I want to buy a Dyson handheld vacuum. It doesn’t need the long wand – I just want a handheld one with a dock to quickly pick up the detritus of toddlers.
But when I look online there’s about 8 different V6s, a DC34, a DC58, a DC30. Which should I get? Which is the latest? Are all the V6s (there’s an Absolute, an Animal, a Trigger, a Fluffy(!), a Mattress, a Car + Boot, a Pro) the same but just with different attachments? Does the dock fit them all and do I have to buy it separately?

I just bought a fluffy. Comes with dock and 4 attachments. I believe the absolute has a slightly better filter. The other 3 models I believe is down to different attachments.

You will want the wand thing it is great for cleaning up after kids / doing the stairs.

The v6 only has a 20min charge and takes 3 hours to replenish. I belive the newer v8s last double but cost £££.

Very happy with ours. Can tell youve hit middle age when you start giving a crap about vacuums.

Generally the higher the DC number the newer it is. There are a range of attachments but no idea what comes with what, sorry. We went for the fluffy as it has an extra head for hard floors. That said we hardly ever use it as the standard head seems to work fine on our hard floor. I wouldn’t write off the long wand. Ours has pretty much replaced the upright for general cleaning. The wand is handy for high stuff too. Dyson outlet shop on ebay is a good place to grab a bargain

Hmm, I had totally disregarded the wand – good info, thanks.
We have a full-time vacuum already so this is a top-up so I’m not too concerned about the charge (at least not enough to buy a V8)

We bought a V6 Animal and it went back a few times to Dyson under warranty to eventually find out it was down to the charger not working. We now have 2 – we’ve got 2 dogs and so they get used daily. 20 minutes from each is enough to do upstairs or downstairs and you can really get into the corners and under furniture that would be pain with an upright.

I’ve just bought the v8 Animal.

Decided the V8 was worth it over the V6, double the battery and “150%” more power, allegedly. The Absolute comes with a load of attachments we’ll never use (e.g., hard floor head, the only hard floor is the kitchen and it’s terra cotta tiling which needs a brush and a mop, not a vacuum). The Animal is £100 off on Dyson’s own site, no brainer.

For comparison,

We did the house top to bottom with our old DC0something (7?) two days before getting the V8. With the 20% charge it arrives with, we managed to half fill the chamber with crud from the living room before it ran out.

We bought a v6 recently, just the standard one, not fancy extra bits.

Works well and 20 minutes is enough to have a quick vacuum around a 4 bedroom house.

The V8 is ridiculous, a lot of money though (I bought it for using at work which negates a lot of the cost!) I have the V6 at home which is great but the V8 is way more powerful.

stop convincing me to buy a V8!

that outlet shop on ebay looks great – I think the V6 Absolute may be purchased this evening.

I have a black and decker job, with a proper dyson for big use, but the principle is the same

I have 2 young kids and 2 dogs, the handheld is in daily use, often a couple of times a day. It’s like a speed broom, especially in the kitchen where we have a light floor (and black dogs). It’s amazing how often the thing gets used!

Big Dyson is only used for a proper house clean and by the cleaner

Brought a V6 absolute just before Christmas as a present for me – Sad i know .. Bloody amazing – im that sad ive taken it to family’s houses and shown them how much crap it brings up !

269 direct from Dyson with all attachments seemed like good value and they offered it on interest free credit for 12 months as well through paypal .. nothing not to like !

I’ve got a V6 and my only criticism is that it needs very regular emptying think if it as a motorised dustpan and you’re not far wrong, the problem is that if the container fills too far you have to smack it quite hard to empty it and it goes everywhere. Have barely used the full size since we got it.

the problem is that if the container fills too far you have to smack it quite hard to empty it and it goes everywhere.

Yep, there is a line on it & unlike most lines that say “max” or whatever you ignore this one at your peril! The V8 has a slightly better designed emptying mechanism but there is still the potential for it to go everywhere if you aren’t careful!

stolen from hotdeals.

There are 5 versions of Dyson V6: Absolute (pink), Clean (red), Fluffy (blue), Animal (purple) and Standard (White).
The difference among the Dyson v6 versions:

Standard – has a 20w motorhead attachment, this is the weakest of the series and a crevice tool
£143.99

Animal – same motorhead attachment as the standard. In addition it has a mini motorhead for pets
£167.99

Fluffy – has all the above and one additional soft brush attachment specifically designed for bare / hardwood floors
£191.99

Clean – has all the above but a more powerful 35w direct-drive cleaner head – which replaces the standard 20w motorhead.
£176.99

Absolute – has the mini pet tool as above, a more powerful 50w direct-drive than the Cleaner, and oddly, a very plain / simple attachment with silicon wipes for hardwood floors instead of soft brush attachment. In addition it has a Hepa filter at the motor exhaust – this also makes it a little heavier. All this will make the battery work a lot harder than the lower end versions.
£215.99

I just bought the clean from their ebay refurb store.

Have barely used the full size since we got it.

This. I got our Miele out to clean the house the other day and had forgotten what a comparative hassle it is to drag a cable around, moving it to a different socket between rooms and floors etc etc.

Once in a room I still think the Miele is quicker and does a better job. Andy emptying a Dyson rarely goes well.

Useful thread. Two dogs, wooden floors, generally haul the (very good) Miele cat and dog about. But it’s every blooming day. So 20 mins should be fine. And I can say ‘I’ve bought a fluffy’ 🙂

Only problem is 6 month old pup regards the vacuum as a personal affront and attacks it with all the savagery a soft labrador can. Might be due to be using it on her when she was quite small 😉

Only problem is 6 month old pup regards the vacuum as a personal affront and attacks it with all the savagery a soft labrador can. Might be due to be using it on her when she was quite small

Strangely our cat hates the Miele vac but seems pretty nonchalant about the Dyson – you can use it around her and she just ignores it.

I actually bought my wife THIS Makita vacuum for Christmas in 2015.
We’re still married! After the initial silent treatment she realised that it was the thought that counts. I obviously did a lot of market research and I already have a couple of 5A/Hr 18v batteries, so the savings meant I could lavish her with other stuff (like a hot glue gun).
Great little vac and designed for a building site, so won’t have any trouble cleaning up kids debris.

Just got the V6 Absolute from John Lewis – half price a week or so ago.
Really impressed with it. Good range of attachments, I was doubtful over the use of the motorised brush but did a lap of the house last night and it held enough charge (3 bedroom house, 3 children, mix of hard floors and carpet) and it picked up far more than our Henry ever does.

There are 5 versions of Dyson V6: Absolute (pink), Clean (red), Fluffy (blue), Animal (purple) and Standard (White).

nice one (except I’ve just bought a V6 Total which isn’t on the list!). Maybe it’s another name for the Clean

I got a V6 Fluffy in November. Brilliant. Even if I’m downstairs I tend to go upstairs to get the V6 rather than walk through to get the DC50 just because the V6 is so easy to use with no wiry faff.

The small motorised head works brilliantly on stairs. The wand with the small brush is a great help for spiders’ webs in the cornicing and on the picture rails. And the motorised brush with the wand is great for general cleaning. The fluffy brush works better on wooden floors to pick up bits than the DC50’s ‘multi-surface’ motorised head.

20 minutes on regular power, or rather less on ‘boost’, is enough for me. I don’t like vacuuming marathons.

I actually bought my wife THIS Makita vacuum for Christmas in 2015.
We’re still married! After the initial silent treatment she realised that it was the thought that counts.

You bought your wife a vacuum cleaner for Christmas? 😯

You bought your wife a vacuum cleaner for Christmas?

And a hot glue gun according to his post. He’s clearly an old romantic really 🙂

I had a cheap Vax portable for cleaning the MTB mud and detritus out of the car but it’s not really man enough for the job. Hoping the fluffy can fulfil that role and cleaning the big shed which again tends to be a bit wattle and daub especially in winter.

Hot Glue gun was saved for a birthday – you can spoil them too much…
Oh, and a staple gun – she loved that.

Panaracer tyres – which are now on my bike.
Dual compost tumbler.

My very first gift to her 14 years ago was an electric toothbrush!

I’ve just bought a V6 Total which isn’t on the list!). Maybe it’s another name for the Clean

It’s called the “Total Clean” so yes, it’s the same thing.

My very first gift to her 14 years ago was an electric toothbrush!

You’re such an incurable romantic…

So where are the best deals for these bad boys? Post Christmas treat.

Dyson outlet store on ebay

eBay? Blimey ok. I’ll take a look.

Got one of the Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum Cleaner over the Christmas break and it’s very, very good. We have a mix of hard floors and carpeting and it seems to cope incredibly well with both. Just about do the the whole house on 1 charge so gave old wired one away!

and it picked up far more than our Henry ever does.

Burn him!

The Henry was always crap for home use. Great in a commercial environment as they’re indestructible and can vac up all manner of nasty shite that would kill a regular domestic cleaner. Why you’d ever want one in the home I’ve no idea.

Well I now have my fluffy! Didn’t come fully charged by a quick go with a few of the brushes suggests it’s a bit of a monster considering it’s cordless. Dog Hair, Rugs, Wooden floor, Sofa all good.

Yet to try on dog.

We got the standard V6 last Christmas in the sales mainly for stairs and the car but its took over from the normal vac for everyday duties. Must remember to plug it in, always forget.

Wife’s birthday in February. Sorted!

I can think of other “Money saving tips”, which also double up as Birthday/Christmas gifts…

Looking at the cordless now. Is the eBay outlet worth it over the Dyson store or John Lewis?

I bought a dc58 a couple of years ago off the outlet – nearly 50% off the best price I’d seen anwhere else (though refurb, obvz, and had no dock)

looked brand new, probably was. Bought a “compatible” dock off ebay for a few quid, dremelled it to fit the charger lead and it’s been perfect

I didn’t give it to the wife for Christmas though – the ewbank’ll do for her; this goes in the garage 😉

Looking at the cordless now. Is the eBay outlet worth it over the Dyson store or John Lewis?

£70 saving on the total clean. How could it not be?