Shark Rotator Lift-Away Professional Upright Vacuum Review
The Shark Rotator Lift-Away Professional Upright Vacuum certainly looks like the Mercedes-Benz of the vacuum world. With the headlights of a Rolls Royce and a myriad of tools to boot, the real question is if it does its job well. Does it? You’re about to find out.
Where did Shark come from? I first heard of it in 2009 as an excellent choice for diners to keep their carpet clean. That version was a battery-powered vacuum and not very popular. Others recall the midnight infomercials that pushed the new company into the front doors of stores like WalMart and Target.
They sure have come a long way, haven’t they? It’s sort of like a real life rags-to-riches story, with Shark taking the prize. It hasn’t been that long, either. In a few short years, they went from infomercial material to top of the line, surpassing bigwigs like Dyson and Dirt Devil
A vacuum is a complicated machine with one simple job. It needs to clean and clean well. Over the years, vacuums have a rap for being bulky, loud, cumbersome machines that spew dust into the air. It’s taken a lot of R&D to overcome some of the vacuum cleaner’s most fundamental flaws. Today filters claiming to be HEPA compliant, motors that are reasonably quiet, and the ability to maneuver over stairs and around furniture are the norm. With all the years the modern vacuum has behind it, you would think we would all have those little robotic machines that clean our floor automatically. Oh, if that were only true—I would never feel a crumb on my floor again!
Shark – The Company that Came Out of No Where
Shark is owned by Euro-Pro—the same guys who give us Ninja blenders. Truth be told, they haven’t necessarily come out of nowhere. They’ve been around for three generations—beginning in Europe.
I like it when I see a company stand behind their products. Not only was the ‘About Us’ page easy to find—right there at the top of the screen—but there is a picture of Mark Rosen, current third-generation CEO of Euro-Pro. It’s a family business. While they are currently in Newton, Massachusetts they have their humble beginnings in Europe before moving to Canada, then settling in Massachusetts on the outskirts of Boston.
Mark appears personally on television infomercials when showcasing his products. That’s not normally in the job description of a CEO, but he’s passionate about his products, standing by them boldly, and doing quite well, I might add. Euro-Pro markets under three names: Shark, Ninja, and Bravetti.
With the CEO not afraid to show his face and tell the world who he is, the company earns a mark of respect from me. I don’t see that too often.
What to Expect/How It Works
Enough about the brand—let’s get down to the meat of the vacuum. The big question: does it vacuum? We expect a lot from our vacuums, and this is no different. If they are going to advertise a vacuum, then I have certain expectations.
Whatever NV5xx vacuum you choose, the only difference is the accessories that accompany it.
The vacuum is powerful. If you’re anything like me, you’ll take it out of the box within a few minutes of being home to try your new toy. You know when you have carpet that has been smashed down by furniture? I heard a little trick of using ice to get it back up and matching the rest of the carpet. I never tried it—I didn’t think it was worth my time. However, a few runs with this vacuum, and you can’t even tell furniture was there in the first place.
The cord is more than adequate sitting at 30 feet, the hose is 6 feet long, and the vacuum itself detaches from the base. I saw a picture of someone who was carrying only part of the vacuum while she was using to vacuum stairs. Wanting to become more familiar with the vacuum, I learned how to do this quite easily and shed half the weight—perfect for vacuum cars and furniture. On a side note, the vacuum isn’t that heavy to begin with.
What Others Have Said
The vacuum doesn’t lose suction. One of the most thorough reviews I read was updated after eight months of use. The suction is as good on month eight as it was on day one. Aesthetically speaking, it a good looking vacuum.
The vacuum gets a 10/10 for pet hair. Eight cats later—and many people who have pets—testify to the ability this vacuum has for picking up pet hair much better than the vacuums claiming to be “pet vacuums,” and this is after comparing it to brands like Bissell.
The vacuum is comparatively quiet. While other vacuums tend to scare the pets as soon as it turns, these same pets don’t even bother getting up with this one.
The lights could be brighter for LED lights. While it may be a fun feature, there are plenty of LED lights that are several times brighter.
The flexible hose is much stiffer than it needs to be, and considering how lightweight this vacuum is, it causes it to topple over frequently.
The vacuum has three filters in it, all HEPA certified. This means you won’t be breathing any foul-smelling air anytime soon.
What to Watch Out For
The vacuum is incredibly light. While this is a good thing, it also means it does a fair amount of falling over—I can personally attest to that. The Premium Power brush isn’t as good as it could be. People say they spend more time cleaning the tool than they do using the tool to clean. I took their advice and didn't even bother with it. I use the multi-tool instead.
Over time, the plastic gets flimsy, which doesn’t help how lightweight it is. A few people have reported the plastic under the handle breaking off because it topples over so frequently, so that’s something to watch out for. Treat it gently.
Buying Advice
The exact model you get depends on the accessories that come with it.
With a customer service team that sets an industry standard, I suggest Amazon. I don’t like going shopping for vacuum cleaners. I’d rather do it at home, and have it delivered, but that’s just me. I’ve had issues in the past with products I’ve ordered from them, and they make it incredibly easy to return anything I’m dissatisfied with without wasting time and gas going to the store.
Conclusion
This is an excellent little vacuum cleaner. It never loses its suction, does amazingly well with pet hair, and is incredibly lightweight. Months of everyday use doesn’t change any of that. This vacuum is a powerhouse over other pet-friendly models.
Get yours here.
Where did Shark come from? I first heard of it in 2009 as an excellent choice for diners to keep their carpet clean. That version was a battery-powered vacuum and not very popular. Others recall the midnight infomercials that pushed the new company into the front doors of stores like WalMart and Target.
They sure have come a long way, haven’t they? It’s sort of like a real life rags-to-riches story, with Shark taking the prize. It hasn’t been that long, either. In a few short years, they went from infomercial material to top of the line, surpassing bigwigs like Dyson and Dirt Devil
A vacuum is a complicated machine with one simple job. It needs to clean and clean well. Over the years, vacuums have a rap for being bulky, loud, cumbersome machines that spew dust into the air. It’s taken a lot of R&D to overcome some of the vacuum cleaner’s most fundamental flaws. Today filters claiming to be HEPA compliant, motors that are reasonably quiet, and the ability to maneuver over stairs and around furniture are the norm. With all the years the modern vacuum has behind it, you would think we would all have those little robotic machines that clean our floor automatically. Oh, if that were only true—I would never feel a crumb on my floor again!
Shark – The Company that Came Out of No Where
Shark is owned by Euro-Pro—the same guys who give us Ninja blenders. Truth be told, they haven’t necessarily come out of nowhere. They’ve been around for three generations—beginning in Europe.
I like it when I see a company stand behind their products. Not only was the ‘About Us’ page easy to find—right there at the top of the screen—but there is a picture of Mark Rosen, current third-generation CEO of Euro-Pro. It’s a family business. While they are currently in Newton, Massachusetts they have their humble beginnings in Europe before moving to Canada, then settling in Massachusetts on the outskirts of Boston.
Mark appears personally on television infomercials when showcasing his products. That’s not normally in the job description of a CEO, but he’s passionate about his products, standing by them boldly, and doing quite well, I might add. Euro-Pro markets under three names: Shark, Ninja, and Bravetti.
With the CEO not afraid to show his face and tell the world who he is, the company earns a mark of respect from me. I don’t see that too often.
What to Expect/How It Works
Enough about the brand—let’s get down to the meat of the vacuum. The big question: does it vacuum? We expect a lot from our vacuums, and this is no different. If they are going to advertise a vacuum, then I have certain expectations.
Whatever NV5xx vacuum you choose, the only difference is the accessories that accompany it.
The vacuum is powerful. If you’re anything like me, you’ll take it out of the box within a few minutes of being home to try your new toy. You know when you have carpet that has been smashed down by furniture? I heard a little trick of using ice to get it back up and matching the rest of the carpet. I never tried it—I didn’t think it was worth my time. However, a few runs with this vacuum, and you can’t even tell furniture was there in the first place.
The cord is more than adequate sitting at 30 feet, the hose is 6 feet long, and the vacuum itself detaches from the base. I saw a picture of someone who was carrying only part of the vacuum while she was using to vacuum stairs. Wanting to become more familiar with the vacuum, I learned how to do this quite easily and shed half the weight—perfect for vacuum cars and furniture. On a side note, the vacuum isn’t that heavy to begin with.
What Others Have Said
The vacuum doesn’t lose suction. One of the most thorough reviews I read was updated after eight months of use. The suction is as good on month eight as it was on day one. Aesthetically speaking, it a good looking vacuum.
The vacuum gets a 10/10 for pet hair. Eight cats later—and many people who have pets—testify to the ability this vacuum has for picking up pet hair much better than the vacuums claiming to be “pet vacuums,” and this is after comparing it to brands like Bissell.
The vacuum is comparatively quiet. While other vacuums tend to scare the pets as soon as it turns, these same pets don’t even bother getting up with this one.
The lights could be brighter for LED lights. While it may be a fun feature, there are plenty of LED lights that are several times brighter.
The flexible hose is much stiffer than it needs to be, and considering how lightweight this vacuum is, it causes it to topple over frequently.
The vacuum has three filters in it, all HEPA certified. This means you won’t be breathing any foul-smelling air anytime soon.
What to Watch Out For
The vacuum is incredibly light. While this is a good thing, it also means it does a fair amount of falling over—I can personally attest to that. The Premium Power brush isn’t as good as it could be. People say they spend more time cleaning the tool than they do using the tool to clean. I took their advice and didn't even bother with it. I use the multi-tool instead.
Over time, the plastic gets flimsy, which doesn’t help how lightweight it is. A few people have reported the plastic under the handle breaking off because it topples over so frequently, so that’s something to watch out for. Treat it gently.
Buying Advice
The exact model you get depends on the accessories that come with it.
- NV500W - Infomercial/Shark's website - $199
- NV500 - WalMart - $249
- NV501 - General Distribution - Kohl's, Macy's, Sears, Lowe's, etc. - $229- $249
- NV502 - Bed, Bath and Beyond - $249
- NV503 - Target - $219
With a customer service team that sets an industry standard, I suggest Amazon. I don’t like going shopping for vacuum cleaners. I’d rather do it at home, and have it delivered, but that’s just me. I’ve had issues in the past with products I’ve ordered from them, and they make it incredibly easy to return anything I’m dissatisfied with without wasting time and gas going to the store.
Conclusion
This is an excellent little vacuum cleaner. It never loses its suction, does amazingly well with pet hair, and is incredibly lightweight. Months of everyday use doesn’t change any of that. This vacuum is a powerhouse over other pet-friendly models.
Get yours here.