Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Shark is going after the Dyson Ball pretty hard with the Navigator product.  It claims no loss of suction and claims its just as easy to maneuver as the Dyson Ball.  After acknowledging Dyson as the first to offer no loss of suction, they go for the throat.  They do a direct comparison to a Dyson Ball and state that they are equal in all ways (easy to maneuver, no loss of suction, 5 year warranty) but price.  For less than $200 you can get a Shark Navigator with a free steam cleaner thrown in to boot. 

QVC sells the Shark navigator Lavender for $170.  Here's a video from its web site which gives a good sense of the noise level during operation with and without the brush roll engaged.  The TV demo-ers are talking in their regular voices while taking the Shark Navigator through its steps.  Also demoes and features the extra long hose for vacuuming steps and stairwells.  QVC calls the Shark Navigator a top rated seller with 91 percent of the buyers recommending to others.

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.CM_SCID.COLL.item.V29525.desc.Shark-Navigator-Upright-Vacuum-w-Power-Brush-Accessories

Impressive for the price. Note the "Never Loses Suction" imprinted on the latest Shark Navigator Lavender in the demoes vice the previous Shark Model which does not carry the claim.  I suspect the patent receipt makes the difference in the usage of this product claim on the Shark Navigator.

Carmine D.

tCarmineD wrote:

Ive  read and seen where the dyson brushroll has undergone alot of r&d...to make it as good or better than the rest. yet many still say its sub par and doesnt deep clean. ...and if the build up of dirt in the cyclones has been an issue since the start with dyson why have they yet to fix this problem/s....or at least make the cyclones washable......shark seems to have addressed these issues from what ive read...why is dyson not  using 400 engineers to address the issues that have been a problem from the start....yet a ball was the more important issue..airmuscle tech .....why complicate the simple....shark seems to have kept it simple and address dysons issues at a third to half the price

turtle

retardturtle1 wrote:

To dyson's credit, it finally after 8 consecutive years of worst uprights and cyclinders ratings in Europe earned respect from Which? for its products.  Sadly, it hasn't done the same in the USA with Consumer Reports.  Got on the fringes of top 10 with DC17 at a 10/11 rating but never higher.  Some here indluding dyson fans maintained that winning CR's respect in the reviews and ratings was tantamount to success.  Hasn't happened yet and it's been 8 years since the USA launch.

Carmine D.

The thing is though, I don't consider this Shark to be a proper upright vacuum. It looks like a stick vac with a powered motor head on it, similar to Sebo's Felix upright. Therefore can it actually be a flagrant copy of Dyson at the third of price? That filtration system also looks very similar to the one adopted on Bissell's Easy Vac too:

vacmanuk wrote:

The Shark Navigator Pet is classified as a lightweight at 15 pounds.  Comes with a 5 year warranty.  Tools and hose length for stairs equal those of a full size vacuum making it a formidable contender against full size uprights and canisters.  I believe you are posting a picture of a previous and earlier Shark Navigator, not the latest.  Much to the chagrin of other bagless uprights the Shark Navigator Pet has the claim: Never loses suction embedded into the vacuum.  After all the industry dust up on this claim, I contend the washable cyclones and twice yearly filter cleaning on Shark Navigator [vice the dyson 4-6 times per year cleaning and others] make the difference in the usage of the product claim with Shark Navigator.  The brush roll in size and form on the Shark Navigator is comparable to a decent size power head nozzle.  Better easily IMHO than a DC24 which sells for $399.  As good a brush roll perhaps even better than an ORECK.  Shark Navigator is slightly stiffer.  I don't believe CR has rated and reviewed yet.  It should be interesting to see how well it fares.

Carmine D.

I'm going by the Lavender one that was shown before I posted a picture of the Bissel Easy Vac. Has anyone actually bought this Shark Navigator?? Otherwise we'll be fleeing back and forth with facts, figures and speculations at this rate.

Shark Navigator Never Loses Suction Upright Here's a picture of the latest Shark Navigator Pet

Some additional specs on the Shark Naviator Pet making it comparable to a full size vacuum desoite the 15 pounds:  10 amp motor.  12 inch cleaning swath.  30 foot cord.  Brush roll on off switch.  12 foot hose.

Carmine D.

The big daddy to the Navigator would be the Shark'Euro-Pro Infinity which qualifies as a full-sized upright with a wider cleaning swath.  Yes indeed, the Navigator is a glorified stick vac but certainly packing more oomph than your average Hoover or Eureka stick.  That in itself is not a new idea.  I've already priorly owned a Sunbeam stick with an attachment kit  and also  a Hoover stick vac fitted with a full-size power nozzle.

It is highly doubtful that Shark ever intended the Navigator as a full-size upright and it can safely be viewed as an equivalent to Sebo's Felix, Miele's 168 or 163 or the Emer sticks.  All of these machines, bagged ort not, are basically stick vacs with "big" motors that people are prepared to accept as regular vacuums.  They all also afford a less than conventional manner of attachment use than with a regular canister or upright but could easily get work done where they'd serve best..

Forgetting some of the prices, the advantage of all is that they are small yet may serve well as sole vacuum in small dwelling spaces.  Recalling pricing, most are not at a level that is encouraging for the purpose of buying a secondary vacuum cleaner.  The Navigator's advantage in theory would be efficient and easy to maintain cyclonics and its lesser price.  By way of that it fits current demand.  Lots of people now are looking for decent but less expensive vacuum.  That's why so many folks went running after the Garry vac.  Something good for a little money -- or so they believed.  I think the Navigator has the potential to actually offer that.

Though I have not owned the Navigator, I did own the EP621.  I like it but it's main problem was a pleated filter.  The Navigator could only be better save for my wondering about its sturdiness and Shark's ability to handle customer needs in good fashion.

Venson

Venson wrote:
Aren't you guys lucky? The nearest product we have in the UK at the moment is either the mini Bissell Easy Vac or the Vax LiFe model (based on the Hoover Linx). Consumers in the UK tend not to buy stick vacs because they are low powered and basic. Yet, it often surprises me when a company come along and produce a mains corded option. We had a Hoover Junior stick vac a couple of years ago based on the Hoover Athyss available on the continent. However it was bagged and the bags were very expensive even though there was a permanent bag that came with it. I had two models - a basic red one and then the Junior Plus that came with a shoulder kit,  longer hose kit, main turbo brush floor head and decent enough 1300watt motor . Whilst it was a good stick vac, it didn't half make a noise and it needed to be constantly emptied. Both models barely lasted two years - the red one's handle eventually cracked (it was hollow) and couldn't be replaced whilst the Junior Plus black model's hinge broke and gave way when it was meant to fold up into a hand held.

Electrolux have tried in the UK but not good enough in my opinion. I loved my old Ergorapido but again Electrolux have been mean and stingy in not providing more high powered stick vacs to UK buyers and the latest Ergorapido / Pronto stick isn't available either.