Dyson V10 vs V11

With the release of the Dyson V11 cordless stick vacuum many consumers are pondering whether or not to buy its predecessor the V10 or to try the new kid on the block, the V11.  In this article we analyze, discuss and test both vacuums in order to help you make the right choice.

POPULAR V10 MODELS

There are three popular V10 models - the Motorhead, the Animal and the Absolute.
 
THE V10 MOTORHEAD is the bare bones V10.  It includes the following:
- Direct drive cleaner head
- Docking station
- Crevice tool
- Combo tool

 
THE V10 ANIMAL includes the following:
- Torque drive cleaner head
- Docking station
- Crevice tool
- Combo tool
- Mini soft dusting brush
- Mini motorhead tool

POPULAR V11 MODELS

There are two popular V11 models available in the US at this time - the V11 Animal and the V11 Torque Drive.

CLEANER HEADS

DISPLAY & CONTROLS

The V10 has 3 charging lights at the bottom of the handle which indicate how much charge the battery is holding.  This is useful while charging and also while vacuuming.  In addition, there are lights that illuminate to show if there is a clog or an issue with the filter.  These charging lights and trouble lights are the extent of the V10’s “display”.

 

 

SUCTION POWER

Both the V10 and V11 have three power modes.  The V10 has: 

BATTERY

The V10 battery pack is the same for all V10 models and has the following specifications: 

 
In addition, it takes about 29% longer to recharge the V11 than it does the V10.  The V11 recharge time is 4.5 hours compared to only 3.5 hours for the V10.

RUN TIME - OFFICIAL

The following table shows the “official” figures for Dyson V10 and V11 run time (battery life) when using the Torque drive / High torque cleaner head.

RUN TIME - TESTED

We have both the Dyson V10 Absolute and the Dyson V11 Absolute so we ran the vacuums in each power mode, and using a stopwatch we recorded the time it took before the vacuums stopped.  Before starting each run we ensured the battery was fully charged, the dust canister was empty, and the filters were clean.  We ran the vacuums with the Torque drive / High torque cleaner heads on medium pile carpet.  The results were as follows:

The V11 battery life was not incrementally longer than the V10, it was substantially longer.  In AUTO mode the V11 actually gave us more than twice the run time of the V10.  Even BOOST mode, while pumping out 23% more power than the V10 in MAX mode, lasted a full 5 min 38 sec longer (that’s 78% longer).

FILTRATION

Both the V10 and the V11 have HEPA level filtration and a sealed system.  The sealed system ensures that air does not leak out around poor seals or cracks in the vacuum prior to passing through the filters and being exhausted.  In short, it makes sure the air entering the vacuum is properly filtered before being released back into the room.  The filters are also good for the lifetime of the vacuum cleaner and are rinsable in water.

DUST CANISTER

Dust canister capacities of the V10’s and V11’s are as follows:

NOISE LEVEL - TESTED

We used a digital noise level meter that measures peak decibels to test both the V10 and the V11 in the different power modes.  We measured the noise at a distance of 3 feet from the front of the cleaner head on low pile carpet with the vacuums in the upright position.

CARPET CLEANING - TESTED

For these tests we created debris that ranged from fine to medium sized.  We used a carefully measured ground cheerios (fine), chili flakes (lightweight, small), flax seeds (heavier, small) and split green peas (heavier and larger).  Amounts were as follows: 

BARE FLOOR CLEANING - TESTED

A similar test to that performed above was done on a tile surface.

Results below. 

WEIGHT

HANDHELD VACUUM

Remember that these vacuums operate both as a stick vacuum and as a handheld vacuum.  When you remove the wand you have a handheld vacuum. Handheld weights for Dyson stick vacs have been slowly creeping up since the V6.  We have all of these vacuums and we weighed the handheld components of each on a scale.

WARRANTY

All V10 and V11 models carry a 2-year parts and labor warranty.

COST

Costs are always difficult to nail down as they vary from retail outlet to retail outlet and they also tend to drop over time.  Nevertheless we have created a table of approximate costs (according to the manufacturer) at this time.

If the V10 is your thing, the advent of the V11 will undoubtedly start to push prices down.  Also, over time the V11 prices will come down as well, and we’ve already seen some small V11 discounts out there.  Up-to-date pricing on Amazon for these vacuums is shown in the links below.

VERDICT & BUYING TIPS

The V11 outperforms the V10 in both run times and suction power.  It also performed better in our cleaning tests on carpet and tile – but marginally.  The new control panel on the V11 Torque Drive is a pleasure to use and the real time display of remaining battery power is a nice feature.  However the V11 is a heavier machine than the V10 and it generally costs more.

• If you have lots/mostly carpet and you don’t think the extra vacuum weight will be an issue for you then both V11's are great choices.  If you want the nice LCD interface with run time countdown, video clips, etc (and the additional mini soft dusting brush) the V11 Torque Drive is a great choice. It does almost everything well.
• If you want the V11 but also want to save a few bucks and don't mind not having the fancier LCD control panel (and mini soft dusting brush) then the V11 Animal is a good choice. Cleaning performance is essentially the same as the more expensive V11 Torque Drive.  If you are on even more of a budget the V10 Motorhead or V10 Animal are also good choices.
• If you have lots/mostly bare floors and the V10 limited run times will not be an issue for you then you may want to consider the V10 Absolute which comes with two cleaner heads (torque drive and soft roller). The soft roller cleaner head provides the best cleaning performance on bare floors.  The V11 Absolute is also good if you can get it.
• If you want something lighter, less expensive, and with decent cleaning performance on both carpet and bare floors then consider the V10 Motorhead (it comes with one direct drive cleaner head). But consider the shorter run times and small number of tools. The Motorhead is also nice for handheld work (small, light handheld component).  You may want to read our V10 Motorhead review.

 You may also want to check out or detailed V10 vs V11 comparison video below: