Choosing the Right Dyson Stick Vacuum (Dyson V7, Dyson V8, Dyson V10, or Dyson V11)

Selecting the right Dyson Stick Vacuum from the Dyson V7, Dyson V8, Dyson V10, Dyson V11.
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The intrigue of owning a lightweight and wireless vacuum cleaner that is easy to maneuver. Gone would be the days of dragging a heavy vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs. A couple of years ago, I began researching into the Dyson stick vacuum cleaner. I had my eyes on the cheapest model, the Dyson V6. But even being the cheapest, I decided the price was too high. In addition, choosing the right Dyson is fairly challenging with no easy to compare them.

Every review I found agrees that Dyson stick vacuum cleaners all have sufficient suction power, but lacks in battery life. Any upgrades to increase battery life also increases the weight. So the trade-off for a longer battery life is up a personal decision if you could handle a heavier stick vacuum cleaner.

Another very popular Dyson stick vacuum cleaner feature is the soft roller cleaner head. When compared to the motorhead (similar to traditional vacuum cleaners), the soft roller cleaner head is very effective at picking up dust and crumbs on hard surfaces. And my home is 80% hard surfaces and only 20% carpet. I want the soft roller cleaner head.

Dyson with Easy to Empty Dust Bin

One of the reasons I decided not to purchase the Dyson V6 was the minor complaint that emptying the dust bin was slightly annoying. Every Dyson V6 model has dust bin door that simply swings open. However, dust tends to be clingy and ends up jammed up inside and requires getting your hand dirty while emptying dust into the trash can. In my opinion, that partially defeats the purpose of vacuuming! Not all the reviews shared my opinion. For that reason, I waited for the Dyson V7 which not only opened the door, but actively pushed the dust out into the trash can. Given how small the bin is, I imagine it will require constant emptying. So having a clean and convenient method is a huge plus!

Compare to many other positively reviewed Dyson stick vacuum alternatives such as Tineco, which not only have great reviews, but fairly high specs, I've come to notice that none of them have the hygienic dust bin that forces out the dust from the bin.

Dyson with HEPA Filter Soft Roller Cleaner Head

Fast forward to December 2019, and the Dyson V7 is now the oldest Dyson stick vacuum series sold on Dyson's website. All the Dyson V7 models come with the improved hygienic dust bin. But there are five different Dyson V7 models, each with slightly different specifications and prices.

  • Dyson V7 Absolute ($349.99) - No HEPA, includes soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson V7 Animal ($399.99) - Includes HEPA, No soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson V7 Allergy ($329.99) - Includes HEPA, No soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson V7 Motorhead ($299.99) - No HEPA, No soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson V7 Fluffy ($329.99) - No HEPA, includes soft roller cleaner head

As I noticed, there aren't any Dyson V7 models with both the HEPA filter and the soft roller cleaner head. It is possible to purchase the soft roller cleaner head as separate attachment, but that would cost a bit over $100 for the one attachment. However, all the Dyson V8 models contain HEPA filtration (and battery life improvements)

  • Dyson V8 Absolute ($449.99) - Includes HEPA, includes soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson V8 Animal ($399.99) - Includes HEPA, No soft roller cleaner head

Also available is the Dyson V10. All Dyson V10 models have HEPA filtration and hygienic dust bins. The other improvements that caught my eye are better battery life, all-in-one filter (pre and HEPA), and a larger dust bin. There are also other suction modes, but that's more configuration.

  • Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute ($599.99) - Includes HEPA, includes soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal ($549.99) - Includes HEPA, No soft roller cleaner head
  • Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead ($499.99) - Includes HEPA, No soft roller cleaner head

Finally, the latest is the Dyson V11 series. Again, there are the standard improvements in battery life. They have a new LED screen to show battery life and controls. But the latest change to the Dyson V11 is the High Torque Cleaner head, which can automatically support both hard surfaces and carpet.

  • Dyson V11 Torque Drive ($699.99) - Includes HEPA filter and High Torque Cleaner Head
  • Dyson V11 Animal ($599.99) - Includes HEPA filter and High Torque Cleaner Head

Battery life of Dyson V7, Dyson V8, Dyson V10, Dyson V11

For the most part, I believe most have very good power. The limitation of all Dyson stick vacuum cleaners is the running time of the vacuum per charge. There are many factors, which makes it challenging to compare.

  • How large is your house?
    If you have a large house, the Dyson may not have enough battery power. On the other hand, if your space is smaller, the Dyson will be perfect.
  • Do you also own a corded full-size vacuum?
    If you have a full size vacuum and only plan on using the stick vacuum for spot cleaning messes, then I believe any one of Dyson series vacuums will suit your needs.
  • Use of Dyson powered attachments?
    The power attachments with motors (i.e. soft roller cleaner head) that will use the battery and shorten the amount of cleaning time per charge.

For me, I don't believe any of the Dyson series I can clean the entire house, but short stints of cleaning are more my style anyways. Based on Amazon reviews and questions, here are some numbers that give me a pretty good idea on the Dyson runtimes.

  • Dyson V7 with max battery: 6 minutes on max, 20 minutes on normal mode
  • Dyson V8 with a powered attachment: ~20 minutes
  • Dyson V8 with powered attachment on max: ~8 minutes
  • Dyson V8 with non-motorized attachment: ~40 minutes
  • Dyson V10 with non-motorized attachment: 60 minutes
  • Dyson V10 with motorized attachment (suction mode): 20 minutes
  • Dyson V10 low mode: 60 minutes

Note that when you use this vacuum, you'll need to keep the trigger pressed in to vacuum. This way, the battery is draining on while actually cleaning, not while it's being dragged across the room. Also, many reviewers state Dyson's are effective at cleaning while on low power.

However, the biggest complaint regarding Dyson batteries (outside of short runtime) is that the battery cannot be swapped out. A quick search online shows that additional batteries can be purchased. To replace the batteries, you'll need to remove screws, so I don't consider it changeable during use.

The Right Dyson Stick Vacuum? (depends)

For me, I'm looking for a stick vacuum that fits my needs of occasional cleaning in the fairly large home. I don't clean all the time, but having something handy for a few rooms at a time is sufficient. Since the motor of the machine is fairly is up at my hand, I think that having a HEPA filter is important at avoid kicking up dust right back into my face. And since the dust bin is so small, I want an easy way to empty it as well. In general, that means I'm best matched with the Dyson V8 Absolute. I'm not in a huge rush, so I'm willing to not only wait for a deal, even possible a refurbished unit.

Dyson products aren't cheap, so I wanted to make sure I purchase the right stick vacuum. From researching the differences between Dyson stick vacuums to purchasing, and long term ownership reviews.
  1. Choosing the Right Dyson Stick Vacuum (Dyson V7, Dyson V8, Dyson V10, or Dyson V11)
  2. Make Vacuuming Enjoyable with Dyson V8 Absolute
  3. Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum After 2 Years (Battery, Filter, Soft Fluffy Cleaner, etc)
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