Dyson
V8 Extra Vacuum
- Bottom Line
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This handheld stick vacuum is cordless and perfect for snatching up pet hair, based on our test.
- Pros
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It’s ultralight and more effective than brooms for quick cleanups after a mess. It detangles hair to prevent clogs and comes with several attachments that can get into hard-to-reach areas.
- Cons
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It’s not effective on shag rugs and carpeting. The battery only lasts for a maximum of 40 minutes.
About the product
Dyson V8 Single Product Review
Is the Dyson V8 worth it?
For most people, cleaning is not fun. Vacuuming, in particular, can quickly become tedious. Anything that streamlines the task, making it both more efficient and easier, is appreciated. For instance, a lightweight, powerful vacuum that can get into all of those hard-to-reach places is ideal.
This is where Dyson excels. The company's innovative approach to vacuuming revolutionized the industry. The manufacturer claims its products not only have the most powerful suction but that they are also lightweight and versatile, making them ideal for everyday home use.
We wanted to see if this was true, so we tested the Dyson V8. Here's what we discovered.
Testing the Dyson V8
BestReviews has a dedicated team of testers who use products in real-world situations to determine how well they perform daily tasks. For Dyson's V8, the Testing Lab evaluated each of the company's claims to find out if they were true. The testers wanted to know if this vacuum performed as promised, delivering the power, performance and convenience that consumers expected. The lab paid particular attention to how much time and effort was required to get floors looking clean.
What is the Dyson V8?
The Dyson V8 is part of the company's line of cordless vacuums. This model weighs only 5.5 pounds and comes with the vacuum, motorbar cleaner head, crevice tool, docking station, hair screw tool, combination tool and charger.
The fully sealed filtration system captures and contains 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, expelling only clean air into your home. This means, as a side benefit, the vacuum also functions as a kind of air purifier. It can be reconfigured to get into tight spaces, and it features 43 polycarbonate hair removal vanes that lift tangled hair strands so they can be vacuumed into the bin. Additionally, the V8 runs quietly and features no-touch bin emptying.
See how the Dyson V8 compares to other products in its space — check out our reviews for the best Dyson vacuum cleaner.
Dyson V8 price and where to buy
You can purchase the Dyson V8 for $469.99 on Dyson's website. It is also available at Amazon and Wayfair. This model is often on sale, so it is rare that you would have to pay full price for it. If you prefer, Dyson and Amazon offer buy now, pay later plans for approved customers.
How to use the Dyson V8
There are four tools that come with the Dyson V8, and each is designed for a specific cleaning purpose. After testing, the lab determined the motorbar cleaner head was best for standard vacuuming, as it could handle nearly any mess on any type of floor (except shag). The combination tool is ideal for cleaning furniture, while the crevice tool is what you need to get into the tight spaces that are under, behind or between furniture and appliances. The hair screw does a great job of picking up hair too, but it's really unnecessary unless you have a heavy-shedding pet because the motorbar cleaner head is so effective.
Whether you want to swap out accessories or change the configuration of the vacuum, both tasks are easy to accomplish. You can quickly and easily detach and reattach tools as needed or transform the floor vacuum into a handheld model in seconds.
As far as weight, it is slightly heavier but still comparable to a broom. The Testing Lab didn't think weight would be a problem for any user, even if they had a larger house. When it comes time to empty the vacuum, you simply hold it over the trash, pop open the door and dump the contents without making a mess. The filter is also easy to remove, so you can wash it in the sink as needed.
When cleaning, the noise is about what you'd expect from a vacuum this powerful. Our testers couldn't say it was exceptionally quiet, but it also wasn't aggravatingly loud. It fits beneath beds and other furniture, can get deep into corners and does an impressive job of picking up dirt on the first pass. The Testing Lab was able to get nearly 40 minutes of runtime out of the battery. A complete recharge takes almost four hours, but if you have a smaller home or apartment, it only takes a couple of hours to get back to full charge.
Dyson V8 benefits
The Dyson V8 is a cordless, super-lightweight, super-powerful vacuum that is convenient to use. Other vacuums feel anemic by comparison, and this one can clean up any mess it encounters easily. The variety of attachments makes it extremely versatile, allowing you to clean nearly any type of surface. It is a nimble machine that picks up hair without tangling and fits in tight spots, such as between appliances and under furniture. This one vacuum can take the place of an upright vacuum, a broom or a handheld vacuum, giving you one go-to device for several cleaning tasks.
Dyson V8 drawbacks
After careful evaluation of this model, it didn't have any noticeable flaws or consistent performance issues. The only major concern is that people with large homes may need to divide their cleaning up over two (or more) sessions. The model also has a little trouble with deep shag carpets, but that's more of an inherent issue with the type of carpet than it is with this particular vacuum.
Should you get the Dyson V8?
The Dyson V8 is a rave-worthy cleaning tool. If you have the budget for this model, it is a must-have. Anyone who wants a cleaner home but doesn't want to spend extra time getting it that way will be thankful for this vacuum. It is best for people who have mostly hard floors with some low-pile carpets. It is an exceptionally good buy for people who have pets or tend to accumulate a lot of hair on their floors.