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Nobody likes to do chores. They’re boring, time-consuming and often quite hard work. That’s why it’s worth investing in the best tools out there to help you complete them in the most efficient and effective way possible.
And to make sure that finding the right vacuum doesn’t become too much of a chore in itself, we’ve done the research here for you. When it comes to vacuuming, technology has come on in leaps and bounds since the new millennium.
It used to be that we would have to wander around trailing a great big box-on-wheels behind us, using the trunk to reach out and try in vain to get any suction on the dirt and debris.
It involved strategic planning to work out which plug sockets would help us reach the most areas, and then we’d have to strain against the wire to try to reach certain places without moving the whole operation to another socket. But those days are now long gone.
Now, vacuums are cordless. There is no longer any need to plan which socket will be used. They can just charge between uses and then be whipped out for vacuuming, anywhere in the house.
Plus, as they no longer trail the box-on-wheels behind them, they are far more dynamic. Whether you want to do two different floors, or the stairs themselves, it is easy to take the vacuum wherever you need. But how do you know which vacuum is the right one for you?
In this article, we are going to compare the Dyson V10 with the Dyson V11. If you’ve been looking into vacuums then you’ll have no doubt noticed that Dyson is a leading manufacturer, with decades of experience, so you can be sure that they know what they’re doing.
Knowing how to tell the various vacuums apart, however, can be a little more overwhelming. That’s where we come in. In this article, we’ll explain to you the different models available for each of the Dyson V10 and V11 ranges, and we’ll go through their designs, features, dustbins, and filter systems, as well as the different tools that each one includes.
So take a look through this article, and by the end you should be well informed as to which vacuum would be the better choice for you.
We recommend reading the full article, so that you can work out which features of each vacuum would best suit you. However, if you don’t have time, we’ve got this quick run-down of the main advantages and disadvantages for you to check out here.
Dyson V10 Advantages:
Dyson V10 Disadvantages:
Dyson V11 Advantages:
Dyson V11 Disadvantages:
Winner: Don’t want to read the full article? The editor’s choice is the Dyson V11.
Before we get into the main features of these two vacuums, it is worth us mentioning that in principle, these are two very similar vacuums. They are both cordless vacuums designed by Dyson, that use similar technology and designs to produce fairly similar results.
They are both excellent vacuums, and the differences are more nuanced than you might expect. As a result, we will be describing a lot of their similarities, as well as their differences. That being said, the V11 is an upgrade, so there are some distinctions which will make your vacuuming experience different depending on which one you go for. So let’s dive in.
The first thing to establish is the different models that are available in each range, and what distinguishes one from another. It’s worth noting that within each range, the vacuums function in the same way. It is not the vacuum body that changes, but rather the brush heads and the additional tools that are included. Let’s take a look at the Dyson V10 range first.
The V10 has three different models available: Absolute, Animal and Motorhead. The Motorhead vacuum is the most basic (and cheapest) model available. Two cleaning tools are included: the combination tool and the crevice tool.
It comes with the Direct Drive Cleaner Head, which is the standard brush head that is used on the V7 and V8. This brush head removes 25% less dust and dirt than the Torque Drive Cleaner Head, which is the brush head included with the Absolute and Animal models.
The Absolute vacuum again includes the combination tool, which doubles as a dusting brush and a crevice tool. However, it also includes the soft roller Fluffy Cleanerhead. This brush head is excellent for hard floors without leaving any scratch marks.
Finally, the Dyson V10 Animal model comes with the Torque Drive Cleaner Head, and four different tools: the combination tool, crevice tool, dusting brush, and mini-motorized tool. This last tool has motorized brushes that spin in opposite directions, making it specifically designed for capturing pet hairs.
The V11 also has three different models: Animal, Outsize and Torque Drive. All three of these models come with the High Torque Cleaner Head. The Animal model again comes with four tools, but instead of the dusting brush, it has the upgraded, stubborn dirt brush.
The Torque Drive model comes with five tools, which are the same as the Animal tools, but includes the dusting brush as well. Meanwhile, the Outsize V11 model comes with a full-size bin, that is 150% bigger than the other V11 models, as well as a full-size cleaning head that is 25% larger.
Plus it has twice the run-time of the other models. Needless to say, it is a heck of a lot heavier too, and more expensive too.
Verdict:
The Outsize Dyson V11 brings more to the table than the other options, but the difference between each Dyson V10 model is more marked, so we think the Dyson V10 has a better range of models.
These Dyson cordless vacuums all have the same design. They are each made up of three parts: the brush head, the extension wand, and the vacuum body. The extension wand can be removed, attaching the brush head directly to the vacuum body, in order to make them handheld. This is great for if you need to give the car a quick clean, or if you want to reach around into tighter spots.
The vacuum body itself is the part that the hand grips. By putting the weight in this section, it is easier to carry around. It includes the cyclone technology on which Dyson prides itself. Basically, it has a system of 14 cyclones, which lie parallel to the brush.
These cyclones work to keep the main filter clear, so that suction power remains even as the dustbin gets full. The dustbin also lies in the vacuum body, and we will discuss it in more detail below.
One of the interesting design features of the Dyson vacuums is the on/off trigger. This is a really simple to use button that lies near the hand grip. It has to be pressed down in order for the vacuum to work.
Some people complain that their hand gets tired if they are vacuuming for a long time. However, it is a genius idea for cordless vacuums. By only running when you are pressing the trigger, the battery is only being used when you actually want to vacuum. This makes it far more efficient.
In terms of size, the V10 models are a bit smaller than the V11 models. They are 49.17 x 9.84 x 10.08 inches, and weigh around 5.86 lbs. In contrast, the V11 models are 49.65 x 9.84 x 10.28 inches, and weigh around 6.68 lbs.
This extra weight makes the V11 just that bit heavier for maneuvering around. If you are interested in the V11 Outsize, then we should add that it is quite different in size, at 37 x 13 x 8.2 inches, weighing around 20.3 lbs.
Verdict:
The two vacuums have the same design, but the V10 is the smaller, lighter range of vacuums, so the V10 wins this round.
Both the V10 and the V11 vacuums have three different settings: Eco, Auto and Boost. As you might expect, the Eco setting is less powerful and more energy-efficient. The Auto is the standard setting, and the Boost is for when you need some intense power for a more difficult stain. However, that is where the similarities end between the V10 and the V11.
For starters, the V11 has an LED screen which shows you the settings, as well as how much battery time you have left while on that setting. For the V11 Animal, the time remaining is shown in the form of a battery image.
However, for the Torque Drive and the Outsize V11, it shows you in actual minutes remaining. This is obviously a super-handy feature when you’ve got a cordless vacuum with limited battery. The LED display is situated at the top of the vacuum body, so that it is easy to read at any moment.
Another great feature of the V11 is the Dynamic Load Sensor, or DLS. This nifty system can sense when it is on different floors and automatically changes the motor speed, so that it can provide both the most efficient and most effective clean automatically. It is a really excellent feature and it comes with all three of the V11 models.
Verdict:
There is no doubt that, although the V10 and V11 have the same three settings, the V11 is the better option for how it capitalises on them and makes the vacuum more user-friendly.
Although the V11 is an upgrade of sorts to the V10, when it comes to the battery life the two vacuums are equal. But don’t worry, both the Dyson V10 and the V11 offer a significant step up from the previous models of Dyson cordless vacuums in terms of the battery life.
In fact, both vacuums offer a whopping 60 minutes of potential vacuuming power. And remember, with the help of the cyclone technology, that is up to 60 minutes of fade-free power, even as the dustbin gets fuller.
The maximum of 60 minutes is reached if you do all of your vacuuming on the eco mode. This is reduced to around 40 minutes on Auto or 20 minutes on Boost. However, given the fact that the vacuum only runs when your finger is pressing the on/off trigger, this actually gives you much more time than you might think.
An aspect in which the V11 beats the V10, as we already mentioned, is the Dynamic Load Sensor. It makes an impact when it comes to the battery life, as it adjusts its power depending on what each surface requires. This is a handy feature for helping to conserve battery life.
One of the big concerns of people who are moving into the cordless vacuum market from the more traditional, cord vacuums, is the need to charge the vacuums. However, both the V10 and the V11 come with a docking station.
As long as this docking station is put near a plug socket, you can leave it to charge every time you finish with it. This means that it should be ready to use at any given moment. To reach full charge, both vacuums require around 3.5 hours.
It is fairly unlikely that you would need to vacuum for a second time within that frame, so being charged should never be a problem. Plus, given that the vacuums can last for a full hour, it should be plenty of time to vacuum your home before it runs out.
If the battery life is one of your biggest concerns, then it could be worth considering the V11 Outsize, which has an incredible run time of up to 120 minutes. That should have you covered no matter how big your home is.
Verdict:
Both the V10 and the V11 have the same battery life and same charge time, however, the Dynamic Load Sensor helps the V11 to be more energy efficient, plus the V11 range has the V11 Outsize option, so we are going to award this round to the V11.
Another really important factor that differentiates the cordless vacuums from their predecessors is the size of the dustbin. Given that you are going to be carrying the vacuum all around your home, instead of dragging it behind you on wheels, the dustbins tend to be a lot smaller.
However, the V10 and V11 have taken another big step up from the previous ranges. In fact the dustbins of the V10 and the V11 are over 40% bigger than the V7 and V8, as these newer models hold up to 0.2 gallons.
Again, if you are of the mindset that bigger is better, then the V11 Outsize puts all the other vacuums to shame, with a dustbin size of an enormous 0.5 gallons. All the models in both the V10 and the V11 range have the same design for their dustbins.
This is a really user-friendly system in which you can empty the dustbin with a simple latch release at the side. In earlier models of the cordless vacuums, releasing the dirt was a fairly messy task that tended to get all over the hands, and it required careful aiming into the trash can.
However, these newer models are much easier to use. The dustbin has been realigned and it is now very clean and simple to empty the dustbin into the trash.
Verdict:
The V10 and V11 are complete equals when it comes to dustbins, and although the V11 Outsize does offer a much bigger dustbin, we are going to call this round a draw.
A lot of the features that we have explored in this article are nice additional features in these two vacuums, but one of the essential questions that needs to be asked, is which is better when it comes to performance?
There are a few different aspects that we want to look at, including the filter systems, usability, power, and how they perform on different floor types. In terms of usability, the V11 vacuums are nearly 1 lb heavier, and a little larger too, so the V10 models are a bit easier to maneuver.
However, the V11 range has a huge 20% more suction power. This means that you should need far fewer strokes to get the same results. However, both the V10 and the V11 are really great options for various floor types.
Whether it is hard floors in the kitchen or bathroom, low pile carpets in the sitting room, or thick pile, snuggly carpets in the bedrooms, these two vacuums are more than up to the task. As the V11 range has more suction power, they will get the job done more efficiently than the V10 vacuums.
Meanwhile, the Direct Drive brush head of the V10 Motorhead is noticeably less efficient than the other vacuums in the V10 range. However, the V10 range does have the additional benefit of the soft roller Fluffy brush head that comes with the V10 Absolute Vacuum.
If you have a lot of hard floors then this is a wonderful option, as it really takes care of the floors, while also cleaning them very effectively. Both vacuums also have really powerful filter systems, that trap over 99% of particles, dust, and allergens as small as 0.3 microns.
Something that sets the Dyson vacuums apart from other vacuums is that they each have HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. These filters are some of the best out there for trapping dirt and dust.
But what makes Dyson so special is that they provide lifetime, washable HEPA filters. The filters need to be washed around once a month, with cold water, to keep them clean and working.
They are then expected to last around fifteen years, and let’s face it, in fifteen years time you won’t still be using the same vacuum, so it really is a lifetime in the vacuum world. Plus it works as a pretty good cost-saving aspect compared to so many vacuums on the market.
Verdict:
Both the V10 and the V11 have excellent filtration systems and are great on various floor types. The V10 has different brush heads which affect how effective the vacuuming is, but although they are a good feature, the overall improvement on suction power in the V11 makes the V11 range better when it comes to performance.
Despite all the other features and comparisons, for a lot of you, the choice between the V10 and V11 will come down to the price difference, and what you get for that price. Needless to say, as an older range, the V10 vacuums are cheaper than the V11 vacuums.
Prices do vary, but for the V10 range, the Motorhead is the cheapest, has an older brush head, and comes with two tools. The Animal is the mid-priced V10 vacuum, has four tools, and is well-suited to people with pets. While the Absolute has two different brush heads included, and the combination tool, for a much higher price.
Also Read: 20 Best Vacuums for Carpet Stairs: Reviews & Buying Guide
In terms of the V11 range, the V11 Animal is a similar price to the V10 Absolute. As with the V10 Animal, it comes with four different tools. Then the V11 Torque Drive is more expensive and has five tools. The most expensive, with its dustbin that is 150% bigger and double the battery life, is the V11 Outsize, which is nearly twice the price of the V10 Motorhead.
Verdict:
The cheapest option is the V10 Motorhead vacuum. However, we think that the best value for money is the V11 Animal, as you get the upgraded technology and lots of tools included too.
So we’ve now been through the different models and what they mean, as well as their prices. Plus we’ve looked at the designs and features of the various vacuums, as well as many key aspects, such as the dustbins, the filtration systems, usability, and the different settings available.
The main differences between the V10 and V11 are the increased suction power of the V11 range, plus the LED display and the Dynamic Load Sensor. Whether or not these extra features are worth the extra price is up to you. Which vacuum will you choose?
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