Dyson V8 Cordless

The middle path to getting a powerful Dyson

If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to the four-figure price tags of the newer Dyson handsticks, and you need a little more than what the Dyson V7 can offer, then the V8 is the perfect middle child.

It sits between the V7 and the Dyson V10 models, offering better battery life than its predecessor but without the hefty cost of the successor vacuums. Despite being more expensive than the V7, the Dyson V8 is actually the older model between the two, having arrived in 2016 – a year before the V7 and replacing the now-discontinued Dyson V6.

That slightly higher price tag, however, is quite justified. It’s powerful enough to replace a budget corded vacuum cleaner, even if you’re a pet owner or have wall-to-wall carpets. It matches the V7’s cleaning performance, which is definitely a lot better than what the V6 offered way back when, and happens to be the first Dyson handstick to feature the current hygienic bin-emptying mechanism. 

Where the V7 gives you a maximum of 30 minutes on a single charge, the V8 takes it up to a 40-minute fade-free promise on the standard power setting. On max power, though, you’ll only get about 7 minutes of battery life. It’s not much, but is good enough for quick spot cleans. That said, the standard suction power setting is more than enough for everyday needs and 40 minutes should see a one-bedroom apartment done in a single go.

Then there’s the V8’s versatility. Like all Dyson handsticks, the V8 easily becomes a handheld unit to clean up your car or vacuum your furniture. While weighing about 2.55kg with the telescopic tube, the weight distribution is well balanced and it can be held aloft to get to ceiling corners as well.

As with each of the V-series vacuums, the V8 has different models as well – the V8 Origin being the base model and the V8 Absolute offering the best bang for buck. Other than a difference in the colour scheme used on each, all V8 models have the same functionality. They just come with different tools in the box.

Score: 4.5/5

Verdict: Despite being the oldest extant Dyson handstick on the market, the V8 is powerful, with decent battery life and a relatively affordable price tag. All that quality, though, isn’t cheap. So if you can afford it, the Dyson V8 (particularly the Absolute model), offers great value… for a Dyson.