Dyson Omni Glide Review

Nearly all vacuum cleaners move in four different directions – forward, backward, left, and right. Dyson aims to break the mold with the Omni-Glide – one of their latest stick vacuums, with an industry-first 360-degree rotating nozzle and twin roller design.

When I first saw this product, I was intrigued that I bought one to test, and I’ll share the results in this review.

Introduction to the Dyson Omni Glide

The Dyson brand is known for innovation. First is the bagless vacuum design that became so popular that other brands like Miele (known for their bagged vacuums) have followed suit and started manufacturing their bagless versions.

Next is the green laser light found in the V15 Detect, which is superior to an LED in tracking invisible-to-the-naked-eye dust.

This time, it’s the Omnidirectional steering from the Omni-Glide with an industry-first side-to-side movement. No other vacuum right now can clean in this way.

Dyson recently launched the Micro 1.5KG, their lightest cordless stick vacuum to date. Learn more about it and how it differs from the Omni-Glide by clicking on the links.

Design

The Dyson Omni Glide is a slight departure from what we’ve seen from Dyson – which is hulking stick vacuums with lots of power and above-average capacity.

This vacuum resembles a mini handheld with its streamlined design and handle. Gone is the trigger; loyal Dyson customers have grown to love (or hate).

One advantage of this design is the lightweight frame at a little over two pounds. Despite the size decrease, this model still retains the cyclons and bin design, which we’ll look into in more detail below.

Omnidirectional Soft Roller

This twin roller cleaning nozzle is another innovation Dyson introduces with the Omni-Glide. The two roller bars are not just for show, but it has a functional purpose – for cleaning in both directions.

Underneath this tool is four wheels that pivot 360-degrees independently, allowing it to “float” and move around furniture effortlessly.

What I like is each wheel has a rubber finish, thus minimizing the risk of surface scuffing.

Only one motor drives the roller with a series of gears to move the second one.

So it won’t have as much torque as other twin brush stick vacuums like the Lupe Pure and Shark Vertex.

This lack of torque means the rollers won’t spin on carpet, rendering it useless on this surface.

It’s easy to clean this attachment with the detachable roller and bottom plate.

Push Button Switch

Another change in the Omni-Glide is the departure from the trigger to a push-button switch. I’m guessing Dyson did this out of necessity due to the handle’s design.

It’s actually a pro since users don’t have to squeeze a trigger for the motor to run.

Arm fatigue won’t be a factor in using this because of the light frame and steering.

Dustbin design and volume

Everything in the Omni has shrunk, and that includes the dustbin. It still retains the V10, V11, and V15 dust container design, but at a much smaller scale, including the cyclones.

Dyson says this vacuum has eight cyclones with whole machine filtration. It has the same filter design as the V11 and V15, only smaller.

This model retains the hygienic system, and for a vacuum with such a low volume – it is a must-have feature.

The red lever also doubles as a release latch to remove the dustbin’s outer shell if it needs a thorough clean.

I tested it with a fog machine, and there were no visible leaks during this experiment. So it has excellent seals all around.

Dirt capacity is meager at just 0.05 gallons (or 0.18 liters) – handheld-like small. Expect frequent trips to the trash bin if you’re using this.

Tools out of the box

1. Combination crevice and brush attachment
2. Omni cleaning head (twin roller system)
3. Extension wand
4. Dyson Omni Glide vacuum
5. Charger

Users won’t get much. Aside from the Omni nozzle, it only comes with one other attachment – a 2-in-1 crevice and brush tool.

Handheld usability is mixed. The body length hampers it cleaning cramped spaces. It’s light enough (2-pound body weight) to carry around for cleaning upholstery, but the lack of tools and length isn’t ideal for handheld use.

Please note that the V-Series attachments won’t fit in the Omni since it has a smaller connector. Just a heads-up.

Run time and battery

Dyson says the Omni has four energy-dense cells, with up to 20-minutes of run time. I tested it independently by running it until the battery is empty, and here are the results.

• Default: 23:30 minutes
• Max: 8:25 minutes

These tests are done with the Omni roller attachment, with the battery fully charged.

Consumers can extend the run time (actually double it) by purchasing an extra battery. The ability to charge the battery separately adds to the usability aspect, so it’s possible to use this vacuum while the second battery is charging.

Different configurations

The Dyson Omni does offer some level of versatility with its interchangeable tools.

Aside from its main function as a stick vacuum, users can use it as a handheld with the comb tool attached.

For cleaning areas high up, users can use the wand for added reach.

One of my favorites configurations is this.

The soft roller is attached directly to the body for cleaning areas such as stairs. Its 360-degree steering makes the Omni the best at cleaning non-carpeted stairs.

How much power does the Dyson Omni Glide have?

To measure power, I used an anemometer for airflow and a vacuum water lift gauge for suction.

Here are the airflow results with the roller attached

• Default: 20.35 CFM
• Max: 26.28 CFM

And with the extension tube

• Default: 23.71 CFM
• Max: 31.94 CFM

It’s not high-end airflow, but enough for what it does, which is cleaning hard surfaces. The CFM numbers are slightly a notch below the likes of the Dyson V8 and Tineco A11, but the beauty of a soft roller is it doesn’t rely so much on airflow to pick up debris.

Suction is also at the low end at only 12 pounds of water lift – the lowest so far of all Dyson cordless vacuums.

Don’t expect it to do more than light-duty cleaning above floors.

Cleaning performance

Next, we’ll look at how well the Dyson Omni did cleaning various debris types. Since the rollers won’t spin on carpet, I didn’t bother testing it on this surface, so the results you’ll see are strictly on hard floors.

• Overall: 99.42%
• Hard floor: 99.35%
• Sand: 99.5

Hard floor results

• Quaker oats: 100%
• Coffee grounds: 98.8%
• Quinoa: 99.6%
• Pet litter: 99%

Not perfect, but it still picked up in the high 90s. One thing to note with the roller is it kicked some debris forward, which could be a reason why it picked up less than 100%.

The velocity of the roller will throw some stuff forward, but only when bunched up as I did with the tests. For debris like dust, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Sand on hard floor

I also tested the Dyson Omni on sand – one of the toughest to clean on this surface using 50 grams worth, and it picked up an average of 99.5%. It’s one of the better scores of all cordless stick vacuums.

You could use this to easily clean sand underneath the bed for those living near the beach.

Hair wrap test

Next, we’ll look at how well the Dyson Omni did on hair. I used 1.18 grams worth of five-inch human hair to see if the dual rollers can resist tangles for the experiment.

It wasn’t pretty, picking up only 26%, with nearly all the strands wrapping around the axles.

Good thing these rollers are detachable, or it’ll be a pain to remove.

This test shows that the Dyson Omni isn’t suitable for pet owners. I’d go with the Dyson V8 over this if you have any four-legged friends roaming around, at least for cleaning floors.

Edge cleaning and crevice test

Lastly, we’ll look at how well the Dyson Omni did cleaning edges and crevices for this section.

First, here’s a before and after photo of the edge cleaning experiment.

It took around five passes in total to pick up all the coffee grounds in this corner.

Despite the low airflow, it did pretty well on this quarter-inch crevice.

The Omni didn’t pick up every crumb of quinoa, but it got a majority.

How noisy is the Dyson Omni Glide?

Even with the low-end airflow, the Omni Glide is loud, breaching the 70-decibel on both settings. So it isn’t advisable to use this early in the morning or late at night.

• Default: 72 dB
• Max: 76 dB

I used a sound meter to measure noise levels. Please note these are not official results, but only the numbers I got from the experiment.

Availability of Parts

Being a new product, don’t expect much with product availability outside of Dyson. However, history shows us that third-party manufacturers will eventually sell Dyson parts if the product is popular. Even older variants like the Dyson V6 have an abundant supply of parts such as the battery. So I expect the Omni to follow suit if it sells well and the early returns are promising.

Product Specifications

Where can I buy the Dyson Omni?

This product is available in online stores like eBay. Check the link below for the latest pricing.

• Dyson Omni on Amazon

Disclaimer: I will earn a commission if you purchase through the link above, but at no extra cost to you, so it’s a win-win for us!

Does the Dyson Omni Glide offer good value?

With the current prices at Dyson V8 levels and the lack of carpet clean-ability, the Omni-Glide seems to be overpriced.

Consumers are paying for the Omnidirectional steering and the twin roller system. And the technology does work. This vacuum is easily the best steering stick vacuum around furniture, and it’s not even close. The clincher for me is its ability to clean under furniture with the same side-to-side movement.

If you value its agility and don’t mind paying the premium for it, then the Omni-Glide is an excellent tool to have at your disposal.

5 Reasons to buy the Dyson Omni Glide

1. Multidirectional steering: This model is the best steering vacuum I’ve tested, and it’s not even close.
2. Hold it like a broom: The lightweight design and four independently spinning wheels enable users to hold it like an old-fashioned broom.
3. Excellent on hard floors: Though not perfect, it picks up a high percentage of hard floors.
4. Fully-sealed system: It didn’t leak during the fog test.
5. Detachable battery: The removable battery makes it easy to extend run time – by purchasing an extra.

The Verdict: Cleaning Hard Floors Will Never Be The Same

While I think the Dyson Omni Glide is a bit overpriced, there’s nothing like it in the market right now. Its ability to turn 360-degrees is potentially game-changing and changes how consumers clean hard floors.

Before I got the Omni, the only other vacuum I could use to clean low-clearance furniture was the Shark Vertex cordless with its multi-flex feature, but at the cost of steering feel. Using it in flex mode hampers its ability to turn significantly.

The Omni doesn’t have this issue and easily goes side to side, even under furniture. This feature translates well when cleaning stairs and tight spaces around furniture.

If this is of high importance to you, consider it if your home has hard floors and no pets.