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Dyson V7 vs V8 vs V10 Vacuum: Which is Better?

by  Lawrence -  Last updated on March 8, 2022

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Dyson is known for its powerful vacuum cleaners and if you’ve thought about purchasing a new cleaning tool for your home, Dyson V series must have definitely crossed your mind at some point.

However, they have a variety of models which may make the choice overwhelming and confusing. To make the job easier for you, we’re pitting three of Dyson’s most popular models against one another – Dyson’s V7 Absolute, V8 Animal, and V10 Motorhead.

We’ll highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each so keep reading to see which one might be the best fit for your needs and your budget.

Dyson V7 Absolute vs V8 Animal vs V10 Motorhead at a Glance

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  • The V7 Absolute and the Dyson V8 Animal are quite similar, but V8 has more suction power than V7 and has a run time of 40 minutes while the V7 operates for 30 minutes.
  • All models come with a variety of accessories, such as fluffy soft roller heads, cleaning tools for extended reach, upholstery, crevice tools, and more
  • The Dyson V8 and V7 spin at up to 110,000 rpm, while the Dyson V10 spins at up to 125,000 rpm
  • The Dyson V10 is heavier than the other 2 models at 5.9 lbs but only needs a recharge of 3.5 hours, and can run up to an hour long
  • If you prefer a basic vacuum on a smaller budget but that is still powerful enough to clean your floors relatively well, then the Dyson Absolute V7 is the ideal choice
  • If you’re ready for a good investment for a powerful vacuum for a large house, then Dyson V10 is the way to go. The Dyson V8 Animal is a good in-between.

Dyson V7 Absolute Advantages

  • Budget friendly

The Dyson V7 absolute is the most affordable product out of this list, but is still able to help you clean your floors with 100 AW. Dyson is known for its excellent vacuums but which also come with a hefty initial investment. However, the V7 has 75% more brush power than the V6, which is why it’s still an upgraded option to consider.

  • Quick Charging

The V7 model and the Dyson V8 model are actually quite similar in many aspects, but what makes the V7 stand out, especially for a smaller budget vacuum, is its quick charging feature. This vacuum only needs to be charged for 3.5 hours before first use. The battery on the V7 is also cheaper to replace and is only used while the V7 is cleaning.

  • Excellent for Carpets

The Dyson V7 Absolute is particularly great for cleaning the carpets. The Direct drive head is designed to push the nylon bristles deep into the high and low-pile carpet to pick up the dirt. Whether it’s cereal, kitty litter, sugar, or rice, the V7 is able to do it all. It also includes the roller head which catches drywall dust and larger debris on the floor with its mini soft dusting brush.

Dyson V7 Absolute Disadvantages

  • Only Lasts 30 minutes

The Dyson V7 Absolute has a weaker battery compared to the Dyson V8 and V10. After charging for 3.5 hours, it stops running after 30 minutes which is enough for smaller houses or quick cleaning sessions. However, if used on MAX mode, the battery will drain quicker.

  • Weaker Suction Power

Another disadvantage of this Dyson vacuum is its suction of 100 AW (air watts), which is 15 AW less than the Dyson V8. It’s not a huge difference once both are compared, but it still makes the V7 the weakest out of all the vacuums compared in this list.

  • Not Great for Hardwood Floors

The Dyson V7 is great for carpets, but not ideal for hard floors. The vacuum can pick up all the dust, pet hair and debris if gone over multiple times, but it doesn’t do it in one shot as would the other vacuums. If you don’t mind going over areas twice, then the V7 is still worth checking out.

Dyson V8 Animal Advantages

  • Dual filters

The Dyson V8 Animal, along with other V8 models, have double HEPA filters. One at the center of the radial cyclones and the second one is at the rear of the motor. This means the Dyson V8 captures allergens and ensures clean air while you’re vacuuming. It also comes with washable filters which can be used for life.

  • Cleaning Performance

The Dyson V8 is actually the best out of this list in terms of cleaning ability as it excels in cleaning all times of surfaces and floors. Its most dazzling feature, in a way, is the Dyson V8 upgraded motor with superior suction.

Furthermore, it only weighs 5.75lbs which is heavier than the V7 with 5.45, but lighter than the Dyson V10. This makes it a great in-between option for budget and high cleaningperformance.

  • Larger Power Capacity

This Dyson model has a capacity of 2,800 mAh, which is 700 more than the V7. The battery has a run time of 40 minutes at a time and is able to pick up all times of debris while cleaning carpet and hard floors.

Dyson V8 Animal Disadvantages

  • Long Battery Charging

Unfortunately, the Dyson V8 needs to be charged for 5 hours before first use and for every recharging cycle. The run time lasts for 40 minutes, but as other models, will decline when using MAX mode.

  • High Cost < Maintenance Costs

Due to the superior motor and battery, it costs more to replace it per year than the other models. While it’s still not that much of an investment compared to its initial price, it’s something you need to keep in mind.

  • Not Much Different From the V7

The V8 definitely has a superior cleaning performance, but if you don’t particularly care for the dual filters, then it’s not much different than the V7. The suction performance is on another level, so that’s mainly the game changer.

Dyson V10 Motorhead Advantages

  • Runtime

The Dyson V10 Motorhead has a run time of 60 minutes which is perfect for larger houses and full cleaning sessions. It has the largest durability, longevity, efficiency, and power out of all the vacuums listed here. The battery power is also only used while cleaning and requires charging of 3.5 hours before first use.

  • Upgraded Cleaning Capacity

This model also has a larger dust bin of 0.14 gallons. Plus, the Dyson V10 is known as Torque Drive Cleaner which is a lot more sophisticated than previous models. In fact, Dyson says that it has 25% more agitation than their usual Direct Drive head.

The motor spins at 125,000 rpm and has a suction of 140 AW, with 31% more suction on MAX mode than the V8. The Torque Drive Cleaner also has an adjustable opening under it. If you need to remove bigger dirt and debris, open it up more. Being able to customize the opening is just another advantage of the Dyson V10 model.

With these data, you can count on the Dyson V10 Motorhead to really deep clean your carpets as well as your hard flooring excellently.

  • Upgraded Design

The biggest advantage of the Dyson V10 is the ability to remove the extension wand to use the vacuum as a handheld unit. This means that it’s a 2-in-1: you can use it to clean your carpets and hard floors and clean small crevices around your home, and inside your vehicle. It’s the most versatile vacuum out of this list, which is why so many people fell in love with it.

Dyson V10 Motorhead Disadvantages

  • Price

It’s no secret that Dyson is more expensive than other brands, but it’s for a reason. The Dyson V10 is one of the most expensive models they offer but offers such a range of features and most importantly, power, that it’s meant to be a long term investment.

If you’re not ready to invest considering the price, then definitely check out the V7 for a quick introduction of the Dyson brand.

  • Heavier than Other Models

It’s considered as a light vacuum but still weighs more than the V8 and V7. It stands at 5.8 lbs which may make it harder for overhead cleaning with the stick, but the beauty of the V10 is having the ability to switch it up with the extension wand.

  • Short Max Mode

Despite being able to run for a full 60 minutes on low mode, it only runs between 5 and 6 minutes on MAX mode. This means you need to use it sparingly since it also takes up energy from the V10’s battery, but it’s still a good option to have for heavy duty jobs.

The Difference Between Them

Battery Life

The batteries in these Dyson models are fairly similar, with one major distinction. The V7, V8, and V10 all use rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and come with a charging or docking station. However, the big difference is in the run time.

As you might assume, the newer the model, the longer the battery lasts. If you’re looking for a Dyson for quick cleaning in between regular vacuuming, you might not need the upgraded battery life.

However, if you plan to do more in depth cleaning, it’s worth investing in the model that runs long enough to get the job done. The V8 and V7 have fairly comparable battery life, although the V8 can run a bit longer.

It’s a ten minute difference, but sometimes that’s the extra time you need. While the Dyson V7 can clean for 30 minutes, the V8 has a run time of 40 minutes. The V10 has the longest run time, and you can clean for up to 60 minutes.

What about recharge time? Surprisingly, the V8 takes the longest, with a five hour recharge time. The V7 and V10 take only three and a half hours to charge.

Verdict: We have a pretty clear winner here, and it’s the Dyson V10. It runs for up to an hour, and only takes three and a half hours to fully recharge.

Suction Power

Dyson vacuums are known for their powerful cleaning. However, the brand continues improving the power behind these vacuums with each new model. As such, the V7 does have less power than the other models. However, it still packs enough power to give your home a good clean.

The Dyson V7, V8, and V10 all come with a ‘Max’ mode, which amps up the suction for the deepest clean possible. When you use max mode, you can count on getting about four times the power you get on the regular mode. The Dyson V10 produces the highest power on Max, it runs at up to 151 AW (air watts), which is far above other models.

How do the V8 and V7 stack up on max mode? The V8 gives you more power than the previous model, the V7. Where the V7 runs on max 100 AW, the V8 goes a bit further, and reaches 115 AW.

However, using max mode does take a toll on battery life. It affects all three Dysons more or less equally, and can’t go much further than six minutes for any of them.

Verdict: If you need the vacuum with highest suction power, whether on max mode or not, you need the V10. It out-powers both other models, and can cleaner deeper than the others.

Filtration Systems

A good filtration system helps keep more dust and particles contained, so it’s a big deal for people with pets and allergies. We will say, all of these vacuums have good filtration systems, and they definitely keep debris contained. However, they all come with different filters.

The V7 comes with a washable filter, which is convenient if you don’t want to worry about the cost of buying replacements. Depending on the V7 model, there’s either a single or double filter. However, it doesn’t come with a HEPA filter, which traps the most tiny particles.

The V8 has a surprisingly good filtration system. It comes with a washable filter, just like the V7. However, there are some key differences, and the filters aren’t the same. No matter which model you choose, all V8s come with double filters, which can take care of even more dust and allergens. One thing to note is that it does come with HEPA filters, so it can get 99.9% of particulates out of the air.

The V10’s filtration system is something like a hybrid between the V8 and V7 filters. Like the V8, it uses a HEPA filter for more effective cleaning. However, unlike the V8, it doesn’t come with a double filter. Instead, it has a single filter, like the V7.

Verdict: We have a surprising winner here, and it’s the Dyson V8. It comes with washable filters, uses a HEPA filter, and also uses a double filter. You really can’t beat that.

Brush Head

It might not seem very significant, but the brush head has a lot to do with how well your vacuum cleans. For instance, a wider cleaning head can cover more surface area at once. For bigger cleaning jobs, that means you can reduce the number of passes you ultimately make. Likewise, the brush head can affect what kinds of messes your vacuum is best at cleaning.

The V7 brush head uses nylon bristles to get dirt out of carpet, and then sucks it up. It’s a direct drive cleaning head, and does a good job getting debris up. It has a smaller brush head than both the V8 and V10, and doesn’t seem any larger than the previous Dyson model, the V6.

The Dyson V8 has a slightly larger brush head than the V7, although it’s still a direct drive design. This means it cleans in the same way the V7 does. However, it has a wider cleaning path, as well as a taller brush head. As a result, it can pick up bigger bits of debris.

The V10 has a more powerful torque drive brush head that stirs up more debris from carpet. It can clean hardwood floors too, and even get big pieces of debris from the floor. That’s mainly because the torque direct drive cleaning head allows you to open the spaces beneath further when you need to.

Verdict: Between the V7 and V8, the V8 would win. However, because we have the V10 in the mix, we have to choose it as the winner for its powerful torque drive brush head.

Conclusion

Overall, the V7, V8, and V10 all have their strengths and weaknesses at different price points, but the vacuum that makes a difference is Dyson’s V10 Motorhead.

We recognize this is an investment to make, but after testing all its features and design, there’s a reason why the most technological investment was made on the V10 compared to the V8 and V7. The versatility and power it offers goes a long way and is a worthwhile purchase if you’re able to fit it into your budget.

However, we recommend Dyson’s V8 Animal if you would like a powerful yet lower-budget vacuum cleaner. It meets the V10 halfway and has the upgraded motor which is what you’re really buying a vacuum cleaner for. Lastly, Dyson’s V7 Absolute is an overall great vacuum cleaner for new buyers for a lower price.

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