The 6 Best Shark Vacuums of 2022: Reviews

Table of Contents
Intro
Review Updates
Comparison
Best Vacuums
Page Updates
Conclusion
Discussions

We've currently tested over 25 Shark vacuums. Shark manufactures homeware goods like irons and mops in addition to vacuums. Unlike other brands like Samsung or BISSELL which focus on a limited range of vacuum designs, Shark offers a little bit of everything, including robot vacuums, secondary handheld configurations, and corded and cordless designs. Their vacuums come at a variety of price points, so you can find something that fits your budget.

For more recommendations, check our articles for the best vacuums for stairs, the best vacuum cleaner brands, and the best car vacuums.

Updates

12/02/2022 Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed updated
11/24/2022 Shark WANDVAC updated
10/25/2022 Shark Cordless Pet Plus reviewed
09/15/2022 Shark AI Ultra Robot reviewed
04/13/2022 Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away reviewed

Best Shark Vacuums

Best Shark Vacuum

Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away

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Amazon.com

Unavailable
Missing store

Bare Floor

8.1

Low-Pile Carpet

7.8

High-Pile Carpet

8.2

Pets

7.8

Stairs

8.5

Cars

7.8

Workshop

6.0

Vacuum Type
Upright/Handheld

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
Yes

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is the best Shark vacuum we've tested. This vacuum's upright configuration gives it a higher-capacity dustbin than comparably cordless stick vacuums like the Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight; however, this does come with a slight hit to maneuverability due to its bulkier design. Performance is superb on a wide range of surfaces, as it easily clears away debris on hard floors and low and high-pile carpet. It features two distinct surface settings, though they only change the speed of its brushroll and not the height of its floorhead, so it's still liable to get stuck on rug tassels and thick carpeting.

It uses a similar 'Lift-Away' design to a lot of other conventional Shark uprights, which lets you pick up and carry its canister body separately from its floorhead, so you can easily clean under tables and chairs with its hose. However, it's worth noting that it isn't as well-suited to cleaning large areas as corded models, as it can only run for a maximum of about 40 minutes when used in its traditional upright configuration.

See our review
Best Upper Mid-Range Shark Vacuum

Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless

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Amazon.com

Unavailable
Missing store

Bare Floor

8.0

Low-Pile Carpet

7.4

High-Pile Carpet

7.2

Pets

7.4

Stairs

8.3

Cars

7.5

Workshop

5.7

Vacuum Type
Stick/Handheld

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
Yes

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

The Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless is the best cordless Shark vacuum at a mid-range price point that we've tested. It has a shorter battery life than the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away and a less powerful suction motor, leading to an inferior performance on carpeted floors. Still, its stick design makes it easier to maneuver in tight spots. It also does a fantastic job of clearing away debris on hard surfaces like tile or linoleum. Similar to the Lift-Away, there are two dedicated surface settings for bare floors and thick carpeting, though these settings only change the rotational speed of its primary brushroll, not its height, so it can still get stuck on thick rugs.

If you aren't entirely sold on the vacuum's cordless design and prefer using a corded vacuum for longer cleaning sessions, the Shark APEX UpLight is a fantastic alternative. It outperforms the Vertex on carpeted floors due to its stronger suction motor, but its bulkier design makes it more of a hassle to maneuver in tight spaces.

See our review
Best Mid-Range Shark Vacuum

Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV

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Amazon.com

Unavailable
Missing store

Bare Floor

7.9

Low-Pile Carpet

7.4

High-Pile Carpet

7.7

Pets

7.6

Stairs

8.0

Cars

7.8

Workshop

5.6

Vacuum Type
Upright/Handheld

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
Yes

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is a great choice if you're looking for a Shark vacuum that's a little more affordable, and among the best Shark vacuums for pet hair that we've tested. While it's bulkier and more difficult to set up and used compared to a cordless stick model than the Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless, it's definitely worth a look if you prioritize deep cleaning performance. Its dual-brushroll head helps it clear away debris on a wide range of surfaces, from bare floors to low and high-pile carpet, and it's pretty effective in dealing with messes in shallow cracks and crevices. It uses the brand's 'Lift-Away' design, which lets you pick up and carry its canister body separately from its floorhead, making it easier to clean tight spots. The power cord is pretty long too, so you can clean larger areas without swapping outlets.

If you're looking for a mid-priced Shark vacuum that's better suited to quick cleaning sessions, the Shark Cordless Pet Plus is a great option and happens to be another one of the best Shark vacuums for pet hair we've tested, thanks to its relatively easy-to-clean floorhead. Compared to the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV, it's a better fit for shorter cleaning sessions thanks to its more maneuverable cordless stick configuration, though its maximum battery life of about 40 minutes is a little on the short side and might not be enough for longer cleanup.

See our review
Best Budget Shark Vacuum

Shark Rocket Corded

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Amazon.com

Unavailable
Missing store

Bare Floor

7.8

Low-Pile Carpet

7.8

High-Pile Carpet

7.0

Pets

7.1

Stairs

7.4

Cars

6.9

Workshop

4.4

Vacuum Type
Stick/Handheld

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
No

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

If you're looking for a budget-friendly Shark vacuum, the Shark Rocket Corded is a good choice. This corded stick vacuum has a smaller dustbin than the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV and doesn't feel as sturdy, but it's considerably more maneuverable. It also performs superbly on bare floors and does a very good job of dealing with debris on carpeting. It offers two surface settings for its floorhead. These settings change the speed of its brushroll, not its height, so be careful when cleaning around tasseled rugs and shag-pile carpeting, which can get stuck. It's important to note that its brushroll isn't removable, making it a hassle to clear away any tangled pet hair.

This vacuum is lightweight and maneuverable, meaning you can clean cluttered areas for long periods with minimal fatigue. While you'll have to pay more, it's available with a 'Home & Car Detail' kit that includes a set of fine brushes and crevice tools to help you clean tight spots.

See our review
Best Robot Shark Vacuum

Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty

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Amazon.com

Unavailable
Missing store

Bare Floor

7.1

Low-Pile Carpet

6.1

High-Pile Carpet

6.2

Pets

4.8

Stairs

5.8

Cars

4.6

Workshop

4.2

Vacuum Type
Robot

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

The best Shark robot vacuum we've tested is the Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty, and it's worth a look if you don't need the deep-cleaning performance of a manually-operated vacuum like the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV. Unlike many other robot vacuums at this price point, it has a self-emptying feature that lets it automatically transfer debris from its dustbin into an external dirt compartment mounted to its charging dock, reducing hands-on maintenance requirements. You can use its companion app to schedule cleaning sessions, though there isn't any support for virtual boundary markers. Unlike the Shark IQ Robot, it doesn't come with a set of physical boundary markers either. Still, it cleans in an organized pattern and does a good job of maneuvering itself around obstacles.

However, it's worth noting that this robot vacuum doesn't have a surface detection system that would allow it to change its suction power mode automatically. If you want to adjust its cleaning mode, you have to manually select it through its companion app for every cleaning job. There's no onboard HEPA filter either, which isn't the best option if you're sensitive to fine allergens.

See our review
Best Handheld Shark Vacuum

Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+

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Amazon.com

Unavailable
Missing store

Bare Floor

8.1

Low-Pile Carpet

8.2

High-Pile Carpet

8.2

Pets

7.0

Stairs

9.2

Cars

8.3

Workshop

6.0

Vacuum Type
Handheld

Bagless
Yes

Cordless
Yes

Anti-Allergy Filter (HEPA)
No

Wet Compatible
No

See all our test results

The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ is the best cordless Shark vacuum with a handheld design that we've tested. Unlike the Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless or any other Shark stick vacuum, it's only really intended for quick spot-cleaning sessions. It does a fantastic job dealing with pet hair and solid debris on flat, even surfaces and delivers a superb overall performance on carpets and rugs. It feels well-built and has a simple design that incurs few recurring costs. It comes with a crevice tool for tackling messes in tight corners, a hard-bristle brush to dislodge stuck-on dirt and debris, and a turbo brush for cleaning furniture, though it isn't very effective for dealing with pet hair on upholstered surfaces.

Unfortunately, this vacuum's battery life of little over 10 minutes isn't especially noteworthy, even by the standards of other cordless stick vacuums, and you'll need to work fast when cleaning bigger messes. It also has terrible air filtration performance, so it isn't the best option if you suffer from allergies. If that's a concern, consider the Shark WANDVAC, which does a much better job of sealing in allergens like pet dander, and you can further bolster its filtration performance by purchasing an aftermarket HEPA filter. However, it's pricier than the UltraCyclone and has a much smaller dustbin.

See our review

Compared to other brands

Virtually no recurring costs. Most Shark vacuums have parts you can wash or clean, 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 typically bagless, which further helps cut recurring costs.
Tools and brushes included. While they may not have specialized tools like a pet grooming brush or a ceiling fan tool, they come with a solid selection of tools and brushes to help get the job done.
Can be configured into a handheld vacuum. Shark vacuums tend to be reconfigurable into a smaller, handheld mode so you can access more difficult-to-reach messes.

Okay build quality. Shark vacuums tend to have a plasticky build and certain parts, like their dirt compartments, seem especially prone to cracking if dropped.
Quite a few maintenance needs. 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 various price points. They're smartly designed to reconfigure into a handheld design if you need a closer clean, and cordless options are 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 slightly worse performance on carpet. Their upright vacuums usually perform better on all surface types than BISSELL vacuums.

Recent Updates

Nov 30, 2022: Ensured all main picks are still available and represent the best choice for user needs.
Nov 03, 2022: Added Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless as 'Best Upper Mid-Range Shark Vacuum' pick.
Sep 08, 2022: Added Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV as 'Best Mid-Range Shark Vacuum' pick. Added Shark Rocket Ultra-Light as 'Best Budget Shark Vacuum' pick. Removed 'Best Corded Shark Vacuum' and 'Best Shark Stick Vacuum' categories.
Jul 04, 2022: Article restructuring to better align with user expectations. Recategorized Shark Cordless Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away as 'Best Shark Vacuum' pick. Recategorized Shark Vertex Pro as 'Best Shark Stick Vacuum'. Added Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV as 'Best Corded Shark Vacuum'. Added Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ as 'Best Handheld Shark Vacuum'. Removed Shark APEX Upright Vacuum and Shark Rocket Pet Pro with MultiFlex IZ163H from main recommendations.
Jun 01, 2022: Ensured all main picks are still in stock and represent the best option for user needs and expectations.

Conclusion

Shark is a good household manufacturer that produces items like mops and irons alongside a selection of vacuums at different price points and styles. You can also use many Shark vacuums as handhelds, which is nice if you need to clean hard-to-reach places. If you want an easily portable model, Shark also sells some cordless vacuums. However, they tend to have quite a few maintenance needs, and some models can be a little more tricky to clean.