“If you change the format, you change a huge amount”: Dyson engineer on why the revamped V8 vacuum has an old-school design

Dyson^[1] has just announced an updated version of its V8 cordless vacuum. The V8 is one of the oldest models in the brand’s lineup, but remains its best-seller, despite first launching in 2016. The new version is called the V8 Cyclone, and it features some big upgrades over the original V8, but it also looks very similar.

I chatted to Steph Parker, a Dyson engineer who was part of the team that worked on the new launch, about how they decided what to keep, and what to lose.

The thing that was most noticeable to me – and the thing that marks the V8 out as different from the rest of Dyson’s cordless vacuum lineup – is the fact that the cyclones, bin and motor are arranged at a right angle to the wand. From the V11^[2] onwards, these are all stacked in a straight line, an update introduced to improve suction efficiency.

I asked Steph why the inline configuration wasn’t introduced on the V8 Cyclone. “That’s a really good question. I think that if you change the format, you change a huge amount of product,” she said. “If you think about where the filter is put on the product and how your airflow goes through the product… “

“We’re still trying to be that all-rounder vacuum cleaner with a V8, but without those kinds of improvements to the design, whether it be format or the motor.”

She explained that without making those kind of major changes, you limit the amount of power you can get out of the product. “We’re not achieving the same amount of air watts with our V8 anywhere near equivalent to Gen5detect or a Dyson V16 Piston,” she continued. “I think that’s the compromise, basically.”

The Dyson V16 Piston^[3] is the brand new flagship, and the Gen5detect^[4] is the previous flagship. Both are far more advanced, and far pricier, than the V8 Cyclone.

Steph went on to explain that the V8 is designed to fill a specific niche within the lineup. While it’s not the best Dyson vacuum^[5] by specs, that doesn’t mean it won’t be the perfect choice for some people.

“The V8 is a great model. It satisfies a lot of customers, but it isn’t our most powerful machine. It’s not our most hygienic. The Dyson V16 Piston is definitely our top tier-product, but [the V8 Cyclone is] still a great performer in the range of products out there in the industry.” It’s also worth pointing out that the V8 Cyclone does have more power than the original V8 – specifically, 30% more suction.

Further features

That’s not to say there haven’t been notable improvements in other areas. One of the most significant updates to be introduced with the V8 Cyclone is to the battery. The old V8 had a fixed battery that provided up to 40 minutes’ of cleaning on a single charge. That’s not competitive in today’s market.

The new version has up to an hour of cleaning per charge, which is in line with what I’d expect from the rest of the best cordless vacuums^[6] on the market these days – including those at similar price points to the V8 Cyclone.

The fact the battery is now removable and swappable means you could purchase a backup and hot-swap it in to extend runtimes. It also means that if and when the battery wears out, you can replace it.

Another major change is that the V8 Cyclone operates via a button rather than a trigger. That’s good news if you’re going to be vacuuming for longer periods and want to avoid a sore finger, although it does mean you’ll have to have a hand spare to turn it on and off.

I’ve had some hands-on time with the V8 Cyclone, and will have a review live as soon as I can get hold of a review model to test out properly. So far, though, I think it’s a smart move from Dyson. The brand has been busy releasing ever-more-expensive flagship models, but I think the far more affordable, updated V8 is the vacuum that most people actually wanted^[7].

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