As a dog owner, I know that pet hair is unavoidable. But for the longest time I tried to fight it. I purchased a dog couch cover and had a designated dog bed in just about every room of my house for my pit bull, Ernie. If he stayed in those specified places, his dog fur would too, right? But no, his shedding hair was not privy to my plans, and it sprinkled itself across the floor, carpet, furniture and every other nook of my home.

No matter where I stepped or sat, I ended up covered in pet hair, as well. I purchased multiple products that promised to eliminate pet hair from the home and remove pet hair from clothes. And despite purchasing a dog hammock, my car was not safe, either—Ernie’s hair still coated the side doors and weaved into the car upholstery.

My home was becoming infested with dog fur quicker than I could tackle it, and I knew I needed to find a tool to help me work smarter, not harder. Enter the Dyson Outsize Plus. This powerful cordless stick vacuum suctions pet hair and dirt from carpets and hardwood floors in record time. But Dyson knows the pet hair doesn’t stop there, and it doesn’t either. So whether you’re eyeing that fur-laden couch or that hard-to-reach nook, the Dyson Outsize Plus comes equipped with numerous pet hair removal accessories that’ll have you saying, “Yep, I’ve got a vacuum attachment for that.”

After months of testing the Dyson Outsize Plus in every area of my fur-covered home (and vehicle), here’s how it measured up.

What is the Dyson Outsize Plus vacuum?

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

As Dyson’s largest cordless stick vacuum, the Dyson Outsize Plus is an intelligent machine for deep cleaning homes. It features high suctioning power for pulling hair and dirt, and laser beam technology for capturing the tiniest of dust particles. It boasts a larger cleaning head and larger bin than previous models, so you can tackle more surface area with each sweep—and without having to stop to empty the vacuum.

The Dyson Outsize can be purchased in two versions—the original and the Plus version. While both vacuums are the same, the original only comes with one head and three accessory attachments while the Plus comes with two heads and five attachments. For this review, I’ll be covering the Dyson Outsize Plus and its full line of attachments.

Featuring a 150% larger bin, a 25% wider cleaner head and seven hair removal accessories, the latest Dyson vacuum tackles pet hair like never before.

Dyson Outsize Plus Vacuum Features

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

Here’s an in-depth look at the most notable features of the Dyson Outsize Plus:

Powerful Suction

The Dyson Outsize Plus features a Hyperdymium motor, which spins at 125,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) to create a strikingly powerful suction (carpet-weaved pet hair doesn’t stand a chance!). For comparison, this is 90% more powerful than Dyson’s V8 vacuum. As if that wasn’t enough, the vacuum features Radial Root Cyclone technology (18 cyclones in total) to forcefully pull dust into the bin without clogging the filter.

De-Tangling Technology

Dyson’s Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head features de-tangling hair removal vanes that automatically clear both human hair and pet hair from the brush bar. No more breaking out the scissors every time your vacuum gets wrapped up in hair!

Adjustable Cleaning Modes with DLS Detection

The Digital Motorbar XL features three cleaning modes that can be adjusted at the touch of a button. Select Auto mode to enable Dyson’s DLS technology to intelligently optimize suction and runtime, depending on debris level and floor type detection. Eco mode provides maximum runtime for longer cleans, and Boost mode utilizes more power to provide intensive spot leaning.

The Dyson-engineered head conveniently and effectively transitions between thick carpets and hard floors. Its tiff nylon bristles drive deep into carpets to pull out dirt and hair while carbon fiber filaments capture everything from fur to fine dust on hard floors.

Laser Detection for Tiny Particles

The Dyson Outsize Plus comes equipped with a second vacuum head—the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner. Featuring an angled green laser, it visibly highlights hard-to-see dust particles on hard floors so you don’t miss a thing.

Larger Bin and Wider Sweeper Head

This model features a mighty 0.5 gallon bin, which is 150% larger than that of the Dyson v11 model (and 250% larger than their v8 model), allowing you to clean longer without emptying. Compared to the v11, the Dyson Outsize Plus also has a larger sweeping head, allowing you to cover 25% more surface with each sweep.

Advanced Filtration

Dyson’s six-layer high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration traps 99.99% of particles as tiny as 0.3 microns (µm), delivering cleaner air with each sweep. The filter is washable (Dyson recommends once a month), meaning you won’t have to worry about purchasing replacements.

Two Rechargeable Batteries

Thanks to Dyson’s power-optimization technology, the rechargeable battery provides up to 60 minutes of runtime—and Dyson was generous enough to provide you with two, for a total of two hours of non-interrupted, cordless cleaning. The vacuum also comes equipped with a wall-mounted docking station for easy charging and storage when not in use.

Intelligent LED Display

The Outsize Plus comes equipped with a digital display that provides remaining battery life down to the second. With this screen you can also select your cleaning mode and receive maintenance alerts.

Point and Shoot Bin Emptying

For when that 0.5 gallon bin does finally get full, the Dyson Outsize Plus features point-and-shoot hygienic bin emptying, meaning you won’t need to get your hands involved outside of pressing the convenient release lever.

Two-Year Warranty

The Dyson Outsize Plus comes with a two-year warranty for parts and labor, as well as a lifetime of support.

How We Tested It

When I went to unbox my Dyson Outsize Plus, I was initially a little overwhelmed by the number of parts. Once I separated out the docking and charging pieces away from the actual vacuuming components, I was ready to begin (and eager to see how each accessory was about to change my fur-filled life for the better). While the vacuum came with a partial charge, it was advised that I charge the battery fully before getting started.

Carpet

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

I first utilized the Digital Motorbar XL cleaning head on the fur-loaded carpet. I’ll be honest, I’ve used many of the best vacuums in my day, but you could truly feel the suctioning power behind this machine (and actually seeing the fur effortlessly pulling into the bin was proof).

One thing I noticed almost immediately was that you must hold the power button down to operate the Outsize Plus—something I wasn’t used to with my previous vacuum. But this didn’t discourage me one bit, as I was already off vacuuming the hallway and the top of the stairs. I even vacuumed low-traffic areas where I didn’t think I’d have much luck, but the Dyson Outsize proved me wrong. I watched in awe (and horror) as the bin filled with hair and dirt that had been deeply set into the carpet. To an outsider, it probably looked like I’d never vacuumed before, but the Dyson Outsize Plus was simply unearthing what no other vacuum could do before.

Hard Floors

I next moved to the hardwood floors, which in my house, are covered with fur on the daily. I typically use a compact cordless stick vacuum for the job, as it’s easy to pull out at a moment’s notice. And until now, I thought it was all I needed. But the Dyson Outsize Plus brought convenience to a whole new level. The wide vacuum head was able to cover so much more surface area in half the time. And thanks to it’s slim, stick design, it’s still able to maneuver under my bed, table and other tight areas.

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

While my floors looked immaculate and free of hair, dirt and dog toy remnants, I attached the Laser Fluffy head cleaner to see what all the fuss was about. I felt like a character out of Ghostbusters as the green laser beam illuminated tiny dust particles and sucked them up before my very own eyes. Between both cleaning heads, I could tell my home was getting a deep cleaning like never before (and Ernie agreed).

While cleaning, I will admit that my arm did get tired from the weight of the vacuum. And unlike my current vacuum, there was no way to stand it upright in between breaks—you have to lay it down or prop it up against the wall. But while the Outsize Plus is heavier than other cordless, stick vacuums, I feel it’s a fair trade-off in exchange for a powerful suctioning vacuum that picks up more hair and needs emptied less often.

Furniture

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

I next utilized the Hair Screw Tool attachment to tackle the dog hair on my couch. Because I no longer needed to reach far down to the floor, I was able to eliminate the stick extender and hook the attachment directly to the vacuum body. Although the Hair Screw might be small, it sure is mighty. It powerfully, yet gently, gripped my sofa, pulling every last dog hair up. Just like the Digital Motorbar XL, the Hair Screw Tool features an anti-tangle brush to quickly clear human and pet hair from smaller spaces. I even used it on Ernie’s dog bed and it worked like a charm.

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

Car

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

Next, I tested out a combination of attachments on my car’s interior and determined that the Hair Screw and Crevice tools were the two best suited for the job. The Hair Screw Tool gently gripped to the dog hammock, suctioning up pet hair along the way, and the Crevice Tool eliminated pet hair from every crack and crevice of the seats and floor mats underneath.

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

Because the bin is so large, I found it a bit difficult to maneuver in tight areas of my vehicle, no matter how small the attachments were. And I also did not find any of the attachments to be successful (perhaps if I use a pet carpet rake first to loosen the fur, that would have worked better).

Nancy Snyder/Family Handyman

When it came time to empty the bin, all I had to do was pull the red release lever and everything emptied into the trash. No need to get my hands dirty or coax any stubborn debris out—it simply took care of it all.

Despite all the powerful cleaning, I was impressed to find that the Dyson still had ample battery life left. And during my months of testing, there was one instance where I forgot to charge the vacuum in between, and was amazed to find that it was still carrying about 15 minutes of charge!

Pros

• Cordless design and powerful suction
• Extra-large head deep
• Works on carpets and hard floors
• De-tangling vanes prevent hair from catching on brush
• Two rechargeable batteries
• 0.5-gallon canister
• Multiple attachments
• Laser-beam technology on Laser Slim Fluffy attachment head
• Smart technology detects floor type
• Smart display shows remaining runtime and power modes
• Two-year warranty for parts and labor (and lifetime support from Dyson)

Cons

• Must continuously hold power button in order for vacuum to run
• Weighs about 17.5 pounds
• Doesn’t stand on its own when out of docking station

Product Comparison: Dyson Outsize Plus vs. Dyson v11

VIA MERCHANT

While both cordless vacuums are engineered for homes with pets, the Dyson Outsize Plus has a 125% larger bin and 25% wider cleaner head than the Dyson V11. Currently on the Dyson website, the Outsize Plus is priced at $599.99 while the V11 is priced slightly lower at $569.99. While the v11 comes with just four attachments, you can splurge for the V11 Extra which comes with 11 attachments (which is four more than what comes packaged with the Dyson Outsize Plus). However, neither versions of the v11 come with the Laser Fluffy head cleaner.

Final Verdict

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the Dyson Outsize Plus. Between cleaning my carpets, floors, furniture and car, it truly is a full service hair removal machine. It’s one of those vacuums that you don’t realize you need until you experience its power and witness the slack it picks up from previous vacuum attempts. The charging docking station and plethora of attachments means I’m now equipped for any hair removal task, no matter how great or small.

Because it has a larger bin that makes it rather top heavy, there are times that the Outsize Plus feels rather fragile. But when you have a hair-fighting machine like this one, you’ll want to protect it at all costs (especially since the price isn’t cheap!). While I can confidently say this vacuum is well worth the investment, Dyson does offer a payment plan through Afterpay for those on a tighter budget.

This vacuum would be the ultimate hair removal dream for any pet owner, but I do feel it was designed for a larger pet homes due to its wider cleaning head, greater bin size, various accessories and extended battery life. For smaller apartment dwellers, I would recommend one of these best vacuums for apartments instead.

Where to Buy the Dyson Outsize Plus Vacuum

Designed with pet owners in mind, this powerful cordless vacuum comes equipped with two cleaning heads and a variety of attachments to suck up pet hair from every nook of your home.

The Dyson Outsize Plus can be purchased directly through Dyson, as well as at Walmart. The price ranges from $575 to $599, which is not cheap, but well worth the investment of having a fur-free home!