Dyson V8 Review: Why It’s Still Worth Buying

If you are looking for an objective Dyson V8 review, you have found one. The Dyson V8 has been around for quite a few years now, and it is one of the cordless models we still rate. It is not perfect, and it is not for everyone, but if you know what you are getting, it can be an excellent machine. This is a practical take based on machines we sell online, in our store, and see for repair in our South Manchester Dyson repair workshop. This is written for people who want the truth rather than glib Which? Magazine waffle.

A familiar Dyson pattern: changing things for no reason

If you follow Dyson, you will recognise the cycle. They launch a new model with great fanfare, then spend the next year or two ironing out the weak points under warranty. Once the machine settles down, they bring out the next one. The V7 came first and is very similar to the V8. After the V8 came the V10, V11, V12, V15 and now Gen 5 variants with Detect heads and other features.

Officially, the V8 was discontinued for a time. In reality, we in the trade know it never really went away. Stock was sold as “reconditioned” on Dyson’s site and other retail channels. Many of those units were brand new in all but name. If you knew where to get one, you have always been able to buy one, even after they were “discontinued”.

Now the V8 is back as a current model and the pricing is far keener than it used to be. We sell them brand new with a Dyson guarantee at a very keen price. We often have reconditioned units in stock too (but you have to call us for those as they aren’t on the site).

Dyson V8 review: About the floor heads

There are two main floorheads to think about. The soft roller head, often called the fluffy head, is for hard floors. The standard motorised head is for carpets and mixed flooring. Some retail bundles include both.

Newer V8s have small plastic ridges on the standard head that Dyson calls “hair removal veins”. It is their take on the anti-hair wrap idea you see on Shark and others. They help a bit, but it is not a game-changer. The head itself is fine with or without that gimmick.

Brush roll confusion and why it happens

Inside the standard motorhead is a brush roll with red and black bristles. The black bristles are very soft and tend to wear quite quickly. That is when people go looking for a new brush roll. This is where things get awkward. Dyson made several versions that look almost the same but use different end caps and drive cogs. They are not interchangeable.

Dyson does this with so many spare parts. They make two or more versions of the same thing. We think it’s a wheeze to thwart the aftermarket. There is no good engineering reason for so many variations that we can see. It creates hassle for buyers and sellers. We do not list these brush rolls online for that reason. If you bring the head into the shop, we’ll match it for you. If you buy blind, there is a fair chance you will get the wrong one and have to faff about with returns.

Aftermarket standard heads avoid the soft strip and use stiffer bristles. They are not quite as refined as the genuine head, but they are typically about half the price and perfectly acceptable for most people.

The fluffy head on hard floors

The fluffy head is excellent on hard floors. It lifts fine dust and grit very well. The roller does get grubby quickly, which is normal for that material. You can remove the roller and wash it, then let it dry fully before refitting. Aftermarket versions exist and are roughly half the price of the genuine item, with similar looks and performance for light domestic use.

Third-party mop attachment

There is an aftermarket mopping head with two counter-rotating pads and a small water tank. It does not turn the V8 into a wet and dry machine. The pads only get slightly damp. It is for light maintenance mopping on hard floors when you want a quick freshen up without getting a bucket out. Kitchens and hallways are where it earns its keep.

Filters old and new

Early V8 machines have a simple post motor filter on top. The relaunched V8 uses a star-shaped filter. Functionally, they do the same job and are interchangeable (which, for Dyson, makes a change). The star shape looks jazzier, is all. Very cheap copy filters can be a poor fit and have been known to work loose, especially when you are using the machine overhead. If you want a quiet life, avoid the very cheapest copies. As with anything, buy from a reputable Dyson V8 parts supplier.

Dyson V8 review: Batteries and the Amazon mAh con

The V8 has one of two possible batteries fitted to it. They are known as type D and type E. They look similar, but they do not interchange. Our video below will show you the two types up close. Most early V8s were type E. With the relaunch, Dyson brought back the less common type D. As before, that decision seems designed to create compatibility headaches for spare parts sellers and anyone buying spares.

We sell new batteries that are engineered to fit both types, so you do not have to think about it. If you are buying elsewhere, check your battery type carefully, or you may end up with one that will not fit.

On capacity, the original Dyson V8 battery is 2400 mAh. Our upgraded option is 3000 mAh, which is a modest but genuine step up. On places like Amazon and eBay, you will see listings claiming 6000, 8000 or even 10000 mAh for a V8 battery. And for twenty or thirty quid. Those claims are absolute nonsense. You cannot physically fit that capacity into a V8 case with current cell technology at the price point.

Cheap Chinese batteries sold on Amazon and similar platforms will NOT be what the sellers say they are. Labels can say anything – nobody checks this stuff on import. The cells inside are what matter, along with the PCB design and protection. They might tell you that you are buying “Sony cells”. You’re not. Cheap batteries fail within weeks or a few months and the odd one has caused fires. If you want performance and safety, buy a genuine Dyson one, or buy from a seller who tells you the truth about what is inside.

Always remember: Amazon and eBay, and Amazon in particular, charge sellers crippling fees to sell there. Cheap stuff on there is no good. It’s as simple as that. Buy from private websites and save money.

We are the largest Dyson repair specialist in the North. We see a lot of cheap batteries from platforms like Amazon that have failed after just a few weeks.

The Dyson V8 review overview

Dyson’s marketing likes to call their cordless machines whole-of-house vacuums. In a small flat with mostly hard floors, a V8 can maybe be that. In a larger home with lots of carpet, maybe a few kids and a dog, it is far better suited as a second machine. Use a proper mains powered upright like a Sebo as your main cleaner, then pick up the V8 for quick jobs. Spills in the kitchen, dusting, stairs, the car (and the spiders and moths you won’t admit to sucking up). That is where it shines.

Compared with a lot of cordless machines at similar money, the V8 is well built and reliable. Dyson has made it for long enough to iron out the teething issues. You can pay three times as much for a Gen 5 if you want extra features, but you will also get more weight and complexity. If you want a straightforward cordless that does what it says, the V8 is still a very solid choice.

Questions and comments

We hope you have found this Dyson V8 review useful. If you have a V8 and want advice on heads, filters or batteries, ask below in the comments section. If you think we have missed something, say so there, too. We read the comments and usually reply.