If you’re shopping for a cordless vacuum, you may have read our Dyson V8 review and liked the sound of this “lightweight but heavy-duty” dust-buster. However, if you’re on a third-party retailer site, and you’ve spotted separate listings for the V8 Animal and the V8 Absolute, you might also be getting a bit confused.
Dyson is known for making some of the best cordless vacuums around. The V8 line launched in 2016, so it’s a little older now, but it’s still very capable. (If you’re wondering whether it’s worth upgrading to a newer option, see how it compares to the models up in our Dyson V8 vs V10 and Dyson V8 vs V11 articles.)
At first glance these two models seem identical. So what are the differences between the V8 Absolute and Animal, and which is the best Dyson vacuum for you? This article answers that question in detail.
Dyson V8 Animal vs V8 Absolute: availability
The first thing to note is that the V8 Animal is no longer part of the current lineup – it has been discontinued by Dyson . That said, there are still loads of them out there in warehouses, waiting to be sold by retailers. And so it’s not a bad idea to buy one, especially if you can get one for a good price.
Dyson V8 Animal vs V8 Absolute: accessories
The primary difference between the V8 Animal and V8 Absolute lies in the accessories that come with each model. Most notably, the V8 Absolute includes Dyson’s Fluffy floorhead, which is specifically designed for hard floors. This is not included with the V8 Animal. (Our Dyson tools guide runs down the different main tools and what they’re intended for, if helpful.)
Note that the exact accessory package can vary by region and specific retailer offers. But otherwise, your choice between the V8 Animal and V8 Absolute will primarily be based on your flooring type and cleaning needs.
Just to be clear, both models perform equally well on carpets using the direct-drive cleaner head. However, the fluffy cleaning head included with the V8 Absolute gives it an edge on hard floors.
In other words, the V8 Animal will be fine for you if your home primarily has carpeted floors. But if you have a mix of carpet and hard flooring, you want the versatility of the Fluffy cleaning head for hard floors and so the V8 Absolute will be the better choice.
V8 Animal vs V8 Absolute: color accents
While both models share the same overall design, there are slight variations in color accents. The V8 Animal typically features purple accents, while the V8 Absolute often includes gold or yellow accents. However, this can vary by region.
Let’s be honest, most people won’t care what their vacuum cleaner looks like. But if you do, it’s worth checking the photo in the listing or, if there isn’t one, message the seller to find out.
And that, essentially, is it. The V8 Animal and V8 Absolute have different colors and slightly different accessories. Otherwise, they’re the exact same vacuum cleaner.
V8 Animal vs V8 Absolute: price
The V8 Absolute is currently available on Dyson’s official site for the discounted price of $299.99 in the US and £249.99 in the UK, although in Australia it’s still at the standard price of AU$999.
As a discontinued model, the V8 Animal is no longer available through Dyson. However, we’ve found third-party retailers selling it at $399 in the US (at Amazon), £297 in UK (at Go Electrical) and AU$1,174.55 (at Cleaning Products Australia).
Given that these prices are markedly more expensive than the Absolute, and that the Absolute is basically the same vacuum cleaner, only with an additional tool, there doesn’t seem to be much point in buying the V8 Animal.
That said, prices on retail websites fluctuate all the time. So conversely, if you do manage to find a V8 Animal for significantly less than a V8 Absolute, then it’s very much worth considering.
