2024 the best vacuum cleaners review


Price: $219.99 - $159.99
(as of Oct 18, 2024 09:43:15 UTC - Details)

Warranty & Support

Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here [PDF ]

A lightweight 2-in-1 Lift-Away upright vacuum with a detachable pod for portable cleaning power. With the push of a button, Lift Away the pod to easily clean in hard-to-reach areas. This vacuum is also equipped with Swivel Steering for excellent control when maneuvering around furniture and has a completely sealed system with a HEPA filter to trap dust and allergens.
POWERFUL SUCTION: Deep-clean carpets and tackle bare floors with multi-surface powerful suction.
LIFT-AWAY FUNCTIONALITY: Detachable pod for cleaning under furniture or detach the nozzle to clean above the floor, on upholstery, furniture, stairs, and more.
ANTI-ALLERGEN COMPLETE SEAL TECHNOLOGY: Works with a HEPA filter to trap dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner.
PERFECT FOR PETS: Powerful pet hair pickup attachments like the upholstery tool make cleaning pet hair a breeze.
SWIVEL STEERING: Easily maneuver your vacuum in and out of tight spaces, in corners, around furniture, and more.
BRUSHROLL SHUTOFF: Feature allows you to instantly switch from deep carpet cleaning to gentle bare floor cleaning.
LARGE-CAPACITY DUST CUP: 0.9-quart capacity for longer cleaning sessions. Easily remove dust cup to empty debris in seconds.
WHAT’S INCLUDED: Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum, Upholstery Tool & Crevice Tool. Rinse filters under running tap water until the water runs clear. Squeeze filters and let air dry for 24 hours before replacing. Do not wash in dishwasher or washing machine.
Reviewer: Anthony M
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Surprise For Yet Another Dyson Owner
Review: I never thought I’d be writing a review on a vacuum cleaner, but in this case after having had Dyson's for over 15 years this one earns a mention. Don’t let the price or name fool you, this easily out performs the Dysons in many ways. The Dyson(s) this is replacing is the DC07 Animal and DC27 ball vacuum. I have no regrets. My reviews are normally pretty long-winded, but I feel there's a lot to cover here for a product you hope to only buy once and service you for many years.BuildThe product is fairly well constructed; however, it is not as heavy duty as the dyson. The clips are a little flimsier, and a little smaller. The Dyson is no champion in this department either as it’s entirely plastic and I’ve replaced pieces many times over the years. This seems to be rugged enough in places that matter, and I’m pleased to find the extension tube is made of metal. Parts snap together well and easily, and it seems to require far less effort to reconfigure. Size-wise it’s closer to the ball vacuum, power-wise the larger DC07. The powered floor brush is the same width as the Dyson ball, which is to say not very wide. It does have a window at the top so you can see if something is beginning to wind around the brush before it can cause trouble. Overall the weight and size make it an excellent choice for those with petite builds or senior citizens.I’ll say this right up front though, this is not a particularly good looking vacuum cleaner. It’s decent enough, and certainly that’s not what you buy them for. Some parts are quite handsome, but the general appearance of the tank is industrial at best, and just a bit cluttered over all.ErgonomicsHere is a bit of a mixed bag. Ergonomically the Dyson has obviously had some top flight industrial engineers working on it, as everything is snug, streamline and compact in the ways all the parts fit together. Once you know how to reconfigure the Dyson to extend the hose, it makes sense but does have a bit of a learning curve. The Shark by contrast is simpler in many ways, if a bit fussier.The “Lift-Away” canister allowing it to detach from the base is absolutely brilliant, and makes cleaning things like stairs, blinds, ceiling cobwebs etc. much easier. It’s far lighter than the Dyson, and easier to use. The swivel feature is similar to the ball vacuum, less sexy but works just as well. Basically, this is like having a canister and upright vacuum cleaner in one unit.There are certain aspects that nearly appear to be tacked on, such as the cord holder. The Dysons have this on the back, and it’s quite easy to access and use. Here it’s on the side, and winding the cord really works best only going one direction as the lower clip is tucked in and a bit out of the way. The tool holder as well is not really integrated, rather a small ring with 2 friction holders for the crevice tool and brush that you put onto the upright extension during assembly. Assembly BTW is a very simple and straightforward proposition, and helps you to understand how to reconfigure. Additionally, the red 2 position on/off rocker switch looks like it came right off the parts rack of a radio shack.The handle is well placed, well configured and comfortable to use. The main roller head is easy to tilt and the balance is quite good. Removing the tank is straightforward, and definitely one of the biggest selling points of this machine. I never liked having the hose stretch from the Dysons, which would inevitably fall over.One thing the Shark is definitely lacking is the one hand or one finger type of ergos of the Dyson. For instance, the canister must be released via 2 flip style clips at the bottom vs the pushbutton release of the Dyson. When it comes to cleaning the Shark wins, but when it comes to those extra little amenities, you’ll have to pony up a few extra hundred dollars. However, I believe the Shark does have some advantages beyond aesthetics.FilterThis is one of the highlights of the Shark. The Dysons have a HEPA filter which consists of a little flat filter that rests on a ribbed plate and sits at the base of the canister unit. Comparatively the Shark may seem overly complex with its multi-step filter system in 2 different locations. With the very first use it was obvious how insufficient the Dyson was in this regard. It always smelled like I was vacuuming before. With the Shark, it smells clean. There is nothing going back into the air. One look at the base filter and you know how well it’s working, it was positively filthy. Luckily these filters are made to be cleaned. The base “pre motor” filter consists of a felt filter with a foam filter on top, and then the “post motor” air return filter is a HEPA filter inside of an egg crate style frame. This is the grill you see on the front, and is easily accessed. The pre motor filter is accessed when you remove the canister. For allergy sufferers this is 5-star stuff.Design FlawsI have a couple of issues when comparing to the Dyson. The first being potentially important for allergy sufferers. Typically, the bag-less canisters have a little door at the bottom you open up to empty it. On the Dysons, the release for the door is at the top of the tank. You can lower the tank into a trash receptacle with one hand and pull the little release ring with your index finger, releasing the contents well away from your face and hands.With the Shark, the release tab for the door is at the bottom of the canister opposite the hinge, which means you can’t drop the tank down into the trash can to release it, it needs to be up high enough so you can press the button. This means potential to get your hands dirty, or some of the dust and dirt to miss the can. Normally I’d go outside and do this right into the garbage can – if you do the same just make sure it’s not windy!Additionally, the interior design of the canister has a flaw compared to the competition. Towards the top of the unit there is an inverted tube which comes close to the outside wall similar to the Dyson. However, the Shark has interior braces that trap dog fur. It can be easily dislodged by banging it, but you might not have that option. Again, this means you might be having to deal with potential contamination and sort of nullifies the excellent filtering of the unit.Cleaning/CarpetThe first thing I noticed when I switched it on was how quiet it is! I was positive that something like this would have to be far noisier. It’s most likely that newer models of Dyson are quieter, but I’ve had experience with 4 now and they all sound about the same. A higher pitched whirring sound with the Shark can be heard opposed to the deeper Dyson Roar on the carpet. As far as real cleaning, this positively outperforms the large Dyson. It’s easier to use and maneuver, and pulled far more out of the carpet than the Dyson did. Yuck! I had no idea. We have a medium pile carpet throughout the upstairs, and 2 long haired dogs. It was obvious that this thing was digging down much deeper than the Dyson from the tracks. The motorized brush also has an indicator light on it that lights green when the brush is working, and turns red if there is a blockage or jam. Another nice feature the Shark has is a little ring you can turn to cut down on the suction if it’s becoming too hard to push.One thing worth mentioning could bother some people. On my cut pile carpet the Shark leaves brush marks, think of a rake on sand opposed to just the flat sweep I'm used to with a Dyson. I'm not sure if this really bugs me or not, and it probably varies from carpet to carpet. I don't have any other similar type to check this on. You can certainly tell in an instant that it has been vacuumed however.Cleaning/Hardwood FloorsThe supplied Dust Away attachment with the detachable pad is a clever little extra that acts like a Swiffer on steroids. It works quite well right up to the wall, as well as sucking up all that dust and grit that manages to make its way in between gaps of the plank style hardwood floors. There is basically an open section in front of the pad to get the big stuff, and behind it is the pad which gets the dust and fine stuff that is usually missed by a vacuum even with a beater bar. You will still need to do the occasional wet mopping as things just get stuck on the floors, but for regular cleaning this is a nice option to have.Cleaning/Pet AttachmentThis is a smaller attachment with a beater bar that is powered by suction. It’s rather cleverly constructed and works well on upholstery or stairs. It’s much smaller than the Dyson Animal attachment, and far more useful. The Dyson was too large to use for pretty much anything I ever found. It’s about 4 ½ inches wide so it’s perfect for chairs and sofas. I was actually sort of surprised at how much it actually got off of the upholstery compared to just a regular brush attachment. This was a pleasant surprise inclusion; I didn’t know it would be in the package.Pros- inexpensive- lightweight- easy to use- swivel base easy to maneuver- incredibly powerful- suction control- fantastic filter system- bag free design- 2 position power switch (motorized brush head on/off)- motorized brush head with blockage/jam indicator light- motorized brush head viewing window- portable lift-away canister for easy cleaning of stairs or hard to access areas- hardwood/tile floor attachment- pet upholstery attachment- 30’ cord- easy cord release- 5 year warrantyCons- questionable aesthetics/ergonomics- fussy design- some materials a little flimsy- no soft brush attachment- dustbin door release at bottom means possible contact with contents- motorized head only 11” wideWow, that’s it. I suppose one more con would be this is not a proven commodity. After a year I’ll check back in, but I would imagine Shark would have another model out by then. I can say in the last few days this little thing has really impressed me. Enough to write a review about a vacuum cleaner, which I never thought I would. But for $180, I honestly thought I was making a mistake. Instead it’s one of the smartest things I’ve done, thanks to the excellent reviews from Amazon customers.In summary, besides the astounding power and cleaning performance of the Shark, there are 2 things I really love about it. The first is the Lift-Away design. I can’t say enough about how cool this is. It’s like having a canister vacuum you can carry around and get cobwebs, stairs etc. with without having to drag something around behind you. The second is the fantastic filter system. While I’m not a huge allergy sufferer, I had no idea how much crap was being blown back in the air with the Dyson. Combine these features with a lightweight, easy to maneuver and hard-sucking product they’ve fulfilled their promise.While ergonomically lacking behind the Dyson, they’ve hit a good balance of features and performance, cutting corners where it would be least noticed and giving the consumer every bit from their hard earned dollar. I was dubious of Shark because of infomercials etc., but now I know they’re not throwing their money away on fancy packaging or industrial design with questionable returns.5 stars, highly recommended.[edit 1/19]I apologize to anybody that asked me in the comments how I still felt about this vacuum. For some reason I haven't been getting notifications regarding review comments.TBH, our housekeeper and destroyer of all things made short work of this vacuum in about 2 years. For regular people, who do crazy things like maintain their products, (check the pathway when vacuuming up string or large metal objects etc. when they hear terrible screaming and clattering sounds), I would assume this vacuum will give 5 years easy. (I don't miss her one bit.) She would basically cause any warranty to be voided. Seriously, she destroyed a broom after 3 uses.I've moved into a small townhome, and will be back to doing my own cleaning. I have one of the Dysons she destroyed (seen in picture) after some repairs it's limping along. However, I plan to purchase this very same vacuum again because of its clever design and ease of use.If I had one complaint, the power brush attachment is belt driven, so if you are a ham fisted klutz who tries to use it for things besides upholstery, the belt may come off of its track. I basically hid this tool from the housekeeper after a few weeks of abuse.

Reviewer: Merideth Baker
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Bought a spare after 9 years
Review: tl;dr Best vacuum ever. Buy one!After 9 years (next month) of daily use (and I'm sorry to report I am not gentle at all), I've started to notice a few concerns with my Shark NV356E Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright Vacuum. About a year after purchase, I broke one of the clips that holds the dust bin onto the base. But you know what? Didn't matter. The dust bin sits on the base with a tight seal, so the loss of one of the clips has made no difference for the 8 years since it broke.The real concern began when the roller brushes occasionally weren't spinning... I'd take apart the vacuum to be sure it was clean and unobstructed, wouldn't find any problem, but then the brushes would work again. Weird. Then one day a couple weeks ago, it just stopped in the middle of vacuuming. I'm telling you, I almost cried right then and there, but I walked away to calm down. When I came back, it turned on and worked fine. Weird again. I thought I'd better order a replacement. I love this vacuum so much, and it has been such an excellent workhorse, and one never knows when a company will stop manufacturing a certain model, so I ordered a second one to have as a replacement for when the sad time of the death of my first one comes (but you'd better believe I'll consult a repairman before fully giving up—that's how much I love this vacuum). (Also, just yesterday, I believe I've identified the problem: I think the switch has somehow gone bad. I'll be looking into how to replace it.)Other "problems" I've had include the splitting of the hard part of the little hose at the bottom of the unit 2 years ago next month (7 years after purchase). Black electrical tape held it together until the replacement came. I have no idea why it broke, but there's about a 75% chance it was a user-generated problem. And the boy somehow vacuumed up the cord with such force that it damaged the protective outer coating. Again, black electrical tape "fixed" it. Speaking of the boy, he has at various times vacuumed up Legos, paper, dog food, rubber bands, spiders, gravel in the driveway (just to see if it worked), the occasional sock, powdered sidewalk chalk (I thought that one might have killed the vacuum, but no, he miraculously survived), soggy cereal directly from the bowl, and I can't tell you how many times he disassembled the vacuum during his "Deconstructed" phase (remember that TV show? ugh, our aspie boy failed to heed the subtitle: "we take it apart so you don't have to")... my Shark has valiantly kept on working.Some people think the vacuum tips over too easily. True. The hose is stiff and doesn't stretch much. When using the wand, the vacuum will tip over as you pull on the hose, because it's quite top heavy and the hose is attached toward the top. The fix is to "lift away"—detach it from the floor base. Just takes depressing a release latch. Simple.Emptying the dust bin seems to throw off some users who experience the dirt billowing out as they empty it. Again, an easy fix: lower the dust bin down into the waste basket (don't want to empty it into a full waste basket, you guys), and then depress the release button. The bottom swings open and the dirt and debris fall out into the waste basket. Then, turn the dust bin upside down, lower it into the waste basket again, and depress the release button for the lid to dump out any debris that has gathered in the upper chamber (Labrador undercoat hair seems to get stuck in there, so I do have to tap it so the hair falls out).Maybe you live in a new house, but I don't. My house is very old, and we have the windows open as much as possible, so between the Kansas wind and the old house, we have dust like you wouldn't believe. I dust using the vacuumm and the dusting brush. We also have two dogs, one of which (a Labrador Retriever) sheds enough that I could probably knit a whole new dog each week with his sheddings. Therefore, we vacuum every day. The bedroom where the kennel sits fills the dust bin with hair at least once and sometimes twice per vacuuming.Speaking of the dust bin, here's one thing I consider a design flaw: the fine mesh filter up inside the upper chamber of the dust bin is not removeable. It can get clogged with super-fine dust (especially if your child has vacuumed up something slightly wet, but also just with regular use), which lessens the suction power. It would be so nice and much easier to be able to remove that mesh cup to wash it. Since you can't, the way to keep it unobstructed or to clean it once it is clogged is to use a long-handled nylon bristle scrub brush—with the bristles dry, of course—to brush/scrape the mesh, then lower the dust bin into the waste basket and tap it to remove the fine dust.Fine dust is also, guaranteed, going to fill up your filters, so my suggestion is to buy one or a few spare filter sets. Don't throw them away. We blow them out with our air compressor (although you could probably just beat the dust out of the two triangular filters like an old-fashioned housewife beats a rug), tie them—the two triangular filters, not the hepa filter—into a pillow case, wash them in the washing machine, and dry them in the dryer with no fabric softener.Another tip: If your vaccum begins to smell not so fresh (say, like a giant dog butt), put a few of those fabric softener pellets/beads (like Downey Unstopables) between the two triangular filters. They are dry, so they won't harm anything, but they will cause the vacuum to put out their scent each time you use it, which is much, much more pleasant than giant-dog-butt scent. When their scent wears out (or when you replace the filters with clean ones), just replace the beads with new. Aaaaanyway, I did finally order a spare vacuum, just in case. When it arrived, I opened the box to find I had been sent a used vacuum. Gross! Hair in the brushes, hair and dirt in the dust bin. Oh my gosh, so disgusting. Hubs made it worse by pointing out I could have been sent a vacuum someone WITH BEDBUGS had used and returned. (The strangest part is that the box had a label from another department store.) The Amazon customer service representative facilitated a return and replacement, which I received yesterday. You'll be relieved to note it was brand new, never used. I assembled it (took approximately 1.35 minutes), and I plan to keep it upstairs, mostly unused until my original one finally gives up the ghost.

Reviewer: Caly Burleigh
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Fantastic for the price. Great suction and mobility is incredible. Also it is medium-light weight!!!

Reviewer: Elias
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Un excelente producto como es de esperarse de Shark, después de tres años de uso diario en una casa con mascotas y alfombras de pelo largo sigue funcionando bien.

Reviewer: Becca
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: works better then my dyson!

Reviewer: Paul Swaby
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Why would you ship an American Hoover to the UK knowing its not compatible. Waste of time and now I'm expected to pay the return costs. Not Happy

Reviewer: Mr. Amit Vyas
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I loved the product 😇

Customers say

Customers like the suction, functionality, and weight of the vacuum cleaner. They mention it's an excellent small vacuum for its power and performance aspect. Some appreciate that it's fairly lightweight and easy to carry around. Customers also say it cleans higher up and is great for edge-to-edge cleaning. Additionally, they mention it's easy to empty the bin and no tools are needed.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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