Dyson is a British manufacturer specializing in vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, fans, hand dryers, and hair dryers. They offer a broad selection of stick/handheld vacuums, but have also developed canister vacuums and more conventional upright models. Regardless of design, they all feature Dyson's proprietary cyclone technology, eliminating the need for a dirtbag.
We've tested over 105 vacuums, and 17 of those are by Dyson. Below are our recommendations for the best Dyson vacuums. If you're considering vacuums from other brands, see our recommendations for the best stick vacuums, the best cordless vacuums, and the best vacuum brands overall.
Updates
- 02/24/2025Dyson Humdinger updated
- 01/31/2025Dyson V11 updated
- 01/17/2025Dyson Digital Slim reviewed
- 02/27/2024Dyson V7 updated
- 02/26/2024Dyson Outsize updated
Quick Look
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Best Dyson Vacuum
House7.4Small Apartment8.7Bare Floor Pickup8.0Air Quality8.1Carpet Pickup7.8Hard Floor Pickup8.0High-Pile Carpet Pickup8.0Low-Pile Carpet Pickup7.5Pet Hair Pickup9.5Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldSee all our test resultsCordlessYesThe best Dyson vacuum we've tested is the Dyson V15 Detect. This cordless stick/handheld vacuum's headlining feature is its built-in dirt sensor, which counts and measures the size of particles sucked into the vacuum. You can see this information on the LED display at the back of its body. This isn't a must-have feature, but it can be very handy if you suffer from allergies and want a rough estimate of allergen quantities within your home. Its other main feature is its surface detection system, which automatically increases power on carpeted surfaces and lowers it when it passes back onto hard floors.
The vacuum's 230 AW suction motor is remarkably powerful for a cordless model, allowing for superb debris pickup on various surfaces, comparable to some corded models. However, its strong suction force can also cause it to get stuck on shag carpeting or drag around some lighter rugs. All variants come with a wide selection of attachments, like a conical turbo brush and a soft-roller floorhead with a laser light to help you see small debris on bare surfaces. Dyson bundles its more expensive variants with additional attachments, like a flexible adapter and a 'Worktop' tool for cleaning hard surfaces like counters or work tables.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Dyson Vacuum
Bare Floor7.6Hard Floor Pickup7.5High-Pile Carpet Pickup7.0Low-Pile Carpet Pickup7.5Pet Hair Pickup9.5Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldSee all our test resultsCordlessYesThe Dyson V11 is our upper mid-range recommendation. Its 185 AW suction motor isn't as powerful as its successor, the Dyson V15 Detect, so while it can't offer the same level of performance, it still does quite well on a variety of floor surfaces. In particular, it does a nearly perfect job picking up pet hair from low-pile carpet. It can automatically adjust suction power, but it doesn't have a particle sensor like the V15; instead, it senses the floor type to determine the power level. It comes with fewer accessories than the V15 but does include handy tools like a mini turbo brush for cleaning upholstery.
It's heavier than the V15 and most cordless vacuums from other brands, making it more tiring to use for extended cleaning sessions on stairs or in cars. Its runtime is just about identical to the V15, yet it takes slightly longer to charge.
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Best Mid-Range Dyson Vacuum
Bare Floor7.8Hard Floor Pickup8.0High-Pile Carpet Pickup6.0Low-Pile Carpet Pickup7.0Pet Hair Pickup7.0Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldSee all our test resultsCordlessYesIf you're looking for the best cordless Dyson vacuum at a mid-range price, consider the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. The V12 has a less powerful 150 AW suction motor, so it falls slightly behind the Dyson V11 in deep cleaning performance. That said, it's smaller and lighter than the V11, making it easier to use in tight spots. It's also more advanced than the V11 and introduces some features carried over into the Dyson V15 Detect. For example, they both include a built-in particle sensor and an automatic power adjustment system. It also comes bundled with a multi-surface floorhead, a secondary floorhead with a soft brushroll, and an integrated laser light to help you see fine debris on hard floors.
Unfortunately, its compact, lightweight design comes at the cost of debris capacity, as it has a pretty small dustbin that you need to empty often.
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Best Budget Dyson Vacuum
House6.9Small Apartment8.2Bare Floor Pickup6.3Air Quality8.2Carpet Pickup7.0Hard Floor Pickup6.0High-Pile Carpet Pickup7.5Low-Pile Carpet Pickup6.5Pet Hair Pickup8.5Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldSee all our test resultsCordlessYesDyson vacuums are expensive compared to their peers, but you can score a reasonable deal if you're willing to forego some of the convenience features of newer models. To this end, consider the Dyson V8 for the most budget-friendly option the brand has to offer. It's lightweight, very easy to use, and delivers strong performance on most surfaces. There are some trade-offs, though. It isn't quite as powerful as the pricier Dyson V12 Detect Slim or the Dyson V11; it also loses the automatic power adjustment feature and lacks an onboard dirt sensor. There's no suction-release gate to improve maneuverability on carpets either, but there are two power modes to suit various surface types.
Unsurprisingly, its battery performance lags behind that of newer models. You can only expect about 40 minutes of runtime in its default power mode, and it takes quite a while to recharge. Running it in MAX mode drains the battery in under 10 minutes, so you must be quick when dealing with stubborn messes or cleaning large homes. Its build quality also feels a tad fragile, a common downside of Dyson vacuums, and its vertically oriented dustbin is slightly less spacious than the horizontally mounted dirt compartments in newer models.
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Best Upright Dyson Vacuum
Bare Floor7.8Hard Floor Pickup8.0High-Pile Carpet Pickup7.0Low-Pile Carpet Pickup7.0Pet Hair Pickup9.5Vacuum TypeUprightSee all our test resultsCordlessNoIf you need something with more power and are okay with lugging around a big and heavy appliance, consider the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra. It's a better option than Dyson's stick vacuums for longer deep-cleaning sessions, since its corded design ensures you won't run out of charge mid-way through. It's powerful enough to handle messes on a variety of surfaces, from bare floors to high-pile carpets. It has three levels of surface type adjustment, enabling you to adapt to different floor types on the fly. The power cord is very long, so you don't have to swap outlets when cleaning bigger areas. However, you need to manually wind the power cord back, which is a hassle and a bit of a disappointment for such an expensive vacuum.
Unfortunately, its build quality isn't particularly robust, as its mostly plastic construction creaks and flexes slightly in use. Its ball-shaped wheel makes it more maneuverable than most conventional uprights, but it's still a bulky and heavy machine, not to mention noisy. Also, while its redesigned floorhead allows superior maneuverability on carpeting compared to the older Dyson Ball Animal 2, which had a habit of tearing up carpet fibers, the Ball Animal 3 can still get stuck on thick shag-pile rugs.
Compared To Other Brands
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Virtually no recurring costs.
Dyson vacuums incur little cost due to their bagless design.
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Good particle filtration performance.Dyson's cyclonic technology filters out allergens, which is handy if you have pets or are cleaning a particularly dusty area.
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Good maneuverability.Some Dyson vacuums have a unique ball design, making navigating small spaces and rooms easier.
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Wide array of tools and brushes.
Dyson vacuums usually come with a wide selection of specialized tools and brushes.
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Plasticky build quality.Dyson vacuums tend to have a mostly plastic construction that some users may perceive as cheap.
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Relatively small dirt compartments.
Most Dyson vacuums have small dirt compartments, meaning you must empty them often.
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Somewhat short cordless runtime.
Cordless Dyson vacuums have short battery lives, especially when used on their highest power level setting.
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High maintenance requirements.
Many Dyson vacuums have a long list of parts that need regular cleaning.
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Messy emptying.
Emptying a Dyson vacuum creates a cloud of dust that'll be difficult to contain.
Dyson vs Shark
As a general rule, cordless Dyson vacuums come with a wider array of attachments and have more powerful suction motors than comparable Shark alternatives. However, most Shark models feel better-built and have larger-capacity dustbins. Dyson vacuums are also usually easier to maintain than newer Shark models, as the latter tend to use dual-roller floorheads with a non-removable primary brushroll that can be somewhat hard to clean. If you'd like to see a more comprehensive breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses of Shark and Dyson's offerings, check out our brand comparison article.
Dyson vs Miele
Dyson and Miele vacuums tend to occupy a similar price point, but the two manufacturers specialize in different types of appliances. Miele is renowned for its range of premium canister vacuums, which are much better built and offer superior deep-cleaning capability when paired with a powered floorhead. Meanwhile, Dyson's range of V-series cordless vacuums are easier to set up and deploy and usually come with a broader array of attachments.
Dyson vs Samsung
Samsung's cordless Jet stick vacuums are comparable to Dyson's cordless V-series vacuums. Samsung's offerings are typically better built and offer unique optional features and accessories, like a self-emptying docking station and a dedicated mopping floorhead. However, Dyson's newer models, like the Dyson V15 Detect and the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, feature an automatic suction power adjustment system and a piezo sensor for counting and measuring ambient particle counts in your home.
Dyson offers a wide range of vacuum cleaners that work well on different surfaces, though you can expect to pay a hefty premium for that performance and versatility. Most offerings in their lineup are maneuverable, easy to carry around, and come with a wide variety of brushes. Their build quality is usually plasticky, and their user maintenance is a little finicky. In comparison, most Shark vacuums feel slightly better built but perform worse on carpeted surfaces. Dyson vacuums tend to be better and more consistent on all surface types than those from BISSELL.
While Dyson's filters are excellent, leading to good air quality while you vacuum and keeping dust from settling back down, emptying a Dyson vacuum will release a cloud of dust. Dyson doesn't offer a self-empty dock, which would prevent this, such as the ones available for the Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra and the Samsung Jet 75, so you'll have to empty a Dyson vacuum outdoors if possible.
Lineup
Dyson's product lineup is simple, with a relatively small model range.
Cordless Models
- Outsize: V-series vacuum with enlarged floorhead and dustbin.
- V-Series: Conventional cordless stick vacuums; the higher the designation number, the higher the position in the company's lineup.
Corded Models
- Ball Animal: Bagless upright vacuum family.
- Big Ball: Bagless canister vacuum family with cyclonic filtration system.
Common Trim/Equipment Levels
- Motorhead: Entry-level trim; usually bundled with a floorhead and a crevice and combination tool.
- Animal: Usually bundled with a miniature turbo brush tool for cleaning pet hair from furniture.
- Absolute: Commonly bundled with an extra soft roller intended for use on bare floors.
- Complete: Higher-end trim bundled with most previously mentioned attachments.
- Extra: Similar to the Complete trim but with added accessories like wand clips, worktop tools, and adjustable adapters.
Recent Updates
Jan 26, 2026:
We edited this article for conciseness: we added the Dyson V11 as an upper mid-range pick, removed the lightweight Dyson Digital Slim recommendation, and changed the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra to the 'Best Upright Dyson Vacuum.'
Nov 12, 2025:
We checked to ensure our picks are in stock and made small edits for clarity.
Apr 23, 2025:
We've verified that all our picks are in stock and made small edits for clarity.
Mar 20, 2025:
We adjusted the Dyson V8 link for better availability. We also made some minor text changes.
Feb 07, 2025:
Added the Dyson Digital Slim to recommendations as the new 'Best Lightweight Dyson Vacuum' pick.
Conclusion
Dyson produces vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, fans, and hand and hair dryers. They offer a broad selection of stick/handheld vacuums. However, they have also developed canister vacuums and conventional uprights. They don't incur any recurring costs due to the implementation of Dyson's cyclonic technology across their lineup, eliminating the need for a dirtbag while also filtering out allergens. Generally, the best Dyson stick vacuums are lightweight, maneuverable, and versatile. That said, they usually have a long list of parts to regularly clean, plasticky build quality, and, on cordless models, somewhat limited runtime on high-power modes.