Which Dyson stick vacuum is right for you? All models compared

Anula Wiwatowska
Jan 15, 2025
Icon Time To Read6 min read
// Sir vacuum

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If you're thinking stick vacuum, you're thinking Dyson, and oh boy are you going to have to think. Despite being one of the most popular and celebrated vacuum manufacturers (the founder has literally been knighted), finding the right one for you can be complicated.

In this guide we'll break down Dyson's naming protocols, and go in to detail about what you can expect from each vacuum in the range.

Dyson vacuums compared

Dyson vacuum cleaners don't tend to fall out of the market for a long time, so you can still see as far back as five generations on site as we speak. Each generation has its own strengths, weaknesses, and package iterations. Below is a quick look at how they all compare, but we dive deeper later on.
Vacuum
Type
RRP
HEPA filter
Accessories
Battery life
Suction
Retailers
Gen5 Outsize CompleteCordless stick
$1699
pro570 mins280AW
Gen5 Outsize AbsoluteCordless stick
$1649
pro470 mins250AW
Gen5 Detect CompleteCordless stick
$1599
pro770 mins280AW
V8Cordless stick
$799
con340 mins115AW
V8 Origin ExtraCordless stick
$649
con340 mins115AW
V8 ExtraCordless stick
$799
con440 mins115AW
V8 AbsoluteCordless stick
$999
pro440 mins115AW
Cyclone V10Cordless stick
$1099
con260 mins150AW
Cyclone V10 AbsoluteCordless stick
$1299
con460 mins150AW
V11 AdvancedCordless stick
$1199
con360 mins200AW
V12 Detect Slim AbsoluteCordless stick
$1349
con460 mins150AW
V12 Detect Slim CompleteCordless stick
$1399
pro560 mins150AW
V12 Detect Slim CompleteCordless stick
$1399
pro560 mins150AW
360 VisNavRobot
$1999
pro045 mins65AW

What is the difference between Dyson Complete, Absolute, and Extra?

If you've ever scrolled through the Dyson website chances are you've ended up confused. Across the vacuum generations Dyson offers Complete, Absolute, and Extra options for their stick vacuums. Not every generation gets every option though, and not every option is exactly the same across generations.

Here is the basic run down of what each of these packages mean;

Dyson V: The base model
Dyson Extra: Includes extra accessories
Dyson Absolute: Includes an extra accessory, or additional HEPA filtering
Dyson Complete: Includes HEPA filtering, and the Floor Dok Multi stand

Also worth noting are;

Dyson Detect: Includes a microfibre, laser brush head
Dyson Origin: A cheaper appliance with less accessories than the current hero model

Prices vary across all of these product categories, but generally speaking you're looking at a $25-$100 price bump for each new accessory or feature. The more additions that get thrown in, the lower that per product price becomes. Think of it like a bundle deal, the more you spend the more you save.

Dyson Gen5 stick vacuums compared

Dyson currently has three Gen5 models available, the Detect, Outsize Absolute, and Outsize Complete. They all have an estimated 70 minute run time on the lowest setting and HEPA filtering, but then they all divert off in their own directions.

Detect comes with the Fluffy Optic cleaner head that has a green laser to help you see more dirt and debris, the Outsize has a 1.9L dust bin, and the Absolute has both of these features but less accessories.

Here are how the three compare;

Vacuum
Suction
Tank size
Fluffy Optic head
Hair screw tool
Combo tool
Crevice tool
Floor Dok
Dust brush
Gap tool
Extension hose
RRP
Gen5 Detect Complete280AW0.77L Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark
$1599
Gen5 Outsize Complete280AW1.9L Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$1699
Gen5 Outsize Absolute250AW1.9L Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$1649

The Complete will get you the most bang for your buck, provided you're okay with a smaller dustbin. On the other hand, if you want a larger compartment you'll be better off parting with the extra $50 and going for the Complete package. Not only do you get the freestanding Floor Dok (read floor dock), but you also get that little bit extra suction power.

Dyson V8 stick vacuums compared

There are four V8 models to choose from, that all have the same battery life and 115 air watt suction power. Once again we see the differences creep in when it comes to accessories and HEPA filtering.

The original V8 is now out of stock, but when you could get it it came with three extra accessories and a 0.54L bin volume. The Origin Extra also has the same bin volume and three accessories, although some of these are different to the V8. Rather than the Hair Screw Tool, you'll get the Mini Soft Dusting Brush. 

After that comes just the Extra, which has four accessories including the Hair Screw Tool plus a Low Reach Adaptor. This low reach adaptor lets the device bend at a 90 degree angle so you can get underneath furniture without bending over.

Finally there is the V8 Absolute with HEPA filtering, which also comes with four accessories, but subs out the Adaptor for an extra Fluffy Cleaner Head.

Vacuum
Suction
HEPA
Fluffy head
Hair screw tool
Combo tool
Crevice tool
Mini Soft Brush
Dust brush
Gap tool
Adaptor Tool
RRP
V8115AWNo Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$799
V8 Origin Extra115AWNo Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$649
V8 Extra115AWNo Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark
$799
V8 Absolute115AWYes Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$999

Unsurprisingly, the most expensive option - V8 Absolute - will get you the most versatile cleaning experience. For those looking to spend less, and who don't have pets roaming around, the V8 Origin Extra is worth considering. While the Hair Screw Tool is nice to have, in our testing we found that it didn't work that well against animal fur, and forgoing it can save you $150.

Dyson V10 stick vacuums compared

Pickings start to slim down around the V10 range, with only two options for Cyclone series. Both the V10 and the V10 Absolute have the 60 minds battery life, 150AW of suction, and a 0.77L bin volume. Once again the two are seperated only by the included accessories.

The standard V10 has a Crevice and a Combo tool, while the Absolute has the Hair Screw Tool and the Fluffy Cleaner Head as well.

Decision making is a bit easier across this range. If you have hard floors then the Fluffy cleaner head will be worth having, but if your home is primarily carpet then you can save yourself some money and go for the OG V10.

Vacuum
Suction
HEPA
Fluffy head
Hair screw tool
Combo tool
Crevice tool
Mini Soft Brush
Dust brush
Gap tool
Adaptor Tool
RRP
Cyclone V10150AWNo Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$1099
Cyclone V10 Absolute150AWNo Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$1299

Dyson V11 stick vacuums compared

For some reason the V11 didn't get the same treatment as its siblings - there is but one model available, and it is entirely outside of Dyson's usual protocols.

The V11 Advanced has 200AW of suction, 60 mins battery life, an LCD screen, and three attachments for the $1,199 price tag. This makes is more powerful than the V10 Cyclone series, but you don't have the option to tack on extra accessories.

Here is what the price will get you;

Vacuum
Suction
HEPA
Fluffy head
Hair screw tool
Combo tool
Crevice tool
Mini Soft Brush
Dust brush
Gap tool
Adaptor Tool
RRP
V11 Advanced200AWNo Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$1199

Dyson V12 stick vacuums compared

With the V12 family came the Detect and the Slim series, made for a more granular look at your floors without any extra weight. There are two options to choose from here, either the Absolute or the Complete.

The Detect feature comes in the form of the Fluffy Optic brush head which uses a beam of green light to surface microscopic dust. When we tested the V12 Detect Slim it triggered my morbid curiosity, and consequently resulted in some shockingly clean floors. Both have 150AW, which is a bit less power than previous models, and small 0.35L dustbins - that is the trade-off for the slim design. After that the differences lay in accessories and HEPA filtering.

Vacuum
Suction
HEPA
Fluffy Optic head
Hair screw tool
Combo tool
Crevice tool
Mini Soft Brush
Dust brush
Gap tool
Floor Dok
RRP
V12 Detect Slim Absolute150AWNo Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$1349
V12 Detect Slim Complete150AWYes Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark
$1399

When it comes to the V12 range, the upgrade to the Complete package is worth the $50. For that you'll get HEPA filtering and the Floor Dok which is a more renter friendly storage option.

Dyson Omni-glide stick vacuums compared

The hero feature of the Omni-glide is Dyson's omnidirectional cleaner head. Made for hard floors it uses two microfibre rollers to pick up debris, and has a 360 degree swivel to make it easier to turn tight corners. This same swivel head lets the vacuum fold down flat so you can get underneath furniture without the flexibile adaptor we saw back in the V8 models. We see this same technology pop back up in the Wash G1 - Dyson's first fancy mop.

There is only one option in the Omni-glide, and apart from its flexibility it is a hard sell. The device only has 20 minutes of battery life, a 0.2L tank, and just 50AW of power. It also has a whole other set of accessories from the rest of the team - apart from the Fluffy head cleaner, it has a combination crevice and dusting tool, and a mini motorised tool for smaller surfaces.

Vacuum
Suction
HEPA
Omni-directional Fluffy head
Hair screw tool
Combi-crevice tool
Mini motorised tool
Mini Soft Brush
Dust brush
Gap tool
RRP
Omni-glide50AWNo Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
$749

Dyson robot vacuum cleaners compared

Since Dyson only has the one, there isn't much to compare when it comes to robot vacuums. Although when compared to other robovacs on the market, the 360 Vis Nav is both expensive and dissapointing.

First up it retails for $1,999 (down from the initial launch price of $2.399), and only offers vacuuming, but no auto-empty station or mopping. For this price other robot vacuum cleaner brands like Roborock, Ecovacs, and Dreame offer all of the above, plus other extras like edge cleaning, and fully automated mopping refills and cleaning. In our testing we also found the Vis Nav had lacklustre navigation skills, and was incredibly loud. 

All up we gave the Dyson 360 Vis Nav one of our lowest scores to date, and that was back in 2023. Compared to the market now, there are definitley better robot vacuums to consider.

Are Dyson vacuums worth it?

Whether Dyson vacuums are worth the money is up for debate. If you scroll through Reddit or Whirlpool you'll find plenty of buyers raving about how Dyson products "changed their life", but for us here at Reviews.org Australia Dyson vacuums hardly ever live up to their price tag.

Our stick vacuum testing tends to find Dyson products to be too expensive to outweight their performance. They're novel, and clever devices, but the price is often too high compared to other brands with similar offerings. For a similar price as the latest Dyson stick vacuum, you can get the Samsung Bespoke Jet which comes with more suction power, and an automatic empty station.

Anula Wiwatowska
Written by
Anula is the Home and Lifestyle Tech Editor within the Reviews.org extended universe. Working in the tech space since 2020, she covers phone and internet plans, gadgets, smart devices, and the intersection of technology and culture. Anula was a finalist for Best Feature Writer at the 2022 Consensus Awards, and an eight time finalist across categories at the IT Journalism Awards. Her work contributed to WhistleOut's Best Consumer Coverage win in 2023.

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