- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Dyson V8 Animal is a very portable, cordless stick vacuum. It does an incredible job cleaning bare floors and is very good on carpets as well. You can switch it into a handheld mode, and it comes with a variety of tools and brushes, so it's a good choice for cleaning furniture or your car. However, its battery life is just okay, as it can be depleted quickly if you use the more powerful suction setting and is slow to recharge. Fortunately, it's very easy to maintain and incurs virtually no recurring costs.
Our Verdict
The Dyson V8 Animal is great for bare floors. It picks up small debris and pet hair quite easily, even as the dirt compartment fills up. While it also picks up most large debris, it may push some of it sideways or backward. Although its build quality is only okay, it's fairly easy to maintain.
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Picks up pet hair on all surface types.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Only okay build quality.
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Small dirt compartment.
The Dyson V8 Animal is very good for low-pile carpet. It easily picks up pet hair but struggles a bit more with small and large debris. It doesn't lose suction as the dirt compartment fills up. That being said, its build quality is only okay, and its plastic dirt compartment feels a bit fragile. On the upside, it's fairly easy to maintain.
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Picks up pet hair on all surface types.
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Picks up most small and large debris.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Only okay build quality.
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Small dirt compartment.
The Dyson V8 Animal is good for high-pile carpets. While it easily clears pet hair, you may need to go over an area more than once to pick up debris like baking soda and sand. The vacuum's performance stays consistent as the dirt compartment fills, however. It's fairly easy to maintain but has a plasticky build quality.
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Picks up pet hair on all surface types.
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Picks up a good amount of small and large debris.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Only okay build quality.
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Small dirt compartment.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a superb choice for cleaning up after your pets. It easily clears pet hair from any surface type and has a removable brushroll, which makes it easier to cut away any tangled hair. It's not the most sturdy-feeling vacuum, but it comes with a turbo brush, which is useful for clearing pet hair from fabric-covered furniture, and it's equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter.
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Picks up pet hair on all surface types.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Only okay build quality.
The Dyson V8 Animal is outstanding for cleaning stairs. It's portable and cordless, so you don't need to worry about swapping outlets. You can use it in a handheld mode, and it has a very good performance on all surface types. However, it has a plasticky build quality, with some parts that feel quite fragile.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Can be reconfigured as a handheld vacuum.
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Only okay build quality.
The Dyson V8 Animal is excellent for cleaning cars. This very portable, cordless vacuum has an excellent performance on low-pile carpets. It can be reconfigured into a handheld mode and used with any of its tools, including a crevice tool for narrow areas and a turbo brush for dislodging dirt from fabric-covered furniture. However, its build quality is just okay, and it lacks onboard storage for all of its tools.
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Virtually no recurring costs.
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Can be reconfigured as a handheld vacuum.
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Only okay build quality.
- 8.4 Bare Floor
- 8.0 Low-Pile Carpet
- 7.7 High-Pile Carpet
- 9.2 Pets
- 9.0 Stairs
- 8.6 Cars
- Updated Feb 24, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
Check Price
Test Results
The Dyson V8 Animal's build quality is just okay. It looks good, but aside from its lightweight metal wand, it's entirely made of plastic and doesn't feel extremely sturdy. The dirt compartment is made of see-through plastic and feels particularly fragile, like it may break if dropped. On the plus side, it's really easy to assemble, and it has a button you can push to unclip parts or tools, so taking it apart is simple, too.
This vacuum is somewhat easy to maintain. While several parts need maintenance, each is easy to access.
- Dirt compartment: The dirt compartment is fairly small and needs frequent emptying. Unfortunately, debris can spread while you're emptying it.
- Filter A: This filter needs to be washed once a month with cold water.
- Filter B (HEPA): The HEPA filter also needs to be washed once a month with cold water.
- Lint screen: Depending on your usage, you need to clean this screen when necessary by removing the lint from it.
- Motorized head and tool: When necessary, you can clean the motorized head and tool by removing debris or tangled hair.
- Turbo brush: Just like the motorized head and toll, you have to remove debris and tangled hair from the turbo brush when necessary.
Any part that you wash with water should be allowed to dry thoroughly for 24 hours before being reinstalled in the vacuum.
The Dyson V8 Animal vacuum incurs virtually no recurring costs. Just like other Dyson vacuums like the Dyson V11 Animal and Dyson V7 Animal, it uses a bagless design, so you don't need to worry about buying dirtbags. The filters shouldn't need to be replaced as long as they're properly maintained. However, if any part breaks or gets lost, you can buy replacements directly from the manufacturer's website.
The Dyson V8 Animal is alright to store. It has a wall rack station that holds it upright when it's not in use. The station has on-board storage for only two tools, so, unfortunately, you need to find somewhere else to store the rest of them.
The Dyson V8 Animal has a reasonably-sized dirt compartment. It's quite small, which is to be expected for a lightweight stick/handheld vacuum, and it needs to be emptied fairly frequently. Luckily, there's an indicator to let you know when the compartment's full.
- Dyson V8 Animal vacuum
- Dirt compartment
- Lint/dust screen
- Filter
- Main vacuum head
- Wand
- Pre-motor filter
- Post-motor (HEPA) filter
- Vacuum User Guide
- Various tools and brushes
- Brushroll
- Soft dusting brush
- Upholstery and hard bristle brush tool
- Turbo brush
- Crevice tool
- Tool holder
- 180 degree pivot extender tool
- Docking station
- Installation manual
- Screws
- Charger
The Dyson V8 Animal is a cordless vacuum, which gives you unlimited range, as long as you have battery life remaining and room left in the dirt compartment. If you're looking for a comparable stick/handheld vacuum with a corded design, consider the Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded.
The Dyson V8 Animal is very portable. This vacuum is lighter than the Dyson V11 Animal, and it doesn't feel very heavy in your hand. It also has a carrying handle so you can bring the vacuum up and down stairs.
This vacuum's battery performance is alright. If you set it to its most powerful suction setting, 'MAX', the battery is depleted in less than 10 minutes. However, if you use the lower power setting, 'Powerful Suction' mode, it provides just over 40 minutes of continuous use, which should be enough to get you through cleaning a few rooms. If you're looking for a cordless stick/handheld vacuum with a better battery performance, consider the LG CordZero A9 Ultimate.
The Dyson V8 Animal doesn't have many extra features to make your cleaning experience easier. It has a rotating head, which helps it maneuver around obstacles, and you can manually choose between two suction power settings. Consider the JASHEN V16 if you're looking for a stick/handheld vacuum with more bells and whistles, as it has a headlight to help you see in dark areas as well as an easy on/off switch.
This vacuum comes with a few tools and brushes that can help with different cleaning jobs. There's a hard bristle brush that retracts to become an upholstery brush. Unlike the Shark Rocket Pet Pro, there's also a unique 180-degree extension tool to help you clean hard-to-reach places. You can clip all the tools to the wand or the vacuum. If you're looking for a similar Dyson-brand vacuum with even more tools and brushes, check out the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute.
You can use this vacuum as either a stick vacuum or in its handheld mode by detaching the wand.
This vacuum has a fantastic performance on bare floors. It can pick up pet hair and small debris like rice easily. While it also cleans up large debris like cereal, unfortunately, some of it can get launched to the sides or backward.
The Dyson V8 Animal vacuum is excellent for low-pile carpet. It can clean up pet hair without a problem. It can also pick up most small or large debris consistently, even as the dirt compartment fills. However, small debris like sand can get stuck in the small half-circle wheel of the motorhead ball.
The Dyson V8 Animal has a very good performance on high-pile carpets. It easily clears pet hair but isn't as effective at sucking up debris, so it may take more than one pass for it to properly clean these surfaces. Like on low-pile carpets, finer debris like sand can get stuck in the small half-circle wheel of the motorhead ball. On the plus side, the vacuum doesn't lose much suction as its dirt compartment fills. If you want something similar with better performance on high-pile carpet, check out the Dyson V7 Animal.
This vacuum has good maneuverability. Its slim size and rotating head make it easy to maneuver in tight areas and around obstacles. It comes with tools and brushes that help with cleaning furniture, stairs, and other awkward areas but lacks onboard storage for them, which is a little inconvenient. Also, you may need to crouch down to properly clean under low furniture like couches and coffee tables. The vacuum also tends to get stuck on rug tassels, but fortunately, it can push electric cords out of the way without much trouble.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Dyson V8 Animal also comes in several other variants with a different amount of brushes and tools included. They also have different wand colors, but we expect our results to be valid for these variants as well.
| Model Name | Parts Included | Wand Color | Notes |
| Dyson V8 Animal | Motorhead, mini motorhead, soft dusting brush, combination tool, crevice tool | Titanium | |
| Dyson V8 Animal Pro+ | Motorhead, mini motorhead, soft dusting brush, combination tool, crevice tool, up top adaptor, low reach adapter | Blue | Includes a charger |
| Dyson V8 Absolute | Soft roller cleaner head, direct drive cleaner head, mini motorized tool, mini soft dusting brush, combination tool, crevice tool, stubborn dirt brush, up top adaptor, mattress tool | Iron | Includes a charger |
| Dyson V8 Absolute Pro | Soft roller cleaner head, direct drive cleaner head, mini motorized tool, mini soft dusting brush, combination tool, crevice tool | Yellow | Includes a charger |
If someone comes across a V8 that's different from ours, let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Dyson V8 Animal is a stick/handheld vacuum that can be reconfigured into a handheld vacuum. Like other Dyson vacuums, it has virtually no recurring costs, and it comes with a good variety of tools and brushes. Like the Dyson V7 Animal and the Dyson V11 Animal, it has a great performance on carpets. While it also has a great performance on bare floors, Shark's stick/handheld vacuums, like the Shark Rocket Pet Pro, tend to do a better job on that surface type. If you want to see more options, check out our lists of the best cordless stick vacuums, the best lightweight vacuums, and the best car vacuums.
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 V8 Animal is better for most uses than the Dyson V7 Animal. The V8 performs far better on bare floors, where it clears large debris like cereal with much less difficulty. It also has a longer maximum runtime and has a battery life indicator to let you know how roughly how much charge is left. The V8 also comes with a unique 180-degree brush, which is good for cleaning hard-to-reach places. That said, the Dyson V7 is a bit better at cleaning fine debris, such as baking soda, from high-pile carpet.
The Dyson V8 Animal and the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute are very similar stick/handheld vacuums with a few minor differences. While these two vacuums are very similarly matched in terms of their performance on bare floors as well as carpet, the V8 Animal is a bit lighter and easier to maintain. However, the Cyclone V10 Absolute comes with more tools and brushes. Its battery takes a lot less time to charge, and its dirt compartment, while small, can hold slightly more than the V8 Animal.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a better stick/handheld vacuum than the LG CordZero A9 Ultimate. The Dyson is easier to maintain and has virtually no recurring costs. It comes with more tools and brushes and its performance on low as well as high-pile carpet is better. However, the LG comes with two swappable batteries. Its performance on bare floors is better, too.
The Dyson V15 Detect is slightly better overall than the Dyson V8 Animal. The V15 has a slightly bigger dirt compartment, a surface-type adjustment feature, lasts longer on a single charge, and clears debris more effectively on all surface types. Meanwhile, the V8 is easier to pick up and carry and has fewer parts that require regular maintenance.
The Dyson V8 Animal and the Shark Rocket Pet Pro with MultiFlex IZ163H are similarly performing vacuums. The Dyson is more portable, and it comes with more tools and brushes, including a unique 180-degree extension tool that's designed to help you clean hard-to-reach areas. The Shark is better at cleaning bare floors, feels slightly better built, has a shorter charge time, and is significantly more maneuverable.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a better stick/handheld vacuum for cleaning low and high-pile carpet than the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light. The Dyson has an anti-allergy filter (HEPA), it's easier to store, and it's cordless, so it has an unlimited range as long as it still has battery life left. You can also adjust its power level, which is nice. However, the Shark performs better on bare floors, and it's easier to maintain as well.
The Dyson V8 Animal and Dyson Ball Animal 2 are differently-designed vacuums with their own strengths and weaknesses. The V8 Animal can be used far away from an electrical outlet by virtue of its cordless design. It's also far more maneuverable and a lot easier to pick up and carry or store. Meanwhile, the Ball Animal 2 is a corded upright with an automatic surface type adjustment feature. It delivers superior performance on low and high-pile carpet.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a better vacuum than the Dyson Omni-glide. The V8 Animal delivers significantly better performance on bare surfaces, and its dirt compartment is much bigger. On the other hand, the Omni-glide is much more maneuverable and is easier to maintain. However, while it easily clears smaller debris like rice from bare surfaces, its overall performance on that surface type is mediocre. It's also not intended for cleaning carpets.
The Dyson V8 Animal is slightly more versatile than the Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless. The Dyson is significantly lighter, comes with more accessories, and performs better on low and high-pile carpet. That said, the Shark is better-built, more maneuverable, and charges much faster, though its overall battery life is quite similar.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a better vacuum for most scenarios than the JASHEN V16. The Dyson delivers stronger performance on all surface types, especially in regards to large debris. It's also lighter and easier to carry around, and more maneuverable too. However, the JASHEN has a longer minimum battery life and recharges slightly faster.
The Dyson V8 Animal and Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded have different advantages. The cordless Dyson is lighter, has an effectively unlimited range, and lower recurring costs. It also delivers slightly better performance on all surface types. However, the Shark feels better-built and has a slightly more spacious dirt compartment. Its corded design yields a practically indefinite runtime with no need to wait for a battery to recharge.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a better vacuum than the Shark Wandvac System WS620 for most uses. The Dyson has a bigger dirt compartment and is equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter. It also has a significantly better performance on bare floors. Nevertheless, the Shark is more effective at clearing debris like sand from high-pile carpets.
The Dyson V8 Animal is a much better stick/handheld vacuum for those with pets than the Shark ION F80. The Dyson has an anti-allergy filter (HEPA), pretty much no recurring costs, it comes with more tools and brushes, and it's lighter. It's able to clean up pet hair on all surface-types too. However, the Shark is more maneuverable, it has better performance overall on bare floors, and it has a significantly better battery performance.