Shark APEX UpLight Vacuum Review

The Shark APEX UpLight has a decent build quality and it's better-built than the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light. It's mainly plastic except for the metal wand. The dirt compartment is made out of transparent plastic and it feels like it could break if dropped. There's a light on the vacuum head indicating the status of the vacuum, as to whether there's a jam in the brushroll or if the vacuum is overheating. The vacuum is easy to assemble as the parts fit well together, and switching between the configurations is easy.

This vacuum is okay to maintain. There are several parts you need to take care of and they're fairly accessible.

• Dirt compartment: There's a button on the dirt compartment to take it off the vacuum for when you need to empty it. The dirt empties from the bottom and you can also open the compartment from the top to clean the lint screen.
• Main brushroll: You can't remove the brushroll, which makes cleaning it a bit more difficult. You can lift the cover underneath the head by unscrewing it with a flathead screwdriver or a coin, and you can remove any tangled hairs in the brushroll that way. There's also an indicator light on the vacuum head. If it's green, the vacuum is working properly; if it's solid red, the brushroll is jammed; if it's blinking red, the vacuum is overheating.
• Soft brushroll: You can remove the soft brushroll and wash it with cold water if needed.
• Turbo brush brushroll: Like the main brushroll, you can also clean the brushroll on the turbo brush by lifting the plastic cover.
• Pre-motor filters: There are two pre-motor filters: a white foam cylinder and a black felt frame holding the cylinder. They're accessible by removing the dirt compartment and you should wash them with cold water once a month.
• HEPA (post-motor) filter: To access the HEPA filter, just remove its cover on the body of the vacuum. Clean it once a year with cold water.

Any part that you wash with water must be dry before you use it again.

There are virtually no regular costs associated with the Shark APEX UpLight. If the pre-motor and HEPA filters are well-maintained, you should only need to replace them every few years.

Decent storing capabilities. It takes up a good amount of space and it has wheels that hold it up in place, so you don't need to worry about leaning it onto something. There's also onboard storage for the hard bristle brush and crevice tool, but you can't place the turbo brush on it.

The Shark APEX UpLight has a decent dirt compartment. It's a good size for a stick vacuum as it's a bit smaller than the Dyson V11 Animal and much bigger than the Shark ION F80.

• Vacuum body (with hose attached)
• Wand
• Vacuum head
• Dirt compartment
• Turbo brush (Self Clean Pet Power brush)
• Hard bristle brush
• Crevice tool
• Onboard tool clip
• Pre-motor foam filter
• Pre-motor felt filter
• HEPA post-motor filter
• Post-motor filter cover
• User guide

The UpLight has a limited range. The cord has a standard length for a vacuum and it's long enough for you to vacuum an entire room. The hose is short and you can only use it when you're using the vacuum in the handheld mode.

Decent portability. The vacuum itself is fairly heavy overall but you can use it as a handheld vacuum without the wand, making it lighter. If you're looking for something lighter and easier to carry around, take a look at the Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded or the Dyson Omni-glide.

The UpLight doesn't have a battery.

This vacuum has limited extra features. It has a rotating head and headlights, but it doesn't have a surface type adjustment or power setting.

The Shark APEX UpLight vacuum has a few included tools. The Pet Power brush isn't a pet grooming tool like on the Dyson Ball Animal 2, but rather it's a turbo brush to help clean hair on carpet or upholstery.

The Shark APEX UpLight can be used as a handheld vacuum by removing the wand and using the hose. You can only use this hose in this configuration.

Outstanding performance on bare floors. It easily picks up any type of debris and the soft brushroll helps crush large debris like cereal so that it's easier for the vacuum to suck it up.

The Shark APEX UpLight has excellent performance on low-pile carpet. It sucks up all hair and most large debris like sand. It also cleans up a good amount of small debris like baking soda. Unfortunately, it slightly loses its performance as the dirt compartment fills.

Good on high-pile carpet. Once again, it cleans almost all hair and it's decent with large debris. However, it struggles a bit with smaller, fine debris. Consider the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV if you want a vacuum that performs more effectively on this kind of surface.

The Shark APEX UpLight has good maneuverability. The rotating head helps you navigate around objects and it's easy switching between the stick and handheld configurations. The head is a bit bulky so you need to bend down to reach all the way under couches and tables. It's also simple to clean furniture in the handheld mode with either the hard bristle brush on the table or the turbo brush on the couch. The vacuum sucks up rugs a bit and the brushroll light turns red if the rug gets stuck. If you want a stick vacuum that's easier to maneuver, look into the Shark ION F80.

This vacuum doesn't have any automation features.