Dyson does not stick to chronological order when naming its stick vacuum models. He sometimes skips numbers and sometimes introduces a lower number as a later model than a higher number. For example, Dyson introduced the V15 immediately after the V11 and then the V12 after the V15. In the broadest sense, the numbers seem to increase with each release: the V11 is newer than the V10, and the V10 is newer than the V8. But Dyson’s naming system is so cryptic that even we can’t predict what the next model will be.
Dyson also has a lot of sub-models, because their naming scheme isn’t confusing enough. Each has a different number of accessories and tool attachments included. Each model (V7, V8, V10, V11, V15, etc.) seems to introduce new sub-models, so the list keeps growing, and then there are discontinued sub-models that appear as old stock on websites, usually on sale.
Detect It is not exactly a submodel, but part of the name of V15 Detect and V12 Detect Slim. It refers to the laser detection system that measures particle size and count to customize the suction power.
Absolute It is usually the king of the hill version with more accessories. We can’t list them all, because they vary depending on the main model, but we expect a variety of brush nozzles, crevice tools, and motorized roller heads to remove stubborn grit from hard floors and shag carpets.
Allergy It used to mean that it came with an upgraded filter that traps 99.99 percent of bacteria and dust to blow out cleaner air than regular models, but after the V7, all Dyson stick vacuums started including upgraded filters. . It is now largely a legacy designation and has not been used on newer models.
Motor head It sounds fancy, but it’s the low-end submodel that comes with a motorized head, a couple of basic brushes and crevice tools, and that’s it. It’s mostly a holdover from the V7 days. Dyson has found other names for basic submodels.
Origin, fluffy, and Animal They come with relatively few attachments. Fluffy and Animal do not come with any unique accessories that are useful for cleaning up pet waste; it has simply become shorthand for “base model with fewer accessories.” The same goes for the Origin, although its name makes more sense.
Dyson doesn’t stop combining submodel names either. The more names Dyson puts on a model, the more accessories it includes. For example, the V8 Animal Pro comes with more stuff than the Animal, but the Animal Pro+ comes with even more than that.