The Dyson V6 Trigger is the signature hand vac of the Dyson brand and a contender for our best handheld vacuum guide, and it has the price tag that goes along with it. It has a nice design, with a rechargeable lithium battery and a modern trigger-style handle that's comfortable to hold. What it doesn't do, according to our tests, is vacuum effectively.
The main nozzle is long and thin. There is a combination accessory tool for crevices and brushes, and you can empty the bin with the quick-release button. You can also increase the suction power for harder jobs. The big concern, though, is that it didn't perform well on our carpet or hardwood test. On the carpet, it took this portable vacuum seven passes to clean the small mess of sawdust, which was the most of any hand vac we tested and more than double the best handheld vacuums. On hardwood, it took 11 passes, which was the second worst.
In our pet hair test, it cleaned only 80 percent of the area, which meant a lot of bending down and scraping out hair by hand. We spread sawdust on a car seat as well, and the hand vacuum left a large amount of sawdust behind. It simply doesn't have the suction to reach into the tighter areas of the seat.
This small vacuum cleaner does have a nice, rechargeable lithium battery that reaches a full charge in only three hours. However, the runtime isn't long at all. We used it for around six minutes before the battery died. This is more than enough time for a small mess, but not for cleaning up after a party or in a car.
Dyson has strong customer service and a well-designed website. Live chat is always available, and phone numbers and email are listed on every page. The support tab offers expert advice and an extensive FAQ section. The V6 Trigger comes with a two-year warranty, which is better than most vacuum warranties.
The Dyson V6 Trigger looks great, is comfortable to use, and has a quick-charging battery and a convenient release for emptying the bin. For design alone, it was on pace to be one of the best hand vacuums. Still, our biggest criterion is vacuuming performance, and the V6 didn't do the job up to our standard.
