Dyson’s V16 Piston Animal earned a perfect 100% in Vacuum Wars’ carpet deep-clean test, against a 93% average for cordless vacuums. Vacuum Wars, a YouTube testing channel that bought both V16 models with its own money, made the V16 Submarine its new No. 1 cordless vacuum, displacing the V15.
The V16 Piston Animal listed at $799.99 and the V16 Submarine at $899.99 on Amazon on Oct 17, 2026. Vacuum Wars called the two “essentially the same vacuum,” apart from the Submarine’s wet cleaning head. This review covers what Dyson changed, how the V16 tested, and whether the Submarine is worth the extra $100.
Dyson V16 Piston Animal Review: Specs
Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
| Spec | Dyson V16 Piston Animal | Dyson V16 Piston Animal Submarine |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Amazon, Oct 17, 2026) | $799.99 | $899.99 |
| Listed runtime | Up to 70 min (seven-cell battery) | Up to 70 min |
| Max runtime (Vacuum Wars) | 24 min with a cleaner head | Same vacuum |
| Listed weight | 7.5 lb | — |
| Listed bin | 0.3 gal | — |
| Main head | All Floor Cones head with green laser | Same, plus Submarine 2.0 wet head |
| Filtration | Fully sealed HEPA (Vacuum Wars) | Fully sealed HEPA |
What’s New on the V16
- All Floor Cones head: dual cone brush rolls designed to resist hair tangles. Vacuum Wars said it’s the first Dyson combo head with green laser illumination.
- Compacting bin: a secondary lever pushes debris deeper into the bin, so you can clean longer before emptying, and keeps the inside cleaner.
- Battery screen: shows the remaining runtime for your attachment and power mode, plus real-time particle counts.
- Handling: Vacuum Wars said better weight distribution makes it “much more nimble” than earlier generations, especially above the floor.
How the V16 Tested
Cleaning
It “performed exceptionally well in virtually all of our cleaning tests on both hard floors and carpets,” Vacuum Wars said. It scored 100% on carpet deep cleaning and perfectly on crevice pickup. The soft roller and laser showed fine dust “you’d probably never notice otherwise” (Vacuum Wars, “Dyson V16 Piston Submarine Review — Our New Pick for Best Cordless Vacuum!”).
Suction
Results were above average for both sealed and unsealed suction, and the V16 beat Shark’s flagship in usable suction and airflow at the head. Its sealed suction is slightly lower than some earlier Dysons. Vacuum Wars said that “probably isn’t” a step back, because past a point more sealed suction makes a vacuum harder to push and louder without cleaning better.
Battery
Dyson rates it for up to 70 minutes on low, well above the roughly 45-minute average. Vacuum Wars measured as much as 24 minutes on max with a cleaner head. Auto mode raises suction when it detects more debris and eases off to save battery.
Filtration
The V16 passed Vacuum Wars’ fog test, which looks for filtration leaks, with no visible fog.
Hair
On the 14-inch hair-tangle test, the new head scored slightly below some earlier Dysons and a touch below average. Vacuum Wars said it’s still far better than heads without anti-tangle technology. It liked the motorized upholstery tool for furniture, stairs and pet hair.
Tips From Just A Dad Approved
Just A Dad Approved, a vacuum reviewer, said its main draw is battery life: it cleaned his whole 2,000-plus sq ft home on one charge. He suggests switching to the soft roller head if your home is mostly hardwood. In auto mode, you can hear suction rise and fall to save battery. Boost “is a little harder to push because it’s really sucking into that carpet” (Just A Dad Approved, “Dyson V16 Piston Animal: Buy or Skip?!”). Vacuum Wars found the medium setting gave the best balance of cleaning and maneuverability.
V16 or V16 Submarine?
The V16 Submarine adds the Submarine 2.0 wet head. You fill its clean-water tank, and the V16 recognizes the head and offers standard or higher water flow. Vacuum Wars said it outperformed Dyson’s dedicated Wash G1 in its tests. It works best as a second step on floors you’ve already vacuumed, since it isn’t made for loose debris. If you don’t need mopping, the standard V16 saves $100.
Who Should Buy the Dyson V16
Asked whether it’s worth it, Just A Dad Approved said yes “if you have a large home that’s extremely dirty,” and pointed to its many attachments. He added that a Shark cordless can do “almost as good a job for about half the price sometimes” (Just A Dad Approved, “Dyson V16 Piston Animal: Buy or Skip?!”). Buyers who want the longest runtime, a detailed screen and sealed HEPA filtration are the V16’s best fit.
Alternatives
- Lower price: the Dyson V15 Detect ($649.99) made Vacuum Wars’ pet-hair top five for its laser fluffy roller, filtration and large bin.
- Shark’s flagship: see Dyson V16 vs Shark PowerDetect.
Video: Vacuum Wars, “Dyson V16 Piston Submarine Review — Our New Pick for Best Cordless Vacuum!”. Embedded with credit; the findings are the creator’s own.
The French Glow, a YouTube home and cleaning channel, compares the Dyson V16 and V15 side by side and says the products were bought, not sponsored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Dyson V16 worth it?
Vacuum Wars named the V16 Submarine its best cordless vacuum after perfect carpet and crevice scores, and called the V16 a big step up from the Gen5 Detect.
What is the difference between the V16 and V16 Submarine?
The Submarine adds a wet cleaning head. Vacuum Wars found them otherwise essentially the same.
How long does the V16 battery last?
Up to 70 minutes on low per Dyson, and 24 minutes on max with a cleaner head per Vacuum Wars.
How heavy is the Dyson V16?
Dyson lists 7.5 lb.
Sources
- Vacuum Wars, “Dyson V16 Piston Submarine Review — Our New Pick for Best Cordless Vacuum!”
- Just A Dad Approved, “Dyson V16 Piston Animal: Buy or Skip?!”
- Vacuum Wars, “We Tested 100+ Cordless Vacuums—These 5 Are Best for Pet Hair (2026)”
- Amazon listings for each linked model, from Amazon at time of writing
Related: Dyson V16 vs Shark PowerDetect | Shark PowerDetect Cordless Review | Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair | Best Cordless Stick Vacuum Under $300
Notes and disclosure
Note: Prices come from Amazon listings at time of writing. Runtime, weight, bin capacity and filtration are the manufacturers’ listed figures unless a reviewer is credited. Listed runtimes are on the lowest power setting. Test results come from the YouTube creators credited above, not hands-on claims from me.