Next Generation Cordless Vacuums Are Here
We will be comparing the Dyson V10 vs. the V11, which represents the future of cord-free stick vacuums.
Both these products possess features that you’d want in something without a cord – long run time, excellent power, and versatility to clean every part of your home.
Dyson says that the V10 and V11 will run for up to 60 minutes. Real-world tests show that both vacuums will run past that threshold.
The V11 brings more convenience to the table, like the sensor in the main cleaning head that automatically adjusts the suction depending on the floor type.
There isn’t much of a difference when it comes to surface pick up for both. The one advantage the Dyson V11 has is its ability to deep clean (30% better) for extended periods – up to 43 minutes.
So the question is, are you willing to pay extra for a cordless that deep cleans for an extended period?
Let’s find out.
A quick look at the Dyson V10 vs. V11
Dyson V10
Power: 151 Air watts
Run Time: 61 mins.
Recharge: 3.5 hrs.
Dust cup size: 0.77 liters
Weight: 5.9 lbs
Deep Cleaning: 97.03%
Dyson V11
Power: 185 Air watts
Run Time: 74 mins.
Recharge: 4.5 hrs.
Dust cup size: 0.77 liters.
Weight: 6.68 lbs
Deep Cleaning: 100%
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Introduction to the Dyson V10 and V11
The V10 and V11 are two of Dyson’s latest cordless vacuums available.
Both vacuums utilize Dyson’s latest battery technology and the digital motor that enables it to clean better and run longer than most cord-free stick vacuums available.
One feature that separates the V10 and V11 from earlier models is the new torque drive attachment.
Unlike the older direct-drive head with a low profile that’s great for carpets, this upgraded tool works almost as well on bare floors thanks to the two adjustable gates at the bottom.
Having these two openings gives this tool the ability to clean more significant bits of dirt.
You’ll get three different options for the V10, at least in the United States – the “Cyclone” Absolute, Animal, and Motorhead.
For the Dyson V11, there are only two options for the US – the Torque Drive and Animal. The Absolute is only available in the UK and perhaps in Asia.
Similarities and Differences of the Dyson V10 vs. V11
Aesthetically, the Dyson V10 and V11 look very similar, both utilizing the same realigned dust container.
The difference would be the color-scheme options depending on the variant you choose.
The Dyson V10 Absolute has an orange wand, while the V11 Torque Drive’s rod is blue.
To summarize, here’s the list of features that both these vacuums have in common.
- Trigger Switch: Helps extend battery life to the maximum.
- Removable Extension Wand: It provides versatility to these vacuums.
- HEPA filtration and seal: Keeps dust and allergen inside the bin.
- Digital Motor: It spins at around 125,000 rpm.
- Torque Drive: Upgraded cleaning head does better on bare floors.
- Interchangeable Tools: Both variants come with a variety of tools.
Despite the similarities, there are equally as many differences.
Dyson V10 vs. V11 Differences
To recap, here are the differences between the Dyson V10 and V11.
- Power: The Dyson V11 has 8.38% more airflow at the main cleaning head and 10.2% more at the wand than the V10, which translates to better overall cleaning performance on carpet.
- Intelligent suction: Inside the V11’s main cleaning head is a sensor that detects the floor type and selects the right setting. This feature is there for convenience if you don’t want the hassle of constantly flipping through the different settings every time you encounter a transition. It helps extend the battery because you’re always using the proper setting.
- Digital screen: The V11 (only available Absolute and Torque Drive) has a digital display that provides information about run time, cleaning mode, and when to clean the filters. This feature isn’t available with the V10.
- Soft roller tool: Only the Dyson V10 (at least in the United States) has the Absolute option with the soft roller (or fluffy) tool.
- Run time: The V11 will run for up to 74 minutes with the main cleaning head attached at the lowest setting, while the V10 only tops out at 61 minutes with the crevice tool.
The most significant difference between the V10 and V11 is the large display screen at the back with several functions.
- Battery Status: This tells you how much time is left. It’s smart enough to adjust depending on the setting.
- Power Mode: Using the button below the screen, you can toggle between low medium and high power settings. You can also set it at automatic if you want more convenience.
- Filter Status: Let you know when to change the filter.
Take note that the screen is only available with the Torque Drive and Absolute versions. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the V11 Animal. The V11 Absolute is only available in the United Kingdom.
Automatically Adjusts Suction
Another upgrade you’ll see in the V11 is hidden within the Torque Drive head.
It has a sensor inside the tool that detects the type of surfaces it cleans. If it detects hard floors, it reduces suction and increases it when it detects carpets.
This feature works to optimize battery life without you having to stop and change settings when you transition from carpet to bare floor.
Power
One upgrade that helps boost the performance of the V11 is suction power.
The V11 has 185 air watts of power, 32 more than the V10.
This uptick in power is confirmed in the airflow tests. The V11 has 49 cfm at the nozzle and 59 cfm at the wand.
Compare it to the V10 with 39 cfm at the head and 41 cfm at the wand; it is a significant improvement.
More airflow means better performance on carpet.
Deep cleaning tests on carpet show that (more on that in detail below), the V11 picks up 7% better than the V10.
There’s no question that Dyson vacuums are excellent products that will clean the home. The question is, are you willing to pay top-dollar for the conveniences it brings to the table? If not, check out these Shark vacuums that aren’t as expensive but provide almost as much versatility and performance.
What are the tools included in the Dyson V10 and V11?
You’ll get similar tool options with the V10 and V11. Which accessories you’ll get will depend on the option you choose.
Let’s quickly look at the table below to see the different options.
Please remember that V10 MotorHead being the cheapest option, has the least amount of tools. It only comes with the basic crevice and combination tool along with the direct-drive head.
To summarize, here are the tools that you’ll get and their functions:
- Crevice tool: It has a narrow nozzle with an angled tip that works great at reaching areas between sofa cushions or tight spaces under and between car seats.
- Combination tool: Basically, two tools in one – a pseudo upholstery/crevice and brush tool you can use on fabric upholstery or vents. I use this to clean inside my vehicle.
- Mini soft dusting brush: Has soft bristles that make it great for cleaning more delicate items like lampshades.
- Mini turbo brush: A small version of the floor tools with its motorized brush for cleaning hair and dirt on upholstery or carpet stairs.
- Direct drive head: This is the same tool found in the Dyson V7 and V8. It does not have adjustable gates and won’t do as well on hard floors. Only found in the V10 MotorHead.
- Torque drive: This is an upgrade over the direct-drive head with two adjustable gates that dramatically improve debris pick up on hard surfaces. This tool is available with the V10 Animal and V11 Torque Drive.
- Soft roller (of Fluffy): It is a unique tool that Dyson developed for hard floors. It has a soft roller bar that can capture even large dirt. Only available with the Absolute option.
- Extension wand: This attachment allows the Dyson to be used as a stick or a hand vacuum.
- Wall mountable dock: An optional wall mountable tool for storing and charging the vacuum and some of its attachments. It will require drilling a few holes in the wall. There are third-party, self-standing docking stations available at various prices for people who don’t want to drill holes. Dyson also sells its version they call the DOK. One advantage these products have is the ability to store all the attachments in one place.
How do the V10 and V11 clean?
What makes these vacuums so efficient at cleaning is the cyclonic system that generates a lot of suction.
To increase power over the V8, Dyson engineers realigned the dust cup, starting with the V10 to improve airflow.
In the V11, power is further increased to improve suction and cleaning performance.
Behind the motors are washable HEPA filters that keep allergens inside the bin.
A closer look at the cleaning heads
There are two types of cleaning heads you’ll get for the V10 and V11.
Fluffy (or Soft Roller) Cleaning Head
The fluffy head is an innovation from Dyson for cleaning hard floors.
I like this tool because it can clean debris of different sizes – fine or large dirt particles thanks to the ample clearance.
You’ll only find this tool with the V10 Absolute. Unfortunately, the V11 Torque Drive does not include it.
The V11 Absolute is available but only in Dyson UK.
Honestly, I don’t think it’s a big deal since the torque drive is a capable hard floor cleaner.
Torque Drive Cleaning Head
This tool is the more traditional option with a spinning brush.
In my opinion, it is a better tool than the direct drive cleaning head, thanks to the adjustable gates.
These gates enable it to clean larger debris.
It won’t clean the extra-large debris, but I would say it will do the job well for daily tasks.
Perhaps the most significant benefit is not carrying an extra tool if your home has a mixture of floor types.
Direct Drive Cleaning Head
You’ll find this tool in the V10 MotorHead. It’s a similar tool found in the V8 and V7 that doesn’t have the gates.
The absence of the gates means it will not clean large and extra-large debris.
Dyson says that it will perform 25% worse than the torque drive attachment.
Cleaning test results
Next, let’s look at how the V10 and V11 will clean on various surfaces. Most of these tests will focus on how both these vacuums will perform on hardwood and carpet.
I also did a deep cleaning test to see how much sand the V10 and V11 will pick up.
Hard floor results
There isn’t much of a difference between the Dyson V10 and V11 when cleaning surface dirt.
First, let me share the results of the cleaning tests on four different types of debris on hard floors.
The difference is too close to declare a clear winner. However, I like the soft roller on hard floors better since it picks up even at the lowest setting. Also, it has better padding underneath that protects the floors from scuffing.
The V11’s torque drive also works well on hard floors, but it didn’t pick up everything in the forward pass when cleaning sand. It was able to clean everything in the subsequent passes.
One issue with the torque drive is the plastic wheels that can scratch hardwood. And it’ll wear faster than the soft roller and hard floors. So it’s something to consider before making a decision.
Dyson V10 Results
The fluffy (or soft roller) tool is good at picking up debris on hard surfaces. You can say that this is the future of hard floor cleaning as other manufacturers have copied this design.
The high clearance makes it possible for it to clean large bits of dirt. It doesn’t matter if you’re cleaning cereal, cheerios, dust, pet hair, or rice; it will inhale this debris.
Even the torque drive attachment of the V10 can pick up debris on hard surfaces, even large piles of dirt, thanks to the two adjustable gates.
Surprisingly, this tool performs almost as well on hard surfaces. It can handle dirt as big as Cheerios, but you’ll need to do a little zigzag so that it fits in one of the gates.
Dyson V11 Results
Even if the V11 does not have the torque drive (at least in the US market), it still does very well on hard surfaces. This is a good indicator of the excellent design features of this tool.
It can clean large debris like Cheerios when the gates are open.
The V11 had similar results as the V10 on hardwood – the difference is almost negligible.
Here’s the deal; even if the Absolute isn’t available in the United States, the Torque Drive head is good enough for cleaning on hardwood even with large and extra-large debris.
If you look at the cleaning tests, the V11 scored close to 100% on hard surfaces, even without the Fluffy attachment.
Carpet cleaning results
I did many tests to test how well each of these vacuums cleans two carpets – low and mid pile.
Again, I used the same debris types on this surface to check how much each model will pick up.
Low Pile Results
On a low pile carpet, the results are very close. Both scored high marks on this surface, with the V11 with a slighter better score in three of the four tests.
One advantage that the V11 has over the V10 is it runs longer in the middle setting. So between the two, I would get the V11 if your home has lots of carpet.
Mid Pile Results
Lastly, we’ll look at how well the V10 and V11 do on mid-pile carpet. I also included the deep cleaning test results in the chart.
The V11 scored higher in 4 out of the five tests and did much better in the deep cleaning test because it could pick up more than 100%. Even in the middle (or auto) setting, the V11 picked up 99.97%, which is very impressive for a cordless vacuum.
Size Difference Between the Dyson V10 and V11?
With both vacuums having the same design, the size difference isn’t very much.
The V11 is slightly longer at 50.6″ versus the 49.2″ of the V10.
Having a larger motor and battery cells increases the weight of the V11. It weighs around 6.68 pounds, with most of it at the handle — the V10 weighs about 5.9 pounds.
Is it easy to use the Dyson V10 and V11?
Both vacuums are easy to use. In typical Dyson fashion, all the components come neatly packed in separate plastic containers.
Assembly is easy thanks to the quick-release latches that make it easy to attach and remove accessories.
All the tools attach in a specific direction, so it’s a pretty idiot-proof setup. You don’t need any special tools to put it together.
Ergonomics
Both these vacuums share similar components, and this includes the trigger. You’ll need to squeeze this trigger to turn on the motor.
One downside to this would be the strain it puts on your fingers and wrist, but the trigger itself requires only a light touch.
The V11 being heavier, is a bit tougher to use when cleaning areas above floors. With the motor and dust bin on top, it will put more strain on your wrist.
Emptying the dust bin
It’s pretty simple to empty the Dyson V10 bin, just point, then push the lever down to empty contents. This system is much easier than the V6’s non-hygienic system; that’s pretty messy.
The process of dumping the contents of the bin is the same for both vacuums. It employs a point-and-shoot system due to the new alignment of the dust cup.
Unlike the V6, where it can get messy, the V10 and V11 bin have a hygienic system that pushes the dirt down.
Just point the vacuum downward towards the trash bin and push the red latch. This will open the container, and all the contents drop.
Dyson V10 vs. V11 Maneuverability
One of the strong suits of any Dyson cordless vacuum is the ability to swivel.
It can turn on the dime, making it great for moving around furniture.
If there is one issue, it would be the top-heaviness of both vacuums.
Take note that the motor and dirt bin is on top, which will put a lot of strain on your arms when you’re cleaning floors.
Maintenance Costs of the V10 and V11
The primary part of maintaining both the V10 and V11 would be the filters.
Unlike the Dyson V8 and earlier models, the V10 and V11 have only one filter.
These filters are lifetime washable, so technically, there’s no need to buy extra.
Dyson V10 Replacement Filters
Dyson V11 Replacement Filter
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However, the post-motor HEPA filter needs to be washed once a month or more, depending on how dusty the area you’re cleaning is.
There are many options (original and OEM replacements) when buying filters, which aren’t expensive.
I would suggest buying a few extra for folks who’ll be relying on this as their primary vacuum, so there’s no downtime.
Battery
One of the most expensive things to replace in a cordless vacuum would be the battery.
Fortunately, for the V10 and V11, it will last for 15 years, at least if you believe what James Dyson says.
Only time will tell if this is true. If it is so, you’ll be looking at an annual cost of zero dollars to maintain.
Even if it doesn’t last the full 15 years, you can remove the battery of the V10, so it’s only a matter of time for a replacement battery to come out.
Other Dyson cordless vacuum comparisons
Learn more about how each Dyson cordless compares against each variant.
How long will the Dyson V10 and V11 run?
Dyson’s official number for both is 60 minutes max, without any of the powered tools.
Here are the results of my tests.
However, the similarities end there. Despite the uptick in power, the V11 will run longer than the V10 if you look at tests.
In the lowest power mode using the soft roller tool, the V11 will run for 81 minutes. For the V10, the number is 61 minutes using the crevice tool in the lowest setting.
The 81 minutes number is plain crazy for a cord-free vacuum.
Take note that you can use the V10 soft roller attachment on the V11 used in the test.
Another upgrade in the V11 that helps with efficiency is the intelligent suction control.
It is a sensor in the primary tool that detects the surface and adjusts power accordingly.
Tests show that this technology works, and it’s best to leave it on to get the most out of it.
Which Option is Noisier?
The Dyson V11 is the noisier option between the two, maxing out at 78.9 decibels at the highest setting.
Please check the table below for the results of the noise test using a sound meter.
| Low | Mid | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyson V10 | 64.1 dB | 71.6 dB | 76.7 dB |
| Dyson V11 | 66.5 dB | 68.7 dB | 78.9 dB |
I kind of expected these results because the V11 uses a more powerful motor that cleans carpet better.
Dyson V10 vs. V11: Which Offers Better Value?
One of the more important factors when choosing between these two is value for money.
Both offer unique advantages and disadvantages, and we’ll look at them one by one below.
Better value for cleaning performance
Despite the power advantage of the V11, cleaning performance on surface dirt is almost identical.
Based on cleaning tests, the difference between the two is just one percent. It’s minuscule considering the price difference.
Even if you buy the top-of-the-line V10 Absolute, you are still spending less than the V11.
One significant advantage the V11 has over the V10 is in deep cleaning. In the medium setting, which, in my opinion, is the most optimal setting for both on carpets, the difference is 10%.
If there’s one reason to opt for the V11 would be to deep clean carpets.
Winner: Dyson V10
Better value for run time
Aside from deep cleaning carpet, run time is another significant advantage that the V11 has.
Dyson says that both will run for 60 minutes, but real-world tests show otherwise.
The V11 will run for long as 81 minutes and the V10, 61 minutes.
Here’s the kicker, in the auto (or mid) setting, using the torque drive tool, the V11 will still run for 73 minutes while the V10 will run for more than 25 minutes.
That’s almost a 12-minute difference in a configuration that you’ll use on most occasions.
If you’re looking for a whole home cleaner inside a home with lots of carpets, the V11 would be the better option.
Winner: Dyson V11
Better value for technology
V11 has lots of convenience features that will help make your life easier. One significant upgrade over the V10 is the digital display at the back of the motor.
It informs you of essential data such as power mode, battery life, and when you need to clean the filter.
The V11 also gives you the option to let the vacuum decide the right power setting.
If it’s a convenience you’re after, the V11 is a better option.
Winner: Dyson V11
Better value for power
The Dyson V11 has more power across all the power settings. Please check the chart below for the figures in CFM. To measure airflow, I used an anemometer at the wand and main cleaning head.
I like using this tool as it measures airflow directly from the point of entry. The higher the airflow, the better the vacuum does when cleaning embedded dirt on carpets. Other factors like brush roll design are also crucial, but airflow is an important consideration.
The V11 is the clear winner when it comes to airflow, and when you combine it with the better run time, it’s a better option for larger homes.
Winner: Dyson V11
Better value for ergonomics
When it comes to ergonomics, the Dyson V10 would be the better option. It is lighter, thus less straining to use areas above floors. The difference between the two is less than a pound, but those extra ounces can wear on your arm and wrist.
Winner: Dyson V10
Product Specs of the Dyson V10 and V11
Where can you buy these vacuums?
The Dyson V10 and V11 are available in online stores like Amazon and Walmart. Please check the links below for the latest prices.
Please note that if you buy through the links above, I will earn a commission, but at no additional cost to you, so it’s a win-win for both of us!
The Verdict: Is Dyson V11 Better Than V10?
There’s no question that these two vacuums are the best performing cord-free cleaners that money can buy.
But which of the two should you choose?
3 Reasons Why You Should Opt for the Dyson V10
- Costs less: Dollar for dollar, the Dyson V10 provides exception value being the cheaper option than the V11. Cleaning tests show that the V10 has almost the same performance, at least on picking up surface dirt with just a minuscule 1% difference.
- Runs for an hour: Dyson says that the V10 will run for 60 minutes, and tests show that it exceeds this figure at 61 minutes. But that’s using the non-motorized attachments. Even with the cleaning heads, it will run close to 29 minutes, which is a great number for a cordless.
- You want the fluffy tool: This tool works wonders on bare floors, capable of picking up small and dirt pieces of dirt. Unfortunately, the V11 Absolute is only available in the UK. So if you need this tool, go for the V10 Absolute.
4 Reasons Why You Should Opt for the Dyson V11
- Better deep cleaning tool: The V11’s higher airflow is felt most in deep cleaning carpet, which is where it shines. Even in the middle power setting, it was still able to pick up 99%.
- Cleans for more than an hour: Both options have a listed run time of 60 minutes. However, tests show that the V11 will run significantly longer – up to 80 minutes (40 minutes using the torque drive tool in the medium setting)!
- Digital screen display: This screen tells you information about the battery status, cleaning mode, and when to clean the filter. It is a feature unique to the V11 Torque Drive (and Absolute in the UK).
- Automatically adjusts suction: It has a sensor that detects the floor type (carpet or hard floor) and automatically adjusts suction to fit the surface. Dyson calls it the Dynamic Load Sensor that will detect resistance and change motor speed accordingly.
