Dyson V16 Piston Animal Submarine Review: Powerful but Pricey

Before you start mopping, you’ll need to roll the Submarine head back and forth for 10 to 20 seconds to make sure it’s damp enough to work. You’ll know it’s ready when you see consistent water trails. Before mopping, I also recommend using the Fluffy Optic head to pick up dust in the area, because the wet head’s debris tray looks smaller than those on the dedicated wet cleaners. You’ll thank yourself for pre-vacuuming when the mop cleanup is less disgusting. Though the debris tray is small, I do like that it is fully plastic, since the mesh on my old Dyson WashG1 grew mold. To avoid a mess after you’re done, make sure to keep the Submarine head flat until you separate the trays, lift off the debris part, and then dump out the gray water that’s beneath it into a sink or toilet.

Is It Upgrade-Worthy?

Photograph: Nena Farrell

If you’re looking for the best overall Dyson vacuum, know that this model scored high in my comparison testing, but you’ll get a slightly better experience with the Gen5Detect while saving yourself some cash. Neither the Gen5Detect nor the V16 Piston Animal outperformed a much cheaper Shark vacuum in side-by-side tests, though, so it’s hard for me to say you should definitely splurge on either Dyson model.

If you’re willing to invest in the add-on mop head and docking station (once it’s available), the V16 might be worth buying. But that’ll be a big bill; the V16 Submarine will run $1,100, and at that point, you could invest in one of my favorite robot vacuums to do the same job without actually doing it yourself. (You can even get Dyson’s Spot+Scrub Ai robot vacuum for just $100 more if you’re set on a Dyson.)

Even so, it’s nice to meet a Dyson stick vacuum that can do it all. It’s notably powerful, and not just because of its suction capabilities, but because of its range of abilities, little improvements to make using it easier, and the option to double as a wet floor cleaner. The strong HEPA filtration on the V16 is also a strong point of consideration if you have allergies and want to capture every micron possible, or get every inch of pet hair out of your carpet. But I won’t lie to you: If I’m buying a new technology-powered mop, I’d rather get a robot vacuum.

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