What exactly is the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine and should I buy one in the Black Friday sales?

The V12s Detect Slim Submarine is a new addition to the Dyson floorcare lineup. At time of writing, it's only available in the UK, and it's already discounted.

This is a two-in-one cleaner that can mop as well as vacuuming. To create its Submarine vacuums, Dyson takes a base model (in this case, the V12 Detect Slim... which unfortunately already had quite a long name before Dyson extended it further) and adds a self-contained mopping floorhead.

I rate the regular V12 as the best Dyson vacuum for small homes, and the Submarine version makes it even more versatile. It's rather expensive, but (like most of the Dyson vac range) has had a tidy discount for Black Friday, making it much more appealing.

So how exactly does the V12s Detect Slim Submarine work, where does it fit in the wider Dyson lineup, and is it worth buying with the current discounts? Let's take a look...

Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine: was £599.99 now £449.99 at Dyson UK

If you head to the Dyson Black Friday sale, there's £150 off the V12s – a 25% discount on sticker price. In terms of price and specs, this model sits in the middle of Dyson's Submarine range, and with this current discount I'd say it's strong value for what you're getting – a powerful, hi-tech vacuum that can also double-up as a mop.

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What is the Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine?

The Dyson V12s Detect Slim Submarine is the V12 Detect Slim (with all the same specs and features as that cordless stick vacuum), with a self-contained mopping floorhead bundled in. You can use it in vacuum mode, with one of the dry floorheads attached, or swap on the Submarine head when you want to mop.

My Australian teammate wrote TechRadar's Dyson V12 Detect Slim review, and was very impressed, calling it "perfect for small homes". It has many of the same special features as the V15 Detect, but in a lighter, cheaper package. While it doesn't have the same outright power as the brand's newest additions, suction is still excellent – especially given how light it is.

The main USP is dirt detection and automatic suction adjustment. The V12 / V12s will even report back what's being sucked up as you clean, via a colorful moving bar graph on its screen. You can use this to identify dirt hotspots and see when a patch of floor is clean so you can move on.

In the Submarine floorhead is a microfiber-covered roller to gently scrub dirt from your hard flooring. This is fed clean water as it rolls around, while the dirty stuff is siphoned off into a second tank.

In Submarine mode, there's no suction – my roundup of the best wet-and-dry vacuums has options that mop and suck simultaneously, if you prefer. And unfortunately, the Submarine floorhead isn't compatible with Dyson's regular vacuums – you need to pick a 'Submarine' version to be able to use the mopping.

How does the V12s compare to other Dyson vacs?

The V12 was never a flagship model – it launched at the same time as the Dyson V15 Detect as a more lightweight option with similar features but slightly lower specs. The model that precedes those two is the Dyson V11.

In the current UK lineup there are three Submarine options: the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine (which has been out for a few years now), the V12s (the model I'm discussing here), and the Dyson Cyclone V10 Submarine (another new addition).

The V15s is the most advanced and expensive choice, the V12s sits in the middle of the range in terms of price and specs, and the Cyclone V10 Submarine is the cheapest and most basic. As I understand it, the difference is only in vacuum performance and runtimes – the Submarine head and mopping setup is essentially the same across all three vacuums.

Is the Dyson V12s good value?

At list price, the V12s Detect Slim Submarine costs £599.99, which is admittedly expensive for a vacuum. With the current £150 discount, it starts to look better value – especially when you consider the tech that's packed into the vacuum, and the fact it can also operate as a mop.

If you're not fussed about having such a hi-tech vacuum, you're better off getting the Cyclone V10 Submarine, which is significantly cheaper (£479.99) at list price, and also included in the current sale. And if it's just the vacuum you're interested in, there are a whole bunch of Dyson Black Friday vacuum deals to choose from, with prices from £230.

Dyson Cyclone V10 Submarine: was £479.99 now £329.99 at Dyson UK

This is the cheapest of the new Submarines, and with a £150 price cut, it's down to around the same price you'd pay for a standard V8. Given this machine has stronger specs and the extra mopping floorhead, it's easy to recommend.

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