Why You Need a Shark Upright Vacuum?

• From powerful pickup to no hair wrap.

Shark’s premier nozzle technologies deliver powerful multi-floor cleaning —from hair wrap removal to dual brushrolls, pick the right nozzle for you.

1.DuoClean PowerFins

Two brushrolls pick up more dirt, debris, and hair in every pass*—with no hair wrap. PowerFins dig deep into carpets & directly engage floors, while the soft roller leaves a polished look on floors.

2.Self-cleaning brushroll

Removes pet hair and long hair from the brushroll—no more hair wrap.

• Powered Lift-Away vacuums—3 ways to clean.

Powered Lift-Away means taking power to new places—detach the pod and extend your reach with a motorized brushroll or clean above the floor. Available in select models.

1. Powered Lift-Away mode

Detach the pod and the brushroll keeps spinning for powerful, extended reach under furniture.

2. Above-floor mode

Take your cleaning further—detach the pod for cleaning furniture, windowsills, and other areas above the floor.

3. Upright mode

The classic way to clean—powerful debris pickup on floors and deep cleaning on carpets.

• Lift-Away vacuums—2 ways to clean.

Lift-Away mode brings newfound versatility-detach the pod and take your cleaning above the floor. Available in select models.

1. Lift-Away mode

Detach the pod and extend your reach for versatility above the floor and intight spaces.

2. Upright mode

The classic way to clean—powerful debris pickup on floors and deep cleaning on carpets.

Traditional Shark Upright Vacuums

For people who need something that can deep clean carpet, an upright vacuum is a better alternative.

These vacuums are heavy, but it offers more suction, airflow, dirt capacity, plus all the bells-and-whistles that a stick vacuum may not have.

Shark upright vacuums can be divided into the categories:Vertex,APEX, Rotator, and Navigator.

Vertex Series

Earning one of the best all-around scores we have seen from any vacuum cleaner in close to five years of testing, the Shark Vertex is undeniably one of our top recommendations for anyone who wants the best of the best. It delivered phenomenal performances in our cleaning tests on both carpeted and hard floors — even easily picking up pet hair. This vacuum is convenient and easy to use and unseated all past award winners for the top spot. That said, it can be a bit more expensive than many people want to spend on a new vacuum, but we feel confident that you'll be pleased if you go for it.

APEX Series

The APEX series is Shark’s newest upright offering that offers all the bells and whistles. It’s got noise reduction, an extra-large bin, Powered Lift-Away, DuoClean, and Zero-M. These uprights are also the heavies and bulkier than their other alternatives. If your priority is cleaning performance, look no further than the APEX series.

Navigator vs. Rotator

There isn’t much of a difference between the Shark Rotator and Navigator.

One of the differences I notice is that some Rotator models have the powered lift away system while the some Navigator options I see only have the lift away system.

Another difference is the shape of the filter. Navigators use a flat-shaped filter, and the Rotator has a cylindrical shape. Both offer HEPA filtration and have post-motor HEPA filters.

There isn’t much of a difference in terms of performance. Both categories offer similar cleaning performance. It will boil down to choosing between the DuoClean head vs. the more traditional brush design.

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Shark Vertex vs. APEX vs. Rotator vs. Navigator Overview

>>Shark Vertex DuoClean

Best Shark Vacuum for Carpet 

User reviews：4.3/5.0

The Shark Vertex is an upright vacuum that doubles as a corded upright or a more portable canister vacuum. It has an advanced DuoClean brushroll system, which combines spiral rubber brushes with a soft roller brush. The 1 quart dust bin canister is removable from the base, which allows you to carry it in-hand as you clean. 

Earning one of the best all-around scores we have seen from any vacuum cleaner in close to five years of testing, the Shark Vertex is undeniably one of our top recommendations for anyone who wants the best of the best. It delivered phenomenal performances in our cleaning tests on both carpeted and hard floors — even easily picking up pet hair. This vacuum is convenient and easy to use and unseated all past award winners for the top spot. That said, it can be a bit more expensive than many people want to spend on a new vacuum, but we feel confident that you'll be pleased if you go for it.

Key Features

• DuoClean PowerFins:A PowerFin roller and a soft roller combine on all floors. Continuous cleaning contact to dig deep into carpets, directly engage floors, and pick up more in every pass.

• Self-Cleaning Brushroll:Powerful pet hair pickup with no hair wrap.

• Pet Hair Pickup:Engineered to pick up more hair with no hair wrap (vs. shark bristle nozzles)

• Powered Lift-Away:Lift Away the pod for motorized cleaning under furniture, or detach the nozzle and clean above the floor.

• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology:Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology and a HEPA filter trap 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner. 

• LED Headlights:Reveal hidden debris around your home.

• Active Glide Technology:Smooth maneuverability on hard floors and carpets while maintaining powerful suction.

• Extra Tools:Includes additional tools to tackle stubborn pet hair and hard-to-reach areas.

 Shark Vertex DuoClean Specifications

Below is a complete Shark Vertex DuoClean specifications and special features included with the Shark Vertex Lift-Away upright:

Advantage and Disadvantage of  Shark Vertex DuoClean

Price and Where to Buy?

• Shark Clean: from $399.99 (4% Super Cash Back)

• Best Buy: from $379.99 (0.5% Super Cash Back)

What's Included?

• Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum with Powered Lift-Away and Self-Cleaning Brushroll

• Dusting brush, Pet Crevice tool, Self-cleaning pet power brush

• Owner's Manual

Should You Buy the Shark Vertex?

I would recommend the Shark Vertex if you’re looking for:

• Lighter Upright:While the difference is not significant, the Shark Vertex is slightly lighter than the APEX model-16.38 lbs for the Vertex compared to 17.1 lbs for the APEX.

• Improved Brushroll: while we did not notice any significant difference in performance, Shark does say that the re-designed DuoClean brushroll on the Vertex is an improvement over APEX.

• Larger Dust Bin:the Vertex has a slightly larger dust bin at 1.0 quarts, compared to the Apex’s 0.88 quarts.

• 2-in-1 usability: The Vertex Lift-Away canister lets you use this vacuum as an upright or as a powerful handheld by removing the canister from the vacuum base.

>>Shark APEX DuoClean

Best Bare Floors Shark Vacuum 

User reviews:4.2/5.0

The Shark APEX Upright Vacuum is a bagless upright vacuum cleaner. Its 'Lift-Away' design lets you pick up and carry its canister independently of its upright body. It performs exceptionally well on bare floors, does a good job of cleaning pet hair on a wide variety of surface types, and also has an allergen-trapping HEPA filter. However, it has many parts that need regular cleaning and struggles with fine debris on carpeted floors, even when using the dedicated surface settings for its floorhead.

And the Shark APEX DuoClean is tied for the best vacuum that Shark makes, in our opinion. Its got an incredibly solid build quality. The DuoClean brushroll works great on hard surfaces and carpets alike. It has more than enough suction to handle anything you can throw at it. It’s just an incredibly solid vacuum. It’s not cheap, but it’s far from expensive.

Key Features

• Shark APEX DuoClean with Self-Cleaning Brushroll Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum:Shark APEX featuring DuoClean, Powered Lift-Away, and self-cleaning brushroll technologies.

• DuoClean Technology:Dual brushroll system deep-cleans carpets and directly engages floors for a polished look.

• Self-Cleaning Brushroll:The vacuum that deep-cleans now cleans itself. The self-cleaning brushroll delivers nonstop hair removal.

• Powered-Lift Away:The pod detaches to extend the reach of the cleaner head, including under furniture.

• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology:Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology and a HEPA filter trap 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner.

• Noise Reduction Technology:Expertly tuned to reduce noise and soften pitch.

• Active-Glide Technology:Smooth maneuverability on hard floors and carpets while maintaining powerful suction.

Shark APEX DuoClean Specifications

Below is Specifications and features for the Shark APEX DuoClean with Zero-M Powered Lift-Away upright vacuum cleaner :

Advantage and Disadvantage of Shark APEX DuoClean

Price and Where to Buy?

• Shark Clean: $379.99 (4% Super Cash Back)

• Best Buy: $379.99 (0.5% Super Cash Back)

What's Included?

• Shark APEX DuoClean with Self-Cleaning Brushroll Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum

• Crevice Tool, Upholstery Tool

• Owner's Manual

Should You Buy the Shark APEX?

I would recommend the Shark APEX if you’re looking for:

• Slightly Less Expensive:at their normal retail prices, the APEX is generally going to be a little less expensive than the APEX.

• Exceptional Performance: the APEX DuoClean scored a 99.7% on our cleaning tests, one of the best performances we’ve tested to date.

• Space saver and multi-tasker: The ability to save space by having an upright and handheld canister vacuum in one is great, especially when space is at a premium. 

• Don’t want to buy more than one vacuum: The lift away system gives it the capability to clean areas such as the vehicle interior, upholstery, vents, stairs, and much more.

• Need a vacuum in a commercial setting: Some cleaning companies use this vacuum for their cleaning business because it cleans exceptionally well.

>>Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away 

Good for Hardwood floors & Pets

User reviews:4.6/5.0

The Shark Rotator Lift-Away is an upright vacuum with a sleek design and extra large dust canister. This vacuum is a bit of a 2-in-1 design since the canister can lift out of the body of the vacuum and be used as a handheld vacuum.This model has advanced swivel steering with LED lights.For cleaning, this vacuum is designed with a 9.5” wide cleaning path and a large dust bin that can hold 1.3 dry quarts of dust and debris.

The Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away is a good overall vacuum. It can be used as a handheld vacuum too, but it's not very portable as it's heavy to carry around. It's an excellent choice to clean large debris such as cereal on any surface and it's good with small debris, but it struggles with finer objects on high-pile carpet. Hair gets stuck on the brushroll when it's used on bare floors but the vacuum cleans all hair on both low-pile and high-pile carpet. The TruePet variant we tested comes with three tools but there are other variants with different tools. It's not hard to maintain but there are quite a few parts that you need to clean. Luckily, there are virtually no recurring costs.

Key Features

• Shark's original, full-sized Powered Lift-Away. A canister that detaches to deep clean hard-to-reach areas while still delivering power to keep the brushroll spinning.

• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology + a HEPA filter. Traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum.

• Pet Multi-Tool - Ultimate pet hair cleaning for all surfaces.

• Fingertip Controls. Power On/Off and easily switch from Hard Floor to Carpet Mode.

Shark Rotator Lift-Away Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications for the Shark Rotator Lift-Away upright vacuum:

Advantage and Disadvantage of Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away 

Price and Where to Buy?

• Shark Clean: $349.99 (4% Super Cash Back)

• Best Buy: $329.99 (0.5% Super Cash Back)

What's Included?

• Shark - Rotator Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum

• Pet Multi-Tool, 12" Crevice Tool

• Owner's Manual

Comparing the Rotator Series

Should You Buy the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away?

I would recommend the Shark Rotator Lift-Away if you’re looking for the following features in a 2-in-1 upright vacuum.

• Want a few extra bells and whistles: This vacuum comes with some extra bells and whistles that not all vacuums have. For example, headlights, a brushroll indicator light, and 5 extra tools.

• Like the idea of two vacuums in one : As a 2-in-1 vacuum, the Shark Rotator Pro is able to be pushed around as a sturdy upright, or removed for a durable and powerful handheld. Either configuration offers strong suction and a plethora of extra tools for specific cleaning styles.

• Don’t mind a slightly heavier unit :As an upright, this vacuum comes in with a total weight of 15.5 pounds. Once removed and turned into a handheld, the Shark weighs 8 pounds. Neither are particularly light options, so you will want to be sure you’re okay with the heavier build before purchasing.

>>Shark Navigator Lift-Away 

Best Budget Vacuum

User reviews:4.4/5.0

The Shark Navigator Lift-Away is a bagless upright vacuum. Its 'Lift-Away' design allows you to pick up and carry its canister while vacuuming with its wand. It delivers superb performance on bare floors and does an excellent overall job cleaning various kinds of debris on low and high-pile carpet. It also cleans pet hair without any issue, regardless of surface type, and has an onboard allergen-trapping HEPA filter. However, its bulky design can make it hard to maneuver in tight spaces, and its plastic construction feels a little flimsy in some places. While it incurs virtually no recurring costs, there are a few different parts that need regular cleaning.

The ZU561 is the newest in Shark’s Navigator, line up with the Zero-M technology feature. This variant actually has a smaller motor than the older NV352 but will do better at cleaning fine dirt on hard surfaces thanks to the better seal. It’s got a fully sealed system and LED headlights.

Key Features

• Lift-Away:Lift away with the pod release pedal to clean stairs, overhead areas and more.

• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal with HEPA:Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology locks in 99.99% of dust and allergens, keeping them out of the air that you breathe.

• Multi-floor cleaning:Deep cleaning on carpets and gentle on hard floors with powerful pet hair pickup.

• Lightweight:Lightweight versatility in every mode with whole-home cleaning capacity.

• Advanced Swivel Steering:Advanced Swivel Steering and smart handle ergonomics for excellent control.

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Specifications

Below is a complete list of important specifications for the SharkNavigator Lift-Away upright vacuum:

Advantage and Disadvantage of Shark Navigator Lift-Away

Price and Where to Buy?

• Shark Clean: form $199.99 (4% Super Cash Back)

• Best Buy: from $179.99 (0.5% Super Cash Back)

What's Included?

• Shark Navigator Lift-Away ADV Upright Vacuum

• Crevice tool, Upholstery tool, Dusting brush

• Owner's Manual

Comparing the Navigator Series

Should You Buy the Shark Navigator Lift-Away?

I would recommend the Shark Navigator Lift-Away if you’re looking for the following features:

• Extra Large Dust Bin: The dust bin canister can hold up to 2.2 dry quarts of debris, which is almost twice the capacity of the Shark Rotator Lift-Away and over 7 times the capacity of the compact Shark IONFlex DuoClean. For homes with big messes, the extra large dust bin canister is a must.

• Great Value:The price tag of the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro is also right. The Shark Navigator Pro is a quite affordable vacuum, compared to similar models on the market.

• 2-in-1 Design: The Navigator Lift-Away has a canister that separates from the body of the vacuum for portable cleaning. Using the lift-away canister also doesn’t diminish the size of the XL canister.

Shark Vertex vs. APEX vs. Rotator vs. Navigator Comparison Side-by-Side 

Product Specs

Here is a quick side-by-side comparison of the Shark Vertex vs. APEX vs.Rotat vs.  Navigator uprights.

Accessories & Parts

The table below documents all of the parts and accessories that were included with each model at the time of purchase. Depending on when you purchase each model and through which retailer, exact accessories may vary.

Cleaning Tests

The following vacuum cleaner tests are designed to show how the Shark Vertex vs. Shark APEX vs. Shark  Rotator vs. Shark Navigator performs on different surfaces and against a variety of different debris types.

We test on three different floor types, including hardwood floors, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet.

For each floor type we test the vacuum cleaner against:

• Rice - 3 ounces

• Dry Cereal - 1 ounce

• Kitty Litter-3 ounces

• Sugar -3 ounces

Shark Vertex Cleaning Performance

Shark APEX Cleaning Performance

Shark Rotator Cleaning Performance

Shark Navigator Cleaning Performance

Usability

Shark Vertex

• Quick assembly: <5 mins

• Lift-Away canister: Yes

• Cord Length: 30′

• Dust Bin Capacity: 1.0 qts.

Shark APEX

• Quick assembly: <5 mins

• Lift-Away canister: Yes

• Cord Length: 30′

• Dust Bin Capacity: 0.88 qts.

 Shark Rotator 

• Quick assembly: <5 mins

• Lift-Away canister: Yes

• Cord Length: 30′

• Dust Bin Capacity: 1.3 qts.

Shark Navigator

• Quick assembly: <5 mins

• Lift-Away canister: Yes

• Cord Length: 30′

• Dust Bin Capacity: 2.2 qts.

Shark Vacuum Cleaner Maintenance

• To keep your investment in tip-top shape, it's important to keep your vacuum clean and to check filters during Shark's recommended intervals. Otherwise, the vacuum could decrease in performance.

• Emptying the dust cup is extremely easy, and can be accessed from varying angles to empty. It does get caked in a layer of dust, but you can rinse it with water as you please, about once a month, but wait 24 hours before reattaching. 

• There are two filters in the unit. The pre-motor filter should be washed with water every month. They're accessible underneath the dust cup, with instructions for where the foam and felt belong, should you forget. The HEPA filter is located at the bottom of the Lift-Away and needs to be cleaned once a year. 

• Be sure to periodically check the wand, hose, handle, and floor nozzle for any blockages. While the silicone self-cleaning brushroll won't require much maintenance, the blue soft roller requires periodic cleaning. Clean the soft roller by tapping loose debris off, and using a dry paper towel to wipe it clean. It can then be hand-washed, as needed, and left to air dry for 24 hours. 

Shark Vertex vs. APEX vs. Rotator vs. Navigator: Which is Better?

• If you're looking for a vacuum that can do it all and deliver an impressive clean, you should continue right to that buy button. From visible debris to ground in dust, the Shark Vertex suctioned it all with minimal repeat passes. And hair? Never wrapped around the self-cleaning brush roll or clogged the vacuum shaft, so I think it's safe to say this vacuum is pet-parent approved. 
  

• Delivering top-notch cleaning performance with all kinds of messes in an extremely convenient and easy-to-use package, it is easy to see why the Shark APEX DuoClean finished so well in our review. This is among our all-time favorite vacuum cleaners that we have tested and we highly recommend it.

• The Shark Rotator with DuoClean is an exceptionally proficient vacuum cleaner at a reasonable price. This model handled everything we threw at it with aplomb, with one of the only cons to this model being that it tipped over somewhat easily when using the hose attachment at its maximum range.

• The Shark Navigator comes with a wide range of included accessories, an XL Dust bin, swivel steering, and the 2-in-1 ability to run as an upright or a handheld canister vacuum. You should choose a Shark Navigator Lift-Away if you Want a lower price tag.While the difference is not significant, the Shark Navigator does generally fall at a lower price than the Shark Rotator Pro. While both are affordabke, the Navigator Pro will leave a little extra in your pocketbook.

What’s the Best Shark Vacuum for You?

1.What features are you looking for?

One of the biggest strengths of Shark vacuums is its versatility. Most of their upright and stick vacuums are multi-purpose machines that can do more than just one task. So choosing between these options will boil down to budget and specific attachment preferences.

2.How much are you willing to spend?

• Perhaps the most important factor to consider is the budget. Shark vacuums range between $50 to hundreds of dollars. ect II is an excellent choice for people looking for a handheld. The Shark Navigator NV352 is an exceptional option for those looking for an inexpensive upright, while the Shark Navigator SV1106 is outstanding for those looking for a cordless upright.

• For those looking to spend a little more for better refinement and quality, the Shark Rotator Speed with DuoClean will not disappoint. It’s got DuoClean that is excellent on various surfaces plus “Lift-Away” for above floor jobs.

• If money is not an issue, then go with the APEX upright with all the bells-and-whistle features. It isn’t the lightest, but this upright has serious power for cleaning any type of mess inside the home.

Read More:

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