Dyson has rightly built a stellar reputation as a market leader in powerful vacuum cleaners. But are Dyson vacuums worth it, especially when they can cost up to $1000?
I've spent more than 200 hours testing vacuums, and I use two of the best Dyson vacuums in my own home daily. I know these pricey appliances inside and out and, yes, Dyson vacuums are worth the $100s more you'll fork out.
After also testing 55 alternativesc, I have a lot of opinions on Dyson vacuums, and whilst the real deal is worth it even at full price, you can save a lot on other, similar vacuums if you're on a tight budget.
Are Dyson vacuums worth it?
In a word, yes, they are worth it. The cleaning performance of Dyson's best cordless vacuums is incredible. In their top models, you'll clear all visible dust, dirt, and pet hair in a single pass, saving you time and energy.
The best upright vacuums can achieve this performance too, but they rely on huge, heavy machines that must be plugged in as you move around the house. This is one of the major advantages of Dyson's top models: you get the cleaning power of a big, corded vacuum, with the convenience of a lightweight, cordless vacuum.
But this is not the case for all Dysons. I've tested the Dyson V8 and the Dyson V15 Detect, and there's a notable difference between the tw,o which is, naturally, reflected in the price.
To get the signature Dyson performance, you have to opt for these top-tier models, which can set you back around $650. The older models are still exceptional vacuum cleaners, but as other brands have since released newer models, you can get more for your money elsewhere.
As for Dysons, these are the three best models you can buy. They are expensive, but in my expert opinion, absolutely worth every cent. All three share the same intelligent features, but have different suction powers and sizes.
This is the smaller, lighter version of the V15 Detect and Gen5detect, for homes that don't need such intense cleaning. It has a smaller dustbin and weaker suction (150 air watts) than the others, but as somebody who's used it for over a year, I can confirm that it is still an incredible cordless vacuum.
Read more in my full Dyson V12 Detect Slim review.
I thought the V12 Detect Slim would be the best vacuum I'd ever own – until I got my hands on the V15 Detect. Its flawless cleaning performance (240 air watts) and smart features make cleaning actually enjoyable, and the fact that it never leaves any dirt behind is a gamechanger.
Read more in my full Dyson V15 Detect review.
250 air watts of suction is about what you'd expect from one of the best corded vacuums, but Dyson have achieved it in a cordless stick that can adapt to your floors and reveal dust that the naked eye can't see.
Read more in our full Dyson Gen5detect review.
Versatility across all floors
Chances are, you have a few different floor types in your home. Maybe you laid down carpet in your living room but decided to stick to wood in the kitchen. To clean your whole home in one fell swoop, you need a vacuum that performs well on all sorts of floors.
Dysons are some of the best multi-surface vacuums out there. The Dyson Motorbar floorhead can be used across any surface, with bristles that are strong enough to dig dirt from deep within carpet fibers, but not too harsh that they'll damage your delicate hard floors.
Dyson's newer vacuums from the V12 Detect Slim and upwards have two floorheads: the Motorbar and Fluffy Optic. The Dyson Fluffy Optic has a soft brushroll to capture super-fine dust particles while revealing microscopic dust particles that you can't see without it.
And as somebody who's spent more than 200 hours testing vacuums, I promise you that these are the two most effective cleaner heads I've ever used. Unlike many other vacuum brands, they work exactly as described and pull all manner of dirt from your floors. It's why Dyson vacuums can be considered the best vacuums for hardwood floors and the best vacuums for carpets.
Incredible pet hair pickup
When hunting for the best vacuums for pet hair, we've tried everything from the best Shark vacuums to the best Miele vacuums. And while many brands offer seriously impressive performance in this regard, the best we've ever tested is the Dyson V15 Detect and Dyson Gen5detect.
The Motorbar floorhead that's standard across all cordless Dysons has anti-tangle vanes that never wrap with hair. I've been using my Dyson vacuums for over a year and they haven't tangled with hair once. It avoids one of the major reasons why pet hair is so hard to vacuum, and saves so much time and energy not having to cut hair out of the brushroll.
But while the floorhead works wonders in all Dyson vacuums, not all of them have the suction to be able to pull hair from thick carpets. Anything from the Dyson V11 onwards will provide this exceptional cleaning performance, but anything older will be similar to other cordless sticks on the market.
If you can't justify splashing out on Dyson's premium 'Detect' vacuums, the V11 is the last model they made before they were introduced. It actually has stronger suction than the V12 Detect Slim (an impressive 185 air watts), and costs almost $100 less.
Dyson's high prices
Now, Dyson's vacuums might be among the highest-performing vacuums on the market, but they're also some of the most expensive. You can spend up to $1,000 on a Dyson. Not many people can or want to spend that much on a vacuum cleaner, no matter how good it is.
And when you compare Dysons to others in the market, such as Shark vs Dyson, you'll find that many brands are considerably cheaper, while only being slightly less powerful.
For example, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect is around half the price of the Dyson V15 Detect. The V15 is the better vacuum, sure, but it's not twice as good as the Shark. You can save yourself $100s by opting for a vacuum that, for the large part, will achieve similar results at home.
We've tested 55 of the best Dyson alternatives for this exact reason. I've even tested a $150 budget vacuum against a $750 Dyson – of course, the Dyson won, but the budget vacuum still has its merits.
Here are a few of our favorites if Dyson's prices put you off.
It's incredible that this vacuum costs so little. Its suction doesn't come close to a Dyson but it's the only vacuum we've tested with a green laser that works just as well as Dyson's $650+ vacuums. Avoid it if you have carpets, but if your home has mostly hard floors, this might be all you need.
Read more in my full Ultenic U16 Flex review.
Shark followed in Dyson's footsteps with their latest cordless vacuum, utilizing similar floor-sensing technology to automatically adjust your suction power. Its differences lie in the dual brushrolls, whereas the Dyson has two separate floorheads that you swap out as you clean. It cleans really well.
Read more in our full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review.
Instead of looking for other cordless vacuums to match the Dyson power, you could spend just $299.99 on the best upright vacuum we've tested at Homes & Gardens. Its size and weight might put you off, and how it won't be the easiest to store the vacuum, but its suction tops all others.
Read more in our full Shark POWERDETECT review.
Cordless vacuums and durability
This issue isn't exclusive to Dyson vacuums. But when you compare cordless vs corded vacuums, cordless models typically only have a lifespan of 3-5 years, whereas upright and canister vacuums can go for ten years or more.
However, as I learned from interviewing vacuum engineers on the common faults found in Dyson vacuums, Dyson have actually designed their models to be easily fixable. You can find individual parts to replace anything that goes faulty, as opposed to other brands that can only be fixed through whole-machine repairs.
Still, spending $100s of your precious money on a vacuum that will only last a few years might not be the most financially-savvy move. For something more durable, consider the Miele Blizzard CX1 – it isn't remotely close to a Dyson, but if treated well it could last for more than a decade.
Miele are globally renowned for their durable vacuum cleaners, with some users reporting that they've owned theirs for almost 20 years. If you know how to look after it by cleaning the vacuum filter and avoiding things you should never vacuum, this is a worthwhile long-term investment.
Read more in my full Miele Blizzard CX1 review.
Next, browse our tried-and-tested picks of the best lightweight vacuums and the best handheld vacuums for faster cleaning.
