You've seen the ads. A sleek, futuristic-looking stick vacuum gliding over a spilled bowl of cereal, magically erasing both the milk and the Cheerios in one smooth stroke. It looks like black magic. Honestly, when Dyson announced the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine, most of us thought, "Finally, they did it." They finally made the one machine that actually does everything.
But here is the thing.
The internet is full of "reviews" that are basically just rewritten press releases. If you are looking to drop nearly a thousand dollars on a vacuum, you don't need marketing fluff. You need to know if this thing actually replaces your mop, if it’s a pain to clean, and why on earth Dyson didn’t just make the mop head compatible with the older V15 models. (Spoiler: It’s a software thing, and yeah, it’s kinda annoying).
What the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine actually is
Basically, this is a V15 Detect—which was already a beast of a vacuum—with a special "Submarine" wet roller head thrown into the box.
It’s not a "wet-dry vacuum" in the sense that it sucks dirty water into the main dust bin. If you try to suck up a puddle of water with the standard vacuum head, you will kill the motor. Fast. Instead, the Submarine head is a self-contained unit. It has its own 300ml clean water tank, its own dirty water reservoir, and its own motorized microfiber roller.
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When you click that blue head onto the wand, the vacuum's "brain" recognizes it. It stops the suction motor entirely so you aren't pulling moisture into the HEPA filters. The battery power is diverted purely to spinning that wet roller and running the internal pump.
The Specs That Matter
- Suction Power: 240 Air Watts (in dry mode).
- Run Time: Up to 60 minutes, though usually less if you’re using the "Boost" mode or the Motorbar head on thick rugs.
- Weight: About 8.5 lbs, but it feels heavier when the water tank is full.
- Water Capacity: 300ml clean / 360ml dirty.
The "Submarine" Head: The Good, The Bad, and The Messy
Let’s talk about that mop head. It uses eight water jets to precisely saturate the roller. Dyson claims it can cover about 1,000 square feet on one tank.
In reality? If you have a massive open-concept home with nothing but tile, you’re going to be refilling that tank.
The cleaning performance is surprisingly good on "fresh" messes. Spilled coffee? Easy. Muddy paw prints? Gone. But if you have dried-on spaghetti sauce that's been baked onto the floor by the sun for three days, you're going to have to do a few passes. It doesn't "scrub" with the same ferocity as a dedicated industrial floor polisher, but for a daily "keep the house from looking like a swamp" tool, it's solid.
The Leak Problem
Here is something most people don't realize until they own it: the dirty water tank isn't actually sealed like a bottle.
If you finish mopping and suddenly tilt the head backward or shake it while carrying it to the sink, dirty water will leak out. Dyson actually includes a little plastic drip tray in the box. Use it. Seriously. The moment you're done mopping, set the head on that tray. If you don't, you'll end up with a small puddle of gray water right where you just finished cleaning.
Why it's still a world-class vacuum
Forget the mop for a second. The dry vacuuming side of the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is still arguably the best in the business.
You get the Fluffy Optic cleaner head. This is the one with the green laser (technically a precisely angled light) that makes dust look like glowing mountains on your "clean" floor. It is both satisfying and deeply horrifying to see how much pet hair you missed with your old vacuum.
Then there’s the Piezo sensor. This little piece of tech listens to the vibrations of dust hitting the intake. It counts the particles and shows you a little bar graph on the LCD screen.
- It proves you're actually getting dirt up.
- In "Auto" mode, it tells the vacuum to rev up the motor when it hits a particularly dirty patch of carpet.
It’s smart. It’s efficient. It’s very Dyson.
The Maintenance Reality Check
This is not a "set it and forget it" machine. If you use the Submarine head, you must clean it after every use.
If you leave a damp, dirty microfiber roller sitting in a dark plastic housing for three days, it will smell like a locker room. You have to slide the roller out, rinse the tray, and let everything air dry. It takes about five minutes, which isn't huge, but it's five minutes you didn't have to spend with a Swiffer.
Is it worth the "Dyson Tax"?
At roughly $949-$1,049 depending on sales, this is a massive investment.
If you already own a V15 or a Gen5Detect, it’s hard to justify buying a whole new vacuum just for the mop head—especially since the Submarine head won't work on older models due to the lack of the specific firmware needed to manage the water pump.
However, if you are currently using an old corded upright and a bucket-and-mop combo, the leap in convenience is life-changing. You're getting 240AW of suction, which is more than enough to pull sand out of deep carpets, and a hard floor solution that actually uses clean water instead of just pushing a dirty pad around.
Expert Maintenance Tips
- Wash the filter monthly: Dyson says this, but nobody does it. If your suction feels weak, the filter is almost always the culprit. Cold water only, no soap, and let it dry for a full 24 hours.
- The "Drip" Move: When you finish mopping, keep the head level. Don't lift it vertically. Walk it straight to the sink or the drip tray.
- Check the roller end-caps: Hair loves to wrap around the tiny axles on the sides of the rollers. If you don't clear them, the friction can eventually melt the plastic.
Next Steps for You
Check your floor types before buying. If you have 80% carpet and 20% hard floor, the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine might be overkill; you could save money with a standard V15. But if you're dealing with a house full of hardwoods, tile, and pets that refuse to wipe their paws, your first move should be to check for any current bundles that include the extra battery—because once you start "laser-vacuuming" your house, you won't want to stop until the battery hits zero.
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Check the bottom of the Submarine head after every three or four uses to ensure the waste extraction silicone strip is clear of debris. If that strip gets blocked by a stray piece of kibble, the "dirty water" won't get scraped off the roller properly, and you'll just be painting your floors with dirty water. Keep it clear, and the machine will keep your floors looking like a showroom.