The V-series is Dyson’s series of cordless stick vacuums designed for every day “quick cleans.” These lightweight vacuums have multiple unique attachments making them handy to have around when you do not want to (or cannot) lug around a full-size vacuum cleaner.
With seven Dyson V-series models to choose from, we wanted to know how the different models compare, so we began by looking at the V-8 and V-7.
By comparing the features of each vacuum model, we will determine which of these stick vacuums gives you the best bang for your buck!
WHY DYSON?
Dyson is well-known for the innovative technology behind their appliances, and since the early 2000s, they have dominated the market for quality vacuum cleaners.
From their beginning in 1978, Dyson changed the world of vacuums with their cyclone technology. Built on the concept behind an industrial cyclone tower he built when he was an engineer, James Dyson worked for five years to develop the world’s first bagless vacuum.
It is not just the cyclone technology that brought Dyson to the forefront of the vacuum-world, though. Over the years, Dyson has become revered for its smaller size, lighter weight vacuums, and dedication to power-efficiency.
Another big selling point of the Dyson brand is the scalable range of their vacuums. Not only does Dyson have a wide range of products with varied price points, but each product range has tiered products.
For example, the Dyson V8 offers the Dyson V8 Absolute, Dyson V8 Animal, Dyson V8 Animal+, Dyson V8 Motorhead, and the Dyson V8 Total Clean. Each of these tiered vacuums comes with different attachments, and each has a price to suit different budgets.
WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES DYSON SO POPULAR IN THE WORLD OF VACUUMS?
Suction
The biggest draw of the Dyson has always been the power of suction. In fact, their most recent stick vacuum boasts twice the suction power of any other cordless vacuum! Better suction means a more complete and faster clean – and who does not want that?
Filtration
Dyson also offers excellent filtration on all of their vacuums, but this is particularly noticeable with their stick vacuums.
Where most stick vacuums will get your carpets clean, the Dyson vacuums have whole-machine filtration built-in. This filtration is so precise that it captures “99.99% of microscopic dust particles”. So, not only does the Dyson clean your carpet, but it makes the air in your home cleaner too.
Versatility
Dyson stick vacuums are much more versatile than the average stick vacuum. With the help of a telescoping tube, the Dyson goes from a lightweight stick vacuum to an easily maneuverable handheld.
When you buy a Dyson stick, you get two vacuums in one and the added versatility of having a “dustbuster.” So, you can easily clean crumbs from the carpets, cobwebs from the ceiling, and chips from the car seat!
Durability
Durability is also a perk that comes with the Dyson name. Compared to the average vacuum, the Dyson has a 25% longer lifespan.
ADDITIONAL PERKS OFFERED BY DYSON
While suction and filtration are the biggest selling points of Dyson vacuums, there are some other great perks that “sweeten the deal.”
For example
- By completing the auto-registration process when you buy a Dyson stick vacuum, you get free tools and accessories.
- All Dyson vacuum models come with two- or five-year parts and labor hassle-free warranties.
- Dyson also offers a 30- or 90-day money-back guarantee on their products, so if you are not happy with what you buy, you can return it and get a full refund.
IS IT WORTH GETTING A DYSON?
One question that many people ask when it comes to getting a Dyson is whether the cost is justifiable.
Compared to other vacuums, the Dyson is around twice the price…so is it worth it?
Dyson vacuums indeed come at a premium, but according to one source, that premium buys you as long as 10 years of service. Considering that the average vacuum cleaner has a lifespan of around eight years and much less suction, we think that it is an investment worth making.
CHOOSING A STICK VACUUM OVER A TRADITIONAL VACUUM
When should you choose a stick vacuum over a traditional vacuum?
In the case of the Dyson V-8 and V-7, these models might be a good option for you if:
- You are looking for a lightweight vacuum with a lot of power.
- You want a cordless vacuum for better portability.
- You want a vacuum that can cover ceilings as well as floors.
- You are concerned about the overall air quality in your home.
- You want a vacuum cleaner for touch ups between traditional vacuum days.
- You are tired of dragging a full-sized vacuum up and down the stairs.
A stick vacuum might not be a good option for you if:
- You have a large home.
- You need more than 30-40 minutes of runtime (see above.)
BREAKING IT DOWN
We put together a comparison of the Dyson V8 and the Dyson V7 to see just how these two popular Dyson stick vacuums compare.
We compared these two stick vacuums based on cost, suction power, run time, bin capacity, filtering system, and any additional features and selected a winner.
DYSON V8
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
The Dyson V8 stick vacuum came out in 2016 and is the third cordless vacuum from Dyson. The V8 is a fuller featured Dyson than models like the V7 – it more expensive, but the V8 has a little more “oomph” than the V7, which makes it worth the added cost.
The V8 is a lightweight cordless vacuum like most Dyson stick vacuums and even though it packs quite a punch in the power and suction department, the V8 is still exceptionally easy to maneuver.
Like the Dyson V7, the V8 model has a main direct-drive cleaner head designed to prevent hair tangles around the bristles. Whether you have long hair yourself or have a long-haired pet, you know what a difference this feature makes!
One of the most distinguishing features of the V8 compared to previous models is how thoroughly it cleans floors as well as the air in your home. This higher level of clean is all down to improved sealing within the vacuum that works in combination with the HEPA filter to filter out more dust and grime than the average vacuum.
It is important to note that the Dyson V8 does not have a simple power button – it has a trigger. You must hold this trigger down for the vacuum to function. Unfortunately, this may make the V8 troublesome for users with wrist injuries or problems with hand strength.
There are five different models of the Dyson V8 available these models include
- Dyson V8 Absolute
- Dyson V8 Animal
- Dyson V8 Animal+
- Dyson V8 Motorhead
- Dyson V8 Total Clean
The Dyson V8 models share a range of core features
- A digital motor.
- An average run time of around 40 minutes.
- HEPA filtration.
- Two power modes.
- A direct-drive cleaning head.
- A mini motorized tool.
- A combination tool.
- A crevice tool.
- A soft dusting brush.
- A docking station.
- A charger.
The difference between each of the V8 Dyson models is in the extra features and options they offer.
Dyson V8 Absolute
The Dyson V8 Absolute also includes a soft roller head.
Dyson V8 Animal
The Dyson V8 Animal also includes a mini dusting brush and a mini motorized brush roll.
Dyson V8 Animal+
The Dyson V8 Animal+ also includes a mini dusting brush.
Dyson V8 Motorhead
The Dyson V8 Motorhead comes with no additional features.
Dyson V8 Total Clean
The Dyson V8 Total Clean also features an “up top” adaptor (that is made for reaching higher places,) and a “Flexi crevice” tool (that is for reaching into tight spaces.) The V8 Total Clean model is a little harder to get hold of than the other V8 models, however.
FEATURES
Multi-Surface Cleaning
The Dyson V8 stick vacuum works on both carpets and bare floors and has unique tools for each surface.
The D8 uses a combination of carbon fiber and nylon bristles to clean floors, so it is easy on hardwood floors and tile, while the brush bristles are powerful enough to remove deep-set dirt from the carpet.
For optimal cleaning, you want to switch head attachments when moving from carpet to hardwood or tile surfaces. (You do not HAVE to change the vacuum head attachments, but for the best results, you will want to.)
Handheld and Stick
The Dyson V8 is both a handheld and a stick vacuum, and transitioning between each mode is relatively easy. The 2.2-foot telescoping attachment fits right on the 50W motorized powerhead that is powerful enough to clean your home floor to ceiling.
The Dyson V8 weighs more than some of the other V-series Dysons, but the weight is carefully balanced to make overhead cleaning easier.
Charging Dock and Battery Power
The Dyson V8 comes with a wall-mounted charging dock that weighs just 8 ounces but is sturdy enough to hold the V8 while charging. If you prefer not to wall-mount the charger, the V8 does come with an additional charger for plug-in charging wherever you please.
It takes five hours to charge the Dyson V8 battery, and once it is fully charged the vacuum will run for 40-minutes when using non-motorized tools. With the fluffy head or mini motorized head, the V8 will run for 30-minutes, and with the main powerhead, you can expect 25-minutes of use.
The V8 battery produces 22 Air watts of suction when you use the vacuum on its lowest level setting. When on max setting, the battery produces 115 Air watts of suction.
Capacity
The Dyson V8 has a 0.14-gal bin to hold dust and dirt, and it has a single push-button for fast emptying once the bin is full. Just push the release button, the bin opens, and a silicone ring pushes out the dust and dirt!
Filtration
The Dyson V8 has a washable HEPA filter on the back of the motor housing. This filter provides complete air filtration and removes dust and allergens from the air so that you can breathe easier.
Weight
The Dyson V8 weighs 5.75 pounds – lightweight for the power behind this model. The V8 meets the midway point between power and portability quite well with enough suction to get the job done quickly while still being light enough to get those ceiling cobwebs!
Performance
How does the V8 perform?
Making the transition between hard floors and carpeted floors is a little more work with the Dyson V8 than the V7 model because it requires switching heads to get floors clean.
On hardwood floors, the V8 tackles fine and medium particle debris without a problem, but once the debris pieces reach the size of a piece of cereal, performance drops slightly.
When tackling larger debris on hard floors, the V8 makes a valiant effort, but it only picks up around half of the mess and pushes the other half around.
On carpeted floors, though, the V8 is very efficient and shows little difference in performance between high and low pile carpet (struggling only slightly on high pile carpet.)
Color
If color makes a difference to you when purchasing your vacuum, you should know that the Dyson V8 is available in yellow, grey, and red.
Pricing
The Dyson V8 runs between $350-$450 (depending on which V8 model you are interested in buying.) You can also purchase a refurbished Dyson V8 for just under $300.
The V8 is an expensive stick vacuum, but it is an investment worth making if you have the budget.
The V8 is not the best of the Dyson stick vacuums – this honor belongs to the Dyson V11 Outsize that came out in 2020.
PROS
- Incredible performance.
- A good run time when using non-motorized tools.
- Lightweight.
- Space-saving.
- Excellent maneuverability.
- Quieter than other Dyson stick models.
CONS
- Cost vs. other brands.
- Small dust collection bin.
- Long charge time.
- Requires constant pressure on the trigger to function.
IS THE DYSON V8 FOR YOU?
The Dyson V8 is a good choice for you if:
- You are looking for a stick vacuum with power that will not set you back between $600-$700.
- You are looking for a powerful but lightweight stick vacuum.
- You want a stick vacuum that you can easily maneuver around, under, and over without the hassle involved with a full-sized vacuum.
- You have a pet.
The Dyson V8 may not be a good choice for you if
- You have a bigger home.
- You have a limited budget.
DYSON V7
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
The Dyson V7 stick vacuum came out in 2017 and is the fourth cordless vacuum from Dyson. The V7 is also one of the most affordable Dyson stick vacuum models making it a popular cordless option even four years after its release.
The V7 is easy to maneuver because of its lightweight and the balance of that weight. However, perhaps one of the best things about this model is that it has a main direct-drive cleaner head that prevents hair tangles around the bristles.
There are four different models of the Dyson V7 available, some of which are exclusive to particular markets. These models include
- Dyson V7 Absolute
- Dyson V7 Animal
- Dyson V7 Motorhead
- Dyson V7 HEPA
The Dyson V7 models share a range of core features
- A digital motor.
- An average run time of around 30 minutes.
- Two power modes.
- A direct-drive cleaning head.
- A combination tool and a crevice tool.
- A docking station.
The difference between each of the V7 Dyson models is the extra features and options of each one.
Dyson V7 Absolute
The Dyson V7 Absolute also includes a fluffy cleaning head, a mini dusting brush, and a mini motorized brush roll.
Dyson V7 Animal
The Dyson V7 Animal also includes HEPA filtration, a mini dusting brush, and a mini motorized brush roll.
Dyson V7 Motorhead
The Dyson V7 Motorhead does not offer any additional features.
Dyson V7 HEPA
The Dyson V7 HEPA also includes HEPA filtration.
FEATURES
Multi-Surface Cleaning
The Dyson V7 stick vacuum works on both carpets and bare floors. This versatility is an important feature for any modern stick vacuum because it defeats the purpose of not needing to pull out the full-sized vacuum if your stick vacuum does not tackle all surfaces!
The D7 uses a combination of carbon fiber and nylon bristles to clean flooring, so it is gentle on hardwood floors and tile while still being agitating enough to remove deep-set dirt from long pile carpet.
It is also worth noting that the V7 does not lose suction when you transition from using the V7 as a handheld to using it as a stick vacuum.
Handheld and Stick
The Dyson V7 is both a handheld and a stick vacuum with an easily removable telescoping attachment that fits right on the 35W motorized powerhead. With just one click, you can go from cleaning floors to cleaning ceilings, and the weight of the vacuum is well-balanced so that you do not struggle when using the vacuum to clean vertical surfaces.
Charging Dock and Battery Power
Like other V-series stick vacuums, the Dyson V7 also has a wall-mounted charging dock making storage simple and charging easier than ever. Just attach the charging station to the wall in your utility room and dock your vacuum after each use – no more forgetting to charge!
It takes three and a half hours to charge the V-7 battery, and once fully charged, the Dyson V-7 will run for 30-minutes.
If you use the vacuum at its maximum setting, you will get around 10-minutes of clean time per charge.
The V-7 smaller battery produces 21 Air watts of suction when you use the vacuum on its lowest level setting. When on max setting, the battery produces 100 Air watts of suction.
Capacity
The Dyson V-7 has a 0.14-gal bin to capture dust and dirt, and it also features a button for hygienic emptying when the bin gets full. Just push the big red button, and the bin opens, and the silicone ring inside pushes out the dust and dirt!
The V-7 does not feature a HEPA filter unless you specifically buy the HEPA version, but the filter it does have is easily washed every time you…clean.
Weight
The Dyson V7 weighs 5.45 pounds – very lightweight for the amount of suction that it provides. This lighter weight is also the reason why the battery life on the V7 is so short. We cannot help but wonder if it had a larger battery, how much longer could the battery life have been?
Performance
How does the V7 perform?
With the V7, the transition between hardwood floors and carpet is seamless, but the V7 does perform to a better standard on carpeted floors.
On hardwood floors, the V7 tackles fine particle debris without a problem, but faced with anything the size of a grain of rice or larger, the V7 is going to have difficulty. In fact, when you get to a certain size of debris, the V7 does not even try to pick it up.
On carpeted floors, though, the V7 can tackle debris of any size and consistency without hesitation. Better still, the V7 performs equally well on a high pile and low pile carpet.
Color
While color is not a factor for most vacuum buyers, if it matters to you, know that you can purchase the Dyson V7 in fuchsia, black, purple, or blue.
Pricing
The Dyson V7 runs between $300-$400 (depending on the model you are interested in purchasing.) If you are interested in purchasing a refurbished model, you can expect to pay between $200-$250.
PROS
- Incredible performance.
- Affordable for a Dyson.
- Lightweight.
- Space-saving.
- Smooth transition between hardwood and carpet.
CONS
- Cost vs. other brands.
- Small dust collection bin.
- Short battery life.
IS THE DYSON V7 FOR YOU?
The Dyson V7 is a good choice for you if:
- You want a lightweight vacuum for periodic cleaning.
- You are not looking to spend a fortune on a Dyson.
- You live in a smaller home.
The Dyson V7 may not be a good choice for you if:
- You have pets.
- You have mostly hardwood and tile flooring.
- You want the best that Dyson has to offer.
WINNER
So, which of these Cordless Dyson stick vacuums is the winner?
The Dyson V8!
FINAL VERDICT
We chose the Dyson V8 because it performs better than the V7 overall. This upgrade in performance is likely because the V8 is designed with pet owners in mind – and no one needs better suction and power in their vacuum than a pet owner does!
With more power behind it, the V8 makes a good job of hard and soft flooring, and while it falters slightly on hard surfaces when tackling larger debris, it performs at a better standard than the V7 overall.
The Dyson V8 also comes with a better selection of attachments for more versatility when cleaning. More tools mean more customized cleaning, and that is definitely a plus! The soft roller is our favorite tool; it makes cleaning smaller debris from hard floors easier.
Compared to the V7, the V8 also has a much larger direct-drive head. The V8 direct-drive head is taller, wider, and more efficient at sweeping up debris and funneling it into the vacuum.
The only things we do not like about the Dyson V8 are that it is pricey, and it requires constant pressure on the trigger to work.
The higher price of the Dyson is a given, so it comes as no surprise, and it is the price you pay for Dyson quality.
The constant pressure required on the vacuum trigger, however, takes a little getting used to! Unlike vacuums with a simple power button, the V8 is a vacuum that requires a degree of hand strength, making it prohibitive for some users.
There is one more feature that we want to see on the Dyson V8 – we want a bigger collection bin so that it does not need emptying so frequently. That said, the bin size on the V8 is equal to the bin size on the V7, so this is not a distinguishing feature between the two vacuums, it is simply something we would like to see improved.
IS THE V8 THE BEST STICK VACUUM DYSON HAS TO OFFER?
Like all great companies, Dyson continues to build on product designs. They release new models of their vacuums regularly. In fact, Dyson has released a new stick vacuum each year since 2015.
The latest stick vacuum release from Dyson is the V11 Outsize. If you are prepared to pay the premium price and are looking for the best of the best, this is the Dyson stick vacuum to buy.
The V11 Outsize improves on most of the features we wanted to see improved on the V8.
The V11’s bin is 25% larger than the V8, it has double the run time, and it has much more powerful suction (85% more suction than the V7, to be precise.) The V11 Outsize also features an LCD screen for a more accurate prediction of battery life.
Does this mean that the V8 is not worth the investment, and you should save for the V11 Outsize? Not necessarily.
If it is important to you that you have the top-of-the-line cordless stick vacuum from Dyson, then yes, it is worth saving for. Just be prepared to pay close to $800 for the privilege.
If you are looking for a powerful stick vacuum with the Dyson name and quality, but you have a more limited budget, the V8 is a good middle ground.
The V8 still outperforms the average stick vacuum and comes at half the price of the V11 Outsize. Additionally, if you are prepared to go with a refurbished or “renewed” unit, you can save even more money.
A NOTE ON REFURBISHED OR RENEWED DYSONS
If you do decide to purchase a refurbished or “renewed” Dyson unit, make sure that it is a unit that has been refurbished by Dyson and not one that has been refurbished by an outside company.
Buying a refurbished or “renewed” Dyson from an uncertified seller will void any warranty on the unit, where Dyson provides six-month warranties on their refurbished vacuums.
To buy a Dyson certified refurbished unit, you must shop directly through Dyson via their outlet.
The only drawback to shopping for a refurbished unit from Dyson is that the vacuum models available are limited to what they currently have in stock. So any of the older Dyson models can be much harder to come by in refurbished condition.
THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO BUY A DYSON
Is there a best time of year to buy a Dyson? Yes!
Finding savings on Dyson vacuums can be particularly difficult, but if you are patient enough to wait until the week of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you will get rather good savings. During this week, you will save between one hundred and two hundred dollars on your vacuum purchase.
Periodically you may find alternate “coupons” and savings deals, but these are usually discounts that are offered by the retail store selling the product. Dyson tends to limit its sales to the “big” selling times of the year like Black Friday week.
If you plan on buying a refurbished Dyson unit, the best time to buy is when you see the model you like in stock! Do not wait around because refurbished units sell out quickly, particularly models that are in high demand like the V8 Animal. Additionally, refurbished units are already deeply discounted, so you are unlikely to find additional savings on these units even during Black Friday week!
Jason Roberts
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