Verdict

It could so easily have been an old product shipped with a new accessory or two, but the new Dyson V7 Absolute is a different beast to the original. The bin-emptying system is a vast improvement over the old one, and there's a new filtration system that stops dust from escaping. Throw in the new accessories, including the under-furniture angled joint, and the new V7 Absolute is a flexible and useful addition to a main vacuum cleaner.

Pros

• Excellent range of accessories
• Powerful cleaning
• Improved bin emptying

Cons

• Battery isn't replaceable
• Comparatively expensive

Dyson has been pushing the limits of what a cordless vacuum cleaner is capable of, as well as pushing the limits of how much people will pay. With the brand-new Dyson V7 Absolute you get a cheaper vacuum cleaner, but one that’s been redesigned to offer some nifty new features.

A solid mid-range performer, the Dyson V7 Absolute, is a flexible add-on for anyone who wants a cordless vacuum to accompany their more powerful plug-in model.

Dyson V7 Absolute – What you need to know

• General vacuuming – With all of the accessories you could want, this cordless vacuum cleaner can tackle any job around your home.
• Carpet test – Powerful pick-up on carpet, although this cleaner doesn’t achieve quite the same level of edge pick-up as the company’s more powerful cleaners.
• Hard floor test – Sucked up all of our test rice, although the cleaner needed a burst of Max mode to ensure grains of rice didn’t drop back out.
• Pet hair pick-up – Easily scooped up pet hair from our test carpet.

Related: Best cordless vacuum cleaner

Dyson V7 Absolute design – Light and able, with a new bin-emptying system

Dyson could so easily have continued selling the original V7 range at a lower price, but the engineers have been back for a second go, improving several features. First, and most noticeable, is the new bin-emptying system. Rather than having to pull up the cartridge to tip out the 0.54l bin, the new design sees the cartridge slide up, before the bottom trap door opens to allow its contents to exit.

The new emptying system makes it easier to get dust out cleanly

The original V7 could so easily end up creating a cloud of dust, but the new model directs mess straight into the bin. It’s a much-needed improvement and one that makes this vacuum cleaner more pleasant to use.

Dyson has also upgraded the filtration system. Joining the mid-body filter is a new HEPA filter at the rear of the vacuum. According to Dyson, this means the V7 will output clean air from the rear of the vacuum.

There’s now a post-motor filter

Aside from these changes, it’s very much business as normal for the Dyson V7 Absolute. It maintains the same handheld design and trigger-switch operation, with a slider on the top to move the vacuum from standard to Max power mode.

Weighing just 2.32kg, this is one of the lightest handheld vacuum cleaners you can buy. Whether you’re using it handheld to clean the car, or reaching up high to remove cobwebs from around your ceilings, the superb balance and low weight of this vacuum make it a pleasure to use.

Small and light, this vacuum is easy to use both high and low

Furthermore, it’s the sheer range of accessories with which this model ships that make it stand out against rival cleaners. First, you get two floors heads: a motorised brush for carpet and the soft-roller head for hard floors. There’s also a soft dusting brush, combination tool, crevice tool and a small motorised brush, which is ideal for stairs.

No matter which surface you want to tackle, this cleaner has an accessory for it

New to this model is the reach under tool, which is effectively an angled joint that lets you clean under sofas and other bits of furniture without having to bend over. This tool is also available for and compatible with other cleaners in the Dyson range. It works brilliantly, too, making it faster and easier to achieve a thorough clean.

With the reach under tool, cleaning under sofas has never been so easy

Our one minor complaint is that the new model doesn’t have the rubber grip at the end of the handle found on both the V10 and V11. Without this addition, it’s easy for the V7 to fall over if you lean it up against a wall.

It’s also a shame that this model comes with an integrated battery, rather than moving to a replaceable one. You can charge the V7 directly by plugging in the power adapter, plus there’s a handy wall mount that provides a permanent charging solution. This wall mount also includes storage for a couple of accessories; you can’t store anything on the main body of the vac.

You can plug the power adapter straight in, or hang the vacuum from the wall mount

Dyson V7 Absolute performance – The range of accessories boosts cleaning power and flexibility

With its V7 motor, the Dyson V7 Absolute sits towards the bottom of Dyson’s cordless range – although it’s really about mid-range compared to the competition. To try it out, I ran the vacuum cleaner through a series of tests. I started by assessing its suction ability. On standard power, I measured the vacuum as capable of a 24-inch water lift, shifting 10.46ft3 of air per minute. This works out to a reasonable 29.5 air watts. Switching to Max mode, I saw a water lift of 58 inches, and airflow of 17.6ft3 of air, which gives 120 air watts.

Noise-wise, the V7 Absolute is relatively quiet,  coming in at 75.6dB in my tests on standard power and 82.6dB on Max. You get 30 minutes of cleaning time in standard power mode, but moving up to Max shortens this to just six minutes. As such, the vacuum should really only be used in this latter mode for stubborn dirt that requires extra oomph to remove.

Next, I put the vacuum cleaner through some real-world dust tests. Starting out with carpet, I spread a teaspoon of flour onto carpet, right up to the skirting board. Using the motorised brush on standard power, the vacuum swept through and left only a small area of dust by the skirting board; a second sweep on Max mode picked up most, but I still had to use the crevice tool to get everything.

Carpet test: Dirty carpet (left) vs Clean carpet (right) – move slider to compare

On hard floor, I sprinkled a teaspoon of rice onto the floor. I used the soft roller brush to sweep through on standard power. Thanks to the design of the soft roller, a clean sweep was made through the middle of the mess, although a quick burst of Max power was required at the end to stop grains of rice falling back out.

Hard floor test: Dirty hard floor (left) vs Clean hard floor (right) – move slider to compare

Finally, I combed cat hair into the carpet and used the vacuum cleaner with the motorised brush to remove the mess. This time around, the cleaner sucked up everything, leaving no traces of hair behind.

Pet hair test: Dirty carpet (left) vs Clean carpet (right) -–move slider to compare

Should you buy the Dyson V7 Absolute?

If you own a corded vacuum cleaner and you’re happy with the performance it delivers, the new Dyson V7 Absolute would make a great accompaniment; it isn’t quite powerful enough for whole-home cleaning as the company’s high-end Dyson V11.

The new design makes emptying the bin easier, and it offers improved air filtration, which is great news for allergy sufferers. In addition, the range of tools on offer make this model stand out, offering greater flexibility than much of the competition. Take the excellent Vax ONEPWR Blade 4, for example. This model is a touch cheaper than the V7, is more powerful and has replaceable batteries – but it doesn’t offer the breadth of accessories that come with the Dyson.

In all, the Dyson V7 Absolute is a capable and useful add-on for anyone who wants a light and flexible cleaner for day-to-day cleaning.

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