'Skip the Dyson, get this instead': As a vacuum reviewer, this is the EOFY handstick deal I'd buy myself

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Dreame Z50 Station vacuum cleaner when it first launched earlier this year, but its spec sheet was impressive. With industry-leading 330 air watts of suction power, I was hoping it would clean better than the 315AW Dyson V16 Piston Animal... and, boy, did it impress!

It put that high suction to good use and, in my Dreame Z50 Station review, I couldn't help but say it can put both Dyson and Shark to shame. My only complaints were its overall weight (it's the heaviest stick vacuum I've ever tested) and its steep price tag.

However, that premium price is now a lot more achievable as Dreame has discounted it down to AU$999 (from AU$1,499) directly on its site. You won't find the Z50 Station sold at other retailers, so this offer can be easy to miss and yet it's the one EOFY deal you shouldn't — I consider the Z50 Station to be one of the best vacuum cleaners in Australia right now.

Admittedly you'll get a Dyson for less than AU$999 (like the Dyson V15 Detect now AU$799 or the Dyson Gen5detect for AU$898), but the Dreame Z50 Station easily justifies the higher price for a couple of key reasons that even the best Dyson vacuums can't compete with.

Firstly, that suction power of 330AW. I admit that this spec isn't a standard used across the industry and a lot of that suction capability is dependent on the airflow through the machine, but Dreame seems to have done it well. From the design of the floorhead that can suck while moving back or forth to the volume of air moving into the onboard dust cup, the Z50 definitely is very sucky indeed. In my tests, it cleaned up messes in one move, two at the most, a touch less than any Dyson I've reviewed personally!

Then there's the self-emptying functionality that's a default part of the machine. The Station is just as powerful and can empty the dust cap as soon as the stick vac is placed onto the dock. I did notice that a thin layer of fine does get stuck around the top rubber washer inside the dust cup, but it's remarkably easier to dismantle the handheld unit for regular maintenance — a lot easier than Dyson's design of the dust cup in my opinion.

I should call out the telescopic tube that, again, you won't see on a Dyson. Oh, and said tube is bendy too, so you can get under furniture (you'll need to buy a separate attachment from Dyson to do that).

You will have to consider the ongoing cost of the dust bag but, given its 3L volume, you may not need to throw it out as often as smaller bags and it could prove economical.

If you've got the budget, this is arguably the best premium cordless vacuum I've tested this year and I would absolutely skip the Dyson for this one.