Which is better for carpets?

The V16 Piston Animal. The PencilVac is built for hard floors and flat rugs, and reviewers say it is not meant for carpets. The V16 has 315 AW of suction and a head that adapts to carpet.

Which is easier to use every day?

The PencilVac. At under 4 lb with a slim handle, it is far lighter than the 7.5 lb V16, and owners describe it as agile on hard floors. The V16 is stronger but heavier and slower to move around.

Which lasts longer on a charge?

The V16, at up to 70 minutes in Eco mode against up to 30 minutes for the PencilVac. The V16 also has a larger bin, so you empty it less often.

Is the PencilVac good for pet hair?

Yes on hard floors and flat rugs. Its four conical brush bars strip long hair without tangling. For pet hair deep in carpet, the V16's stronger suction and anti-tangle head are the better fit.

Is the V16 worth stepping up to?

If you have carpets, pets or a large home, yes. It adds suction, runtime, bin size and sealed HEPA filtration. If your home is mostly hard floor, the lighter PencilVac covers it and owners rate it higher.

Which is better for allergy sufferers?

The V16. Its fully sealed five-stage HEPA system captures 99.99% of particles down to 0.1 microns. The PencilVac has a HEPA filter but does not claim a fully sealed system.

Dyson PencilVac vs Dyson V16 Piston Animal

Buy the PencilVac for hard floors and tight spaces. It weighs under 4 lb, lies almost flat, and its Fluffycones head handles long hair without tangling. Buy the V16 Piston Animal for carpets, pet hair and whole-home cleans. It has 315 AW of suction, up to 70 minutes of runtime, a 0.35 gal bin that compresses dust, and sealed HEPA filtration. Owners rate the PencilVac higher (4.7 vs 3.8), but the V16 does far more. Several V16 owners call it heavy and slow to manoeuvre.

Choose the Dyson PencilVac if your home is mostly hard floor and you want a light vacuum you can grab and steer into corners, under furniture and around table legs.
Choose the Dyson V16 Piston Animal if you have carpets, pets or a large home and want deep suction, a big bin and long runtime from one machine.

Prices

Dyson PencilVac: $215.96 at eBay (last seen Nov 9)
Dyson V16 Piston Animal: $299.00 at Deorta Appliance (last seen Nov 6)
Difference: the Dyson PencilVac is $83.04 cheaper than the Dyson V16 Piston Animal at the latest prices (Nov 6 and Nov 9)

	Dyson PencilVac	Dyson V16 Piston Animal
Suction	Lower than full-size Dysons; built for dust and hair on hard floors	315 AW in Boost mode
Weight	Under 4 lb, 1.5 in handle	7.5 lb
Runtime	Up to 30 minutes	Up to 70 minutes in Eco mode
Bin capacity	0.08 gal	0.35 gal, compresses dust to hold up to 30 days' worth
Floor types	Hard floors and flat rugs; not for carpets	Carpets, hard floors, upholstery, pet hair
Hair handling	Four conical brush bars strip long hair without tangling	Dual conical anti-tangle brushes on the All Floor Cones Sense head
Filtration	HEPA filter	Fully sealed five-stage HEPA, 99.99% to 0.1 microns
Owner rating	4.7 out of 5 from 63 ratings	3.8 out of 5 from 236 ratings

Spec	Dyson PencilVac	Dyson V16 Piston Animal
Type	Stick	Stick
Bagless	Yes	Yes
Color	Black	Black
Weight	4 lb	7.5 lb
Capacity	0.08 gal	0.34 gal
HEPA Filter	Yes	Yes
Maximum run time	—	70 min
Suction power	—	315 AW
Charge time	—	3.5 hrs
Bin volume	—	0.35 gallon
Height	—	10.2 in
Length	—	51.1 in

Spec	Dyson PencilVac	Dyson V16 Piston Animal
Width	—	9.84 in
Filtration	—	99.99% to 0.1 microns
Motor power	—	900w
Battery cells	—	seven-cell
Dust capacity	—	30 days’ of dust
For Pets	—	Yes
Convertible	—	Yes
Surface Type	—	All floor types, Carpets, Hard floors
Wet / Dry	—	Yes (wet cleaning for spills and stains on hard…
Water Tank Capacity

Dyson PencilVac vs Dyson V16 Piston Animal

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