The Best Shark Vacuums Tested in 2024

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Keep your floors clean with an upright, stick, robotic, or handheld Shark vacuum.

When shopping for a new vacuum cleaner, the range of products from just one brand like Shark can be staggering, so we tested some of its top models. Designed for effective cleaning with multiple styles and accessories, Shark vacuum cleaners also come at affordable price points. We personally tested several Shark models and rated them based on our overall impressions, how well these machines picked up debris, and how easy they were to maneuver, among a variety of other factors.

The best Shark vacuum model for you will depend on the size of the area that needs to be kept clean, the surface type, and whether a full-size device or something more compact will work best. The Shark vacuums below represent top performers in their respective categories, based on efficacy, vacuum type, and overall value.

1. BEST OVERALL: Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright Vacuum
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded Stick DuoClean Vacuum
3. BEST FOR PET HAIR: Shark NV752 Rotator Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum
4. BEST FOR HARDWOOD FLOORS: Shark NV501 Rotator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum
5. BEST CORDLESS: Shark Vertex Cordless Vacuum With DuoClean PowerFins
6. BEST ROBOTIC: Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop
7. BEST STICK: Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum
8. BEST HANDHELD: Shark WANDVAC Cordless Handheld Vacuum
9. BEST WET/DRY: Shark HydroVac Pro XL Cordless

How We Tested the Best Shark Vacuums

We tested Shark vacuums in a 1-bedroom apartment that was smaller than 800 square feet on several types of flooring: two types of laminate hardwood floors, tile flooring, regular carpeting, and an area rug.

Every product was tested the same way, picking up a combination of oatmeal and dog kibble as well as lots of pet hair from both a Chihuahua–pug mix and an English bulldog. In addition to picking up debris on the various kinds of flooring, we maneuvered each vacuum around the space, tried each accessory, and cleaned out the canister, performing hands-on tests.

Our Top Picks

The top-of-the-line products below were chosen for quality, efficacy, and price to help buyers find the best Shark vacuum for their home. We also personally tested them on hard flooring as well as carpeting.

Best Overall

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright Vacuum

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This upright Shark vacuum is powerful, versatile, and maneuverable and comes with a swivel head for increased mobility. Turn the motorized brush roll on or off depending on whether it’s cleaning carpet or hard surfaces. It also features a pet power brush, a motorized handheld brush roll to better gather pet hair, plus a crevice tool for cleaning difficult-to-reach areas.

The Shark vacuum has a 30-foot cord and 1,200 watts of power for deep cleaning thick carpets. Despite this high motor power, the vacuum only weighs 13.7 pounds. The dust-collection canister can be lifted off the vacuum base to enable better access under furniture. The canister is completely sealed and has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that traps 99.9 percent of dust and allergens that pass through.

The suction of this vacuum was incredibly impressive. While using it, we noticed that an object located inches away from the machine was being sucked in. While this isn’t one of Shark’s famed “pet” models, the price and features make it a solid choice for homes with pets.

The only thing we didn’t like about this vacuum is that while it was great on larger carpets, it isn’t the best choice for homes with delicate or multiple area rugs. The canister also didn’t refasten very easily.

Product Specs 

• Form factor: Upright
• Cord: Yes
• Weight: 13.7 pounds

Pros

• Price is excellent for the features it provides
• Suction was quite impressive given the weight of this model
• Dirt canister was very large, so it does not need frequent emptying

Cons

• Dirt canister was somewhat challenging to reattach, which is inconvenient
• Not the best choice for homes with delicate area rugs

Get the Shark Navigator vacuum at Amazon or Walmart.

Best Bang for the Buck

Shark Vertex UltraLight Corded Stick DuoClean Vacuum

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Those who prefer a corded vacuum and have homes with pets and a variety of flooring types may want to consider the Shark Vertex Ultralight DuoClean vacuum. With a 30-foot-long cord, it’s easy to go from room to room without needing to unplug the vacuum often.

However, one downside of this vacuum is that the dirt cup is very small, especially considering Shark touts it as being extra large. For a 1-bedroom apartment with two pets, it needed to be emptied after one use. If used often, this can become an inconvenience.

Still, this vacuum is a great option for many surfaces, like hardwood, laminate, tile, carpet, and upholstery. A built-in handheld vacuum can be removed from the base and used independently for vacuuming stairs, furniture, and hard-to-access locations. It also comes with a dusting brush, crevice tool, a self-cleaning pet power brush, and an onboard storage clip.

Product Specs

• Form factor: Stick, upright, handheld
• Cord: Yes
• Weight: 9.05 pounds

Pros

• Suction is very good, especially for a stick vac
• Dirt cup is particularly easy to clean compared to similar models
• Super lightweight and easy to maneuver

Cons

• Dirt cup is disappointingly small, so it needs to be emptied frequently
• Like most sticks, this model doesn’t stand up very well even when leaning

Get the Shark Vertex corded vacuum at Amazon.

Best for Pet Hair

Shark NV752 Rotator Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum

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This upright Shark vacuum comes with a mini motorized rotating power brush that’s designed specifically to collect pet hair. The vacuum also has a two-in-one pet multitool with a bristle brush and upholstery brush to ensure even small hairs get sucked up by the vacuum, which the LED lights make very easy to see.

We loved the accessories, including an upholstery tool, pet power brush, and crevice tool. The crevice tool has a seemingly endless number of uses, including cleaning floor trim, under appliances, and in couch cracks.

The Rotator vacuum has a powerful 1,150-watt output and a sealed dust-collection canister that uses a HEPA filter to catch 99.9 percent of dust and allergens. This vacuum can switch from carpet to floor mode with the controls located on the handle for more versatility while cleaning. The device features a 25-foot power cord and weighs 15.4 pounds, which felt a bit heavy after using it for a few minutes.

Product Specs

• Form factor: Upright, handheld
• Cord: Yes
• Weight: 15.4 pounds

Pros

• Suction is great for homes with long- and short-haired pets
• LED lights make it easy to see pet hair (even lighter-colored hair)
• Crevice tool was both useful and efficient for a variety of surfaces

Cons

• Felt a bit heavy and cumbersome to use

Get the Shark NV752 vacuum at Amazon, Wayfair, or Kohl’s.

Best For Hardwood Floors

Shark NV501 Rotator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum

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To really clean dust, dirt, debris, pet hair, and other allergens from hardwood floors, this Shark vacuum has a powerful 1,200-watt motor and a built-in LED lighting system on the floor nozzle. The vacuum has a low profile that’s ideal for cleaning hardwood and other nonfibrous floors, and it has a swivel steering head that’s easy to maneuver on carpet or across hardwood.

The Shark Rotator professional vacuum includes a dust-collection bin that can be lifted away from the base and used with the included upholstery tool or crevice tool. The dust-collection bin has a HEPA-rated filter and is sealed to keep allergens and dust from escaping. This model weighs 15.5 pounds and has a 25-foot power cord.

While it was just a touch heavier than we would have liked, this vacuum truly lives up to the “Rotator” name. It swivels with ease around edges and corners. We particularly liked using it to vacuum around the edges of our round dining table. It felt very comfortable in the hand and really got the job done.

Product Specs

• Form factor: Upright, handheld
• Cord: Yes
• Weight: 15.5 pounds

Pros

• Head was easy to swivel, which aids in maneuvering the vacuum
• LED lights make it easy to see small particles and hair
• Easily sucked up dirt around the edges of both walls and furniture

Cons

• Felt slightly heavy, and it may be hard for some people to push

Get the Shark NV501 vacuum at Amazon, Wayfair, or P.C. Richard & Son.

Best Cordless

Shark Vertex Cordless Vacuum With DuoClean PowerFins

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For those who have small spaces to clean, mobility issues such as a bad back that makes using a heavy upright uncomfortable, or simply love the convenience of a cordless vacuum, this Shark Vertex lightweight cordless stick vacuum with DuoClean PowerFins checks all those boxes.

One great advantage this product has over other stick vacuums is that it comes with an extra battery, providing 80 minutes of total runtime. If a home is larger, simply swap out the battery and keep going. Another unique feature is that this model folds over for more compact and easy storage.

There is just one caveat to keep in mind before clicking “add to cart.” At 300 watts, the motor on this vacuum isn’t the most powerful (which is to be expected with most stick vacuums anyway), but the Turbo Mode makes up for this.

Product Specs

• Form factor: Stick
• Cord: No
• Weight: 9.04 pounds

Pros

• Quite lightweight, making it very easy to maneuver
• Excels at picking up in small spaces and crevices
• Sound level is very low so it won’t bother sensitive ears

Cons

• Not as much suction as with a typical upright

Get the Shark Vertex cordless vacuum at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Bloomingdale’s.

Best Robotic

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop

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For a powerful robot vacuum that does it all, the Shark AI robot vacuum may impress. It picks up everything from pet hair to small bits of food like oatmeal and larger pieces like kibble. There’s also a HEPA filter, making this an ideal vacuum for anyone who really doesn’t like to vacuum.

One of the best things about this robot is that it self-empties at the base. Just press a button and seconds later, the vacuum is clean. The base is also large enough to hold quite a bit of debris, so it doesn’t need to be emptied after each use.

However, as with all robot vacuums, AI isn’t perfect. This one wasn’t able to avoid all the furniture in the room, at least the first and second times we used it, so there may be a bit of a learning curve.

Product Specs

• Form factor: Robotic
• Cord: No
• Weight: 23.6 pounds

Pros

• Has a self-empty base so the vac itself doesn’t need to be emptied
• Free app helps to control the vacuum easily
• Comes with extra side brushes that help clean around dirty corners

Cons

• AI isn’t perfect and does not always recognize furniture in its way
• AI voice might be a bit loud for some people.

Get the Shark robot vacuum at Amazon, Best Buy, or Shark.

Best Stick

Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum

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If you like the convenience and maneuverability of a stick vacuum, then you’ll love the Shark Stratos cordless vacuum. There are many reasons to go with this model. If you have allergies, you’ll appreciate the HEPA filter and anti-allergen tool. But that’s not the only accessory—it also comes with a crevice tool, making it easy to get in those tiny couch cracks.

Easy to assemble, it took less than 2 minutes from opening the box to using the vacuum. The design is incredibly intuitive, with removable stickers on the machine that note where everything goes.

One noteworthy feature is the odor neutralizer. This is great for homes with pets or rugs that tend to accumulate odors. Plus, it’s easy to use: Just insert the disc and turn counterclockwise. That being said, it may be more of an “odor cover-up” device than a neutralizer. The flowery scent, which resembles that of a plug-in air freshener, is strong. However, if you aren’t sensitive to fragrances, it probably won’t bother you.

There are several other useful features. The motor is powerful, and the LED lights illuminate small pieces of dirt and pet hair. The LED screen makes it easy to check how much battery is left as well as view the current settings.

Overall, we were satisfied with how well it picked up crumbs and pet hair. I