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The reigning champion for the highest ranked cordless vacuum cleaner has fallen from its top spot. Consumer Reports has announced that it will no longer recommend Dyson stick vacuum models to consumers due to the results of a recent survey.
The survey was given to customers by Consumer Reports. It proved that the Dyson stick models break at a higher rate than those of any other brand, Consumer Reports states. This means that the Dyson V8 Absolute and all other V-models are now in the “Very Good” Category instead of the “Recommended” section, and will be removed from the organization’s lists of recommended stick vacuums. In contrast, Consumer Reports named the Dyson V8 Absolute “the best stick vacuum we’ve ever tested” in 2016.
In the survey, customers were asked: “In total, how many times did this vacuum break or stop working as well as it should?” The answers to this question led Consumer Reports to believe that nearly half of the Dyson stick models will break or fail to work properly within five years of purchasing.
Considering these vacuums retail for $300 to $700, purchasing one needs to feel like an investment — something the consumer can really count on.
This is precisely why Consumer Reports feels they can no longer recommend this option, but Dyson doesn’t agree with Consumer Reports’ findings. The company released this statement to Consumer Reports:
“Dyson goes to the limit to create machines that perform exceptionally, are delightful to use, and last a long time,” an unnamed company spokesperson wrote. “Our rigorous testing, owner surveys, and years of performance differ from the reliability predictions made by Consumer Reports. We will never stop learning and working to do right by our owners.”
The Dyson V8 has also received mixed reviews on Amazon. Of the over 3,000 people to review the product, nearly 400 have written one-star reviews due to issues such as batteries failing to charge. That still gives the vacuum a 4.3 rating out of 5, though.
“It is a 5-star vacuum at the beginning,” one dissatisfied customer noted. “One year later? It runs for 48 seconds after being fully charged overnight.”
Customers who provided poor reviews on the Dyson website had similar battery life and charging issues.
“When it arrived, we immediately started using it and it really works well. We really like having two different power heads, one for our tile floors and one for the carpeting,” a customer wrote. “However, after I inserted the V8 into the charger I had mounted to the wall, nothing happened. So I called customer service and they are in the process of sending a new battery. It’s been a couple of weeks but still no battery. So, we wait.”
But there’s no denying there are still thousands of happy customers out there. Most review sites still show solidly positive rankings for the Dyson model in question, with plenty of positive commentary about the vacuum’s power and light weight. And other publications don’t necessarily seem to be condemning the vacuum as readily as Consumer Reports just yet.
But, that’s not to say that reporters haven’t also completely hated the product in the past. Writer Simone Mitchell did go against popular opinion when he wrote an article titled “I am one of the few people in the world who is not desperately in love with my Dyson vacuum” back in 2017. So, Consumer Reports isn’t the only outlet that has qualms with how well the Dyson stick vacuums live up to such high standards.
Will Consumer Reports sway your decision to purchase a Dyson stick vacuum? If you already own one, are you happy with it? We’d love to know!
Augusta Statz holds a B.F.A. in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She's an avid writer with a genuine sense of curiosity. She feels the best way to absorb the world around you is through fashion, art and food, so that’s what she spends most of her time writing about. More.
