Dyson V8 Absolute review: finally a cordless alternative to an upright

Latest handheld vacuum with full suite of attachments, powered heads and 40-minute runtime is capable of cleaning the whole house as well as a corded model

Dyson believes that cordless vacuums are the future, whether handheld or robotic, but battery technology has been the big sticking point. The latest V8 cordless claims to last twice as long and to be able to completely replace a corded vacuum.

The Dyson V8 is the latest in a long line of handheld vacuum cleaners, which started life as the DC16 in 2007. Since then, they've become more powerful, and with improved energy-efficiency and batteries, they last longer between charges. They've also gained floor tools and wands to turn them into full vacuum-cleaner replacements.