Let’s talk about the Dyson V8 Animal and its difference with the V8 Absolute.
With the vast amount of different vacuums on the market currently, it can be hard to know which one is the best to get for your needs.
Each vacuum seems to have its own niche that tries to push it above the others, so it can be difficult to actually find what you need in a vacuum.
Cordless vacuums are becoming increasingly popular, they’re convenient and just as powerful as a regular vacuum, but with tons of them on the market, it can be a real headache searching for one.
If you’re looking at the Dyson V8 cordless vacuums, you’ve probably come across multiple different ones like the V8 absolute and V8 animal.
With so many under the same V8 range, it can be overwhelming knowing the difference between them all.
So with that in mind, we’ve made it our goal to navigate the differences between the V8 Absolute and V8 Animal, to make it easier for you to make a decision on what model of the Dyson V8 you want.
Let’s get into it!
Are They The Same In Any Way?
So, with both of these vacuums being in the same range, they have quite a few similarities as well as differences. But for convenience, we’ll start by listing the few things that they have in common:
- 40 Minutes Run Time: Whilst using a non-motorized tool the battery can last up to 40 minutes which should give you plenty of time to vacuum the whole house. If you are using a motorized tool, like the motorized floor head it’ll last for 25 minutes, which is still quite a long time to vacuum what you need, and is much longer than the Dyson V6.
- Digital V8 Motor: All V8 models will use this motor. If the vacuum is placed into maximum power mode, it is one of their most powerful motors and spins at around 107,000rpm which is five times faster than a Formula One car’s engine!
- Whole Machine Filtration: Dyson utilizes “whole machine filtration” in the V8 series, it essentially separates dust, debris and dirt by spinning air within two tiers of cyclones and both the Absolute and the Animal boast a fully-sealed filtration system that rps 99.7% of particles that can be as small as 0.3 microns.
- Handheld Mode: A really good feature of the Dyson V8 models, is that they can easily convert into handheld vacuums, it’s useful if you need to vacuum stairs or cars.
- Direct-Drive Cleaner Head: Both the Animal and the Absolute have a direct-drive cleaner head that is 150% more powerful than the V6’s floorhead. This allows the vacuum to dig deep and vacuum up any embedded debris in carpets.
- Mounting Station: If you get either of the V8s, you’ll receive a mounting station that can be used to hand the vacuum and its accessories up on the wall. This is especially useful if you have limited space or just hate clutter.
These are just a few of the similarities, there are so many more but we’d be here all day!
So, What Are The Differences Between the Dyson V8 Animal and Absolute?
With the amount of similarities it has, you may be wondering if it has any differences at all. But we can assure you that there’s a few, check them out below:
The Floor Cleaner Heads
The biggest difference between the Absolute and the Animal probably lies in the different floor cleaner heads they have.
The Absolute includes a soft roller cleaner head which is specifically designed for hard floors to enable it to pick up both fine dust and large debris without scratching any surfaces.
It’s quite an impressive tool to have, so with the Animal not having this head, it’s at quite a disadvantage already.
But that’s not to say that the Animal can’t vacuum hard floors, the direct-drive cleaner head does a great job on hardwood or vinyl floors, which if you remember from earlier, both the Absolute and the Animal have this floor cleaner head.
If you will mainly be vacuuming hard floors, it’s probably best to get the soft roller cleaner head, it can be purchased separately.
So if you’ve already got the Animal and are wanting extra suction whilst cleaning your hard floors, definitely keep in mind buying the soft roller.
Extra Accessories
Except for the soft roller cleaner floor head that the Absolute has but the Animal does not, they each have the same exact set of accessories.
They both include the mounting station, combination tool and miniature motorized tool.
Price
Right now, the Animal is about $50-$60 cheaper than the Absolute. For this price point, it’s a significant saving bearing in mind that the models are mostly the same except for one accessory that can be purchased separately.
The Dyson V8 Animal Or The V8 Absolute: Which One Should You Buy?
Whilst you’ve been reading this, you may already have the V8 model you want to buy in mind, but in case you need extra guidance to help make your decision here’s what we think.
There’s only one real major difference between the Absolute and the Animal and that is the soft roller floor head that doesn’t come with the Animal.
In our opinion, for the $50-$60 price difference between the Animal and the Absolute, not getting a soft roller head included with the Animal is more than worth it.
It can be bought separately, so it’s not a huge loss really. The soft roller head isn’t even really needed, it’s only really for hard floors such as hardwood or vinyl, so if you’re going to be vacuuming mainly carpets, the Animal is perfect.
Though, the V8 Animal is great for any surface, even though its floor cleaner head isn’t specifically made for hard floors, it does a fantastic job of vacuuming them.
The mini motorized tool that comes with it will come in handy if you have pets, as it does a great job of vacuuming up pet hair out of carpets or upholstery and the direct-drive head is perfect for getting any embedded debris out of carpets or rugs.
Of course the Absolute also comes with this tool, but you’ll be paying a bigger price point for one accessory.
So with that in mind, we recommend that you buy the Dyson V8 Animal, you’ll get more for your money with the same exact cleaning power that the Absolute offers, just minus the soft roller head, which can easily be bought separately if it’s really needed in your home.
Final Thoughts
The Dyson V8 range is an excellent example of powerful and convenient vacuums. The Absolute and the Animal are almost identical except for the soft roller head that is included with the Absolute.
If this is a necessity for you, then we suggest opting for the more expensive Absolute, but keep in mind that the Animal will do almost the same exact job, with the same exact cleaning power but for a cheaper price point, and again this soft roller can be bought later down the line if you find that you really need it.
We hope that this guide has helped you with your decision!