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The Dyson V8 Review 2021 You Need To Read

Effectiveness

Effectiveness

With dual radial cyclone improving airflow, rotating brush heads and an excellent motor providing suction power, no debris - large or small - will escape the clutches of your V8.

Price

Price

A pricey vacuum, but for the features it packs such as the suction power that rivals larger vacuums and filtration system showcased, truly value for your money.

Ease of use

Ease of use

With enough battery running time and a lightweight as well as balanced build, this is an incredibly nimble stick vacuum. The soft brushroll is excellent on hard floors while the direct-drive cleaning head tool will handle any carpet, no matter how thick.


The Dyson V8 was released in 2016 as a successor to the immensely popular V6.

The V8 comes in two versions - Animal and Absolute.

The only difference between these Dyson V8 Absolute and the Dyson V8 Animal, is that the Animal version doesn’t come with a soft roller cleaner head accessory.

The tool is an excellent device for cleaning hard floors, so if your home is predominantly hard floor such as porcelain or ceramic tiles or wooden floorboards, then go for the Absolute version.

Either way, once you take a glance at the price tag of the V8 you may ask yourself - Is the Dyson V8 worth it?

With the release of the newer V10 Cyclone, however, the price of the V8 has gone down a bit.

In our Dyson V8 review we answer if the Dyson V8 is better than the V10 or if even the V8 is better than the V6.

This Dyson V8 review from Vacuumit.com is here to answer all of those burning doubts and leave you with making an informed financial decision.

Let’s get right into our buying guide to inspect the features that set a V8 apart from other cordless vacuum cleaners.

Major Dyson V8 Features

  1. Suction that does not fade and two levels of radial cyclones that improve airflow
  2. Ability to convert to a handheld vacuum
  3. Handy docking station for easy recharging
  4. Direct-drive technology for cleaning carpet extremely well
  5. Top-of-the-line filtration system
  6. Easy bin emptying system
  7. Mini-motorised tool for handling tight spots excellently

Unboxing the Dyson V8

The Dyson V8 is lightweight at only 2.6 kilograms, making it an absolute treat to push around.

The placement of the battery also provides a great weight balance for this stick vacuum.

We loved how easy it is to attach the extra tools that come with the V8.  

The small ball joint at the head of the V8 makes it easy to steer around obstacles.

The dust canister size of the V8 is small though, at just over half a litre.

Compared to the bin on the V8, the V10 is a substantial upgrade with 40% more bin capacity.

The handheld mode was great for cleaning staircases without a hassle.

Although the V8 can be recharged with a standard cord, there is a wall-mounted station for making charging and storage easier.

Just like most cordless Dyson models, the V8 also makes use of the trigger button which has to be pushed down to clean.

We found it a little tiring after a few minutes of cleaning and wish that Dyson would just provide a button for continuous suction!

Dyson V8 Battery Life

If you are not making use of the direct-drive cleaner head or the mini-tool and have the vacuum on the lowest power setting, you can use the V8 for about 40 minutes.

With those accessories on though, the run time will drop to about 25 minutes.

On the maximum power mode, the V8 will run for only a laughable 7 minutes. So if you’re cleaning a big mess, expect to charge often.

The good news though is that we rarely had to make use of this power mode in our tests as the V8 is a powerful cleaner even on the lowest power setting.

The V8 takes a long while to recharge too, somewhere around 4.5 hours.

You want a fully charged Dyson V8 before you begin because of this very reason!

V8 Cleaning Performance

The motor on the V8 provides powerful suction, which is especially showcased when you put the power mode on maximum.

The V8 also comes with direct-drive cleaning technology on the head of the vacuum, which is essentially a motor that sends more power to rotate the brush head.

When it comes to pet hair, you may be misled by the name of the Animal version that it has an advantage over the Absolute version.

But that is a misconception, as both vacuums provide the exact same cleaning performance when cleaning animal fur.

As both vacuums come with the direct-drive cleaner head, both V8 versions are excellent at dislodging hair from carpets.

Small debris can get stuck in the wheel of its floorhead.

The suction power on this vacuum makes it an excellent option when cleaning edges.

While the maximum power mode drops the battery time of the device to about 7 minutes, we found that we rarely had to make use of other than for picking up especially stubborn dirt patches.

The maximum power mode also leads to the V8 making a slightly annoying droning whine!

Carpet Cleaning

When you think about cordless vacuums, you may be only thinking of a vacuum that can get some quick spot cleaning done.

The V8 will make you question everything you thought was possible by a cordless vacuum.

We were quite frankly horrified in our tests at how much fluff and dirt the V8 was able to pull out of a carpet that we hadn’t even dumped dust on for testing!

The direct-drive technology is the major factor leading to that superior level of performance.

The technology sends power directly to the brush of your vacuum and helps dig deep into the fibres of your carpet for comprehensive cleaning performance.

The potent combination of nylon bristles on the brush bar as well as the direct-drive technology makes quick work of most standard carpets in an Aussie home.

The motor in the head of this vacuum will generate enough rotation in the brush bar to dislodge dust out of even thick shaggy rags.

While V8 can perform well on thicker, high-pile carpets, you might need to give it another pass to collect the remaining dirt and suck small sand particles.

Hard Floor Cleaning

This is one area where choosing the right version of the V8 becomes vital.

The Absolute version comes with a soft roller which has the perfect action for your hard floors.

The Animal version does not have this accessory and is an option better suited for carpeted homes.

The direct-drive cleaning technology on this vacuum still does an above average job on hard floors.

It can be a little bit of a hassle when it comes to large debris on hard floors, however, and can keep pushing them around instead of sucking them up.

You don’t have to worry about the nylon bristles on the vacuum head scratching your floor as they are shorter than the soft carbon bristles.

We also found that picking up pet hair from hard floors is much easier on the maximum power mode.

The vacuum doesn’t have mopping capability, so scrubbing stains isn’t advisable.

Crevice and Staircase Cleaning 

With the ability to convert to a handheld device, the V8 is a great option for cleaning the tightest corners and the steepest stairs.

The mini-turbo tool will send power directly to your handheld device, giving you the suction you need to get the job done.

The bristles on the mini-turbo tool need to be kept away from hard floors though.

Unlike the direct-drive cleaner head, the nylon bristles are not shorter than the carbon bristles, which mean that the nylon bristles could scratch your hard floors badly.

Make use of the direct-drive cleaner head, which can be attached even in the handheld mode, if your staircases are wooden.

Another downside with the mini-tool is that it can get tangled quickly when picking up pet hair.

The V8 works well with shallow cracks but not deep crevices where debris is lodged lower.

Dyson V8 Filtration System

There are three features of the filtration system in a V8 that makes it a great option for homes where a good filtration system is essential.

The V8 has filters both before and after the motor as well as multiple radial cyclones to separate even the finest of allergens.

The radial cyclones generate enough airflow to separate the finest dust particles and send them directly to the bin.

Emptying the V8

You can adopt a hands-free option to emptying the dust canister of your V8 as it has a silicone collar that will push out all of the hair and stubborn fluff stuck in the canister.

One issue we have with the emptying system is that it is at a right angle, which can be a little difficult to aim properly and ensure that dust does not re-enter your home environment.

Our advice for people that have dust allergies? Empty the V8 outside your home.

With the low capacity dust canister and the powerful suction of the V8, you may have to make a few trips to empty the canister, which can be slightly annoying.

We did like how we didn’t have to remove the attachments on the V8 while emptying the canister.

Is The V8 Worth The Price?

Although the price tag on the V8 can make anybody have second thoughts, if you use the V8 once, you can see what all the hype is about.

We have rarely used an agile stick vacuum having the suction power that the V8 has.

Compared to the newer V10, the V8 has less powerful suction, a slightly less effective emptying system as well as a smaller dust bin.

With the V8 you also get lesser battery life compared to the V10.

All of that does mean that the V10 is more expensive than the V8.

Compared to the Dyson V6, however, the V8 is a big upgrade.

Essentially, the V8 is graceful and gets the job done, in a way we couldn’t ever expect cordless stick vacuums could.

With a convenient emptying system and a state-of-the-art filtration system, as well as some of the best accessories around for different floor types, our verdict is simple.

If you can afford the V8, you won’t regret taking the plunge.

4 thoughts on “The Dyson V8 Review 2021 You Need To Read”

    • Hey Lynn,
      It depends on the kind of investment you want to make for your home really. We reckon their durability and features are unmatched in the Australian market!

    • Hello Bessie,
      You’d imagine it would be! But we can assure you, even by today’s standards this is an amazing cordless vacuum in its own right! The newer versions of the V cordless series are on another level of incredible though!

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