Is the Dyson V10 Worth It?

It seems impossible that cordless vacuums could deliver the same high-quality suction and floor-cleaning abilities as their corded counterparts. But based on third-party testing and user reviews, the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute can do exactly that.

In Dyson's lineup of cordless vacuums, the V10 Absolute stands atop the rest. It offers the best suction, the longest battery life and the most flexibility in cleaning your home. And when the vacuum is in its Max Suction mode, the company claims that the device can suck up to 25 percent more dust from carpets than competitors can.

But is the Dyson V10 Absolute for you, or should you go for another of the best vacuum cleaners? Here's a rundown.

Dyson V10 Price and Availability

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

At a suggested retail price of $699, the Cyclone V10 Absolute is expensive. But it's currently on sale Amazon. There are cheaper alternatives, like the Dyson V8 Absolute ($499 MSRP, $344.99 on Amazon). You'll get much of the same functionality for a fraction of the price, but you'll need to live with less suction and shorter battery life.

There are other Cyclone V10s from Dyson, including the Cyclone V10 Motorhead ($352) and Cyclone V10 Animal ($448.90). They generally sell for lower prices, but they lack some features you'll find in the Absolute.

Key Features

The Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute is a cordless vacuum that comes with the company's cyclone technology to improve suction. In fact, with the Dyson V10's support for 14 concentric cyclones, this vacuum offers the best suction of any Dyson Cyclone available.

At first blush, the Dyson V10 Absolute looks like a standard wireless vacuum, with a thin and lightweight design. You can use it in that mode on both carpets and hardwood floors. But Dyson also made the V10 Absolute a hybrid, so you can remove the handle at the top for use in easy-to-reach areas or use the entire vacuum to clean harder-to-reach areas on the ceiling or in corners.

Bin Size and Attachments

Chief among those features are a larger bin size and more attachments to help you clean more spaces.

For instance, the Absolute comes with a bin size of 0.77 liters, dwarfing the 0.54 liters you'd get in the V10 Motorhead. That Motorhead option ships with a combination tool and crevice tool for cleaning, but both the Animal and the Absolute add the mini-soft-dusting brush and mini-motorized tool to boost your cleaning experience.

Weight

According to Dyson, the Cyclone V10 Absolute is small but capable of picking up fine dust and large debris alike. It's fairly lightweight, at 5.9 pounds, but if you have some cleaning to do high up on the walls, even that weight may be a problem over an extended period.

Battery Life and Charging

Dyson's Cyclone V10 Absolute ships with a battery rated to last 60 minutes on a single charge. And with a drop-in dock, you can easily stow the vacuum out of the way. There are also three power modes designed to help you clean carpet, tile and hardwood.

Note that the Dyson V10 Absolute uses its battery only when you're pulling the trigger on the vacuum. However, before you can even begin using the device, you'll need to charge it for at least 3.5 hours, which is unfortunate.

Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute Reviews: What the critics say

Critics around the web reviewed the Dyson V10 Absolute, and most gave positive reports. Some of them had negative things to say, though.

Wired

Score: 8/10

Takeaway: "As with all things Dyson, the V10 breeds sticker shock. But also as with all things Dyson, you get what you pay for, and this thing kicks ass."

Trusted Reviews

Score: 5/5

Takeaway: "Powerful, long-lasting and incredibly good at, well, everything, the Dyson Cyclone V10 is not only the best cordless cleaner we have tested, [but] it is [also] the best cleaner, full stop."

Consumer Reports

Score: 89/100

Key Takeaway: “To be clear, the new V10 is a terrific stick vac, and it earns an Excellent Overall Score in Consumer Reports’ ratings. But it’s not the best. That title goes to its predecessor, Dyson’s V8 Absolute—which sells for $200 less.”

Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute User Reviews

The Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute has an average score of 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon in 335 customer reviews. The vacuum has the same rating in 75 reviews on the Dyson website.

Overall, people were pleased with the vacuum's performance. They noted that it cleaned impressively on carpets and hardwood floors and said that you don't often need the high setting to suction different parts of the house. Still, many reviewers complained that the battery isn't removable or that the vacuum takes too long to charge.

MORE: Is the Dyson V8 Absolute Worth It?

But the biggest complaint against the Dyson V10 Absolute was about its price. Many of the reviewers said that the Absolute does an outstanding job of vacuuming the home but doesn't do enough to justify its price.

It's worth noting that Dyson offers a 90-day money-back guarantee for the V10 if you don't like the device.

Credit: Dyson

Don Reisinger is CEO and founder of D2 Tech Agency. A communications strategist, consultant, and copywriter, Don has also written for many leading technology and business publications including CNET, Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Computerworld, Digital Trends, TechCrunch and Slashgear. He has also written for Tom's Guide for many years, contributing hundreds of articles on everything from phones to games to streaming and smart home.