Shark Rotator Lift-Away Pro Review

The Shark Rotator Lift-Away Pro is Shark’s latest vacuum cleaner and in our tests the best one from shark to date. The original Shark Navigator was a smashing success, not in cleaning power (It was good but a bit lacking compared to the competition) but in performance to price ratio. The next versions of the navigator always found places to improve or innovate on the original but none like this. This was clearly a redesign from the ground up, and the fact that the name "Navigator" is not on the machine demonstrates that clearly. The engineers at Shark really pushed the limits of what they could do with the old ideas of the navigator, and this is a whole new paradigm. They took the best from the old series and combined it with new innovation to create an amazing machine for most users.

One thing that was a huge innovation on the old machines was the lift-away function, and it comes back better than ever on this machine. The new design is not without flaws though, with the base occasionally sticking to the motor unit when the lift-away mechanism is activated. This is a rare problem, but unfortunately must be mentioned, as in our tests (as well as everyday use) the machine will fail to lift away and must be shaken to detach properly. When this bug does not appear (about 85% of the time) the lift-away function works wonderfully. The machine is quite easy to carry in lift-away mode, and the many attachments work quite well. In addition, the lift-away caddy is another great new feature, allowing the machine to be pulled behind you as you clean. The attachments on this model are also quite robust, comprising of a: wand, crevice tool, dusting brush, turbo brush, and a bare floor tool. These all are easy to use and have a storage place, either on the machine or on the caddy.

The cleaning power on the floor is also improved over previous models, with a new extra-large floor head compared to previous models. This new floor head has the signature strong shark brushroll, and a new feature to the shark brand, Headlights! This floor head is also quite large and features the swivel steering controls like previous lift-away vacuums. The swivel steering makes it easy to move around and keep control of the vacuum while allowing you to still get into tight places. The strong suction provided by the motor unit also allows the vacuum to keep up with the brushrolls ability to dislodge dirt from the carpet fibers. This new floor head also seals to the floor like the Dyson DC41, which allows for very strong pickup performance on carpet. Like older shark brushrolls this machine still has overload protection, and the brushroll will stop when jammed before damage is caused to the floor, the machine or the item caught in the brush.

Overall this vacuum is a strong upgrade from previous Shark Navigators and a very strong machine on its own. This machine has been redesigned to be more user-friendly while having greater performance in all areas.

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro review

The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro vacuum is a great machine for most homes and needs. This machine is designed to be lightweight when you need to carry it and get a deep down clean at the same time. One of the ways the machine stays light is by allowing itself to "Lift-Away" from the base, by that I mean push a button on the side and it pops off the floor head, becoming a handheld canister. This is great when you need to use the attachments as the machine is a bit top heavy and can tip over when used with the floor head. The attachments that come with the machine are quite robust, with the key that sets this model apart is the Dust-Away attachment, which is best described as a vacuum nozzle with a cloth behind it (think Swiffer but washable). This attachment allows one pass cleaning on hard surfaces, with the vacuum getting the larger particles, and the washable pad getting the fine dust from your hard floors. There are also other attachments in the box like the Turbo brush, dusting brush, and a crevice tool.

When used with carpet this machine does a great job, picking up a great amount of dirt and making cleaning quick with its wide floor head. This floor head has stiff bristles that are designed to get into the carpet fibers and extract lots of dirt. This action, combined with the powerful suction allows the machine to extract lots of dirt, dust and even pet hair. In our tests, the machine did an excellent job on short and medium pile carpet. The floor head also will automatically adjust between different floor types to keep the cleaning power maximized and the head sealed to the floor.

Overall this vacuum has great performance and is highly recommended, the only negative about it is it’s a somewhat heavyweight. The bin on this vacuum is also very large, and the cord is quite long, allowing you to clean your entire home without stopping to empty the bin. the HEPA filtration will even keep dust in the vacuum and out of the air that you will breathe.