The Dyson V8 is a cordless stick/handheld vacuum. On release, it replaced the Dyson V7 and features a more powerful suction motor and longer-lasting battery. Unlike newer, pricier models like the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, it lacks a particle sensor and can't automatically adjust its suction power. However, it still performs quite well across a wide range of surfaces.
The Dyson V8 is a decent option for cleaning bare floors. It does a great job of dealing with finer debris but tends to push around larger debris. Thankfully, it's easy to maneuver. It also has quite a few parts that need regular maintenance, but they're pretty easy to access for the most part, and recurring costs are minimal.
The Dyson V8 is decent for low-pile carpet. It's effective in dealing with small debris but has a harder time with medium and large-sized material. The build quality is just okay, and its plastic dirt compartment feels a bit fragile. While it has many parts that need to be cleaned periodically, they're easy to access, and ownership costs are minimal.
This vacuum is good for high-pile carpets. It does a solid job of clearing away various kinds of debris on this surface type with its multi-surface head, which provides a good amount of surface agitation. Its floorhead can also easily get caught on thicker rugs and carpets. It's somewhat easy to maintain, but many parts need regular cleaning, and overall, it feels a little cheaply built.
The Dyson V8 is a good choice for cleaning up after pets. It easily cleans pet hair from any surface type and has a removable brushroll, making it easier to cut away any tangled hair. It's not the most sturdy-feeling vacuum, but it comes with a turbo brush, which helps clean pet hair from fabric-covered furniture, and it has an allergen-trapping HEPA filter.
The Dyson V8 is excellent for cleaning stairs. It's lightweight and cordless, so you don't need to worry about tripping over a power cord, and it performs well on all surface types. You can easily reconfigure it into a handheld vacuum for corners and tight spots. However, it has a plasticky build quality, with some parts that feel quite fragile.
This vacuum is great for cleaning cars. It does an excellent job of clearing debris from low-pile carpets. Its cordless design makes it easy to clean cars away from a power outlet. You can also reconfigure it into a handheld vacuum and use a fairly wide variety of attachments, including a crevice tool for narrow areas and a turbo brush for dislodging dirt from fabric-covered furniture. However, it doesn't feel especially sturdy, and battery life is a little on the short side. It also lacks onboard storage for all its tools.
The Dyson V8 is poor for workshop cleaning, but this isn't what it's designed for. While it does a fantastic job of handling household debris on bare floors, it can't be used to deal with liquid spills and is likely to be damaged when sucking up heavier debris like metal shavings.
We've added a link to the RYOBI PCL720K in the Pet-Hair Pick-Up section of the review to provide an alternative with superior pet hair pick-up performance.
In the North American market, three different variants of the Dyson V8 are available: the Origin, the Animal, and the Absolute. We tested the 'Animal' variant, and you can see its label here. The only difference between the three is in the included attachments. It's also worth mentioning that all trim levels of the V8 were slightly updated and come with a slightly different set of attachments, which we've included below.
Model Name | Tools Included | Accent Color | Notes |
V8 Origin | Motorbar cleaner head, Combination Tool | Purple/Red, Purple | |
V8 Plus | Motorbar cleaner head, Hair Screw tool, Crevice Tool, Mini Soft Dusting Brush | Purple | |
V8 Animal | Direct Drive cleaner head, Mini Motorized Tool, Mini Soft Dusting Brush, Combination Tool, Crevice Tool | Purple | |
V8 Animal (Updated) | Motorbar cleaner head, Hair Screw tool, Combination Tool, Crevice Tool | Purple | |
V8 Absolute |
Fluffy cleaner head, Direct Drive cleaner head, Mini Motorized Tool, Mini Soft Dusting Brush, Combination Tool, Crevice Tool |
Yellow | |
V8 Absolute (Updated) | Fluffy cleaner head, Motorbar cleaner head, Hair Screw tool, Combination Tool, Crevice Tool | Teal |
Let us know if you come across a Dyson V8 that's different from ours, and we'll update our review.
The Dyson V8 is a stick/handheld vacuum. It falls behind newer Dyson stick vacuums like the Dyson V15 Detect regarding feature set, battery life, and overall suction power. However, it delivers similarly strong debris-clearing performance on a variety of surfaces.
If you're looking for more options, check out our recommendations for the best cordless stick vacuums, the best lightweight vacuums, and the best car vacuums.
The Dyson V11 is better overall than the Dyson V8. It offers superior performance on most surface types thanks to its more powerful suction motor, higher-capacity battery, larger dustbin, and automatic power adjustment system. That said, the V8 is lighter.
The Dyson V15 Detect is slightly better overall than the Dyson V8. The V15 has a marginally bigger dirt compartment and a surface-type adjustment feature, lasts longer on a single charge, and clears debris more effectively on all surface types. Meanwhile, the V8 is easier to pick up and carry and has fewer parts that require regular maintenance.
The Dyson V8 and the Dyson Cyclone V10 are very similar stick/handheld vacuums with a few minor differences. The V8 is a bit lighter and easier to maintain. However, the V10 has a higher-capacity dustbin. While the V10 also has a more powerful suction motor, the two vacuums are ultimately very evenly matched regarding debris pickup in the real world.
The Dyson V8 is simply better overall than the Dyson V7. The V8 performs far better on bare floors and carpets by virtue of a more powerful motor. It also has a longer maximum runtime and a battery life indicator to roughly tell you how much charge is left. The Animal variant of the V8 also comes with a unique 180-degree brush, which is good for cleaning hard-to-reach places.
The Dyson V8 and Shark Stratos Cordless each have their own advantages. The Dyson is easier to pick up and carry. Its single roller head also does a better job clearing away pet hair embedded within carpets. The Shark is the more feature-packed vacuum; it has an automatic power adjustment system, a folding wand, a higher-capacity battery, and a larger dustbin that holds more debris.
The Dyson V8 is a better vacuum than the Dyson Omni-glide. The V8 delivers significantly better performance on bare surfaces, and its dirt compartment is much bigger. On the other hand, the Omni-glide is much more maneuverable and is easier to maintain. However, while it easily clears smaller debris like rice from bare surfaces, its overall performance on that surface type is mediocre. It's also not intended for cleaning carpets.
The Dyson V8 and Samsung Jet 60 each have advantages, and one might suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Dyson performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpet and does a better job of dealing with pet hair on furniture. Meanwhile, the Samsung charges much faster while offering similar overall battery life, has a larger dirt compartment, and performs better on high-pile carpet.
The Dyson V8 is better than the Shark Pet/Rocket Pro Cordless. The Dyson is easier to maintain, incurs virtually zero recurring costs, weighs less, is more maneuverable, has a wider array of attachments, and has a more powerful suction motor. Conversely, the Shark has a bigger dustbin and offers a similar 40-minute battery life while recharging in less time.
The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is better than the Dyson V8. The V12 offers vastly improved battery performance, with a longer runtime and a much shorter recharge time. It also performs better on bare floors and is more effective in dealing with debris in cracks and crevices when used with its Laser Slim floorhead. It weighs a little less, making it even easier to maneuver. The V12 also has an automatic power adjustment feature, which allows it to increase its suction mode on carpeting or when it detects a significant concentration of debris. That said, the V8 has a larger dirt compartment that's over twice the capacity.
The Samsung Jet 75 is better than the Dyson V8. The Jet 75 feels better built, is easier to maintain, especially if you buy it with the Clean Station self-emptying dock, has a larger dirt compartment, and comes with two batteries, each charging faster than the Dyson. The Samsung vacuum also has a more powerful suction motor, resulting in superior deep-cleaning performance. On the other hand, the Dyson comes with a wider array of attachments and weighs a little less.
The Dyson V8 is a better cordless stick vacuum than the Tineco. The Dyson delivers significantly better performance on low-pile and high-pile carpet, for pet hair and is easier to maneuver. On the other side, the Tineco has a built-in dirt sensor that allows for automatic suction power adjustment, a more effective miniature turbo brush attachment, and a larger dirt compartment. It also makes less noise while running and performs a bit better on bare floors.
The Dyson V8 and Shark Cordless Pro each have their advantages. The Shark feels better built, is easier to maintain, and has a much higher-capacity dustbin. There are a few extra convenience features not found on the Dyson, like an automatic power adjustment system and an odor-neutralizing cartridge. It also charges faster while offering a similar overall battery life. However, the Dyson is lighter, easier to maneuver, and has a broader assortment of tools.
The Samsung Jet 70 is a little bit better than the Dyson V8. The Samsung has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, has a larger dustbin, makes less noise, and performs noticeably better on high-pile carpet. It also charges considerably faster than the Dyson while offering a similar overall battery life. Meanwhile, the Dyson weighs less and feels lighter in your hand, comes with a handy 180-degree pivot extender, and does a better job of dealing with pet hair on upholstered furniture.
The Dyson V8 and Samsung Jet 90 Complete are fairly evenly matched overall, but one may still be a better fit for your needs. The Dyson has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, incurs virtually no recurring costs, and performs better on hard floors. Meanwhile, the Samsung charges faster and has a longer max battery life, though that can vary in the real world. The Samsung also has a bigger dirt compartment, which doesn't need emptying as often.
The Dyson V8 is slightly better than the LG CordZero A9. The Dyson incurs virtually no recurring costs, has fewer parts that require regular maintenance, weighs a little less, and performs better on high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, higher-end LG variants come with a second battery, giving them a much longer total runtime. The LG also clears more debris on low-pile carpet.
The Dyson V8 and Miele Triflex HX1 each have advantages, meaning one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Dyson incurs virtually no recurring costs, has a bigger dustbin, comes with more tools and brushes, and is a little more effective on low-pile carpets. Conversely, the Miele has a more configurable three-in-one design that allows you to use it as a handheld, stick, or upright vacuum. It also feels better built, is easier to maintain, can be maneuvered with less difficulty, and has an automatic surface type adjustment feature that allows it to speed up, slow down, or even stop the brushroll if it detects something is tangled in it.
The Dyson V8 is better than the Tineco PURE ONE X. The Dyson has less demanding maintenance requirements, incurs virtually no recurring costs, has a larger-capacity dustbin, is easier to maneuver, and delivers significantly better performance on low and high-pile carpets. It also uses a removable, replaceable battery, though the Tineco charges faster and has a longer runtime. The Tineco also has an automatic suction power adjustment feature.
The Dyson V8 is better than the Roborock H7. The Dyson feels slightly sturdier, has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, delivers better performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet, and exerts a stronger suction force at its floorhead, resulting in superior crack-cleaning performance. However, the Roborock does have better battery performance. While its battery pack isn't removable, the Roborock can run for more than twice as long in its most energy-efficient mode and charges much faster. You can also use the Roborock as a bagged vacuum.
Despite being simpler and less feature-dense, the Dyson V8 is better than the Shark Detect Pro. The Dyson lacks the Shark's floor and dirt sensors and isn't compatible with a self-empty dock, but it does have a more powerful motor that results in superior performance on carpeted floors. It also feels considerably less cumbersome to maneuver. That said, the Shark offers better battery performance, and its multi-surface floorhead is more effective on bare floors than that of the Dyson.
For most uses, the Dyson V8 is better than the Shark Cordless Pet Plus. The Dyson takes up less room while in use, weighs a lot less, is easier to maneuver, comes with a wider array of attachments, and exerts a stronger suction force at its floorhead, enabling it to clear away debris in cracks and crevices with less effort. On the other hand, the Shark has a larger dustbin, charges a lot faster, and feels sturdier.
The Dyson V8 is slightly better than the Dyson Outsize. The V8 has fewer parts that require regular maintenance and is notably lighter and easier to maneuver. Meanwhile, the Outsize has a larger dirt compartment that won't need emptying as often, comes with more tools and accessories, including a wand clip, and has a more powerful motor. It also comes with a second battery, allowing you to quickly swap one out if you run out of charge and virtually doubling the vacuum's total runtime.
The Samsung Bespoke Jet is better than the Dyson V8, though the Dyson isn't a bad alternative if you're looking to spend less. The Samsung is sturdier, easier to maintain, and can be used for much longer thanks to its two included batteries. The Samsung vacuum's Cleaning Station also allows you to empty its dustbin quickly and hygienically. However, the Dyson is more maneuverable and smaller, does a better job dealing with debris in cracks and crevices, and incurs virtually no recurring costs. Its single roller head is also better suited to bare floors than the Samsung vacuum's dual-roller arrangement, which pushes around bigger debris.
The Dyson V8 and the Shark Rocket Pet Pro are similarly performing vacuums. The Dyson is more portable and comes with more tools and brushes, including a unique 180-degree extension tool designed to help you clean hard-to-reach areas. The Shark is better at cleaning bare floors, feels slightly better built, has a shorter charge time, and is significantly more maneuverable.
The Dyson V8 is better for more uses than the Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet. The Dyson is a cordless stick vacuum that incurs minimal recurring costs, is easier to maneuver, performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpets, has an onboard allergen-trapping HEPA filter, and delivers superior crack-cleaning performance. It can also be configured as a handheld vacuum to help clear messes in tight corners and comes with a wide variety of tools. Conversely, the Hoover is a cordless upright with a larger dustbin and sturdier construction. Its 4.0 Ah battery pack also takes much less time to recharge while supplying a similar runtime.
The Dyson V8 and the Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight are both cordless stick vacuums that offer similar performance. The Shark is a little lighter and easier to maneuver and has a larger dirt compartment. It also performs a bit better on high-pile carpets. The Dyson comes with more accessories and tools and performs better on low-pile carpets.
The Dyson V8 and Tineco S10 each have strengths. The Dyson feels marginally better built, weighs slightly less, can be bundled with a wider array of attachments, and is easier to maneuver. Meanwhile, the Tineco has an automatic power adjustment system, a larger dustbin, and a quieter suction motor.
The Dyson V8 is a better stick/handheld vacuum for cleaning low- and high-pile carpets than the Shark Rocket Corded. The Dyson has a HEPA filter, is easier to store, and, most importantly, is cordless, so its range is limited only by the remaining charge. You can also adjust its power level, which is nice. However, the Shark performs a bit better on bare floors, and it's easier to maintain.
The Dyson V8 is slightly more versatile than the Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless. The Dyson is significantly lighter, comes with more accessories, and performs better on low and high-pile carpet. The Shark is better built, more maneuverable, and charges much faster, though its overall battery life is quite similar.
The Dyson V8 is better overall than the BISSELL Adapt Ion. While the BISSELL is more lightweight and maneuverable, the Dyson has a bigger dirt compartment, longer battery life with a shorter recharge time, performs better on all surface types, and comes with more tools and accessories.
The Dyson V8 is a much better stick/handheld vacuum for those with pets than the Shark ION F80 Cord-Free MultiFLEX. The Dyson has an anti-allergy filter (HEPA), pretty much no recurring costs, comes with more tools and brushes, and is lighter. It can clean up pet hair on all surface types, too. However, the Shark is more maneuverable, has better performance on bare floors, and has a significantly better battery performance.
The Dyson V8 is better overall than the Dyson Micro 1.5kg. While the Micro is lighter and more portable, it's not meant for use on carpets, making the V8 considerably more versatile. The V8 also has a larger dirt compartment, requiring less frequent emptying.
The Dyson V8 is slightly better than the Tineco PWRHERO 11. The Dyson incurs virtually no ownership costs and comes with a wider assortment of attachments, including a turbo brush that does a great job of handling pet hair on fabric furniture. It's also easier to maneuver. On the other hand, the Tineco weighs a little less, has a larger dustbin, and makes a little less noise.
The Dyson V8 and Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded have different advantages. The cordless Dyson is lighter, has an effectively unlimited range, and has lower recurring costs. It also delivers slightly better performance on all surface types. However, the Shark feels better built and has a slightly more spacious dirt compartment. Its corded design yields a practically indefinite runtime with no need to wait for a battery to recharge.
The Dyson V8 and Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away are differently-designed cordless vacuums. The Dyson is a cordless stick vacuum that's easier to maneuver, has fewer parts needing regular cleaning, comes with a miniature turbo brush, and delivers slightly better performance on low-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the Shark is a more sturdily-built cordless upright vacuum with a bigger dirt compartment, a longer battery life, and slightly better performance on bare floors and high-pile carpet. Its secondary soft roller in its floorhead also helps it do a better job of collecting debris in cracks and crevices.
The Dyson V8 is better than the Wyze Cordless Vacuum, though the latter is a good choice if you want to spend less. The Dyson comes with more tools and brushes in the box and delivers better performance on bare floors and carpet. Meanwhile, the Wyze has a longer battery life. Its main floorhead also has headlights to help you see what you're cleaning under chairs or couches.
The Dyson V8 is more well-rounded than the RYOBI PCL720K. The Dyson weighs considerably less, can be bundled with a much bigger assortment of tools and accessories, makes less noise while running, and delivers marginally better performance on carpeted floors. However, the RYOBI feels much more solidly-built, and when used with a 4Ah battery, can run for more time on a charge while taking a lot less time to recharge.
The Dyson V8 and the Roborock H6 Adapt are very similar vacuums. They're both easy to maneuver and have similarly sized dirt compartments. Both are versatile across different surface types, but the Dyson performs a little better on bare floors and low-pile carpets, while the Roborock is a bit better on high-pile carpets. The Roborock has more quality-of-life features, including an LED display and a carpet detection feature, but it can also struggle with bulky debris like cereal.
The Dyson V8 is a better vacuum than the Shark WANDVAC System for most uses. The Dyson has a bigger dirt compartment and an allergen-trapping HEPA filter. It also has a significantly better performance on almost all surface types. That said, the Shark is lighter.
The Dyson V8 is a better vacuum for most scenarios than the JASHEN V16. The Dyson delivers stronger performance on all surface types, especially with large debris. It's also lighter and easier to carry around and is more maneuverable. However, the JASHEN has a longer minimum battery life and recharges slightly faster.
This vacuum feels fairly well-built. It looks premium, but besides its lightweight metal wand, it's entirely made of plastic and doesn't feel especially sturdy. The dirt compartment is made of see-through plastic and feels particularly fragile. Check out the Shark Cordless Pet Plus if you want something sturdier. On the plus side, it's really easy to assemble and take apart since its parts clip together.
This vacuum is somewhat easy to maintain. Several parts need regular maintenance, but they're easy to access.
You should allow any part you wash with water to dry thoroughly for at least 24 hours before being reinstalled in the vacuum.
This vacuum incurs virtually no recurring costs. Like other Dyson vacuums like the Dyson V11 and Dyson V7, it uses a bagless design, so you don't need to worry about buying dirtbags. You won't have to replace the filters as long as they're properly maintained. However, if needed, you can find a replacement pre-filter here and a replacement HEPA filter here.
This vacuum isn't too hard to store. It has a wall rack station that holds it upright when it's not in use. However, the rack station only has onboard storage for two tools.
This vacuum has a reasonably sized dirt compartment. It's on the smaller side for a cordless stick vacuum, with alternatives like the Samsung Jet 70 having larger dustbins that are mounted horizontally, in line with the vacuum's wand. The Dyson vacuum's dustbin is made of clear plastic and has a clearly visible max fill indicator, so you can easily see when it needs emptying. If you don't mind the bulkier form factor of an upright and could use a cordless vacuum with an even larger dustbin, consider the Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet. Alternatively, if you'd prefer sticking with a lightweight cordless stick vacuum that comes with an automatic self-empty dock, the Shark Detect Pro is a good choice.
The following attachment is exclusive to the V8 Absolute and V8 Absolute (Updated) variants
The following attachments are exclusive to the V8 Origin, V8 Absolute (Updated) and V8 Animal (Updated) models
Since this is a cordless vacuum, its range is limited only by battery life and the room left in its dirt compartment. If you don't want to worry about keeping a battery charged, consider a comparable corded stick/handheld vacuum like the Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded.
The Dyson V8 is very portable. This vacuum is lighter than more powerful Dyson models like the Dyson V11 and doesn't feel very heavy in your hand. Its handle makes it easy to carry from room to room or upstairs.
The Dyson V8's battery performance is alright. The battery depletes in less than 10 minutes if you set the vacuum to its 'MAX' suction setting. Using the standard suction power setting provides just over 40 minutes of continuous use, which will be enough to get you through a few rooms, depending on your usage habits. Still, its maximum runtime falls short of that of most newer Dyson vacuums, and it also takes a lot longer to recharge than alternatives that offer a similar runtime, like the Shark Pet/Rocket Pro Cordless.
The Dyson V8 doesn't have too many extra quality-of-life features. It has a rotating head, which helps it maneuver around obstacles. You can manually choose between two suction power settings: the default 'Powerful Suction' mode and the high-power 'MAX' mode for cleaning stubborn debris. Consider the Tineco PURE ONE S11 if you're looking for a cordless stick vacuum with more bells and whistles, as it can automatically increase its suction power in an area with a large concentration of debris.
The Animal variant of the Dyson V8 comes with a few tools and brushes. There's a combination tool with a retractable soft-bristle brush and a wide nozzle for use on upholstery. Unlike alternatives like the Shark Rocket Pet Pro, it also comes with a unique 180-degree extension tool to help clean hard-to-reach places. You can clip all the tools to the wand or the vacuum body itself when using it in its handheld configuration. The updated versions of the V8 Animal and V8 Absolute come with a similar attachment set, albeit with no separate soft-bristle brush, and a newer iteration of Dyson's turbo brush, which has a cone-shaped brushroll that better resists hair wraps.
This vacuum does a good job of cleaning high-pile carpeting. Its floorhead's brushroll provides a good level of surface agitation, allowing the vacuum to lift away smaller debris like sand, along with the majority of medium and bulky debris like rice or cereal. That said, you'll need to make a second pass to clear away everything
This vacuum does an excellent job of dealing with pet hair on low-pile carpeting. The bristles on its multi-surface floorhead are stiff enough to provide sufficient surface agitation to lift away hair that's been worked into carpet fibers. Check out the RYOBI PCL720K if you want a cordless stick vacuum that does an even better job of dealing with pet hair on carpeting.
This vacuum delivers okay suction power. The manufacturer advertises its suction motor as producing 115 AW of power, which falls some way short of the current entry-level Dyson stick model, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. As such, it doesn't do as well when drawing away debris embedded deep within carpet fibers or cracks and crevices. That difference in performance is also borne out when observing suction measured from its hose.
The Dyson V8's airflow performance is satisfactory. It isn't quite as effective as newer, pricier, and more powerful models for generating air movement, but it still does well enough to clear away most kinds of solid debris.
This vacuum is pretty quiet. When running, it makes a somewhat high-pitched noise that's sufficient to mask the sound of nearby conversation, but using it in an enclosed room does help block out most of the noise. Regardless, if you're looking for a quieter cordless stick vacuum, the Tineco S10 is a solid alternative.
The Dyson V8 has good maneuverability. Its slim size, lightweight plastic construction, and rotating head make maneuvering in tight areas and around obstacles easy. It comes with tools and brushes that help clean furniture, stairs, or other tight spots but lacks onboard storage, which is a little inconvenient. Also, you may need to crouch down to properly clean under low furniture like couches and coffee tables. The vacuum also tends to get stuck on rug tassels. Fortunately, it can push electric cords out of the way without much trouble.
This vacuum does a good job of handling pet hair on upholstered surfaces with its turbo brush attachment. It clears long strands of hair without difficulty but leaves behind some shorter strands on its first pass. The Hair Screw tool bundled with newer versions of the V8 does a better job of clearing away pet hair on this surface type.
Thanks to its whole machine filtration system, this vacuum does a good job of sealing in fine airborne particles.
The Dyson V8 does a decent job cleaning debris in cracks and crevices. It doesn't have too much trouble cleaning debris from shallower cracks. However, it uses a less powerful suction motor than the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, so it isn't quite as effective in lifting away debris sunken into deeper crevices. If you're set on the V8 but want slightly better crack-cleaning performance on bare floors, you could consider the Absolute variant, which comes bundled with a fluffy cleaner head that will slightly improve its ability to pick up debris in areas like grout lines on a tile floor.