British company Dyson has unveiled the latest in its cordless vacuum cleaner "Digital Slim" range, the DC44, which benefits from developments in both motor and battery technologies, providing the manufacturer's most efficient handheld cleaner yet.

The new model uses a 22.2-volt nickel manganese cobalt battery, which allows it to release its charge evenly, ensuring a steady performance throughout a vacuuming session. It can provide up to 20 minutes of fade-free power. And the proprietary Root Cyclone technology combined with the small, lightweight Dyson digital motor offer a huge amount of power - spinning at 104,000rpm.

An improved boost suction button is included which offers an extra couple of minutes over the company's former cordless models - up to eight in total. But it does work similarly to its predecessors in that it can be used as a smaller handheld cleaner for sofas, in cars, etc, and also for floors and, even, ceilings with its extension "wand".

Indeed, more attention has been put into the floor cleaning ability of this particular Digital Slim model. The motorised floor tool now has 100 per cent more cleaner head power to drive stiff nylon bristles into carpet pile and anti-static carbon filaments to remove dust from hard flooring.

"Dyson engineers used Archimedes' simple, but brilliant lever principle to develop the configuration of the machine - giving it perfect poise in the hand. Power in the grip and balance in the wand has given us an agile machine that packs a punch," said James Dyson, the company's founder.

The Dyson DC44 will cost £279.99 and will be available in the UK from dyson.co.uk and Currys from 30 August, other retailers nationwide from 11 September.