Dyson just unveiled a new floor-care gadget — here are the 3 coolest things about the new PencilWash

Dyson is spoiling us. Towards the end of last year the brand launched an ultra-compact new vacuum, the PencilVac, and a nimble new hard-floor cleaner, the Clean+Wash Hygiene. Now it's combined the best features of both cleaners to create the Dyson PencilWash.

This new hard-floor cleaner has the PencilVac's streamlined build and shrunk-down motor, and takes its mopping cues from the efficient Clean+Wash Hygiene. Here's a run-down of this innovative new cleaner's most exciting features…

1. It's so compact

The (baby) elephant in the room is the size. Many of today's best wet-and-dry vacuums are chunky and heavy, but the PencilWash is almost impossibly svelte. It uses a tiny motor, which is small enough to fit inside the 1.5in / 38mm handle. The battery is equally compact, and clips on to form the top section of the handle. The water tanks are then integrated into the floorhead.

That means the whole unit is not much bigger than a regular-sized broom. It's also light, at 4.9lbs / 2.2kg. Now, designing the water tanks to fit into the floorhead does mean that they're pretty small, but thanks to some meticulous water distribution, Dyson says they should be good for up to 100 square meters of cleaning per tank.

2. There's no filter

The knock-on effect of the waste water tank being positioned inside the floorhead is that the dirty liquid barely needs to travel at all. As a result, there's no risk of any tubing to become blocked, or start emitting unpleasant smells. In fact, Dyson boasts that there's no filter here at all.

3. It's extremely maneuverable

As well as sporting a streamlined design, the PencilWash is built for maneuverability. This is an area where Dyson excels – most of today's best Dyson vacuums are ultra-maneuverable. This one has the benefit of that broom-shaped handle, too, which means there's no bulk around the top section either.

Dyson says the PencilWash will pivot smoothly at the twist of a wrist, and based on my experience with the PencilVac, I can believe that. It can also drop near-flat (170 degrees), in which mode it's just 5.9 inches / 15cm tall, and can slide easily under low furniture.

The Dyson PencilWash goes on sale in the US on 17 March and in the UK on 23 February, with a list price of $349 / £299.99. (Australian availability and pricing TBC). Full review to follow.

The best wet and dry vacuums

➡️ Read our full guide to the best wet-dry vacuums
1. Best overall:
Tineco Floor One S7 Pro
2. Runner up:
Roborock F25 ACE
3. Best budget:
Shark HydroVac Cordless
4. Best stick vacuum / mop:
Dyson V15s Detect Submarine

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