How do these cheap Dyson alternatives measures up against the bestselling V11?

If there's one household cleaning appliance that most people aspire to have one day, it's a Dyson cordless vacuum. The expensive reality for many though means looking for great Dyson alternatives instead.  

Each seasonal sale or Black Friday weekend that goes by sees most of us hoping to snap one up, but often the discounts just aren't quite low enough.

So if you're someone who each sale weekend throws longing looks at the status symbol vacuum that still sits out of budget, it's time to look into an alternative model that boasts many of the same convenient features.

Our sister site Real Homes (opens in new tab) tried out three cordless vacuum cleaners—including the Dyson V11 Absolute—to check out which one performed best and how worth the cost they really were. The objective was to find out if it is possible to get the benefits of a Dyson cordless vacuum for less. Are the Dyson alternatives any good?

The Dyson alternatives on test

• Dyson V11 Absolute, RRP £499.99 
• Shark DuoClean with Flexology, RRP £479.99
• Vax Blade 2 Max, RRP £199.99

Alongside the £499.99 Dyson, they looked at the £479.99 Shark DuoClean with Flexology & TruePet and the much cheaper £199 Vax Blade 2 Max. And the budget option looks like it could be a worthy contender against the ever-popular Dyson cordless vacuum.

How the vacuums were tested

While testing the three models, Real Homes considered four different aspects:

• How the vacuums performed on different surfaces
• How easy they were to empty
• How long the batteries lasted
• Weight and size

Watch the Dyson alternatives being tested

The verdict on Dyson alternatives

While the Dyson V11 Absolute performed best on different floor types, as it automatically adjusted the level of suction needed depending on the surface, the Shark performed nearly as well, and the £199 Vax option held its own in the suction arena. The tester remarked that it wasn't as effective on hard floor surfaces, but still a good enough job and was even the easiest out of the three to move around.

The Vax Blade 2 also performed well alongside the Dyson when it came to the battery, overperforming at 47 minutes against the stated 45 minutes, while the Dyson ran for 65 minutes against the quoted 60 minutes. The Shark was the only model to underperform at only 53 minutes when the specifications promise 60 minutes. However, as this model boasts different settings depending on the surface, the tester suggested that the battery may run a little longer on the floor setting as opposed to the carpet one.

Like with the Dyson, the Vax also has the capability for a wall-mounted charging point to be set up and with a weight only 4g heavier than the Dyson, you'll barely notice a difference with this budget model. The Vax even features an easily detachable collection bin, making it easier to empty than the other two models, which both require you to remove the whole top half of the appliance before you can empty it.

So while the Vax Blade 2 Max may not come with quite the same suction powers or bragging rights as the Dyson, if you want to save yourself over £300 on cordless convenience, it's definitely a worthwhile purchase and one of the best Dyson alternatives.