Should I buy a Dyson V8 or a V11 in the early Black Friday sale? Here's what you need to know

Wondering whether to buy a Dyson V11 or V8 in the early Black Friday sales? I'm here to help. Below, I've hunted out the best deals on each vacuum, and laid out the differences in design and functionality that you need to be aware of before making your decision.

I've used both models and they're both excellent cleaners – neither would be a bad choice. These are amongst the best cordless vacuums on the market, with high build quality and powerful suction. However, right now based on available deals, I think the best value option for most people will be the V11 for $399.99 (was $659.99) at Walmart. It's $70 more than the cheapest V8 deal ($329.99 rather than $549.99 at Amazon), and I think the better performance is worth the extra outlay – not to mention that V11 comes bundled with whole bunch of useful detail tools.

Now is a great time to think about investing in a new vacuum cleaner. Black Friday is fast approaching, and plenty of brands and retailers have kicked off their Black Friday sales early, so if you want to skip the craziness on the day itself, it's not a bad idea to shop early.

What are the best deals?

Dyson V11 vacuum: was $661.49 now $399.99 at Walmart

The best deal on the V11 right now is at Walmart, where this cordless stick vacuum is down to $399.99. In fact, that price is available in a few places (from Dyson, Amazon and Best Buy), but where Walmart has the edge is with accessories – this deal is on the 'Extra' version, which comes with a whole bunch of detail tools for various cleaning tasks.

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Dyson V8 vacuum: was $549.99 now $329.99 at Amazon

This is a hefty discount on the V8 – it usually fluctuates between full price and $350, but very rare for it to drop lower than that. At Amazon, you'll get a mini motorized Hair screw tool included, for cleaning furniture and stairs. This deal is also available at Best Buy, and direct from Dyson, where there's no Hair screw tool, but there is a free 'Furniture cleaning kit' bundled in – I'm not completely clear what's included in that.

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How are the Dyson V8 and V11 different?

The V8 is the older of the two vacuums – it came out in 2016, and the V11 was the flagship model to follow it in 2019. I'd say the two biggest changes Dyson made with the V11 were 1. to add a screen that conveys information and 2. to shift the layout so the wand, dust cup and motor are all in a straight line.

The screen is a big benefit. It'll tell you what mode you're using, spell out exactly how much cleaning time you have left of the battery in that mode, and inform you of an issues, with an indication of how to fix them. In comparison, the V8 relies on indicator lights to provide any information; a system that's both less precise and less clear.

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The shuffling of the layout is less of an outright win. It apparently improves suction efficiency, but in practice it elongates the body of the vacuum and makes it a bit harder to wield. The issue is exacerbated by the fact that the V11 is heavier than the V8.

Elsewhere, the V8 has a smaller bin, a shorter runtime, and one less suction mode compared to the V11. It's also officially less powerful, although in my tests I found the two models delivered comparable cleaning performance.

Want more info? Head to my Dyson V11 review or Dyson V8 review for a deep-dive on each model individually, or head to my full Dyson V11 vs V8 explainer for a more in-depth comparison. Alternatively, head to my guide to the best Dyson vacuums to see how these models fit into the wider lineup.

How do the specs compare?