- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Dyson V11 Animal is a cordless stick/handheld vacuum. It has a great overall performance on most surface types, from bare floors to high-pile carpets. If you use it as a handheld vacuum with its lowest power setting, the battery provides over an hour of continuous use, great if you're vacuuming your car or another far-off place. However, it feels heavy in your hand when you use it as a stick vacuum. It's made of plastic that doesn't feel extremely sturdy and its dirt compartment is on the small side. Fortunately, it incurs virtually no recurring costs and is fairly easy to maintain.
Our Verdict
The Dyson V11 Animal is great for bare floors. It does an excellent and consistent job of picking up pet hair as well as small and large debris, and performance remains consistent as its dirt compartment fills up. Although its build quality is just okay, as its plastic components seem a bit fragile, it's fairly easy to maintain.
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Great performance on most floor types.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Fairly easy to maintain.
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Plastic design feels fragile.
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Small dirt compartment.
The Dyson V11 Animal is good for cleaning low-pile carpet. It performs consistently even as the dirt compartment fills up, and it manages to clean most debris well. However, its build quality is only okay, and its plastic feels a bit fragile. It's fairly easy to maintain, though.
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Great performance on most floor types.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Fairly easy to maintain.
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Plastic design feels fragile.
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Small dirt compartment.
The Dyson V11 Animal is very good for cleaning high-pile carpet. It does an impressive job with its brush roll, and it can catch large debris like sand. While it struggles a bit with smaller debris, it does an excellent job with pet hair, and it still does a decent job overall when the dirt compartment is full. On the downside, its build quality is only okay, although it's still fairly easy to maintain.
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Great performance on most floor types.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Fairly easy to maintain.
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Plastic design feels fragile.
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Small dirt compartment.
The Dyson V11 Animal is excellent for cleaning pet hair. It does an outstanding job of picking up pet hairs on any surface type. Its build quality is only okay, and if there's hair wrapped around the main brush roll, you need to remove it with either your hands or by using scissors.
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Great performance on most floor types.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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No pet grooming brush.
The Dyson V11 Animal is excellent for cleaning stairs. It's quite portable, and its cordless design gives you an unlimited range, which is well-suited for going up and down stairs. While it has a great performance on all surface types, its plasticky body seems a little fragile and as if it could crack or break on impact.
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Great performance on most floor types.
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Portable and easy to maneuver.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Plastic design feels fragile.
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Can feel a bit heavy in the hand after a while.
The Dyson V11 Animal is great for cars. It's quite portable, and since it doesn't have a cord, you don't need to worry about its range. You can also reconfigure it as a handheld vacuum, and it comes with a crevice tool so that you can get to those hard-to-clean places.
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Great performance on most floor types.
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Portable and easy to maneuver.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Can feel a bit heavy in the hand after a while.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
- 7.9 Bare Floor
- 7.9 Low-Pile Carpet
- 8.0 High-Pile Carpet
- 7.9 Pets
- 8.7 Stairs
- 8.2 Cars
- 6.8 Workshop
- Updated Mar 18, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Aug 24, 2020: We've retested the dirt compartment's volume. We've also retested this vacuum's performance on bare floors, as well as on low and high-pile carpet.
- Updated Jul 06, 2020: Updated the scoring for maneuverability.
- Updated Jul 06, 2020: Review published.
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Test Results
The Dyson V11 Animal's build quality is just okay. The design looks nice, but aside from the wand, which is made of lightweight metal, it's almost entirely made of plastic that doesn't feel extremely sturdy. The see-through plastic parts feel particularly fragile like they could break if dropped or knocked against something hard.
On the upside, the controls are easily accessible on top of the vacuum. There's also a grippy rubber strip near the top of the handle, which helps prevent it from sliding and falling over when you lean it against a wall. Assembling it is quick and easy, and it has a button you can push to quickly unclip a tool or brush.
This vacuum is decently easy to maintain. It has a few parts that should be removed and maintained regularly, but they're all easy to access. There's a light on the handle that indicates when something is blocking the vacuum and one for when the filter needs cleaning or isn't properly installed.
- Dirt compartment: You need to remove the wand before you empty the dirt compartment. It can be emptied over a garbage can or wiped with a damp cloth if necessary.
- Filter: Wash once a month, or when the filter indicator lights up.
- Lint screen: This part is located inside the dirt compartment. You should clean dust and debris from it as-needed.
- Brushroll: Hair tends to wrap around the main brushroll and needs to be removed every once in a while by hand or with scissors.
The Dyson V11 Animal has virtually no recurring costs, which is excellent. Just like the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister and Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute, there are no bags to replace. The filter also is expected to last the lifetime of your product as long as it's well-maintained. If any parts do break or need replacement, you can purchase them directly on Dyson's website.
The Dyson V11 is impressively easy to store. Its tall and narrow design helps it fit in tight spaces like a small broom closet. Unlike the Dyson V8 Animal, this vacuum can store up to two brushes or tools on the vacuum directly without increasing its footprint very much. It also comes with a docking station that has a couple of extra spots to store more tools, which is convenient.
Update 08/24/2020: We've retested the dirt compartment volume using our methodology instead of using the manufacturer specs. The dirt compartment's score has been updated to reflect this change.
The Dyson V11 has an adequate dirt compartment. It's a bit small, so it tends to need emptying fairly frequently, but there's an indicator to let you know when it's full. If you want another vacuum with a bigger dirt compartment, check out the Dyson Ball Animal 2.
- Dyson V11 Animal vacuum
- Dirt compartment
- Lint/dust screen
- Filter
- Main vacuum head
- Wand
- Vacuum User Guide
- Various tools and brushes
- Dusting brush
- Upholstery brush
- Turbo brush
- Crevice tool
- Tool holder
- Docking station
- Installation manual
- 4 screws
- Charger
Since it's cordless, the Dyson V11 Animal has practically unlimited range, as long as it has battery life remaining and room left in its dirt compartment.
The Dyson V11 Animal is quite portable. The vacuum itself doesn't weigh very much overall. However, used in its stick configuration, it feels heavier in your hand than most vacuums of this type that we've tested, including alternatives like the LG CordZero A9 A916BM. On the upside, it has a carrying handle for more comfortable use in handheld mode.
This vacuum's battery performance is okay. If you use it in its handheld mode set to 'Eco' mode, its least powerful setting, it can provide well over an hour of continuous use. However, the battery can be depleted in less than 10 minutes when it's used as a stick vacuum in 'Boost' mode, the most powerful setting, so you need to work quickly if you have a big mess to deal with. Unlike the Dyson Outsize Absolute+, it doesn't have a second battery that you can charge and swap in to extend its overall runtime. If you don't want to worry about battery life at all, check out a corded stick/handheld vacuum like the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light.
The Dyson V11 has a few features to make your cleaning experience easier, like automatically adjusting its power level based on its required performance. You can also adjust the main vacuum head's suction to accommodate for different surface types, but you have to do it manually via a small slider on the head. Unlike the Wyze Cordless Vacuum, its main floorhead doesn't have a headlight to help you see in darker areas.
This cordless vacuum comes with quite a few different tools and brushes to help you get the job done. One of the brushes has retractable bristles, so it can be used for dusting or on upholstery. The Dyson V11 Torque Drive variant comes with an additional soft brush for delicate surfaces and fabrics. Although there isn't technically an extension wand, you can attach any tool to the end of the main wand for added reach.
You can use the Dyson V11 as either a stick vacuum or in handheld mode by detaching the wand. Unlike the Roborock H7, however, it can't be used as a bagged vacuum.
Update 08/24/2020: We've retested the Dyson V11 Animal's bare floor performance using the new dirt compartment volume measurements. While the scoring of this box hasn't changed, the large debris results have been updated.
This vacuum has excellent bare floor performance. Even with the dirt compartment full, it still performs almost as well as it does when it's empty. It doesn't suck up large debris like cereal as well as it does with small debris like rice, but it does an outstanding job with pet hair.
If you want a similar vacuum with much better performance on bare floors, consider the Shark APEX UpLight or the LG CordZero A9 Ultimate.
Update 08/24/2020: We've retested the Dyson V11 Animal's low-pile carpet performance using the new dirt compartment volume measurements. While the scoring of this box hasn't changed, the small and large debris results have been updated.
This vacuum performs very well on low-pile carpet. It doesn't manage to catch as much debris as it does on bare floors but still does remarkably well with pet hair. It does a better job with large debris like sand than with small debris like baking soda. It also performs quite consistently regardless of how much debris is in the dirt compartment. If you're looking for a cordless vacuum that's even more effective on low-pile carpet, however, take a look at the Shark ION P50 Upright.
Update 08/24/2020: We have retested the Dyson V11 Animal's high-pile carpet performance using the new dirt compartment volume measurements. While the scoring of this box hasn't changed, the small debris results have been updated.
The Dyson V11 has great high-pile carpet performance. While it doesn't manage to get as much debris as it does on bare floors or low-pile carpet, it still manages to do an impressive job thanks to the agitation provided by the brush roll. Like with low-pile carpet, it catches larger debris like sand better than smaller debris like baking soda but still excels with pet hair. Even though the performance decreases a bit as the dirt compartment fills up with large debris, it still does a decent job even when it's full. You may want to consider the Dyson V15 Detect if you're looking for a cordless stick vacuum with superior performance on this surface type.
The Dyson V11 Animal has good maneuverability. Used in its stick configuration, it feels a little heavy in your hand, but its slim design makes it easy to maneuver. However, the top of the handle is a bit bulky, so you need to crouch down to clean under low furniture like couches and coffee tables. The handheld configuration makes it very easy to clean furniture. However, unlike the Miele Triflex HX1, it doesn't have an automatic brushroll shutoff feature, so it's likely to get stuck on rug tassels. Thankfully, you shouldn't have any issues on a thicker rug or around cables.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Dyson V11 is available in two variants: the Animal, which we reviewed, and the Torque Drive. The Dyson V11 Torque Drive comes with an additional soft dusting brush for delicate surfaces and fabrics, and its LED screen is supposed to display real-time performance. For the most part, we expect both models to perform similarly as the rest of their advertised specifications are the same. If your model is different or you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Dyson V11 Animal is a cordless stick vacuum. It has a similar overall performance to the Dyson V7 Animal and can be reconfigured as a handheld vacuum for cleaning up your car or other tight spaces. However, the Dyson V11 Animal does a better job cleaning up bare floors, and it has an alright battery life, especially when compared to other cordless stick vacuums. If you want to see more options, check out our lists of the best cordess vacuums, the best hardwood vacuums, and the best lightweight vacuums.
The Miele Triflex HX1 is superior to the Dyson V11 Animal. The Miele feels better-made, is easier to maintain and performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpet. It also feels lighter in your hand and is more maneuverable. Conversely, the Dyson has a longer maximum battery life, more tools and brushes, a bigger dirt compartment, and slightly better performance on high-pile carpet.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a somewhat better stick/handheld vacuum than the Dyson V11 Animal. While both vacuums have a very similar design, the V8 does a better job on bare floors as well as low-pile carpet. However, the V11 is easier to maintain, it has on-board tool storage, and its dirt compartment is bigger. It also performs better on high-pile carpet and its maximum battery life is more than the V8.
The Dyson V7 Animal and the Dyson V11 Animal are similarly performing cordless stick/handheld vacuums. The V7 is slightly better at cleaning on low-pile carpets, and it's a bit lighter. On the other side, the Dyson V11 Animal has a better overall performance on bare floors. It's better at storing away when not in use, it has a slightly larger dirt compartment, and its battery performance is much better.
The Dyson V11 Animal and the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute are two stick/handheld vacuums with different purposes. The V11 Animal is more specifically designed for cleaning pet hair. However, the Cyclone V10 Absolute can also pick up pet hair and it's better at cleaning this kind of debris on all surfaces than the V11 Animal. The V11 Animal has less maintenance needs, is easy to store, and its dirt compartment holds more debris. The Cyclone V10 Absolute, on the other hand, has a more versatile design. It has a bit better performance on bare floors as well as low-pile carpet, it comes with more tools and brushes, and its battery charge time is a lot faster as well.
The Dyson V11 Animal is better than the Roborock H7. The Dyson feels slightly more robust, has fewer parts needing periodic cleaning, has a removable battery, delivers better performance on low-pile carpets, and does a better job clearing debris in cracks thanks to its stronger suction force. Meanwhile, the Roborock is lighter, has a longer battery life, and can be used as a bagged vacuum, making it easier to dispose of any accumulated debris.
The Dyson V15 Detect is a better vacuum than the Dyson V11 Animal. They're similar in build quality, battery performance, and maneuverability, but the V15 is a little lighter and delivers superior cleaning performance on all surface types. Conversely, the V11 is less demanding in terms of maintenance requirements.
The Dyson V11 Animal is a better overall vacuum than the Shark APEX Upright Vacuum. Thanks to its stick/handheld design, the Dyson is lighter, slightly more maneuverable, and as it has a cordless design, you don't have to worry about its range. It also does a better job cleaning high-pile carpet. However, the Shark has a much better performance on bare floors, and its dirt compartment can hold more debris before needing to be emptied.
The Dyson V11 Animal is a better vacuum than the Dyson Omni-glide. The V11 Animal delivers excellent performance on bare floors and does a very good job on carpets, too. It comes with a bigger variety of tools and brushes, and its dirt compartment can hold more debris. On the other hand, the Omni-glide is much lighter and recharges more quickly, although its performance on bare floors is mediocre.
The Dyson V11 Animal is better than the Shark ION F80 for most uses. It performs better on carpet as it sucks up a decent amount of debris on both low-pile and high-pile carpet. This means it's also better-suited to clean cars and it comes with more tools too. The Shark has a wand that can bend 90 degrees so it has better maneuverability and the batteries on the Shark are also better.
The Samsung Jet 90 Complete and the Dyson V11 Animal are very similar vacuums, but the Samsung is better for most uses. The Samsung picks up more large debris like cereal from bare floors and has a slightly better overall performance on high-pile carpets. On the other hand, the Dyson is significantly easier to maintain and has longer maximum battery life.
The Dyson V11 Animal and the LG CordZero A9 Ultimate are two stick/handheld vacuums with different strengths and depending on your needs, you may prefer one over the other. The Dyson is easier to maintain and has fewer recurring costs. It also offers better performance on high-pile carpet and comes with more tools like a hard bristle brush. However, the LG comes with two batteries so that you can use one while the other is charging. It also offers better performance on bare floors.
The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is a better vacuum for cleaning floors, while the Dyson V11 Animal is more versatile. The Ball Animal 2 is an upright vacuum with outstanding performance on bare floors and carpets. It also has a bigger dirt compartment, and it comes with a pet grooming tool. The V11 is a cordless stick vacuum, so you're not limited by a cord in terms of its range. You can also use it as a handheld vacuum, which is useful to vacuum stairs or inside cars.
The Dyson V11 Animal is a better overall vacuum than the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister. The V11 Animal does a much better job of vacuuming up large debris on all surface types, it has a cordless design so you can go anywhere with it, and you can even configure it into handheld mode. However, its battery performance is alright, and unlike the corded Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister, you'll need to make sure it's charged before you use it. That being said, the Cinetic Big Ball Animal Canister is also easier to maintain.
The Dyson V11 Animal and the Roborock S6 are two very differently designed vacuums. The Dyson is a stick/handheld with little recurring costs and easier maintenance. It has a slightly larger dirt compartment, and it can be reconfigured into a handheld vacuum for cleaning tough-to-reach places. It also does a better job of cleaning low and high-pile carpet. However, the Roborock is a robot vacuum, which is better if you prefer a hands-off approach to cleaning. It's more maneuverable, it does a better job of cleaning bare floors, and it's well-built. It also has a longer-lasting battery life, and it comes with a mop attachment feature for tackling sticky messes, although we don't currently test for this.
The Dyson V11 Animal and LG CordZero A9 A916BM each have their advantages, so one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Dyson has fewer parts that require regular maintenance, incurs virtually no recurring costs, has a larger dustbin, and has a surface-type adjustment feature. Conversely, the LG clears more debris on bare floors and high-pile carpet, weighs less, and comes with a second battery that effectively doubles its runtime.
The Samsung Jet 70 Pet is better than the Dyson V11 Animal. The Samsung is notably lighter, charges much faster, makes a little less noise, and delivers better performance on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpets. However, the Dyson has a surface detection system that allows it to automatically increase its suction power depending on the floor type that you're on. It also has a longer battery life and is more effective in dealing with pet hair on upholstered furniture.
The Dyson V11 Animal and Shark Vertex Pro each have their advantages, meaning that one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Dyson has fewer parts that require regular maintenance, comes with a rack station and an onboard tool clip, and has a motorized turbo brush. It also does a better job of clearing debris on low-pile carpet. Conversely, the Shark performs better on bare floors and high-pile carpet, is a little easier to maneuver thanks to its flexible wand, feels more sturdily built, has a larger dustbin, and charges faster while offering similar overall battery life.
The Shark Rocket Pet Pro with MultiFlex IZ163H and the Dyson V11 Animal are similarly performing stick/handheld vacuums. The Shark feels better built, it's significantly more maneuverable, and it has a better performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet. The Dyson, on the other hand, is easier to maintain, has a bigger dirt compartment, and more tools. It also has better performance on high-pile carpet.
The Dyson V11 Animal is a little more versatile than the Dyson Outsize Absolute+. The V11 is easier to maintain and maneuver, slightly more portable, and delivers superior performance on low-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the Outsize has a larger dirt compartment that doesn't need to be emptied as often and has a longer total runtime thanks to its extra battery. It also comes with a larger selection of tools and accessories.
The Dyson V11 Animal is better than the Tineco PURE ONE X Tango for most uses. The Dyson has less demanding maintenance requirements, incurs virtually no recurring costs, has a bigger dustbin, is easier to maneuver, and performs notably better on low and high-pile carpets. Conversely, the Tineco is lighter, charges faster, and clears more debris on bare floors.
The Dyson V11 Animal and Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away are differently-designed cordless vacuums, meaning one might suit you better depending on your needs. The Dyson is a stick vacuum that has fewer parts needing regular cleaning, is easier to store, weighs less, and does a better job dealing with stains. Meanwhile, the Shark is a cordless upright that delivers better performance on all surface types, does a better job dealing with debris in cracks, feels lighter in your hand, charges faster, and has a larger dirt compartment.
The Dyson V11 Animal and Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless are fairly evenly matched overall, and you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs. The Dyson is easier to maintain, has a longer maximum battery life, and performs better on low and high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the Shark feels better-made, is more maneuverable and cleans more debris on bare floors. It also charges substantially faster.
The Dyson V11 Animal is slightly better than the Shark Anti-Allergen Pet Power. The Dyson incurs virtually no recurring costs, has a slightly longer battery life, comes with a miniature turbo brush, and clears slightly more debris on low-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the Shark feels sturdier, is a little more effective on bare floors, and has a slightly bigger dustbin.
The Wyze Cordless Vacuum and Dyson V11 Animal each have advantages, and one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The Wyze is notably lighter and clears more debris on low and high-pile carpet. Conversely, the Dyson has a longer battery life, a larger dustbin, and is more effective in dealing with bulky debris like cereal on bare floors.
The Dyson V11 Animal and the Roborock S6 MaxV have different strengths, and you may prefer either one depending on your needs. The Dyson is a stick/handheld vacuum, so it's more suitable for quick clean-ups and tackling awkward areas like stairs or your car's interior. It also incurs fewer recurring costs and delivers much better performance on low and high-pile carpets. On the other hand, the Roborock is a robot vacuum that offers great automation features and a mostly hands-off cleaning experience. It also has a much better build quality.
The Dyson V11 Animal and BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro are differently-designed vacuums with different intended uses. The Dyson is a cordless stick/handheld vacuum that's easier to maintain, incurs minimal recurring costs, is easier to maneuver, and performs notably better on carpeted surfaces. Meanwhile, the BISSELL is a corded hybrid upright vacuum mop that does a much better job of cleaning stains and is capable of dealing with liquid spills.
The Dyson V11 Animal is better overall than the Dyson Micro 1.5kg. The Micro is lighter and more portable, but it's not suited for carpets, so it's less versatile. Meanwhile, the V11 has a larger dirt compartment and longer maximum battery life, and though it's not quite as effective as the Micro on bare floors, it still does an excellent job on this surface type.
The Dyson V11 Animal and the Dyson Humdinger are both great vacuum cleaners, but the V11 is a bit more versatile thanks to its hybrid stick/handheld design. Although the Humdinger is more portable and has fewer parts to maintain, the V11 has a longer battery life and larger dirt compartment, so it's better for cleaning larger spaces. Their overall performance on different surface types is similar, though the V11 performs better on low-pile carpets.
The Dyson V11 Animal is a better overall vacuum than the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light. The Dyson stores easier, it has a bigger dirt compartment, and it's cordless, so you can go anywhere with it. It can also adjust its power level to better suit the mess, and it comes with several tools that help to clean more specific objects like blinds, which is nice. On the other hand, the Shark is corded, so you never have to worry about running out of battery life or recharging it.
The Shark APEX UpLight and the Dyson V11 Animal are two similar stick vacuums. The Shark has better overall performance on bare floors and low-pile carpet, while the Dyson is slightly better on high-pile carpet. The Shark has a better build quality and the Dyson is more versatile as it's a cordless vacuum, but that means you have to worry about its battery life, which doesn't last very long on the max power settings.
The Dyson V11 Animal is better overall than the Roborock H6 Adapt, though they perform similarly. While the Roborock is more effective on high-pile carpet, the Dyson is slightly better on low-pile carpet and bare floors, particularly at picking up bulky debris like cereal. They're both easy to maneuver and reconfigure into handheld vacuums. The Dyson is a bit less portable but has a slightly larger dirt compartment. On the other hand, the Roborock has better overall battery life.