The three Greatest Shark Vacuums Our Editors Advocate
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Vacuum Kind
Shark Navigator Raise-Away Deluxe Vacuum: The Navigator is an upright vacuum; they are usually “heavier” than different varieties, says Steve L. from Brooke’s Home equipment. You’ll get a deeper clear when utilizing one, as a result of it’s assured to go farther into the fibers and decide up particles that’s extra embedded.
“In my sincere opinion, a cordless stick vacuum won’t ever have sufficient energy to deep clear carpets,” McCallister says. “You want corded energy for that. Houses with carpet ought to have an upright vacuum.”
That is probably the most highly effective Shark on our record—it did a superior job on arduous flooring and carpets throughout testing. Nonetheless, as a result of it’s heavier, it’ll pose a problem for multi-level houses. You might need to get an upright for the primary stage and retailer a lighter mannequin upstairs, particularly in case you have mobility points.
One other good thing about an upright vacuum is that you just’ll by no means have to recharge them, as they use a normal energy wire. That does imply the size of the wire determines how far it’ll go earlier than it’s good to plug it into one other outlet. The Shark Navigator has a 25-foot wire.
Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Vacuum: Cordless stick vacuums are greatest for small areas. They should be charged between cleanings, so battery life and charging time needs to be considered. The Wandvac’s freestanding dock makes it an excellent choice for a small closet or kitchen space.
It fees up in lower than three hours and has a median run time of 18 minutes, which is stable for a cordless vacuum. At 6 kilos, it’s light-weight and maneuverable. Steve L. recommends stick vacuums for studio residences or the highest flooring of multi-level houses, like close to a child’s room.
Shark UltraCyclone Professional Cordless Handheld Vacuum: Handheld vacuums are greatest for small messes on surfaces, sofa cushions and fabric, or automobile interiors. The UltraCyclone Professional will get further factors for its lengthy battery life (round 12 minutes). It’s additionally round 2 kilos, which is sweet for working it with one hand.
Effectiveness
Shark Navigator Raise-Away Deluxe Vacuum: In our testing lab, the vacuum picked up particles on grouted tile and hardwood ground in beneath one minute. Utilizing simply the connected hose, it cleaned particles on the steps in beneath one minute, with no problem moving into corners and edges. It additionally labored effectively on upholstery.
The vacuum collected hair shortly on the medium-pile carpet. Some hair did get caught within the brush roll, however it was simple to take away. The vacuum struggled on the high-pile rug; it was harder to push as a result of suction, and hair was tougher to untangle from the roll.
Total, we discovered the Navigator was only when it got here to deep cleansing carpets and rugs. After six months, our carpets felt cleaner and extra plush than that they had beforehand, and the vacuum did an excellent job at gathering pet hair regardless of the minor tangling points.
Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Vacuum: The Wandvac required a slight studying curve—upon first use, hair received caught within the brush roll and bigger particles like popcorn kernels was spit out of the machine. Once we tried it once more, it picked up each sorts of particles shortly, and no hair received caught within the roll.
After just a few months of house use, we discovered the second strive was extra indicative of the vacuum’s efficiency. It really works greatest on arduous flooring and skinny rugs, selecting up every little thing from cat litter to quinoa. It additionally labored effectively on hair, however required just a few extra passes on the rug to make sure we received every little thing.
Shark UltraCyclone Professional Cordless Handheld Vacuum: In testing, we discovered that the Shark UltraCyclone Professional labored as effectively on carpets because it did on arduous surfaces, selecting up particles and hair readily. It even received pretty deep into the carpet fibers because of the spectacular suction.
It additionally did effectively on upholstery, though the extreme suction did trigger some points when moving into corners, as it could suck the material up. We preferred it for each day cleanups, and significantly for moving into corners and alongside edges—locations that common vacuums had hassle reaching.
Maneuverability and Portability
Shark Navigator Raise-Away Deluxe Vacuum: The Shark Navigator weighs round 16 kilos, which made it tough to deliver up and down the steps, and posed a problem when cleansing the steps themselves. But it surely maneuvers effectively for its dimension, and transitions effectively from ground to carpet.
Throughout testing, we discovered that it was simple to maneuver round and beneath furnishings. Nonetheless, over time we realized the suction had a big impression on how simple it was to maneuver round; utilizing a decrease suction stage made it simple to push, particularly on medium- and high-pile carpets.
Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Vacuum: At 6 kilos, this can be a light-weight choice that may be carried with ease—one of many main perks of a cordless vacuum. Its swiveling head makes it easy to maneuver round furnishings legs and beneath furnishings.
As McAllister says, “A swivelling head is simpler on your home—[fewer] knicks to baseboards and can stand up nearer to crevices.” It’s an excellent characteristic to search for when prioritizing ease of use. The Wandvac received round most furnishings objects in the home, though it did want some assist in particularly tight areas.
Shark UltraCyclone Professional Cordless Handheld Vacuum: This handheld vacuum solely weighs round 2 kilos, so it’s probably the most transportable of the very best Shark Vacuums. Throughout testing, it was simple to maneuver round tight areas and in several instructions with out discomfort or ergonomic challenges.
Design
Shark Navigator Raise-Away Deluxe Vacuum: The Shark Navigator has a beater bar, which McAllister says is a must have for houses with carpets or rugs: “It can agitate the carpet fibers to deliver the mud to the floor.”
The unit additionally has a lift-away pod that you would be able to detach from the bottom, permitting you to make use of the prolonged hose to scrub beneath furnishings or on greater factors like bookshelves, so it nearly features as a handheld mannequin as effectively.
The massive dustbin is straightforward to take away and clear, and the three-part set-up was fast and intuitive. The vacuum has a HEPA filter and an anti-allergen seal; McAllister says these particulars will assist make sure the unit is “filtering all of the mud particles out.”
Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Vacuum: The Wandvac’s standing base is one in all its greatest design options. We additionally like that it may be become a 2-pound handheld vacuum for moving into hard-to-reach areas. One other nice side is the swivel head, which makes it simple to scrub tight spots.
Though it has one of many smaller mud cups we’ve seen, the self-empty charging base makes up for it. You’ll be able to both manually empty the mud cup when full, which occurs pretty shortly, or insert it into the bottom, which solely must be emptied each few weeks.
Shark UltraCyclone Professional Cordless Handheld Vacuum: Comfort and one-handed operation put the UltraCyclone Professional above comparable fashions. We thought the hand-held vacuum’s greatest design characteristic was the extra-large mud cup that may be emptied with its one-touch ejection button.
It additionally has a washable filter, which is a pleasant further, and is available in smooth colorways like navy blue and inexperienced.
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Equipment
Shark Navigator Raise-Away Deluxe Vacuum: This vacuum comes with an upholstery instrument and a crevice instrument, that are each pretty widespread vacuum attachments. We preferred that every attachment might be linked to the deal with and be made both lengthy or quick with the hose.
Nonetheless, as a result of they connect to the deal with and never the hose itself, they’re not as versatile. Nonetheless, each add the means to scrub curtains, sofa cushions, and tight spots. One other bonus: Neither has bristles, which are inclined to get caked with mud over time.
Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Vacuum: The Wandvac comes with a crevice instrument and a pet multi-tool, each fundamental equipment we’d count on to see with a stick vacuum. We didn’t constantly use both throughout testing—once we transformed it to a handheld, we discovered that the hose was ample.
Shark UltraCyclone Professional Cordless Handheld Vacuum: The UltraCyclone Professional comes with a scrubbing brush and a crevice instrument. The crevice instrument was the standout attachment when cleansing the automobile seat, though we preferred each. As a result of a handheld is usually for element work and fabric, these are must-have equipment.
The Backside Line
The Shark Navigator Raise-Away Deluxe Vacuum is the very best Shark vacuum for multilevel houses or houses with primarily carpet flooring. As an upright vacuum, it offers you a extra thorough, deeper clear than many different fashions in the marketplace.
The Shark Wandvac Self-Empty Cordless Vacuum is a good choice for small areas, residences, and arduous flooring. Lastly, the Shark UltraCyclone Professional Cordless Handheld Vacuum is ideal for each day messes (learn: folks with youngsters and pets), or to scrub upholstery or automobile interiors.
Our Testing Course of
To compile our record of the very best Shark vacuums, we used the outcomes from three checks: cordless stick vacuums, upright vacuums, and handheld vacuums. For every, we measured the noise stage of the vacuums with a decibel reader and recorded the outcomes.
To measure efficacy, we used every vacuum on completely different ground varieties to see how shortly they picked up messes. We examined the cordless and upright vacuums on grouted tile, hardwood ground, a medium-pile rug, and a high-pile rug. The hand-held vacuum was solely examined on the rug for this portion.
For maneuverability, we ran the cordless stick and upright vacuums by means of an impediment course laid out with painter’s tape and used handheld vacuums on an upholstered chair. For portability, we used the cordless stick vacuums on an upholstered chair and a excessive shelf and the hand-held vacuums on a excessive chair and inside a automobile seat.
When relevant, we ran the vacuums till the battery died to evaluate battery life. We emptied the entire vacuum mud bins. If the vacuums had detachable filters, we took them out and cleaned them. The particles we used assorted in dimension, together with bigger Cheerio crumbs and finer particles like wig hair.
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Your Questions, Answered
Do Shark vacuums have a guaranty?
Sure—if you buy a Shark vacuum from a licensed retailer, there will probably be a guaranty. Relying on the mannequin, you’ll get a one-, two- or five-year non-transferrable guarantee that covers faulty supplies and workmanship. It doesn’t cowl common put on and tear or harm attributable to misuse. Filters are additionally excluded.
Relying on the mannequin, the battery might have a separate guarantee. In line with the model’s web site, the Navigator has a five-year guarantee and the Wandvac has a five-year guarantee for the unit and two-year for the battery. UltraCyclone isn’t listed as of publication, however different handhelds have two-year restricted warranties.
To activate the guarantee, you will have to succeed in out to Shark’s customer support and supply proof of buy.
Are Shark vacuums higher than Dyson?
The largest upside to a Shark vacuum is the superb suction energy and finances pleasant worth. Whether or not they’re higher than Dyson or different pricier vacuum manufacturers depends upon what you’re searching for and whether or not vacuum longevity is a precedence for you.
Shark vacuums can’t be taken aside, and Shark doesn’t promote a number of alternative components on-line, so the one means you will get them is thru your guarantee. Dyson vacuums, then again, might be taken aside “right down to the skeleton,” says Steve L. “None of them ever should be thrown out.”
Alternative components for Dyson fashions are extra available, and they are often repaired by vacuum technicians. In the event you’d prefer to pay much less up entrance and are OK with shopping for a brand new vacuum ought to one thing go improper post-warranty, Shark is a good choice.
In the event you’d like a vacuum that may last more and might be repaired at a vacuum store ought to one thing go improper, Dyson could be a better option. We should always word, nonetheless, that after testing 500 vacuums in our labs and at house, Shark makes our favourite mannequin total.
Who We Are
Alida Nugent has been a author, editor, and strategist for over six years. She closely researched stick, handheld, and upright vacuums for this piece. Moreover, she analyzed our testing insights and spoke to Steve L. from Brooke’s Home equipment in Park Slope and Sarah McAllister, founder and CEO of GoCleanGo.
What’s BHG Recommends?
Subsequent to the entire merchandise on this record, you could have seen our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Merchandise that earn the seal have been put by means of rigorous testing to ensure they’re price a spot in your house. We purchase a lot of the merchandise we check ourselves, however sometimes we’re offered samples by firms if shopping for is not an choice. In these circumstances, we use the identical testing standards we use to check the bought merchandise.
