Dyson V8 vs V11: What’s the Best Bang for Your Buck?

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In this head-to-head comparison, the Dyson V8 vs V11 will be pitted against each other. Do the Dyson V11’s new features justify the higher price tag? Should you save some money and get the tried-and-true V8 model instead? Let’s find out right away. 

In a nutshell, I’m rooting for the Dyson V11 to take the crown. The longer maximum battery life and more suction power make it superior to the V8 in cleaning performance. It comes with a cleaning head called Torque Drive, which Dyson claims cleans up to 25% better than the Direct Drive cleaning head. With the V11’s digital display and larger dustbin, cleaning is now easier than ever.

Many customers may find the Dyson V8 to be a better bargain because of its cheaper pricing. It also does a great job of cleaning. If you mostly vacuum hardwood floors or often have to clean up big messes, its Fluffy cleaning head can be a useful addition. Only in certain cases would I choose the V8. For example, I would choose the Dyson V8 if my house has lots of hard floors. 

Dyson V8 vs V11: Comparison Chart

Image
THE WINNER (#1)
Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Blue
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum
Model
Dyson V11
Dyson V8
Dimensions
50.6 x 9.8  x 10.3 inches
49 x 9.8 x 8.8 inches
Weight
6.7 lbs.
5.8 lbs
Power Modes
3
2
Suction
185 AW
115 AW
Run Time
~60 minutes
~40 mins.
Recharge Time
4.5 hours.
5.5 hours.
On/off control
Trigger (continuous hold)
Trigger (continuous hold)
Dustbin Capacity
0.75 L
0.54 L
Head Surface Type Adjustment
Manual
None
Adjusts the suction power automatically
150 AW
HEPA Filter
Click-in Battery
LCD display
Dynamic Load Sensor
Cleaning heads
High Torque cleaner head
Motorbar™ cleaner head
Price
$549.00
$269.99
What I Like
THE WINNER (#1)
Image
Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Blue
Model
Dyson V11
Dimensions
50.6 x 9.8  x 10.3 inches
Weight
6.7 lbs.
Power Modes
3
Suction
185 AW
Run Time
~60 minutes
Recharge Time
4.5 hours.
On/off control
Trigger (continuous hold)
Dustbin Capacity
0.75 L
Head Surface Type Adjustment
Manual
Adjusts the suction power automatically
150 AW
HEPA Filter
Click-in Battery
LCD display
Dynamic Load Sensor
Cleaning heads
High Torque cleaner head
Price
$549.00
What I Like
More Info
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Image
Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum
Model
Dyson V8
Dimensions
49 x 9.8 x 8.8 inches
Weight
5.8 lbs
Power Modes
2
Suction
115 AW
Run Time
~40 mins.
Recharge Time
5.5 hours.
On/off control
Trigger (continuous hold)
Dustbin Capacity
0.54 L
Head Surface Type Adjustment
None
Adjusts the suction power automatically
HEPA Filter
Click-in Battery
LCD display
Dynamic Load Sensor
Cleaning heads
Motorbar™ cleaner head
Price
$269.99
What I Like
More Info

Dyson V8 vs V11: Differences

The Dyson V11 beats the Dyson V8 by a score of 3-0 and ties once. While both vacuums have impressive cleaning performance, the Dyson V11 offers additional convenient features and a bigger dustbin. Read on for more details.

Cleaning Performance

The Winner: Dyson V11

Cleaning Heads

The Dyson V8 comes with a Direct Drive cleaning head, while the Dyson V11 comes with an upgraded Torque Drive cleaning head

Both use a spiral brush roll to help agitate carpets and lift debris into the vacuum. The Torque drive cleaning head is the newer model and offers 25% better performance than the Direct drive cleaning head, according to Dyson. 

The V8 also offers the Fluffy cleaning head. This head is a soft roller-style head that is useful for cleaning hardwood floors and capturing large debris. It truly works well in my experience. This fluffy cleaning head is not available on the Dyson V11. 

Hardwood Floor Cleaning

Dyson V11: Cleaning performance
Dyson V11: Cleaning performance

The Dyson V11 performed marginally better on the hard floor testing, despite not having the Fluffy cleaning head. However, the Torque Drive attachment, while effective, is loud and can cause surface scratches.

The performance of both against small to medium debris is pretty much the same; however, the results against larger material, such as cereal, showed that the V8 has a little struggle. 

While the Dyson V8 requires further passes to collect all of the large material, the Dyson V11 is able to collect all of that debris on its first pass. 

Low Pile Carpet Cleaning

Both of these vacuum cleaners are capable of sucking up the debris of any size from low-pile carpeting, and the results are comparable. 

Although the Dyson V8 and the Dyson V11 use two different cleaning heads, I couldn’t tell much of a difference in terms of the vacuums’ overall effectiveness between the two models.

High Pile Carpet Cleaning

Their cleaning performances on the high-pile carpet were very comparable to those of the low-pile carpet.

The performance of the V8 was somewhat diminished when it came to cleaning up small debris like rice, but it was still able to capture approximately 93% of it. 

The Dyson V11 has a higher performance level than its predecessor, the V8. In my test, it totally sucked up all of the debris of various sizes, with the exception of huge stuff like cereal, where it still left only a couple of grains behind. In any case, this is still an outstanding performance.

Adjust Suction Power

Dyson V11 can adjusts the suction power automatically
Dyson V11 can adjusts the suction power automatically

The Dyson V11 can detect the type of flooring it is cleaning and automatically change the suction to suit. By doing so, the vacuum’s suction strength is conserved for the more intensive cleaning, rather than being wasted where it’s not needed. You can, of course, adjust the suction strength by choosing a suitable cleaning mode. (Eco, Auto, or Boost).

In contrast to the Dyson V11, the Dyson V8 is unable to automatically alter the its power suction.

Design & Convenience

The Winner: Tie

Overall Design 

The V8 and V11 models are both 2-in-1 vacuums, meaning they can be used either as powerful stick vacuums or as portable handheld vacuums. The difference lies in the appearance of the parts when they are assembled.

Dyson V8 vs V11's design
Dyson V8 vs V11’s design

In the design of the V8, the extension wand meets the handheld motor and the dust bin at an angle that is perpendicular to one another (like the letter “T”). When compared to the V11, which rotates the dust bin canister by 90 degrees for a more in-line assembly, the V11 is superior. Dyson claims that the performance of the Dyson V11 was improved as a direct result of the design decision to align the body, dust bin, and wand of the vacuum cleaner. 

I would say that the in-line design makes the V11 feel a little heavier when used as a handheld. This is because the center of gravity is farther from your wrist, which makes the handheld a little longer than the V8 overall.

Battery Life

The Dyson V8 has a maximum run time of 40 minutes, but the Dyson V11 has a maximum run time of 60 minutes. In a standard one-bedroom apartment, the Dyson V8’s battery life of forty minutes is usually sufficient to complete the cleaning task. But if you live in a larger space, the battery life of Dyson V11 is more adequate.

Despite the fact that the run time on the V11 is only 20 minutes greater than that of the V8, which is 40 minutes, Dyson claims that the V11’s battery will last up to 5 times longer. The battery life for the Dyson V8 is estimated to be between 3 and 5 years, whilst the battery life for the Dyson V11 is believed to be up to 15 years. (according to Dyson).

That’s just a comparison of batteries. The V11 model comes with a few additional features that assist the battery to last longer. These features include an automatically adjusting suction and a display that shows how much battery life is left.

In addition, the Dyson 11 comes with a click-in battery. You will only receive one battery, but if you want a significantly longer run time, you can purchase spare batteries separately. The battery system of the V8 does not utilize a click-in design.

Dustbin & Filtration

The Winner: Dyson V11

Dustbin Capacity

Dyson V11's dustbin

The capacity of the dustbin of the V8 is likewise slightly lower than that of the V11 model. The V8 has a maximum capacity of 0.54 liters, whereas the V11 can hold up to 0.74 liters of debris. Both of them may appear to be small, but when you take into account the fact that they are stick vacuums, you will see them as reasonable. How burdensome they will be on your wrist if the dustbin is larger than normal. 

Emptying The Dustbin

Another difference between these two versions is how the dustbin is emptied.

The Dyson V8’s dust bin may be emptied by pulling a lever located behind the cyclones, which raises the cyclones and filters so that dust and debris can fall out into a garbage can.

With the Dyson V11, emptying the dust bin is more of a “point-and-shoot” process. You will not find a lever to pull on the top of the vacuum; rather, you will find a lever that slides down the side of the dust container to pull it. When you do that, the dust bin will shoot forward, which will open the lid of the dust bin canister and force the debris to fall out.

Note that in order to empty the dust bin on the V11, you will need to detach any attachments first. On the Dyson V8, even though it’s not strictly necessary, taking apart the accessories will make it much easier to empty the trash.

Filters

Washable HEPA filters are included with both the V8 and the V11 models as standard equipment. This is an appealing addition because it prevents the need for frequent or expensive filter replacements.

If you want these filters to continue to function as effectively as possible, wash them once a month in cold water, and then let them air dry for 24 hours.

Utilities

The Winner: Dyson V11

Digital Screen

The digital screen on Dyson V11
The digital screen on Dyson V11

The Dyson V11 comes with an innovative digital screen that is positioned beneath the motor. This screen displays a variety of features, including the cleaning mode, the expected remaining run time, as well as videos of both performance and maintenance.

The V8 model does not come with a digital display or video notification capabilities. There is a tiny light on it that indicates how much battery life you still have, but it’s not that apparent. 

Click-in Battery

As was just stated, the battery in the Dyson 11 can be removed and replaced with ease thanks to its click-in design. You may, for instance, take it out when it’s entirely depleted and replace it with a spare battery in order to make it run for longer.

The V8 does not make use of a battery mechanism that clicks in. The battery that is housed in the V8 can also be removed, albeit doing so will require the use of a screwdriver. Because of this, you should not remove it until it is no longer capable of maintaining a charge. (and replace it with a new one).

Quick Rundown of Dyson V11

Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner, Blue
  • Dyson's most intelligent, powerful cordless vacuum. Twice the suction of any cordless vacuum.
  • Dyson technology helps create a cleaner, healthier home - Our vacuums and purifiers are scientifically proven to capture particles as small as allergens and bacteria.
  • Engineered for whole-home, deep cleaning. Suction power, run time and tools designed to deep clean your whole home.
  • Intelligently optimizes suction and run time across all floor types. The right balance of power and run time when you need it.
  • Up to 60 minutes of run time. Engineered for larger homes with pets. Actual run time will vary based on power mode, floor type and/or attachments used.
Pros
  • It has an exceptional cleaning performance.
  • The digital display lets you quickly switch cleaning modes and check the estimated run time.
  • It offers stronger suction power than Dyson V8. 
  • Its run time is longer than the V8.
  • Runtime can be extended with the click-in battery.
Cons
  • For such a stick vacuum, it is a bit heavy. 
  • It does not come with a soft roller head, which is frustrating given its price.

Quick Rundown of Dyson V8

Pros
  • The Fluffy cleaning head does a great job of picking up dirt and dust from hard floors.
  • The cleaning performance is excellent despite the suction power being slightly lower. 
  • It has a more reasonable price.
  • Lighter and better ergonomics.
Cons
  • The battery will die after about 3 years of use.
  • You are unable to put in a spare battery as the battery cannot be swapped out. 
  • It is easily scratched.

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