The introduction of Dyson’s DC series of vacuum cleaners revolutionized the world’s opinion of cordless vacuum cleaners. It brought to light a powerful suction power feature and general versatility that, until that point, had never been seen in a cordless vacuum. It genuinely changed what we consider to be the best vacuum cleaner for pet hair on the market.
The DC35 was the first model in the line. Since its launch, though, a lot has changed. The company has since improved on the original design through the development of subsequent devices. The V8 Dyson V6 are the most current models, and V8 Dyson V6 are both the best in terms of performance and features and modern in terms of style.
Today, we’re going to take a look at model Dyson V6 vs V8 more closely, going over the features, performance, and differences.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that Dyson vacuum cleaner has some closer competition. You can check out my Dyson vs Hoover review.
You will notice that many brands employ very noticeable Dyson features. Of course, we’re talking about the signature trigger switch, removable wand, and the easily swapped attachments that make it so versatile. However, neither brand can match Dyson’s specs, coming in second and third to Dyson.
Dyson V6 vs V8 Summary
Dyson vacuums have always been eye-catching. Their sleek design seems to fit into today’s modern aesthetic and with some people living in studios or otherwise small housing situations, the ability to store them easily and out of the way is envied by all.
Even if you live in a larger house or apartment, the small design of the Dyson cordless vacuums are great. They are lightweight and easy to move around which means that even after quite a while of vacuuming, your arms won’t be as sore as if you had used a heavier, bulkier machine for the job.
Dyson has really figured out how to make vacuums that match the description “slim but powerful”. All their vacuums have incredible suction power abilities yet remain small and easy to carry around the house. While Dyson does have a vacuum specifically for dealing with pet hair and messes, all of their vacuums do an excellent job at sucking even the most buried pet hair from your carpets.
Dyson v6 vs v8: Both the Dyson V6 and the Dyson V8 are Dyson cordless and both weigh around 5 or 7 pounds. If you are used to lugging around heavy 15 pound vacuums, these will seem almost weightless! The Dyson cordless design makes it easy to vacuum anywhere in the house without having to go back and unplug or change outlets. Even the charging stations are fairly easy to set up and understand, so you won’t struggle for several minutes at the end of your cleaning sessions.
About The Dyson V6
Thanks to this Dyson V6 model, homeowners have a new outlook on vacuums and cleaning. Gone were the days of fearing that cordless vacuums didn’t have enough suction power to tackle messes. The Dyson V6, despite its Dyson cordless design, had plenty of power and people were ecstatic. The vacuum has a longer run time than previous models (30 minutes on a full charge) and comes with extra cleaning tools for making your cleaning session as easy as possible.
The V6 model also comes with a 2 year warranty in case something bad happens to your beloved vacuum. It has pretty easy upkeep and can endure almost anything you throw at it (within reason, of course), but accidents do happen and Dyson is here for you when they do.
Pros
- Large selection: Out of all of Dyson’s cord free vacuums, the Dyson V6 line has the largest number of options available. More specifically, they have around 10 models. This being said, it has something that is guaranteed to fit your needs.
- Affordable price: We understand that price is important – and so does Dyson. Catering to those on a budget, the Dyson V6 is cheapest Dyson cordless available at the present time. Coming with a few limitations, if you can see past them, this vacuum will work quite well for you, regardless of whether you have hard floors or carpet.
- Ideal for carpet or tile: Worried about your type of home flooring? Thankfully, with the Dyson V6, you can use it on virtually any type of flooring your home might have. It can be used on carpet, tile, and other hard floors with no problems.
- Plenty of attachments: If you choose to splurge on the most expensive Dyson V6 model, the Absolute, you’ll be graced with a plethora of attachments. You’ll get to choose between 6 various helpful attachments.
Keep in Mind
- Dirt bin that lacks hygiene: This variant of vacuum uses an old dust bin design. It does not have the modern, ultra-hygienic system that automatically pushes the stubborn dirt down. This can make cleaning the dust cup incredibly messy.
- Short use time: The Dyson V6 vacuum has a short minute run time. It only runs for 30 minutes at a time, which is just using the non-motorized tools. This vacuum isn’t capable of getting a whole house clean by itself.
If you compare it with the 2nd generation DC44, the Dyson V6 vacuum has double the power output in max mode. However, the V6 has a number of state of the art tools that help it clean floors effectively.
The V6 Absolute was the first cordless model released by Dyson that featured a soft roller cleaning head. This tool was the first of its kind to be developed, changing the way bare floors were cleaned.
Now, you won’t run the risk of scratching your expensive hardwood floors with stiff bristles or of spreading the mess around. Both stick vacuums have this tool alongside the bristled attachment for carpet cleaning. This kind of mix and match versatility is what makes Dyson stand out in the market.
About The Dyson V8
Many people will say the Dyson V8 is a much coveted upgrade. Dyson V8 has a bigger post motor filter that increases the power up to 115 air watts – a whopping 50 more than what the V6 Absolute offers, which is a 20% upgrade. Not only did Dyson improve power by creating this Dyson V8 model, but they also lengthened the minute run time and have longer battery life. This is thanks to the larger capacity lithium-ion battery used in the device.
The minute run time is a little longer than the V6, but nothing to go crazy over. Dyson V8 also runs quieter which your neighbors will greatly appreciate if you live in an apartment complex with thin walls. The Dyson V8 also comes with a variety of brush heads and has the option to run in Max Mode with stronger suction power and even more power.
Pros
- Improved dirt bin: This Dyson V8 vacuum comes with a new and improved, hygienic dust bin. It empties quicker and leaves less stubborn dirt behind – all without getting your fingers dirty.
- Longer run time: The Dyson V8’s heavy duty lithium-ion batteries can run for up to 40 consecutive minutes. This lithium ion battery is double what the Dyson V6 offers in terms of run time.
- Ideal for large homes: Living in a large home, you have more floor space to vacuum. The Dyson V8 is great for covering large areas in big houses, especially if you don’t want to splurge on the V10.
- Bigger bin: The Dyson V8 dust bin is larger than the previous model. It can hold up to 0.54 liters of dry dust and dirt. This means less frequent dust bin changes.
Keep In Mind
- Higher cost: The Dyson V8 does – as most upgraded models do – cost more than the Dyson V6 vacuum. This increase is the price paid for an enhanced cleaning tools.
The Dyson V8 will run for up to 40 minutes without the addition of motorized tools. This number goes down to around 25 minutes if you choose to use either of the tools included. Regardless, this is still a pretty impressive run time frame when you take into consideration that vacuuming generally takes less than 10 minutes. Unfortunately, if you decide to use the Max mode, the vacuum will only run for 7 minutes before needing a recharge.
The increased run time and power boost make this model the wiser choice if you live in a bigger home, but still a great choice even if your home is on the small side. If you have pets, make sure that you choose the “Dyson Animal” or “Absolute” options that give you mini-turbo air brushes for picking up pet hair. Or even vacuums for cat litter.
Dyson V8 Advancements and Improvements
Now, we know that the Dyson V8 has an enhanced level of run time and cleaning power. But there are two other important features of the Dyson V8 that have been changed to increase the quality of the product. One is an improved dust bin and the other is a new max switch. It can also be its direct drive cleaner head, soft roller cleaner head, mini soft dusting brush, crevice tool and mini motorized tool.
You will also be able to see a noticeable difference between the power level and battery life between the Dyson V6 Absolute and Dyson V8 through effective cleaning performance tests using its drive cleaner head and mini soft dusting brush.
Improved Max Switch
The new max switch on the Dyson V8 vacuums are more simple to activate compared to the older Dyson vacuums. The older stick vacuums required a good amount of pressure to work, which could become difficult in no time. The new and improved max switch will help you eliminate that difficulty with an easy to use side switch.
A Better Bin
One of the major setbacks of the Dyson V6 was its whole dust bin volume and design. It was advertised as easy to empty, with visuals of dirt being dumped out of it with ease. In all actuality, the dirt had a tendency to stick right into the plastic shell and inner filter of the V6 due to static electricity.
Static electricity will cause some things to stick together or stay stuck to some surfaces. You would have to struggle in order for all of the dirt to come out of the V6 dust bin volume, and sometimes you will have to manually disassemble it with your fingers in order to clean it properly.
The Dyson V8 has a significantly improved dust bin design that does not rely on simply dumping the dirt out on your own and hoping gravity does the rest of the work. This dust bin volume works to push most of the dust out of the bin. This way, you will be able to clean your dust bin volume more thoroughly.
Another addition to the bin improvement is where the lever is located on the bin. The lever on the V6 was located in front of the trigger, which is not a good place to put it when you are trying to empty the bin. The lever on the Dyson V8 is located behind the cyclones at the top of the bin, which is less awkwardly placed and will make it easier to dump dirt out of it.
Advance Motor
The Dyson V8 Absolute has a brand new Dyson V8 post motor filter with 2-tier radial cyclones that will do a proficient job of trapping all kinds of dust and dirt. This post motor filter is 20% more powerful than the V6 motor. The HEPA filter keeps the allergens trapped within the bin after cleaning so you will not have to worry about allergic reactions.
Handheld Conversion
One of the great features of both the V6 and the Dyson V8 Absolute is the ability to turn into a handheld device. These vacuums can convert down to a small size for vacuuming cars or even furniture if you have furniture that can handle the suction power of a vacuum. It’s super easy to switch from regular vacuum cleaner mode to handheld mode and if you can’t figure it out, Dyson also provides an easy to read manual to help out.
Of course, make sure whatever furniture you use these vacuums on won’t be damaged. Many furniture tags will say whether or not they can be vacuumed under the cleaning label. If in doubt, you can try it on a small area that is easy to hide if the vacuum does do damage to it.
More Power
The Dyson V6 post motor is capable of using 24 air watts in normal mode air watts and 100 air watts in max mode air watts. 100 air watts is decently powerful air watts given the fact that it is a cordless model.
In comparison, the Dyson V8 produces 115 air watts, an increase of 20% from 115 air watts from the V6.
Winning: Dyson V8
Comparing Battery Life
For Dyson V6 vs V8 battery life, both the Dyson V6 and Dyson V8 use fade-free lithium-ion batteries as their power source. However, the Dyson V8 Absolute has twice the run time as the V6, for a total of 40 minutes. The V6 only has a run time 20 minutes.
That run time lasts for as long as you do not have any of the motorized tools or powered devices attached to it. With the powered devices, the run time is likely to be reduced to 25 minutes. This will still be a sufficient amount of run time for a simple spot cleaning if that is all you need.
Winning: Dyson V8
Comparing Cleaning Effectiveness
Cleaning flat surfaces will require a lot of effort in order to weed all of the dirt out of it. You may even have to put more effort into the task in order to clean the more dusty areas of those surfaces. This can become a hassle in no time so you will want a vacuum that will really get the job done.
The Dyson V6 and V8 are designed with tools that are made to tackle the dust and dirt on both bare floors and carpets. Both v6 and v8 vacuums were tested on tile and carpet floors to see how their cleaning performance would turn out.
On tiled floors, the Dyson V6 Absolute did not seem handle larger particles well. However, this could be more of an issue with the type of floor itself instead of the stick vacuum cleaner. Tiled floors may require a bit more agitation in order to get a good clean.
On carpet, and especially on stairs, the cleaning performance of the V6 excelled. The drive cleaning head in the performance test was the same old cleaning head that required less agitation to use. It was able to fit excellently across the stairs and gave it a thorough clean.
The newly upgraded brush bar power for the V6 Animal and V6 Absolute Is capable of more power and level of agitation. Therefore, it had a better cleaning performance. In normal mode, it was able to clean up all of the pet hair that was stuck in the carpet.
On hardwood floors, the soft roller cleaner head gives you a higher level of agitation, which is important for cleaning on both hardwood and carpet. A higher level of agitation means that you will be able to pick up dust in even the smallest of cracks in either surface.
V8
Everyone knows that the tiniest particles of dust are one of the hardest types of debris to clean from any surface, especially with carpets. The Dyson V8 Absolute does an exceptional job of removing even the finest dust from carpets with the amazing help of its direct drive cleaner head, soft roller cleaner head, mini soft dusting brush, crevice tool and mini motorized tool.
Its direct drive cleaner head is capable of giving you just the right amount of agitation and cleaning power you will need to clean up some of the most difficult messes of all. Its direct drive cleaner head, soft roller cleaner head / soft roller cleaning head, mini soft dusting brush, crevice tool and mini motorized tool helps a lot.
The cleaning performance test for the Dyson V8 Absolute consisted of spreading powder into a carpeted surface and letting it go to work. It was the only stick vacuum that was able to suck up all of the scattered powder from the carpet, even within the hard to reach cracks, crevices and hard to reach areas.
Winning: Both V6 and V8
Comparing Filtration
The Dyson V6 and V8 both take advantage of HEPA filtration systems. These filters are washable and do not need replacing. Unlike other vacuums, you will not have to worry about the continuing added cost of replacement filters.
With the HEPA filters, no captured dirt or particles will escape back into the air, making it safe for households where someone has asthma or severe allergies.
Winner: Even
Battery Replacement FAQ
Yes, you can replace the batteries in your Dyson V6 and V8. Replacement batteries can be purchased on Amazon for a price range between $30 and $60. I think that these batteries are great, however, most of them are not manufactured by Dyson. If this is something that you care about, keep an eye out for that.
Replacement batteries also tend to come with a warranty and 30-day replacement guarantees, but be sure to read the fine print of the specific battery you are purchasing. Check the manufacturer’s guide that came with your Dyson for instructions on battery installation.
Battery installation should be a simple and quick process, so you can get back to cleaning faster. If you purchased a battery with a larger mAh, the battery will have a longer run time as well, adding to the overall long-term viability of your appliance.
Weight Comparison
A heavy machine can be difficult for some people to maneuver, so this is important to consider. The difference between these is not much, but the Dyson V8 Absolute is a bit heavier at 5.8-pounds compared to the V6’s 5.1-pounds.
Winner: V6
Warranty Comparison
Dyson takes care of their consumers by ensuring that all cordless vacuums come with a beneficial 2-year warranty.
Winner: Even
Comparing the Bin
The Dyson V8 Absolute was introduced with a new bin design that increased its capacity to 0.14-gallons. The V6 is about 0.03-gallons smaller.
Dyson V6 vs Dyson V8 Winner: V8
Let’s Look at Tools and Attachments
You can find a whole assortment of tools and attachments at Dyson’s website and Amazon. I find that the Amazon selection is more diverse, but Dyson is still a great option.Amazon has 10 versions of the V6, and each of these comes with their own accessories that fit that machine’s purpose. Dyson has four variants of the V6 on its website that each comes with their own specific tools as well. The four versions are Total Clean, Cord-Free, HEPA, and MotorHead.
On Amazon, the Dyson V8 only has one version, called the Absolute. The purchase of this stick vacuum includes a full set of cleaning tools, cleaning heads and accessories. These include a mini-motorized tool head, direct-drive cleaner head, soft roller cleaner head brush, mini soft dusting brush, and a crevice tool cleaning heads. The agitation on these is slightly better vs Dyson V6.
The main difference between these two top variations of the V6 and V8 is that the Dyson V8 has slightly more agitation.
Winner: V8
Where to Buy?
The V6 and V8 both give you a choice with a selection of different versions to help make sure you get the product best suited to your needs.
The Dyson V8 has four versions that you can buy on Amazon. However, the Absolute is the best option. It is also the most expensive option, but it is the most versatile given that it works on hard floors and carpets. If you do not have hard floors, I suggest going for the MotorHead for quality without accessories that you won’t need.
The V6 has nine versions that you can purchase on Amazon. These range from low noise options to ones made for hard floors.
Why Buy a Dyson Vacuum?
Maybe you are just here to see if the Dyson vacuums are really all that everyone makes them out to be. Maybe you aren’t even looking to buy a new vacuum. Whatever the case, you must be wondering why someone would spend so much money on a vacuum when there are other, similar models that are available for a lower price.
Dyson has proven time and time again that they have the products to back up their words. They consistently turn out quality products which makes them a reliable and trustworthy brand at the end of the day. If they had products that were not always guaranteed to work or had many complaints, I obviously wouldn’t be recommending them. As it turns out, however, Dyson really is all they say they are.
For Dyson V6 vs V8, the Dyson V6 and V8 vacuum models aren’t the newest ones. In fact, they are both a couple of models old, but they are still fantastic machines and worth buying. Unlike Apple and their line of iPhones, these vacuums work for years. You won’t have to replace one after a year or two and upgrade to the latest model. Instead, these older models continue to be produced and provide reliable output.
In all honesty, I do sometimes feel like the Dyson vacuums are bought because the name is well known. This doesn’t mean the vacuums aren’t good products, they definitely are, but don’t feel like you have to buy a Dyson vacuum because they are popular right now. If you can afford one, go for it. If the price is steeper than you would typically go for, then consider buying a different vacuum that you can easily afford.
Once you’ve decided you really are interested in purchasing a Dyson vacuum, it’s time to learn about the differences of Dyson V6 vs V8 in each model and what unique features Dyson offers.
My Final Verdict
As you can see, both products bring their own benefits to the table, including power and versatility. I find that both Dyson V6 vs V8 are amazing, but it really depends on what you are looking for in the final product.
Buy the Dyson V6 if you like that:
The V6 still holds power in the vacuum world, even with the recent quick release of the Dyson V8 Absolute and V10. Being an older version gives the V6 the benefit of being more budget friendly.
The V6 Absolute costs less than $250, which is a great bargain price for the power of the product. It also comes with a useful assortment of cleaning tools and cleaning heads. The Dyson V8 Absolute performance is comparable, but the V6 does have shorter running time.
Go for the Dyson V6 if you:
- Need a budget-friendly cordless vacuum. The lower price of the V6 is the top-selling point of this unit, especially since you will get similar performance.
- Are okay with cleaning the bin. The bin is smaller in the V6 and you will need to disassemble the bin to fully clean the mesh filter.
- Don’t mind the smaller bin. As mentioned, the bin size is smaller in the V6 and you will need to empty it more often.
Go for the Dyson V8 if you:
- Want to spend more for the improvements. The V8 has a higher price tag, but it also comes equipped with a larger bin that is easier to empty and clean and longer-lasting power.
- Don’t want to spend time cleaning the vacuum. The bin has been redesigned and the mesh center is no longer as troublesome. It is easier to empty and clean the bin.
- Have carpet in their homes. Since the V8 has a bit more power and agitation, it will be suited to homes with carpets that tend to have embedded dirt.
The Dyson V8 for the sheer power and agitation it brings to the table with its improved motorized tools. Aside from the newest V10, no other cordless vacuum can compare to its improved features, power, and versatility.
However, you are unlikely to find a V8 that costs below $500. If cost is a concern for you, the V6 is still a powerful cordless vacuum option that will get the job done.
