Dyson V9 Motorbar Review

The Dyson V9 Motorbar is one of Dyson’s newest entries in its lightweight cordless vacuum lineup — positioned as a compact, everyday cleaner rather than a spec-monster flagship.

In this review, I put the V9 Motorbar through a full battery of real-world and lab-style tests to find out what actually matters: suction performance, airflow, runtime, usability, and how it stacks up against other Dyson models in the same price range.

If you’re wondering whether the Dyson V9 Motorbar is genuinely worth the money — or if your cash is better spent elsewhere — this breakdown will give you a clear, data-backed answer.

Introduction to the Dyson V9 Motorbar

The Dyson V9 MotorBar is Dyson’s lightest full-sized stick vacuum and one of its newest releases. It weighs just a few ounces more than the Dyson Micro 1.5KG, yet it’s designed to operate more like a traditional stick vacuum.

At 2 pounds and 11.5 ounces, the V9 Motorbar is extremely lightweight—especially when used in handheld mode—making it easy to maneuver and comfortable for longer cleaning sessions.

The key difference is that the V9 Motorbar can clean carpets.

Unlike the Micro, which relies solely on a soft roller, the V9 Motorbar comes with a full-sized Motorbar nozzle that effectively agitates and lifts debris from the carpet.

What the V9 Motorbar lacks is Dyson’s Piezo sensor readout, which you’ll find on higher-end models like the V12 and V15.

Related: Dyson V9 vs V15 Comparison

That omission is one reason the V9 comes in at a lower price point. Instead, you get a basic LCD screen that displays remaining runtime, power mode, and error codes.

It’s simple, but functional—and while the Piezo sensor is interesting at first, its novelty tends to wear off with everyday use.

An example of an error code in the Dyson V9

Out of the box, the V9 Motorbar includes three handheld attachments, including Dyson’s excellent hair screw tool, which does a great job picking up long hair from upholstery without tangling.

1. Hair screw tool
2. Crevice tool
3. Combination tool

You’ll also get the Motorbar floor head—Dyson’s name for a standard brush roll equipped with combs that help prevent hair wrap as you clean.

As expected for a lightweight model, the V9 Motorbar has a smaller 0.35-liter dustbin, similar in size to the Dyson V12. It also features Dyson’s familiar horizontally aligned dustbin with a hygienic ejection system found on their latest cordless models.

One notable difference in operation is the trigger-style power switch. Unlike the V12 or Gen5 Detect, which use a push-button design, the V9 requires you to hold the trigger down while cleaning.

Finally, the V9 Motorbar is powered by a detachable battery, making replacements easy and allowing you to extend runtime by swapping in a spare.

How Much Power Does The Dyson V9 Have?

In this section, we’ll explore how much power the Dyson V9 Motorbar has, specifically in terms of airflow and suction.

For suction, I use a water lift and a Y-gauge to measure it at the highest power setting.

I then use an anemometer to measure airflow from the nozzle and extension tube.

The Dyson V9 recorded 12 inches of water lift in the unsealed test and 40 inches in the sealed test, putting it on par with the performance of the Dyson V7.

Next, let’s take a look at the airflow test results.

At the extension tube, the Dyson V9 produced:

• Low: 26.6 CFM
• Mid: 29.7 CFM
• Max: 46.56 CFM

Measured at the nozzle, airflow dropped slightly, which is expected due to added restriction:

• Low: 22.93 CFM
• Mid: 26.64 CFM
• Max: 37.92 CFM

These results are in line with the Dyson V7 and V8, with the V9 posting the lowest numbers of the three. That said, the Motorbar nozzle helps offset this slight performance gap, which becomes more evident in the cleaning tests.

How Long Does The Dyson V9 Run?

Next, let’s look at the Dyson V9’s runtime performance, measured by running the vacuum from a full charge to empty—both with and without the floor nozzle attached.

Runtime without the nozzle:

• Eco: 48:30 mins
• Auto: 29:30 mins
• Boost: 5:03 mins

Runtime with the nozzle attached:

• Eco: 38:51 mins
• Auto: 24:48 mins
• Boost: 5:15 mins

These results are impressive, given that the V9 uses a smaller battery than models like the Dyson V12. In practical terms, this is enough runtime to clean a small home on a single charge. And since the battery is detachable, you can easily extend runtime by swapping in a spare.

One downside, however, is that the floor nozzle isn’t as efficient on hard floors as it is on carpet—something worth keeping in mind depending on your flooring mix.

Clearing Performance

Next, I evaluated the Dyson V9’s real-world cleaning ability by testing it across multiple debris types—Quaker oats, quinoa, pet litter, sand, hair, and coffee grounds.

• Overall: 97.36%
• Hard Floors: 99.94%
• Sand on Hard Floor: 99.9%
• Carpet: 99.56%
• Deep Cleaning: 90.15%

Hard Floor Results

• Quaker oats: 100%
• Coffee grounds: 99.8%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 98.1%

Despite having lower airflow than the Dyson V7 and V8, the V9 Motorbar performed well in the hard floor tests, earning perfect scores in three out of four experiments—and it did so without the advantage of a soft roller head.

The updated Motorbar nozzle features four small gates that guide larger debris, allowing it to handle piles of Quaker oats more effectively than the V7, which struggled with this.

One drawback, however, is that you’ll likely need to use the mid power setting on hard floors, as the brush roll isn’t as efficient as a dedicated soft roller.

Edge Cleaning

The Dyson V9 performed well at picking up debris in this area, but you’ll need to use the mid power setting to clean along edges effectively.

Sand on Hard Floor

Once again, despite lacking a soft roller head, the Dyson V9 scored exceptionally well in the sand-on–hard-floor test, averaging 99.9% pickup across two runs (out of 50 grams of sand).

Hair Wrap Test [Hard Floors]

• 5-inch hair: 100%
• 7-inch hair: 100%
• 9-inch hair: 100%
• 11-inch hair: 97%
• 12-inch hair: 98%

One of the biggest surprises during testing was how well the Dyson V9 handled hair on hard floors, despite its relatively low airflow.

The combs positioned above the brush roll proved effective at reducing tangles, allowing the V9 to pick up 97% and 98% of the hair in the 11-inch and 12-inch tests, respectively.

As shown in the photos, very little hair wrapped around the brush roll after testing.

One downside—common to many Dyson stick vacuums—is that hair tends to cling to the inner walls of the dustbin, rather than dropping cleanly to the bottom.

Carpet Results

Next, we evaluated the Dyson V9’s carpet performance on both low- and mid-pile surfaces, using the same debris types as in the hard-floor tests.

Low Pile Results

• Quaker oats: 100%
• Coffee grounds: 99.8%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 98%

The Dyson V9 performed well across all tests, though its lower airflow was most noticeable in the pet litter test, where it picked up “only” 98%—the lowest score of the group.

This highlights a common limitation of low-airflow cordless vacuums: heavier debris is harder to lift. That said, for dust and lighter particles, the V9 provides enough agitation to effectively clean surface-level dirt.

Mid Pile Results

• Quaker oats: 100%
• Coffee grounds: 100%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet litter: 98%

The results on mid-pile carpet closely mirror those on low-pile carpet. The V9 performed exceptionally well with lighter debris, such as Quaker oats, coffee grounds, and quinoa, but it picked up 98% of the 50 grams of pet litter scattered on the carpet.

Once again, lower airflow was the limiting factor preventing a perfect score.

Hair Wrap [on Carpet]

• 5-inch hair: 100%
• 7-inch hair: 100%
• 9-inch hair: 100%
• 11-inch hair: 49%

The Dyson V9 performed very well when cleaning hair from carpet—up until the 11-inch test, where pickup dropped to 49% of the one-gram hair scattered on the surface.

Once again, this comes down to airflow. Compared to higher-end, full-sized Dyson stick vacuums, the V9 simply doesn’t generate the same level of suction needed for extremely long, dense hair.

It’s also worth noting that the 11- and 12-inch hair tests are intentionally extreme. In real-world use, most households won’t encounter hair this long, and for typical pet hair, the V9 is more than capable. Unless you’re dealing with a pet that sheds unusually long hair, the V9 should handle the job just fine.

Deep Cleaning Results

To evaluate how well the Dyson V9 handles embedded dirt, I worked 100 grams of sand into mid-pile carpet and vacuumed the area using the highest power setting.

The V9 averaged 90.15%, the lowest result among Dyson’s full-sized stick vacuums. This outcome is again tied to its lower power and airflow. That said, for a lightweight cordless model, the performance is still respectable.

How Noisy is the Dyson V9 MotorBar?

I used a sound meter to measure the noise levels of the Dyson V9 and here are the results.

• Low: 72.9 dB
• Mid: 76.2 dB
• Max: 81.9 dB

It registered over 70 decibels in the low and mid settings and over 80 decibels in the max setting, so it can be noisy at the higher settings.

Availability of Parts

Historically, Dyson vacuums have had strong long-term parts availability, with replacement components offered directly by Dyson and by third-party manufacturers.

A good example is the Dyson V10—when the motor on mine failed a few months ago, I was able to purchase a replacement motor rather than replace the entire vacuum. This makes it possible to repair a Dyson for a fraction of the cost of buying a new unit.

Long Term Use

This is a recent purchase, so I have nothing to report on how it holds up in the long term. But I’ll update this article in a few months to report on how it’s doing.

Must Read If You Own a Dyson

…or if you’re planning to purchase one.

• Before you buy a Dyson, Read This! Common Issues You May Not Know About
• 6 Dyson Cordless Vacuums That Run For Over an Hour

Product Specifications

Where Can You Purchase the Dyson V9 MotorBar?

The Dyson V9 MotorBar is available in online stores like Amazon and Walmart. Check the links below for the latest pricing information.

• Dyson V9 MotorBar on Amazon
• Dyson V9 MotorBar on Walmart

Disclaimer: I will earn a commission if you click on any of the links above, but at no extra cost, so it’s a win-win for us!

Does The Dyson V9 MotorBar Offer Good Value?

I purchased the Dyson V9 MotorBar at a discounted price, and at under $300, it offers solid value.

At its current retail price, however, I think it’s overpriced for the performance and accessories you get out of the box. While the V9 does a good job picking up dirt on both carpet and hard floors, the lack of a soft roller attachment makes it harder to fully recommend. The MotorBar nozzle simply isn’t as efficient on hard floors.

If Dyson included a soft roller—even an older-style brush—this would be an easy recommendation for smaller homes, even at today’s price. As it stands, I’d suggest waiting for a sale before buying the Dyson V9 MotorBar.

4 Reasons to Purchase the Dyson V9 MotorBar

1. Lightest Full-Sized Option: The Dyson V9 body weighs just over 2 pounds, making it one of the most ergonomic options for smaller homes.
2. Decent Debris Pick Up: Despite the lack of airflow, it picked up a high percentage of surface dirt.
3. Fully Sealed System: It didn’t leak during the fog test, making it an option for allergy sufferers.
4. Decent run time: This model exceeded Dyson’s 40-minute claim, running for over 48 minutes with a non-powered tool, which is above average for a lightweight vacuum.

The Verdict: Dyson’s Best “Cheap” Lightweight Option

Dyson offers several lightweight cordless options, including the V12 Detect, Micro 1.5KG, and Omni-Glide, but the V9 MotorBar strikes a solid balance between price and cleaning performance.

While it doesn’t match the power or advanced features of the more expensive V12 Detect, it cleans carpet more effectively than the Micro 1.5KG and Omni-Glide thanks to its carpet-focused Motorbar nozzle.

The biggest drawback is the lack of a dedicated hard floor cleaning head. If Dyson included even a basic soft roller attachment, the V9 Motorbar would be a far more versatile choice for small homes.