The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is a corded upright/handheld vacuum. It delivers superb bare-floor cleaning performance and will clear most kinds of debris on both low and high-pile carpet. It's also fairly configurable to suit different cleaning requirements, with two different suction levels, two floor settings, and a decently wide assortment of tools and brushes. Unfortunately, it's quite heavy, and its short vacuum hose makes cleaning high-placed areas and furniture a little tricky in its semi-handheld 'Lift-Away' mode. There are quite a few parts that require routine maintenance, but for the most part, they're easy to access. Overall, if you're looking for a versatile upright vacuum, this is a solid option.
Our Verdict
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is decent for bare floors. It does a good job of cleaning pet hair and small and large debris like rice or cereal, with virtually no decrease in suction performance as its dirt compartment fills up. It's decently well-built and fairly easy to maintain, though many parts require routine maintenance. Thankfully, its bagless design and washable, reusable filters keep recurring costs low.
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Superb performance on bare floors.
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Low recurring costs.
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Consistent suction performance.
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Heavy, somewhat bulky design.
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Has many parts that require routine maintenance.
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Can get stuck on rug tassels.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is alright for low-pile carpet. It clears away larger debris without too much of an issue, but it may take a couple of passes to fully clear fine material. Thanks to its swiveling head and easily reconfigurable design, it's fairly maneuverable, but its heavy weight can make it a little tricky to carry around. While many parts need to be regularly cleaned and maintained, you won't need to replace any components as long as they're well taken care of.
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Low recurring costs.
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Consistent suction performance.
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Heavy, somewhat bulky design.
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Has many parts that require routine maintenance.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is an okay option for high-pile carpet. It offers passable overall performance on this kind of surface. Its adjustable surface setting and suction control features help maintain performance on this kind of surface. It's also reasonably easy to maintain and incurs very few recurring costs as long as you clean its components as per the manufacturer's recommendation.
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Low recurring costs.
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Consistent suction performance.
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Heavy, somewhat bulky design.
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Has many parts that require routine maintenance.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is decent for dealing with pet hair. It does an impressive job of cleaning pet hair on a wide variety of surfaces. It also has a HEPA filter that will prevent allergens from spreading as you clean. While you can't remove its brushroll to clear any stuck-on debris, the manufacturer advertises this component as being able to detangle hair wraps by itself. It also comes with a turbo brush, making cleaning pet hair from delicate surfaces easier.
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Clears most pet hair.
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Equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter.
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Low recurring costs.
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Has many parts that require routine maintenance.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is very good for cleaning stairs. It's easy to reconfigure it into a semi-handheld vacuum, and it feels sturdy enough to deal with a couple of minor drops and bumps. While it performs best on bare floors, it still does a very good job of clearing debris on both low and high-pile carpet. Unfortunately, it's a little on the heavy side, and its short vacuum hose can be a bit of a nuisance.
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Superb performance on bare floors.
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Long power cord.
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Short vacuum hose.
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Heavy, somewhat bulky design.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is good for cleaning the inside of your car. It can be quickly reconfigured into a semi-handheld vacuum, and it comes with a crevice cleaner and an upholstery tool to help you deal with messes in tight corners or on fabric surfaces. While its power cord is long enough to help you reach a car parked outdoors, you may find its short vacuum hose to be a significant hindrance.
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Long power cord.
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Short vacuum hose.
This vacuum isn't intended for use in workshops. It can't remove liquid spills and isn't designed to remove things like wood or metal shavings.
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Consistent suction performance.
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Can't deal with liquid spills.
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Not meant for cleaning workshop debris.
- 7.3 Bare Floor
- 6.8 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.9 High-Pile Carpet
- 7.3 Pets
- 7.8 Stairs
- 7.6 Cars
- 5.2 Workshop
Changelog
- Updated Sep 26, 2024: We've added text to this review for the new tests added in Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jul 23, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3. We've overhauled our floor performance tests and added new 'Hard Floor Pick-Up,' 'High-Pile Carpet Pick-Up,' 'Low-Pile Carpet Pick-Up,' and 'Pet-Hair Pick-Up' tests. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Feb 02, 2024: We've added a link to the Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away in the 'Tools and Brushes' section of the review to provide an alternative that comes with a dusting brush.
- Updated Dec 14, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update builds on our previous 'Suction' test with a new 'Airflow' test that more accurately measures a vacuum's ability to generate air movement. If you'd like to see an in-depth look at the reasoning and methodology behind this change, you can see our full changelog here..
- Updated Apr 07, 2023: Added link to the Shark Stratos Upright in the 'Quality Of Life Features' section of the review to provide an alternative with a handle-mounted surface adjustment switch.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is available in a few variants, though they differ only in terms of included attachments and color. We tested the LA502 variant, and you can see its label here.
| Model Number | Wand Color | Included Brushes and Tools | Notes |
| LA500 | Grey | Upholstery tool, crevice tool | |
| LA500C | Grey | Upholstery tool, crevice tool | Canadian-market designation for the LA500 model |
| LA502 | Silver/Blue | Upholstery tool, crevice tool, miniature turbo brush |
If you come across a differently-equipped model, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is an upright/handheld vacuum. It outperforms the similar Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away on bare floors but doesn't do quite as well on low-pile carpet. Reconfiguring it into its semi-handheld 'Lift-Away' form factor is a quick and simple process, and it comes with a wide variety of tools and accessories to help you clean a mix of surface types. Unfortunately, it's quite bulky and has many parts that require routine maintenance.
If you're looking for alternatives, consider our list of recommendations for the best upright vacuums, the best bagless vacuums, and the best hardwood vacuums.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is more versatile than the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away. The ADV has fewer maintenance requirements, a longer power cord, a lighter construction, better maneuverability, and superior performance on bare floors, especially regarding pet hair. However, unlike the Rotator Powered, you can't turn off its brushroll. The Rotator Powered also outperforms the ADV on low-pile carpets and has a bigger dirt compartment.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is a better overall vacuum than the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe. The Rotator is better built, easier to maintain, and slightly easier to maneuver, and has a longer power cord. It also performs much better on bare floors. Meanwhile, the Navigator has a larger dustbin and performs better on low-pile carpets.
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed and the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV have different advantages, and you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs. The cheaper Navigator has a bigger dirt compartment and a lighter construction. That said, the Rotator is better built and has a longer power cord and vacuum hose. It also has a twin-roller head with a soft brushroll for improved debris pickup on hard floors.
The Shark Stratos Upright is marginally better than the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV, though both vacuums are pretty similar overall. The Stratos is a little easier to clean and has a handle-mounted surface adjustment dial rather than the Rotator's body-mounted switch. Its PowerFins HairPro floorhead also does a better job of reducing hair wraps compared to the Rotator's previous-generation head. The Rotator is a little lighter and more comfortable to use in its 'Lift-Away' configuration.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is better overall than the Shark APEX Upright. The Rotator has fewer maintenance needs, a lighter construction, and better performance on bare floors and high-pile carpet. Unlike the APEX Upright, it also comes with a hard-bristle brush and an extension wand. However, the APEX Upright has superior performance on low-pile carpet and is slightly more maneuverable.
The Shark APEX UpLight is a little more versatile than the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV. The APEX UpLight is lighter, far more maneuverable, and cleans more debris on low-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the Rotator is more effective on bare floors and high-pile carpets and comes with an upholstery tool to deal with messes on furniture.
The Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away is effectively an upgraded version of the Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV. The Performance Plus has a newer iteration of Shark's DuoClean floorhead that's a little more effective in preventing hair wraps as well as collecting debris on carpets, along with an odor-neutralizing cartridge in its floorhead. However, the older Rotator ADV does have a higher-capacity dustbin that won't need to be emptied as often.
The Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet and Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV are differently designed vacuums with different strengths, meaning one might suit you better depending on your needs. The Shark is a corded upright with a virtually indefinite runtime. You can use it in a semi-handheld configuration to clear messes in tight corners. It incurs lower recurring costs, has an adjustable-height floorhead, performs better on bare floors and low-pile carpets, and exerts a much stronger suction force in the real world, resulting in superior crack-cleaning performance. It also does a much better job of sealing in fine particulates. Conversely, the Hoover is a cordless upright with a virtually limitless range. It's smaller, lighter, easier to maintain, and has a larger dustbin that doesn't need emptying as often.
Test Results
The Shark LA502 is decently well-built. It's mostly made of plastic, though it has a metal wand tube and rubber drive wheel treads, not to mention a clear rubber bumper on the front of the head. Unfortunately, you need to bend down to switch power modes, and its short hose makes it somewhat unstable when positioned upright. Thankfully, the vacuum itself is intuitively designed, with parts that clip together easily, so routine maintenance and swapping tools are simple processes.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV is fairly easy to maintain, though there are a couple of parts that need regular servicing.
- Dirt compartment: The dirt compartment can be removed by pressing a release button on its handle and pulled upwards. It should be emptied once the max fill line is reached. You can also lift the top cover to clean the lint screen when needed.
- Brushroll: The brushroll isn't removable. To access it, you need to remove 12 screws. Thankfully, it's designed to be self-cleaning, but you can remove any tangled hair wraps with scissors or by hand. You can also remove two separate plastic screws with a coin to remove the hatch cover to the brushroll intake compartment to clear any trapped debris.
- Soft Roller: The soft roller can be accessed by pressing the access button on the side of the vacuum head. It should be washed under cold water if you notice an accumulation of debris.
- Pre-motor filters: The foam and felt pre-motor filters are located under the dust cup. They should be cleaned under cold water once a month.
- Post-motor HEPA filter: You can access the HEPA filter via a tab on the filter door and then pulling it out sideways. This part should be washed under cold water once a year.
You must air dry any part that's washed with water for at least 24 hours before using it again.
This vacuum has virtually no recurring costs as long as it's properly maintained, as the manufacturer specifies that these components won't need to be replaced as long as they're properly taken care of.
- Pre-motor filters: The foam and felt pre-motor filters are sold as a single kit on Shark's website. The filters in comparable Shark vacuums have an estimated service of roughly two and a half years.
- Post-motor HEPA filter: Replacements can be purchased on the manufacturer's website, and the HEPA in similar Shark vacuums have an estimated service life of three years.
The Shark LA502 has decent storing capabilities. It's somewhat bulky, but its power cord wraps around the back of its body, and there's onboard storage for both its crevice cleaner and pet multi-tool. Unfortunately, there's no space for its Self-Cleaning Pet Power Brush.
The Shark LA502 has a decent dirt compartment. It's fairly spacious and has a max fill line to clearly indicate when it has reached maximum capacity.
- Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV vacuum body
- Hose
- Wand
- Handle
- Dirt compartment
- Crevice tool
- Pet multi-tool head
- Pet multi-tool bristle brush attachment
- Soft brush
- Self-cleaning Pet Power brush
- Head/floor nozzle
- Pre-motor filters
- Post-motor filter
- User guide
The Shark LA502 has a mediocre overall range. Its power cord is fairly long, allowing you to clean large or far-off areas without swapping outlets. Unfortunately, its hose is very short, which is an inconvenience when cleaning high-placed shelves or tight spots in your car.
The Shark LA502 has satisfactory portability. It's quite heavy but feels quite lightweight in your hand, and the carrying handle makes it a little easier to bring from room to room. If you're looking for a more portable upright vacuum and don't want to deal with the hassle of a power cord, consider the Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet.
The Shark LA502 doesn't have a battery.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV has a couple of quality-of-life features. There's a vacuum head-mounted light to illuminate dark spots and a two-level suction adjustment switch on its handle. It lets you swap between 'MIN', which lowers suction to improve maneuverability on carpets, and 'MAX', which increases suction and is intended for use on bare floors. There are also three surface settings; '0 Power Off', 'I Hard Floor', which is best suited for bare floors and low-pile area rugs, and 'II Carpet', intended for medium and high-pile carpet. In comparison, the newer Shark Stratos Upright features a third surface setting intended for really thick carpeting, with the switch located on its handle as opposed to the body for easier access.
This vacuum comes with a couple of tools and brushes. There's a turbo brush to deal with stuck-on dirt and a crevice tool to tackle debris in tight corners. There's also the Pet Multi-Tool, which serves as an all-in-one hard bristle brush/upholstery cleaner to clear debris on furniture or dislodge stubborn debris. Check out the Shark Performance Plus Lift-Away if you want a similar vacuum that comes bundled with a soft-bristle dusting brush.
The Shark LA502 can be used in a semi-handheld configuration to deal with messes on furniture, elevated areas, or inside your car.
Performance on hard floors is good. The vacuum's soft front roller allows it to sweep up both large and small, lightweight debris without sending it scattering around. That said, some heavier debris can get stuck within its floorhead rather than being sucked into the dustbin and may fall out once you shut the vacuum off.
This vacuum's performance on high-pile carpet is reasonable. It's effective when clearing away large and medium-sized debris like cereal or rice on this surface type, but it does little to lift away finer material that's been pressed into carpet fibers.
This vacuum's performance on low-pile carpet is mediocre. It struggles quite a bit with clearing away fine debris like sand on this surface type, and the bulkiness of its floorhead can impede it from cleaning debris that's pressed deep into corners or right up against walls.
This vacuum does a good job of dealing with pet hair on low-pile carpet. While it can leave behind a few fine, small tufts of hair after a single back-and-forth pass, you'll only really need to make an extra sweep to get everything.
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away ADV has okay maneuverability. Its swiveling head improves its maneuverability in tight, cramped rooms, and its 'Lift-Away' semi-handheld configuration makes cleaning hard-to-reach areas and furniture a little bit easier, though its short vacuum hose can complicate this by forcing you to carry its main body closer to where you're cleaning. Its brushroll can also get tangled in rug tassels, and its bulky front-mounted dirt compartment makes it difficult to clean under tables and couches.
