Dyson V7 vs V8 Reviews And Side by Side comparison

Whether you prefer hard floors, carpets, or both, performing proper maintenance on your floors inevitably involves some sort of vacuuming contraption.

Indeed, cleaning your carpets using a vacuum cleaner represents one of the best ways to get rid of the surface layer of dirt and dust, as well as to sanitize it and prevent mold, grime, and other pollutants from forming there in time.

To pull this off, what you will need is a powerful vacuum cleaner that you can be certain will be tough enough to perform various tasks that you need of it quickly and easily. If you can get a model that can cover both the cleaning tasks on hard floors AND carpets than that's even better.

In this article, we're going to compare two models from Dyson -a famous vacuum cleaner-making company well-known for the high quality of their models. The two models we're pitching against each other are the V7 and V8, two fairly similar vacuum cleaners that nevertheless possess slight differences that may mean much to you. We will see how these two differ, what are their similarities, as well as what are their overall pros and cons.

Without further ado, here's the deal.

Difference Between Dyson V7 and V8

Running Time

When it comes to vacuum cleaners that operate on batteries, the main feature you want to pay attention to (other than the power, of course) would be the running time. This parameter tells you for how long you can use the cleaner before the battery runs out and you have to recharge it.

The reason why this value is so important for battery-powered models is because the models with a cable don't run the risk of ever getting out of power. The only way you will be prevented from using the cabled models would be if they overheat, otherwise, you can keep them on for many hours on end.

Anyway, swinging back to the battery running times of these two models, the situation is the following: Dyson V7 can go on for some 30 minutes, while its younger counterpart V8 you can use for 40 minutes. This is a difference that can be attributed to the stronger battery that comes with the Dyson V8 model, so if these 10 minutes of running time make a lot of difference for you when it comes to using your vacuum cleaner, you may want to get the V8 model instead of the V7.

Weight

Building a vacuum cleaner is sometimes like building a tank - the more features you add and the more powerful battery you install in it, the more it's going to weigh. At the same time, you don't want the vacuum cleaner to be too heavy, because then it will be tough to maneuver around. So, manufacturers of these contraptions always struggle to find a middle ground where both of these features can be taken into consideration.

Now, Dyson V7 is a vacuum cleaner that weighs at 5.45 pounds, which doesn't make it exactly the featherweight category, but it can certainly be described as lightweight. Following close behind would be the V8, which with its 5.8 is a bit heavier than its predecessor. The weight difference can be explained by the heavier battery that the folks at Dyson built in the V8 model.

Also, some of the parts on the V8 do appear to be bulkier than on the V7, so a part of the additional weight can be attributed to the plastic build. So, if you don't fancy hauling a heavy vacuum cleaner around and pushing and pulling it on your floors, V7 would be a better option. ( To be fair, though, the V8 is only 0.35 pounds heavier, which is a fairly small difference. )

Suction Power

As we mentioned earlier, one of the most important parameters of a vacuum cleaner would be its suction power, which is a value most often measured in Watts, Ampers, or Air Watts. Now, the case with the Dyson V7 is that it has exactly 100 Air Watts, which is a power-rating often seen in vacuum cleaners of similar size. When it comes to ordinary cleaning situations such as taking care of your house, this is more than enough to do a good job of it.

As far as the Dyson V8 is concerned, the manufacturers decided to put in a bit more power in, as this model comes with 115 AW of power - 15 more than the V7 model. These additional Air Watts, so to speak, give the V8 a slight edge over the V7, which you can see in tackling some of the tougher stains. So, if you plan to use these vacuum cleaners for simple domestic situations, a V7 may be enough for you, but for those of you who would like that little extra edge, getting a V8 instead could be the way to go for you.

Dust Cap Capacity

Depending on how dirty your floors are, the dust cap capacity can play a smaller or a larger role when it comes to your choice of a vacuum cleaner.

The thing is, if you have a pet or you have a high-traffic sort of situation in your house regularly, you can rest assured that the dust capacity is going to be a parameter you want to pay attention to. A small dust cup will mean you have to keep emptying it during your cleaning session, which can be annoying.

Of course, having a big dust cup can look a bit ugly on a stick vacuum cleaner, so many manufacturers tend to opt for installing smaller dust cups. It's quite an achievement on the part of the manufacturers to come up with a vacuum cleaner that you can use continuously without having to empty it all the time -which also isn't an eyesore.

So, as far as numbers are concerned, Dyson V7 has a 0.4-liter dust bin, while Dyson V8 has a larger, 0.54-liter cap. So, if you have a larger house and perhaps a pet or two too, getting the Dyson V8 model would be recommendable. If not, the V7's volume may be enough, so why pay the steeper price of the V8. ( Unless, of course, you fancy some of its other features. )

Mini-motorized Tool

As far as suction nozzles go in vacuum cleaners, the types of these could be roughly split into two categories - those without a motorized tool, and those with a motorized tool. Now the thing with the motorized tool is that it allows you to clean a carpeted surface more thoroughly than you would be able to do it without it. Also, motorized tools tend to enhance the performance when you're on hard floors, so it pays off to have one of these as a part of your vacuum cleaner kit.

Now, as far as Dyson's models V7 and V8 are concerned, the deal is as follows, the basic version of V7 does not come with a motorized brush tool, while the basic V8 model does come with one. That said, alternative versions of the V7 such as the V7 Animal and Absolute also come with one of these tools. So, you technically have three different options to choose from here, but of course, you have to pay attention to the other features these various models come with.

Other Tools

Dyson vacuum cleaners are traditionally well-stocked on various pieces of equipment and accessories, so if you decide to go for one of these vacuum cleaners you can rest assured that you'll have all the tools you need to get the job done.

First off, the most notable additional tool for Dyson V8 as well as the Dyson V7 Absolute models would be the soft 'fluffy' cleaning head, enabling you to clean hard floors more thoroughly and with less risk of scratches and other damages than you would do by using the standard direct-drive cleaning head.

Another set of attachments that both of these models come with would be the wall mount, the charger, as well as an extension wand. There's also a docking station, which is there to help you position the vacuum cleaner neatly when you set it to charge.

Other than these, you can also expect to see a crevice tool, a combination tool, as well as a dusting brush which comes with all the models of the V7 and V8 except for the stock V7 model. These can help you take care of cleaning tasks that are difficult to get to or that require a softer touch than what you have on the vacuum head's nozzle.

Similarities of Dyson V7 and V8

2-in-1 Function

One thing that is common across all four of the Dyson vacuum cleaners that can be considered models V7 and V8 would be their well-known 2-in-1 function. Namely, you can use these as either a handheld vacuum cleaner or a stick vacuum, depending on what sort of mess you intend to take care of.

The way this system works is fairly similar. All you need to do to turn these models from a handheld model to a stick vacuum cleaner would be to add the extension wand into the quick-release port, and then wiggle it in until you hear it click. After that, you can attach whatever accessory you want on top of the extension wand ( for example, a dusting brush or a soft brush ) and then use the vacuum as you would any other stick model.

Cleaning Head

Another feature that Dyson vacuums are well-known about would be their excellent cleaning heads that often come with a motorized brush - a tool that can do wonders for picking up dirt from off surfaces quickly and easily, without sucking in the carpet itself.

The reason why these motorized brush cleaning heads are so useful is that they enable the vacuum cleaner to not only suck in the debris from off the floors but also to penetrate deep into the fibers of the carpet you're cleaning because of the brush spins the entire duration of the cleaning process. So, what happens at the ground level as you pass with this vacuum cleaner over it is that the rotating brush in the vacuum head penetrates the fibers of the carpet underneath, and then the vacuuming head sucks in the air together with the pollutants, thus cleaning your floor.

Design

Last but not least, all four of these Dyson models share a similar design, with only small changes between the individual vacuum cleaners. As you already know, both of these models are stick vacuums, can be detached to be used as handheld vacuums and come with several attachments for good measure.

Also, all of them are battery-powered, which means they come with special chargers, as well as with docking stations that you can place anywhere on your wall. ( Though it's recommendable to place it somewhere close to a power socket, so you can simply hang it on the wall and charge it at the same time. )

Pros & Cons of Dyson V7

Pros:

• Crevice tool
• Comes with a docking station
• Direct drive brush roll
• Elegant design
• Extension wand
• Models Animal and Absolute also come with a motorized tool

Cons:

• The stock version does not come with a motorized tool
• Does not come with a soft roller cleaning head ( only Dyson 7 Absolute does )

Pros & Cons of Dyson V8

Pros:

• Comes with a wall mount ( docking station )
• Motorized brush tool
• Features a dusting brush
• 115 Air Watts of suction power
• 40 minutes of operation time
• Crevice tool
• A soft roller cleaning head
• Dusting brush

Cons:

• More expensive than V7
• A bit heavier than V7

Conclusion

All in all, Dyson's V7 and V8 models represent one of the best stick-to-handheld vacuum cleaner models in the world. These four models ( if we take into account the two additional D7 alternatives ) give you plenty of options to work with when it comes to tackling different messes on various surfaces. We hope you found this article helpful and we wish you a hassle-free purchase.