The Best Upright and Canister Vacuums for 2023 Reviews by Wirecutter

If something does break, Shark’s customer service is generally good about honoring the five-year warranty. It’s rare to see such an affordable vacuum backed by a policy that basically guarantees shark pet hair vacuum this kind of longevity. 25 March 2023 — Answered questions and added jump links for reader friendliness. Double-checked all products to ensure they are in stock and our opinion still stands.

Our verdict

As with all of Shark’s full-size cleaners, the UltraCyclone also utilizes a self-cleaning brush to prevent hair from getting wrapped around the roller. Our reviewer Jen found that the mini motorized attachment did an incredible job of lifting dirt from one of her rugs, filling up the 0.45-liter dust canister with its sheer power, and collecting pet hair with ease. Jen also found that the level of power remained consistent throughout using this vacuum, even though there were only 15 minutes of power available to her. Switch between carpet and hard floor modes using the handle controls and the brush-roll speed will adjust for the perfect clean. Adjustable suction control helps you clean carpets, rugs and hard floors with just the right amount of power.

While the Navigator series is now one of Shark’s more basic lines in terms of advanced features, this model still has a removable dust bin and plenty of cord length for cleaning average-sized rooms. An 11-foot-long extension hose also makes it easy to clean drapes or steps without lugging the entire unit with you. Plus, accessories like the motorized brush, upholstery tool, and crevice nozzle can be used to deep clean specific areas shark pet hair vacuum of your home. The fully sealed system has a HEPA filter that locks in dander and allergens. We gave the process of emptying the machine a perfect score, and we’ll also noted that it’s pretty quiet for a powerful pick. While there are definitely less expensive upright vacuums on the market, this model from Shark is a great choice if your home has a mixture of flooring surfaces, and you’re hoping to stay in the $200 price range.

We also continued testing these vacuums in our homes for the last six months and added further insights on how they held up over time. You always want to look for powerful suction in a vacuum, but it’s particularly important for a model designed to suck up pet hair. “Strong suction ensures the flying fur tumbleweed on your floors actually gets sucked in instead of blown around,” says Melissa Homer, cleaning expert and Chief Cleaning Officer at MaidPro. Of the 37 vacuums tested, this was the only one that pulled in perfect scores in every category, from effectiveness to noise level to portability. This canister vacuum performed especially well on carpet, grabbing all of the pet hair in a single or at most two passes, even when on the lowest suction setting.

In theory, Zero M Shark vacuums won’t get hair wrapped around the brush roller. Because it’s designed like more of a dusting cloth, the roller can pick up very fine particles or large debris. The front roller kicks up dirt and debris into the maw of the more traditional bristles. The Lift-Away feature is not unique to Shark, but the company does it better than anyone else.

This part was the most tedious of using this vacuum as you can go into as much or as little detail as you want. Even though some of these vacuums have lower noise levels, don’t be surprised if you hear them scurrying out of the room when it’s time to clean. However, they do not typically have as much suction power as their electric-powered (and much bigger) counterparts. Corded vacuums, on the other hand, can be quite heavy and sometimes hard to maneuver, but their suction power is superior. Overall, we thought it felt lightweight and easy to maneuver, though if you’re not used to this type of vac, you might need a couple of cleaning sessions to get used to it. Mary H.J. Farrell is a senior editor at Consumer Reports whose real passion is for cooking and all that entails.

She has expanded CR’s cookware category to include not only more pots and pans but also other essentials like stand mixer attachments, sheet pans, and vacuum sealers. Since the mid-1990s, Mary has held senior positions at People.com, MSNBC, and Ladies’ Home Journal. Liam McCabe is a former senior staff writer for Wirecutter, and has covered the wild world of appliances since 2011. After testing dozens of robot vacuums, he is neither worried about AI nor holding his breath for self-driving cars. He enjoys visiting factories and learning about regulatory loopholes, and has flooded our testing area only three times. We look forward to testing Miele’s Boost CX1, a bagless canister vacuum designed as a compact option for people living in small spaces.