Dyson V8 Cyclone review: a simple stick vac with an affordable price and some serious cleaning power

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Dyson V8 Cyclone: two-minute review

The Dyson V8 Cyclone is a refreshed, upgraded version of the classic V8. That model was launched way back in 2019, but remains one of Dyson’s bestsellers despite its underwhelming specs in the context of the modern market. For this updated version, Dyson has improved suction power, boosted battery life, and swapped the trigger operation for a one-press button, but kept the straightforward design and (crucially) the affordable pricing.

best Dyson vacuums – don’t expect automatic suction adjustment or a screen to convey information like remaining battery life. While it is relatively lightweight and easy to maneuver, I feel that Dyson could have put more effort into making it comfortable to hold and use.

Where the V8 Cyclone really shines is its cleaning power, which is up there with those of far pricier vacuums. In my tests, it proved to be an excellent cleaner on carpet, clearing large and small particles with ease, and very effective on hard floor, too. It also tackled pet hair efficiently, although the Mini motorized tool was good but not great at removing hair from upholstery.

So, while there are flashier models out there, if you’re looking for a simple, effective and relatively affordable vacuum, the V8 Cyclone is a solid choice. Read on for my full Dyson V8 Clone review, including an in-depth look at how it performed in all my tests.

V16 Piston Animal, Dyson’s current flagship stick vacuum. It’s currently available in several countries, including the UK and Australia. In time, it might end up on sale in the US, but there’s no information on that as yet.

At list price, the V8 Cyclone costs £349.99 in the UK and AU$649 in Australia (equivalent to around $470 based on UK pricing, though there’s no guarantee that’s what it would actually cost if it went on sale in the US).

Based on TechRadar’s wider vacuum cleaner price bands, the V8 Cyclone sits in the mid-range bracket. It’s also one of the most affordable Dyson vacuums – most other models in the range cost two or even three times the price. It’s probably the best cheap vacuum option in the brand’s lineup right now.

For comparison, the older V8 Absolute is $589.99 / £329.99 / AU$999, although at time of writing, there was around 50% off in both the US and Australia. Keeping pricing low has clearly been a priority with this new launch – it’s a step up in performance compared to the older V8, but not a step up in price.

I think the V8 Cyclone is decent value for money. Other brands have similarly-priced models with more advanced designs, and you pay a bit of a premium for the Dyson name, but this vacuum’s cleaning powers do go some way to justifying its price tag. While it feels noticeably less premium than other Dysons, at half the price or less, that’s to be expected.

Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Dyson V8 Cyclone specs

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Weight (body only):	3.6 lbs / 1.6kg
Weight (with wand and main floorhead):	5.7 lbs / 2.6kg
Weight (stated):	6 lbs / 2.7kg
Bin size:	0.54L
Max runtime:	60 mins
Charge time:	4 hrs
Size (H x W x L):	45.7 x 8.3 x 9.8in / 116 x 21 x 25cm
Filter:	99.99% to 0.3 micron
Max suction:	150AW
Auto mode:	None
Modes:	Low, Med, Max

Dyson V8 Cyclone review: design

Basic stick vacuum with 3 suction modes and button operation
Relatively lightweight but could be more comfortable to use
Interface simple but effective – no screen for in-depth info

The V8 Cyclone is a cordless stick vacuum, an update to the V8 vacuum that launched in 2019 and remains one of Dyson’s bestsellers. Both the motor and the battery have been improved, offering 30% more suction and 50% longer runtime, respectively, compared to the original.

V11 to maximize suction efficiency).

This older arrangement has the benefit of making the weight more balanced in the user’s hand. Indeed, this is one of Dyson’s lightest vacuums, as well as being a relatively lightweight option in the wider market.

Close up of power and mode buttons on Dyson V8 Cyclone

(Image credit: Future)

A departure from the older V8 design is a one-press button rather than a trigger to switch on the V8 Cyclone. This means you won’t need to keep the trigger always compressed in use, but on the downside, you will need to keep a hand free to switch the machine on and off.

The large On/Off button is on the top of the main motor section, next to a second button that controls the modes. There are three options, and the selection is indicated by a colored LED in the center of the buttons: red for Max, blue for Medium and green for Low. This system won’t be ideal for colorblind users.

The battery has a higher capacity than the original V8, delivering up to an hour of cleaning on a single charge, which is in line with most of the competition these days. Another welcome upgrade is the fact that the battery is now removable and swappable.

Dyson V8 Cyclone with battery being removed

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, the power options and controls are relatively basic and lack features common to the best vacuums on the market. Many modern vacuums – including the newer Dyson models – have an Auto mode that can adjust suction and/or brushroll speed based on the floor type or how much dirt needs to be cleared. Here, you’ll have to toggle settings manually. There’s also no screen to indicate suction mode, flag any issues, or tell you how much battery life is left.

On that final point, there’s no real indicator of charge levels at all. The LED in the mode button will blink when the battery is running low, and when the vacuum is plugged in, a second LED next to the battery will blink to show it’s charging, or go solid when the battery is full. Anything in between ‘full’ and ‘low’ is anyone’s guess.

Motorbar cleaner head, Crevice tool and Mini motorized floorhead that accompany the Dyson V8 Cyclone vacuum

(Image credit: Future)

The V8 Cyclone comes with the Dyson Motorbar floorhead, which is suitable for both hard floors and carpets. It has been optimized to prevent hair wrap, but there are no fancier additions, such as a laser lighter or sensors to monitor particles.

Like pretty much all stick vacuums, the V8 Cyclone can be reconfigured for use as a handheld. The version I tested came with a Crevice tool and a Mini motorized tool for cleaning stairs and upholstery.

Dyson V8 Cyclone with person showing how attachments can be removed

(Image credit: Future)

Moving on to comfort and usability. The Dyson V8 Cyclone gets a medium score here. On the plus side, it’s relatively lightweight, and the main motor section is compact and squat, meaning it’s easier to wield than models that have an elongated shape.

However, Dyson hasn’t put any effort into boosting comfort levels. There’s no shaping on the handle, and no padding to speak of either. I found that the edge of the filter casing rubbed on my thumb joint as I cleaned. This model also uses shiny plastic, which can rub if your hand is a little sweaty.

Dyson V8 Cyclone in handheld mode, with Mini motorized attachment, cleaning a side table

(Image credit: Future)

The floorhead pivots well but can occasionally be a little hard to push – it’s a shame that Dyson got rid of the usual air intake slider, which would have helped in this situation. I had no issues with the mechanism used to swap the tools over; everything clipped in and out with relative ease.

To empty the V8 Cyclone, you pull on a large, red handle, causing the whole top section to pull upwards as the bottom flap drops open. You then need to click down the top section before you can close the flap. The process isn’t immediately intuitive, but it’s extremely quick and smooth once you know what to expect. I also like that you don’t have to remove the wand to empty the bin, as is the case with the newer Dyson vacuums.

Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Dyson V8 Cyclone review: performance

Excellent cleaning performance on carpet, especially medium-pile
Solid pick up on hard floor but a little pooling of debris
Floorhead tackles pet hair extremely well, but Mini tool not as impressive

During general use, I was very impressed with the V8 Cyclone’s cleaning powers. I’ve used almost all of Dyson’s vacuums, as well as numerous models from other brands, and there was no noticeable step down in performance compared to some far pricier models I’ve used. In fact, in my group test of eight vacuums, there were several instances where the V8 Cyclone was among the top scorers in my suction tests.

However, I did miss having an Auto mode that changes suction intelligently based on floor type and/or dirt levels. Here, you need to switch manually when making your way around the home.

Moving on to the results of the suction tests. For these, I used a mixture of dry rice and lentils to represent chunky debris, and dry tea to represent fine particles. I also used dog hair from a friendly local dog groomer. I tested all the particle types on medium-pile carpet, deep-pile carpet, and a linoleum floor.

Medium-pile carpet

I started by sprinkling both on medium-pile carpet. The V8 Cyclone performed extremely well, clearing almost all the chunky particles in one forward pass in Med mode, leaving only a few stragglers. There was no significant pooling of debris in front of the floorhead.

The fine particle performance was even more impressive – the V8 Cyclone cleared all but a few tiny specs with one forward pass in Med mode. In my side-by-side testing, it was more effective than some of the far pricier machines.

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Dyson V8 Cyclone vacuum cleaning rice and lentils from carpet — (Image credit: Future)

best vacuum cleaners for carpet.

Hard floor

Next, I moved on to hard floor. The V8 Cyclone’s cleaning powers were very acceptable, but not quite as impressive as they were on carpet. In Medium mode, the vacuum cleared most fine particles in one forward pass, but caused them to pool behind the floorhead when pulled backwards. There was a similar situation with the chunky particles – they pooled a little in both directions. This is a common issue with stick vacuums, and by no means unique to the V8 Cyclone.

best vacuums for pet hair that I’ve tested.

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Dyson V8 Cyclone vacuum cleaning dog hair from carpet — (Image credit: Future)

I was a bit less impressed with the Mini motorized tool designed for use on upholstery. I used it to remove dog hair from a velvet cushion, and while it cleared a good amount, there were hairs left behind. It wasn’t as efficient as other brands’ detail tools I tried in my group test. However, the performance was still acceptable.

(It’s worth noting that in my tests I found Dyson’s Combo tool could actually be better when it came to removing hair, although the smaller suction path means it does take longer to cover the same area.)

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Dyson V8 Cyclone review: battery life

60 mins in Min mode, 28 minutes in Med mode, 8 mins in Max
Only one LED to indicate battery life; recharge 4 hours
Battery removable and swappable

One of the big upgrades on the V8 Cyclone compared to the original V8 is its battery – Dyson now promises up to a full hour of cleaning per charge. That’s a very strong runtime. Some models offer longer, but not many, and most of those are much more expensive (you also need to take into account the amount of suction being delivered).

As always, the maximum runtime is in the lowest suction mode, and you should expect runtimes to be much shorter in higher modes. I timed the Medium mode at 28 minutes and 21 seconds, using a mixture of the motorized floorhead and Mini motorized tool. That’s decent but not amazing – I’d hope for 30 minutes in Medium mode.

Dreame R20 and Shark Detect Pro, which I tested alongside it.

Whereas newer Dysons have a screen that spells out exactly how much time you have left on the clock before the battery dies, information here is much more limited. There’s a single LED next to the battery that blinks to show the vacuum is charging and turns solid when the battery’s full, and the LED within the mode button will flash when the battery is running low, but other than that, there’s no indication of charge levels.

Battery life score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dyson V8 Cyclone?

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Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Cheap for a Dyson. While the features are basic, the excellent cleaning means it delivers decent value overall.	4 / 5
Design	Simple but effective in design and features. Fairly lightweight but comfort could be improved.	3.5 / 5
Performance	Excellent cleaning on carpet, especially mid-pile, and strong cleaning on hard floor, too. Great on pet hair on floors.	4 / 5
Battery life	Good runtime in Low mode; decent but not amazing in Medium mode; rather short in Max mode (but it is very sucky).	3.5 / 5

Dyson V8 Cyclone: alternatives to consider

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Model:	V8 Cyclone	V8	V9 Motorbar
Weight (stated):	6 lbs / 2.7kg	5.6 lbs / 2.5kg	4.6 lbs / 2.1kg
Bin size:	0.54L	0.53L	0.35L
Max runtime:	60 mins	40 mins	40 mins
Charge time:	4 hrs	5 hrs	3hrs 30
Size (H x W x L):	45.7 x 8.3 x 9.8in / 116 x 21 x 25cm	49.5 x 8.7 x 9.8in / 125.7 x 22.1 x 24.9cm	44.5 x 9.9 x 9.8in / 113 x 25 x 24.9cm
Filter:	99.99% to 0.3 micron	99.99% to 0.3 micron	99.99% to 0.3 micron
Max suction:	150AW	115 AW (some versions 130AW)	100 AW
Modes:	Low, Medium, max	Medium, Max	Low, Medium, max
Submarine option:	No	No	Yes
Floorheads:	Motorbar	Motorbar	Motorbar
LCD screen:	No	No	Yes

How I tested the Dyson V8 Cyclone

I used the Dyson V8 Cyclone as my main vacuum cleaner for two weeks in a four-story home with carpet, tile, and laminate wood flooring. During this time, I got a feel for how easy and comfortable it is to use and how well it performs on different floor types, as well as how effectively it handles hair (my own, mid-length hair, and that of my black Cocker spaniel).

To get a more objective view of this vacuum’s cleaning powers, I ran a series of cleaning tests in our testing studio. I tested how well the V8 Cyclone picked up fine (loose dry tea) and chunky (dried rice and lentils) particles, on medium-pile carpet, deep-pile carpet and linoleum. I also tested how well the vacuum handled dog hair, sprinkling cuttings from the local groomers on the carpeted floor panels and vacuuming it up, as well as rubbing hair into a velvet cushion and seeing how efficiently the Mini motorized tool cleared it with the vacuum in handheld mode.

Roborock H60 Ultra, the Dreame R20, the Dyson Gen5detect, Dyson V16 Piston Animal, Dyson V11 Advanced, Shark Detect Pro and Shark PowerDetect.

I assessed how effective the V8 Cyclone was at cleaning, how usable the design is, and if it’s worth the asking price.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners