Dyson V9 Motorbar Review: A Lightweight Cordless Vacuum With Strong Suction

Introduction

The Dyson V9 Motorbar is a new entry in Dyson’s cordless lineup, positioned between the V8 and V11 in terms of price and features. It adopts the newer inline body style popularized by the V10 and V11, and it comes in lighter than the V8. Currently selling for around $400, it presents a compelling price point for a Dyson. This review covers the pros and cons of the V9 Motorbar based on hands-on testing.

The V9 Motorbar is a cordless stick vacuum that comes with the motorbar cleaner head. It does not include a soft roller head like some higher-end versions. The motorbar cleaner head is Dyson’s combo floor head with active hair removal built-in, suitable for both hard floors and carpets. The vacuum features a trombone-style inline body design, meaning the wand, dust bin, and motor are stacked in a straight line. It offers three power modes: eco, medium, and boost. Notably, it lacks an auto suction adjustment mode found on higher-end models.

Who the Dyson V9 Motorbar Is For

The Dyson V9 Motorbar is ideal for those who want a lightweight cordless vacuum with modern features at a more accessible price. Its handle weight measures about 1,226 grams, well below the average of around 1,500 grams for cordless vacuums. This makes it noticeably easier to handle during longer cleaning sessions or when used as a handheld, which is quite practical for a vacuum this light.

It also suits users who prioritize strong suction and effective carpet cleaning. The V9’s sealed suction measured 92 inches of water lift, significantly above average and notably higher than the Dyson V8’s 77 inches. In carpet deep clean tests, it scored 96%, above the 93% average for cordless vacuums. This makes it a solid choice for homes with carpets and pet hair.

Main Strengths

The headline strength of the Dyson V9 Motorbar is its sealed suction. At 92 inches of water lift, it delivers power that exceeds expectations for its price and weight class. This extra power translates into real-world performance, particularly in deep carpet cleaning where it outperforms the average cordless vacuum.

Another significant strength is the active hair removal system. The V9 uses plastic combs built into the brush housing to remove long hair from the roller as you vacuum. In hair tangle tests, it achieved a perfect score, better than the V8 and better than the average. This makes it an excellent option for households with long-haired occupants or pets.

Filtration is another area where the V9 excels. It features Dyson’s whole machine filtration, a fully sealed HEPA system that prevents microscopic dust and particles from escaping back into the air. The V9 passed fog tests with no visible leakage, maintaining Dyson’s high standard even at this lower price point.

The V9 also includes a full LCD screen on the handle, showing real-time battery life, current power mode, and maintenance alerts like filter cleaning reminders. This is a meaningful upgrade over the Dyson V8, which has no screen at all. Being able to see exactly how much runtime remains, with updates as you switch modes, is genuinely useful.

Battery life is respectable. Dyson claims 40 minutes on eco mode, and testing measured about 7 minutes on boost with the floor head attached. Expect around 20 to 25 minutes on medium, the most practical setting for most cleaning. The battery efficiency score comes in above average at 16.4 points versus the 15.85 average, reflecting quality battery engineering. The battery detaches with a single click, and replacement batteries are available directly from Dyson.

The included motorized upholstery tool, called the hair screw tool, features a conical anti-tangle brush bar that works well for picking up pet hair and long hair from furniture, upholstery, and pet beds. Combined with the light handle, above-floor cleaning is more practical than with heavier Dyson models.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The biggest drawback is hard floor surface pickup, which scored below average. The motorbar floor head has smaller front gates that work well for carpets but limit pickup on hard floors. In debris tests, it started to snowplow around larger debris sizes, and its overall hard floor pickup score of 2.0 was below the 3.5 average. It still performed better than the Dyson V8 on hard floors, and for most debris types it handled things fine. This is only a concern if you regularly deal with larger debris on hard floors. The absence of a soft roller head, which would have helped with larger debris, is a notable omission.

Another significant con is the dust bin capacity at 350 ml, well below the average of around 750 ml. This is one of the smallest bins outside the ultralight category, requiring frequent emptying, especially with pets or during full house cleans. The point and shoot bin ejection is hygienic and easy to use, but the frequent emptying is a real inconvenience.

The V9 uses a trigger-style power switch, meaning you hold the trigger down the entire time it runs. It lacks the push button on-off design of the V12 and Gen 5 series. This is not a dealbreaker, but it can be tiring on longer sessions. The V9 also lacks LED lights on the floor head and auto suction adjustment, features found on higher-end Dyson models. Neither is surprising at this price and weight class, but they are worth mentioning.

Buying Advice

The Dyson V9 Motorbar represents genuinely good value at its current selling price of around $400. It offers a lightweight Dyson with modern features including the LCD screen, digital battery display, active hair removal, and sealed HEPA filtration at a price well below the V11 and V15. Its carpet performance is above average, and its sealed suction is significantly higher than expected for this price and weight class.

The main areas to be aware of are the small dust bin and below-average hard floor pickup. If you primarily clean carpets and value a lightweight design with strong suction, the V9 is a compelling choice. If you frequently deal with larger debris on hard floors or prefer a larger dust bin, you may want to consider other options.

Conclusion

The Dyson V9 Motorbar delivers impressive sealed suction, a light handle, and solid carpet cleaning performance at a compelling price. Its active hair removal and sealed HEPA filtration add significant value. While the small dust bin and below-average hard floor pickup are real trade-offs, the V9 remains a strong contender for those seeking a lightweight, modern cordless vacuum without the premium price tag of higher-end models.