Dyson V6

Showboating lightweight cordless power & flexibility to the max! With 100AW and spinning at 110,000 RPM, the Dyson V6 Absolute offered tantalizing glimpses of just how good cordless vacuums would become. In the carpet corner (although it can be used on all floors), the direct drive cleaner head on the Dyson V6 Absolute flagship variant has a… Read more ·  1

blistering 75% more brush bar power (driving bristles deep into the carpet) than previous V6 models, which were armed with the basic motorized cleaner head for a more economical price. In the hard floors corner, the soft fluffy roller head offers added security for protection of your hard floors while picking up fine dust and larger debris with ease. On top of the improved power and technology over the previous DC44, the vacuum also offered 20 minutes (high suction) run time and up to 6 minutes in max power mode. But that's not all; with easy to empty bins, a trigger mechanism to save battery, supreme flexibility with modes of use (floor or handheld) and different tools and floor heads for almost any and every occasion, the V6 turned the cordless vacuum market upside down. There's more, but read on through to find out why the V6 is such a hottie for your health.

POPULARITY Dyson were really starting to find their cordless feet with the V6, with multiple versions including: -Dyson V6 Car & Boat handheld -Dyson V6 Fluffy -Dyson V6 Absolute -Dyson V6 Animal - Dyson V6 Slim -Dyson V,6 Mattress These could be a handheld only version, feature a direct drive or standard motorized cleaner head, a fluffy head for hard floors, a slimmer, even lighter version or models with more or less attachments such as the mini turbine head or with a HEPA filter. While discontinued from 2018, the V6 maintains a cult-like following; you will probably see more of these guys for sale and bought secondhand than arguably any other cordless vacuum. There used to be so many models, that if you were on a budget, you could get the same power on every model but with less tools, handheld, or a cheap floor head etc. However, while this was a nice touch, from a business perspective, this would have been hard to sustain; Dyson’s are already so flexible and still have a huge range of cordless vacuums, but there can be such a thing as too many variants. However, with less options within the range and improved technology and performance, you are left forking out more.

SIZE The beauty of this machine is how lightweight and versatile it is - if you want a slimmer, flatter floor head, you can pick the slim version or older V6s.

SIZE MATTERS, RIGHT? It does, and some of the bigger Dyson’s maybe more suited to your needs. However, an average sized 3 bed 2 bath house is achievable on the high suction setting. Furthermore, if you have stairs, the V6 takes no effort at all to lift up.

HANDHELD MODE Its ability to act as a handheld vacuum - for surfaces, inside draws, window or wardrobe tracks, fan blades, couch, mattress, car, pet stations etc - is a powerful weapon. Dyson have all the attachments and even a mini motor turbine to help meet your particular need. These days, the V7 trigger filled the void left by the V6; as for now, the V8 Car and Boat is the latest incarnation, offering up to 50 mins battery power.

HEPA FILTER Capturing 99.9% of particles down to 0.3 microns, say goodbye to dust, pollen, pet dander, mites and other allergens when vacuuming with the V6 Absolute version. Health has always been important and this feature effectively meets that need. Wash once a month, under cold water, and leave until completely dry (approximately. 24 hours.) If you want to improve the means of reducing allergens, you may want to invest in not only the Absolute model, but also additional tools.

BIN The point and shoot bin works via clicking the red tab; different from the newer V7 in terms of operation and removal, but still fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it. However, it would still be recommended to do this outside if you suffer from allergies.

DOCK STATION With lightness, there are always issues with storage, so the Dyson docking / charging station for safe placement of your machine is handy. Just attach your plug into the wall mount.

NEWER V6 Newer V6s such as the Absolute version reviewed here have fatter, more powerful direct drive cleaner heads, which agitate carpets and general floors to a greater degree, meaning better pick up power where debris and fine dust is concerned. They can be used on all floors. The standard V6 motorized head has a flatter, smaller design - kinder on the pocket, but not as effective. The Fluffy head isn't just a pretty face; the soft roller not only better protects your floors, it better performs through picking up more larger debris and fine dust.

WILL YOUR GENERAL HEAD WORK ON ALL FLOORS? A certain yes, but the profile is not designed to tackle larger debris and fine dust on hard floors as well as the custom designed soft fluffy roller head. But if your home has mainly carpets and few hard floors, you will be better suited to a standard V6; however, you also lose the HEPA filter, which from a health perspective is a big win.

TOOLS / COMPATIBILITY V6s have a wide range of tools, including: -Bendy extension crevice / brush for hard to reach places -Up top tool - Stiff dirt and soft dusting brushes -Crevice tools -Combi brush - Hoses -Mattress tool -Mini motorhead turbine for cars, cushions and so on. These have a grey tab or no tab at all - so they aren’t compatible with red tab Dyson’s. The same applies with batteries, wands and the floor heads, although the V6 fluffy roller will fit on earlier DC models. Note that the V6 Slim also has a different fitting on the bin and wand for the slimmer floor head.

CLEANING / MAINTENANCE Another nice feature of the V6 is the ability to clean deeper. For example, cyclone covers can be removed and vacuumed or wiped. Older V6 floor heads also are very easy to clean once the roller is removed. The newer heads have a better, bigger motor and performance, but aren’t as easy to clean.

V6 vs V7 -If you are contemplating a V6 over a V7 or v8, while you might get a lighter machine and arguably a more accessible to clean cyclone if you clip off the outside mesh, you won't be able to get your machine serviced from Dyson as it has been discontinued. You can pick up parts still, however. Differences include: +30 mins battery on a V7 +An anti tangle comb on the direct drive motorbar +An easier to remove bin and cyclone +A more powerful vacuum. +HEPA filter on all new V7 models Tabs have also become red, so your V6 tools and floor heads will not be compatible.

THE FLIP SIDE As mentioned above, tech moves at a rapid rate so as good as V6 remains, it is more advantageous to have a newer model. - Removing the cyclone does require a flathead on either side of the white clip tabs if you don't have the officially supplied Dyson tool. -Also, the battery is a respectable 20 mins but bigger houses certainly will benefit from the 30 minutes of the V7. -The direct drive cleaning head is superb, but you will find hair gets quite tangled on the brush bar over time if you don't regularly clean it. This will be particularly problematic from a cleaning aspect if you have pets or a family with generous portions of hair. -From experience, you will require a spare top HEPA filter as well as they can be more unpredictable compared to a V7 or v8 one. You will normally hear a squeaky noise that will alert you to an issue.

V6 ABSOLUTELY The V6 top of the range Absolute is the complete package. Firstly, it took things to a new level with a washable HEPA filter, which previous V6 models did not have. Additionally, it offers everything your floors need, with specifically designed heads for carpets and hard floors, as well as the nifty mini turbine head which is fantastic for pillows, fabric couches, car, pet stations and so on. Of course, the direct drive head was at the time the far better than Dyson's other general/carpet head, so this would have been a big deal - to this day, its still a powerful performer, setting the template of how Dyson heads would look from the V6 to the V10, give or take some subtle changes. On top of all that, the classic red is as eye-catching as the performance itself; and complete with the lightweight design and flexibility of the attachments and handheld mode, this is one of Dyson's best. While Dyson has moved on dramatically since (and despite some minor reservations), this vacuum stands the test of time; particularly the V6 Absolute version, which still maintains its popularity (and good looks!) to this day.

Buyers remorse - and then some – I bought this vacuum about 5 years ago and have been using it less and less as the years roll by. I replaced the battery about 2 years ago, and now it’s failing again. I’m about to give the unit away on Marketplace as it’s obsolete and there’s a ton of them trying to be sold for peanuts. Pros: It is lightweight. The swivel head works well. The… Read more

boost mode is good - with a well charged battery. The parts click together well with proper clips.

Cons: It was expensive to buy - and they still are. Having to alway have the trigger held on is tiring and annoying. It often pushes clumps of pet hair and dust in front of it. I have to lift the unit into the air and place it on the offending grime. Blockages are common as there is a sharp corner in the canister head. Cleaning the canister of rubbish happens a lot and it messy and time consuming. I have to use a paddle pop that I carry with me, to prise the hair and dust out. Removing the canister from the unit is possible but very fiddly to reattach to the unit. I had to drill into my wall to mount it.

Sadly, some of the cons with this unit still persist today - like having to always hold the trigger.

I’m about to take advantage of the Black Friday sales and get a Shark cordlesss Stratos Pet Pro.

Great little vacuum cleaner – Used as secondary Vac cleaner used practically every day, so easy to use, does a great job 9 years old and still going strong have replaced battery twice, 4 filters and one brush. Used on hard floors and carpet, only criticism dust bin cold be larger. Show details ·  1

Best Buy ever! – I use my Dyson on all floor types from wooden floors to tiles and to clean those hard to reach places like your ceiling and ceiling fans! It comes with some fantastic attachments to make chore time easier and more efficient! It’s also fantastic for picking up that annoying cat hair from all your soft furnishings! Show details ·  1

Great suction. Requires regular cleaning – We have a small two bedroom house with vinyl floor planks. We also have one medium floor rug. We use it two to three times a week. The vacuum preforms well on the smooth flooring. I was surprised how well it worked on the short pile rugs. Its run time of 20 min is just enough to clean our small house. We haven't had to replace its battery. We… Read more

have had to replace the roller brush once as hair strands get tangled in the rotary action.

The machine generally needs cleaning before it gets up to the indicator line. Fibers and fluff get caught up around the centre. The bottom hatch and canister are somewhat cumbersome to take off and clean.

I was disappointed with the customer service I received when I enquired about one of the rear roller wheels that no longer sat level. As a subsequence the left hand side was starting to wear and was marking the floor. They said that I could purchase a replacement motorised head for about $200. The cost alone would make it prohibitive to replace. The rubber wheels are also starting loose the outside layer.

While it is has performed satisfactorily overall, with the suction, cleaning ability and battery life, I would be hesitant to upgrade to a newer model, with problems starting arise after three years with the head and also the cost of replacement.