Dyson V7 Animal Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, Purple, Medium

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From the first pull of the trigger, the V7 is markedly quieter than the V8, and the pitch tone is much softer and less aggressive than the jet-engine-like V6. We measured the V7 at 61-62dB in normal power mode at arm’s length and a very reasonable 64-66dB on Max power. For cordless versatility and effective cleaning results all round, we just can’t fault the V7 Animal. For comparison, we measured the V8 at 75dB on Max power. As decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, that 10dB difference is huge. On normal power mode, the V7’s run-time is claimed to be around 30 minutes with the powered head attached, some 5 minutes longer than the V8. The trade-off is slightly lower suction power of 21AW (airwatts) compared to the V8’s 28AW in this mode. Punch both models up to Max power and they’ll run for about 6 minutes, the V7 delivering 100AW while the V8 has 15% more at 115AW. The old V6 also delivers 100AW on Max power for around 6 minutes, but its higher 28AW on normal power means it’s good for only 20 minutes run-time. Got all that? No, me neither – so here’s a comparison table.

The V7 Animal certainly isn’t short of tools; it has five of them plus the tube. They clip on and off the cleaner with ease, are robust, well designed and very effective at their dedicated task. On paper, at least, the new Dyson V7 cordless cleaners sit between the original V6 and the flagship V8 models. The V7 range draws much of its design from the newer V8 but is lighter, quieter and runs for longer in normal power mode. The key change is its smaller, lighter battery, and a jiggling of the suction power versus run-time ratio.

On the down side, we suspect that much of that saving comes from removing the rear post-motor filter of the V6 or V8. This is replaced on the V7 with a foam baffle to reduce noise. We can’t say we noticed any more dust in the exiting air than the other models, but the engineering would suggest the V7 isn’t exhausting air quite as clean and dust-free as its siblings. Dyson V7 Animal – How does it clean carpets and hard floors? As with all Dyson handheld cleaners, the power is offered in two stages – normal and Max – and is selected with a slide switch on top. Run-times for the V7 Animal are promised at 30 minutes and 6 minutes respectively. READ NEXT: Dyson V8 Absolute review: Still the best cordless vacuum? Dyson V7 Animal review: Price and competition The main floorhead’s fairly soft-bristled brush make it safe for use on softwood hard floor steps, but you might find the larger dusting tools even easier if you’re cleaning simple dust, dirt and pet hairs.

The V7 Animal also comes with Dyson’s latest Soft Dusting Brush tool. This is an even better shape for dusting shelves and high-up surfaces than the main 2-in-1 tool, and features very soft bristles for delicate cleaning. My keyboard has never looked so crumb-free.

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So no surprise then that the V7 is properly brilliant on stairs. It handles well, cleans superbly and is quiet while doing so. We can do a large flight of awkwardly shaped carpeted steps on Max power with ease in the allotted 6 minutes if we need more serious cleaning gumption too. All the tools can be clipped directly onto the main handheld unit, or the funky purple extension tube. The clips are a work of plastic genius and feel easier to operate yet more secure than pretty much any other manufacturer’s tool-clip mechanism on the market. In addition, the clips are on the tools, rather than the tube or body, which makes removing and replacing tools with one hand easy.

Dyson’s range of vacuum cleaners can be very confusing to a layman. There are both corded and cordless models with both categories inundated with new products every year. The V7 Animal isn’t new. Released in 2017, a year after the V8 and two years after the V6, it aims to bridge the gap between portability and performance. Is this just a filler for the British-born company or is there still a market for it in 2020? READ NEXT: Best cordless vacuum cleaners: Banish dust and dirt without the wires Dyson V7 Total Clean vs Animal vs Motorhead: What’s the difference? The battery did indeed charge from flat in around 3.5 hours with an LED indicator that’s orange when fully expended, blue while charging, and goes out when the unit is fully charged. The difference between the models becomes even more confusing when comparing their suction power, where the V7 is the weakest of the lot. It has 21 Airwatts on powerful mode and 100 Airwatts in max mode. By comparison, the V8 has 22 and 115, while the V6 has 28 and 100, respectively. That’s a significant amount of cleaning time if you consider that is actual cleaning. The trigger makes you switch off when you’re moving between rooms, straightening the cushions or answering the door. Thanks to the lithium battery and Dyson’s control electronics, you get full power right up until it cuts out too.

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Given that Dyson’s motor is spinning at over 120,000rpm, and the machine delivers mains-like suction power on this higher setting, that’s mighty quiet. Those figures are way, way down on the previous models and make this cleaner very pleasant to use indeed. A single pass on our carpet test area on Max power gave a good account of the V7’s carpet cleaning abilities. The mix of carpet powder, baking powder and talcum powder was well cleaned in just one pass, leaving behind only a few finer grains of the heavier carpet powder. Give it a couple of passes as per normal cleaning and the V7 Animal cleans brilliantly on this setting, getting remarkably good edge cleaning results too. READ NEXT: Dyson V8 Animal review: A cheaper alternative to the Cyclone V10 Dyson V7 Animal review: Performance The cyclone action tends to compress pet hair into a more compact size, allowing you to get more fluff in the bin. Plus, you can push the bin to its fill limit thanks to the pull-out core when emptying. While most over-filled bagless bins will require you to poke about to pull out compressed furballs, the V7’s emptying system always dumps its contents cleanly – even if you run it until the bin is fit to burst.