Dyson’s Entry-Level Stick Vacuum Is $130 Off Right Now

Nobody needs a $250 vacuum cleaner, but a cordless vac sure does make life easier around the home. Fiddling with power cords that tangle up with furniture (and feet) gets old fast, and cheap vacuums sometimes struggle to properly clean carpets. That’s why we like Dyson’s powerful and nimble stick vacs, but they’re expensive. The V8 Motorhead is an older model, but with $130 off the sticker price, it’s a great way to enter the cordless vac life.

The V8 has been superseded by newer stick vacuums, but it’s still far cheaper than the step-up model, the $500 Dyson V10. The V8—like all of Dyson’s stick vacuums—converts into a handheld vac at the push of a button, so you could say it’s like getting two vacuums in one. It’s usually $380 at Target, but the current sale brings it down to $250. Target says this sale ends on Saturday.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Is the V8 Motorhead Origin Right for You?

Dyson V8 vacuum being used underneath dresser — Photograph: Dyson

I recommended the V8 as the best budget option in our Best Dyson Vacuums guide because I subjected it to hardwood floors and deep carpets, and it almost always picked up dirt and crumbs on the first pass. Yes, the more expensive and newer Dysons have stronger motors and fancy dust-scanning features, but the V8 offers similar performance for much less money.

The V8 Motorhead Origin runs for up to 40 minutes on a charge, weighs only a shade above five pounds, and has a modular design. You can remove the wide, motor-driven floor-cleaning head and replace it with the included combination tool attachment for narrower spots with the push of a button. It also comes with a charger and a wall-mounted dock so you can hang it from the drywall.

The downside of the Motorhead Origin version of the V8 is that it only comes with those two attachments. They’re the most useful, but you’ll have to shell out for any others. The crevice tool, for example, is handy for narrow spaces, and the standard Dyson V8 Motorhead includes it; you can snag it from eBay right now for $30 more.

Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.