How To Compare Shark Vacuums: A Simple Guide

Cleaning your house doesn’t have to feel like such a chore. Moving into our first home, I knew I wanted the right vacuum to help make cleaning fast and efficient. My friend suggested Shark vacuums, so I decided to start shopping through their catalog of over 50 different options.

To figure out which Shark vacuum you need, you will want to figure out your environment and what exactly you need your vacuum to do. Whether you have pets, allergies, hardwood floors, stairs, or you’re elderly and need something lightweight and easy to use, Shark vacuums have something for everyone.

How to Compare Shark Vacuums

The best way to compare Shark vacuums to determine which is right for you is to compare several factors, such as:

Vacuum type
The environment you plan on using the vacuum
Vacuum features

Types of Shark Vacuums

When you begin your search for the perfect Shark vacuum, you will first need to look through the many different types of vacuums that the brand offers. As you look at the different kinds of vacuums, you should keep in mind what kind of features you need and want.

There are many types of vacuums offered by Shark; some of them are:

Upright – sucks up dust and dirt from floors and other surfaces like upholstery and draperies
Canister – home sweeper that cleans hardwood floors, heavy carpet, upholstery, and draperies
Central – installed in the basement, garage, or storeroom in walls throughout the building to remove particles, dust, and small debris
Drum – for industry or any other heavy-duty cleaning; consists of a large drum cylinder that connects to an air compressor
Stick – lightweight for limited space with carpet and bare floors and often uses rechargeable batteries
Robotic – automatic with programming and limited vacuum cleaning system
Handheld – simple and small to use on bare floors
Wet/Dry – designed to tackle liquid spills and dry dirt and dust as well for heavy-duty industrial jobs
Cordless – like handheld without the cord and has a handle

Types of Environments

The type of environment you live in will determine what type of vacuum you need for your home. Do you have pets? Do you have hard-to-reach places to clean? Some different environmental considerations you should factor into your final decision are listed in the following chart:

*Do you have…*	*Have you considered…*	*Do you need…*
Fully carpeted areas? Bare floors? A mixture of bare floors and carpet? Hardwood floors? Stairs? High areas to clean?	Pets or kids? Small spaces/storage? Light messes? Your budget? Noise control? Allergies?	Upright or handheld? Cord or cordless? Long battery life? Bagged or bagless? Lots of attachments? Unique features? Any add-on tools?

Types of Features

The different features included in the various models of Shark vacuums are what set the models apart from each other. There are many features that you will often see when looking through your vacuum options. Some of the different features you will see include:

Cord or cordless – cords reach up to 35 feet, cordless run on batteries
Weight – various ranges throughout all of the Shark vacuum models
Bags or no bags – canisters cost less but need to be cleaned, and keep in mind any allergies
Suction power – the more wattage, the more powerful the vacuum cleaner; greater suction may be needed for pets and kids who often make messes or make bigger messes
Attachments – research to see which attachment is most important for your home; some attachment options are pet multi-tools, brushes, crevice tools, and battery packs
Budget – select the most important factors you need in a vacuum with the abilities you need, then compare with your budget to find the right price for you, not just the most expensive
Normal filter or HEPA filter – HEPA filters have anti-allergen technology; the advanced anti-allergen complete seal technology emits ten times fewer particles than HEPA standards require. There are also filters that you can clean instead of changing out every single time they are full.

Types of Technological Features

When it comes to Shark vacuums, you don’t only get to choose from standard vacuum features like corded or cordless and bagged or bagless. Shark vacuums have a variety of technological features that make them stand out in a crowd. The following chart describes some of those technological features:

*Name of Feature*	*What it Does*
Smart Response Technology	Has a range of performance-enhancing power settings that are tailored for your cleaning needs on carpets and floors
Zero M Cleaner Head	Actively removes all types of hair; the unique bristle guard and comb work together to separate hair from the brush roll and suck it into the dust cup
Multi-Flex	Provides flexible reach for under furniture and freestanding, compact storage
Ionflex and Freestyle	Ionflex refers to the Shark line of cordless stick vacuums, and Freestyle refers to lightweight and cordless Shark vacuums
Active Glide	Makes vacuums easier to maneuver
LED headlights	Makes it easier to spot hidden debris
Powered Lift-Away	A canister that detaches to deep clean hard to reach areas while still delivering power to keep the dual brush rolls spinning
DuoClean	These models feature a bristle brush to deep clean carpets and an additional soft brush roll to pull in larger particles and leave hard floors looking polished
Apex Models	These models have noise reduction, a wand for flexible reach underneath things and overhead, compact storage, active glide wheels, and powerful suction

Tips for Comparing Shark Vacuums

Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind while shopping for your Shark vacuum:

For bare floors, try to get a vacuum with a steam mop included.
Always get a vacuum with a warranty because warranties can come in handy.
The more additional tools, the better.
While shopping for any Shark vacuum, check all the reviews.
Vacuums are noisy, so if that’s a major factor for you, look for the noise reduction feature.
Depending on the size of your area, keep in mind the cord length.
If you have carpet and bare floors, look into a hybrid.
Rubber wheels or padding are good for hardwood floors.
If you or your family have allergies, check out the anti-allergen technology feature on Shark vacuums.
The biggest difference in Shark vacuums with the same number series, for example, the Navigator, is accessories. Some retailers don’t include all the accessories and sell separately, so be aware when buying your vacuum.

Best Shark Vacuums

If you don’t have time to do the research, here are a couple of quick options for the most popular Shark vacuums:

Best Overall: Shark AZ1002 is an Apex upright with DuoClean for carpet and hard floor cleaning, Zero M, and anti-hair wrap technology with powered lift away with a hand vacuum.
Best Robot: Shark IQ R101AE has a self-emptying base, Wi-Fi, home mapping, and suction for large and small debris as well as pet hair on carpets and hard floors.
Best for Pets and Hardwood Floors: Shark NV752 is a Shark Rotator with a powered lift away. It is an upright corded bagless vacuum for carpet and hardwood floors with handheld and anti-allergy seal
Best Handheld: Shark Wandvac WV201 is lightweight at 1.4 pounds and has powerful suction, a charging dock, and a single touch empty and detachable dust cup
Best Cordless Stick: Shark Ionflex IF 251 features DuoClean and Multi-Flex technology and is also an ultra-light model