive in Singapore starting 14 July, retailing at a very reasonable S$899. This price tag includes the full suite of attachments, including the revolutionary 360-degree fluffy cleaner head. Swappable battery packs may be purchased separately.
