- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Vacuums
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We have currently reviewed nine Shark vacuums. Shark is a manufacturer of homeware goods such as irons and mops in addition to vacuums. Unlike other brands such as Samsung or BISSELL that focus on a limited type of vacuum design, Shark offers a little bit of everything, including robot vacuums, secondary handheld configurations, and corded or cordless design. They also produce several lines at different price points, so there's something available for all budgets and situations.
Updates
- 09/25/2020 Shark ION W1 reviewed
- 08/31/2020 Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe NV360 reviewed
- 08/11/2020 Shark Rocket Pet Pro reviewed
- 08/06/2020 Shark ION P50 reviewed
- 07/08/2020 Shark APEX UpLight reviewed
Best Shark Vacuums
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Best Cordless Shark Vacuum
Vacuum TypeUpright/HandheldBaglessYesCordlessYesAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesThe Shark ION P50 Upright is the best cordless Shark vacuum that we've tested. This cordless upright/handheld does a very good job of cleaning almost any kind of surface, ranging from flat, even surfaces like linoleum and hardwood to shag carpeting. It clears pet hair without issue and does a good job of sucking up coarse debris like sand or loose pieces of cereal. That said, it may take several passes to clear finer material, such as baking soda, particularly on carpeted floors. Its lift-away mode makes it simple to detach the canister and use it in a handheld configuration to clean shelves and furniture. Its battery life is good for a cordless model, as it provides more than 20 minutes of continuous runtime when used in the most powerful suction setting. Used more conservatively, that single charge battery life extends to just under one hour. Also, thanks to its bagless design and washable filters, recurring costs are practically nonexistent.
Unfortunately, it has quite a few parts that require frequent maintenance, though accessing them isn't too hard. It also lacks any sort of storage rack for the included selection of tools and accessories. It's also a little on the heavy side, so carrying it up and down flights of stairs can be a bit of a hassle. That said, thanks to its overall versatility, it's among the best cordless Shark vacuums that we've tested.
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Best Shark Vacuum For Bare Floors
Vacuum TypeStick/HandheldBaglessYesCordlessYesAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesThe best Shark vacuum for bare floors that we've tested is the Shark Rocket Pet Pro. It excels on surfaces like linoleum and hardwood, where it can clear everything from pet hair to large chunks of debris, like cereal, without a problem. Its self-cleaning brushroll automatically detangles hair wraps by itself, which is great for pet owners. Its lightweight design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces, while its simple-to-assemble design allows you to quickly reconfigure it into a handheld for cleaning shelves or tables. It's also decently well-built and not too hard to maintain, though there are quite a few parts that need to be taken care of regularly. Thankfully, due to its bagless design and washable pre-motor and HEPA filters, you don't have to worry about recurring costs.
Unfortunately, you can drain its battery in a little over 10 minutes if you run the vacuum continuously on its most powerful suction mode, which can be annoying when trying to clean up particularly stubborn messes. Thankfully, if you use it more conservatively, you can extend its runtime to over 40 minutes. Thanks to its overall versatility and excellent maneuverability, the Pet Pro is among the best cordless vacuums we've tested.
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Best Shark Vacuum For Carpet
Vacuum TypeUpright/HandheldBaglessYesCordlessNoAnti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)YesThe Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away Upright is the best Shark vacuum for carpet that we've tested. This corded upright does an outstanding job on low-pile carpet and delivers great cleaning performance on shaggy, high-pile floors. It clears everything from pet hair to large, coarse debris, such as sand and loose pieces or cereal, with relative ease, though it may take a couple of extra passes to fully suck up finer material, like baking soda spills. Performance remains consistent as its fairly big dirt compartment fills up, which is handy when cleaning large messes. It's also decently well-built and incurs virtually no recurring costs due to its bagless design and washable, reusable filters. Its included HEPA filter traps allergens as you clean and is a great added feature for owners of heavily-shedding pets.
That said, this is a somewhat bulky, heavy machine that can be hard to maneuver in tight spaces, and may be a little difficult to carry up and down flights of stairs. It also has a fairly short hose when used in its handheld configuration, so cleaning on top of high-mounted shelves can be a little tricky. Still, thanks to its performance on carpeted floors, it's among the best vacuums for high-pile carpet that we've tested.
Compared to other brands
- Virtually no recurring costs. Most Shark vacuums have parts that can be washed or cleaned, so you may never have to replace them as long as you properly maintain them. Even though some models have a small dirt compartment, they're also all bagless, which further helps to cut down on recurring costs.
- Tools and brushes included. While they may not have specialized tools such as a pet grooming brush or a ceiling fan tool, they come with a solid selection of tools and brushes to help get done the job done.
- Can be configured into a handheld vacuum. Shark vacuums tend to be reconfigurable into a smaller, handheld mode so that you can access more difficult-to-reach messes.
- Okay build quality. Shark vacuums tend to have a plasticky build and parts of them such as their dirt compartments seem especially prone to cracking if dropped.
- Quite a few maintenance needs. Depending on the model, most Shark vacuums have several parts that need ongoing maintenance, depending on your usage.
- Manual cord storage. Corded Shark vacuums usually require manually winding the electrical cord for storage instead of automatically storing it away.
Shark produces a variety of different vacuum types at different price points. They're smartly designed to be reconfigured into a handheld design should you need a closer clean, and there are cordless options available. When comparing their stick vacuums to Dyson's offerings, Shark vacuums feel better built and sturdier. However, they also tend to have a similar but albeit slightly worse performance on carpet. For upright vacuums, they usually perform better on all surface types than BISSELL vacuums. It also should be noted that Shark doesn't currently make canister vacuums.
Conclusion
Shark is a good household manufacturer that produces items such as mops and irons alongside a variety of vacuums at different price points and styles. No matter what type of vacuum you're looking for, Shark vacuums can usually be used as handheld vacuums as well, which is nice if you need to clean harder-to-reach places. Should you want something easily portable, Shark also sells some cordless vacuums. However, they tend to have a few maintenance needs, and some models can be a little more tricky to clean.
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