Two flagship cordless vacuum models from Dyson, the V10 and V8, have often been touted as game changers in the vacuum cleaner industry.
While the V10 presents a more complete package with marked improvements, the V8 was considered one of the best vacuum cleaners ever when it came out in 2016.
Differences in cleaning performance and ease of use are apparent to see, but the gulf in the price means that you could still have a choice to make.
Ultimately, we tried to answer which of these vacuums provide the best bang for your buck.
We’ll go deeply into the ease of use of both devices, the cleaning effectiveness and the major features in store.
The Big Differences
The V10 has an extremely powerful motor, and the only Dyson vacuum that packs more of a punch currently is the Dyson V11.
In Australia, the Dyson V10 comes in three editions – the Total Clean, Animal and Absolute, with the difference mostly related to the included tools.
On the other hand, the V8 comes in two versions – Animal and Absolute.
The major difference between these versions is that a soft roller accessory is not included with the Animal version, which is ideal for hard flooring.
Major Features of the V10 vs V8
| V8 | V10 |
| Fadeless suction and two separate layers of radial cyclones improve airflow. | Before the advent of the V11, the V10 held the title of the most powerful vacuum motor Dyson had ever made. |
| Mini-motorised tool is a top-of-the-line accessory for handling tight spots. | The battery life of the V10 impresses in the medium power mode (which is extremely powerful in its own right) |
| The “Point and Shoot” bin emptying system is present in the V8 as well. | Converts to a handheld |
| High-quality filtration system | Three different power settings |
| Direct-drive technology on the vacuum head was a flagship feature in the cordless vacuum market at the time of release. | Runs for 60 minutes in the limited power mode |
| Docking station allows for handy recharging. | Roller with soft nylon bristles provides high-quality cleaning results on hard floors |
| Converts to a handheld vacuum. | Direct-drive technology on the vacuum head is highly effective against even thick rugs |
| Placement of the battery provides great weight balance. | High-quality filtration system makes this an excellent choice for most homes |
| The V8 Absolute comes with a soft roller tool which is excellent for hard floors. | Suction power of the V10 comes from 14 cyclones that revolutionised airflow inside a vacuum when it first came out |
| Nylon bristles on the brush bar makes quick work of most standard carpets. | The “Point and Shoot” emptying system is highly aesthetic to use |
Unboxing
Both of these vacuums will blow your mind by how lightweight it is, with both coming in at under 3 kilos. Considering the power generated by both of these vacuum cleaners, it is an engineering marvel that the motor is so compact and lightweight.
The dust canister is one aspect where the V10 shows an improvement over the V8, with 0.76 litres of capacity representing a 40% improvement over the V8.
One accessory that both the V8 and V10 shares is the direct-drive cleaner head which digs deep into carpet fibres for a comprehensive carpet cleaning experience.
Both vacuum cleaners also include a mini-motorhead tool which comes in handy when converting the device to a handheld cleaner.
Some negatives remain unchanged for both the V10 and V8 – you will have to hold down the vacuum trigger for operating either vacuum, which can be quite tiresome during long cleaning sessions.
Although both vacuums come with a wall-mounted docking station for charging and storing, the V8 also has an option for recharging with a cord.
Battery Life of V10 vs V8
Our testers could see that when it came to battery life, there really isn’t too much to distinguish the V10 and the V8 on the medium and high-power modes.
On the lower power mode, however, the V10 lasts for about an hour, which is 20 minutes longer than the V8.
Both vacuums last for about 25 minutes on the medium-power mode and 7-8 minutes on the highest power setting.
Both vacuum cleaners, with their host of radial cyclones and supreme motor, rarely require any power setting higher than the lowest one for day-to-day cleaning.
The recharging time of the V10, however, is a bit of an improvement considering the V8, as it takes a full hour less to recharge completely.
V10 vs V8: Cleaning Performance
Suction power of the V10 comes from clever engineering from the teams at Dyson, that have managed to align the vacuum motor, cyclones and the bin for maximising suction.
Overall, our team of testers could see a slight improvement in cleaning standards on carpet from the V10, due to the more powerful motor housed inside.
Direct-drive technology, however, is what helps maintain the performance of the V10 and V8 on the same level for shaggy carpets.
With a combination of soft carbon bristles and harder nylon teeth on the vacuum head, both delicate and hard debris will easily be picked up from even thick carpet fibres.
The soft roller attachment with the Absolute and Total Clean version of the V10 and Absolute version of the V8 will help homes that predominantly have hard flooring.
With a mini-motorised tool to provide an extra punch in suction for handheld cleaning sessions, the V10 and V8 have formidable tools for combating dusty corners and staircases.
Filtration System of V8 vs V10
Dyson has always held itself up as a brand that does not compromise when it comes to dust filtration, with both the V8 and the V10 perfectly representing those brand ideals.
Both vacuums have a system that removes 99.97% of all allergens it comes across, mainly aided by the radial cyclone technology employed.
With multiple cyclones swirling within (up to 14 on the V10!), enough centrifugal power is generated within that separates lighter allergens from larger debris, and effectively filters them.
Emptying the V10 or V8
The Dyson system of “pointing and shooting” to empty debris at the push of a button has now become widely adopted across the cordless vacuum industry.
During the early days of the cordless V series of Dyson vacuums, there was a lot of disgruntlement over customers having to stick their fingers into the dust canister in order to remove bunched up hair and debris.
Later models, including the Dyson V8 and V10 seek to combat this by adding a silicone collar that pushes out fluff and debris during emptying.
One annoyance with the V10, however, is that all attachments need to be removed before you can empty, which is an issue not found on the V8.
Is the V10 better than the V8?
Look at it this way without getting bogged down in comparisons – both of these vacuum cleaners upended how we think of cordless vacuum cleaners and gave us a glimpse of what the future holds for the vacuum industry when it comes to technological innovations.
Without getting too artsy about it, the bottom line is that both the V10 and V8 are extremely effective cleaners that will make you smirk incredulously at the ease of use.
Both of these vacuums rival even larger vacuums, but the 40% improvement in suction power of the V10 carries the day.
Our verdict is that if you can afford it, go for the V10.
Andrew Creswell is the senior editor at Vacuumit and a product review expert.
Based in Melbourne, his experience as a content writer for major international publications has given him great knowledge over the consumer appliances industry and the expertise needed to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Over the past decade, Andy has done reviews on thousands of home appliances and cleaning equipment and has established himself as a consumer technology expert.