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Help me buy a new vaccum cleaner

8 years ago

The day has arrived to replace my old Hoover bag-less upright. It's been a work horse but it's earned its retirement after eleven years of dedicated service as well as surviving my dearly departed long haired cat. I've done some searching and reviewed the latest and greatest. I need your experienced opinions. At the moment I'm considering a Shark Navigator Pro Model # NV360 offered on Amazon. Please give me your opinions and recommendations...and why. I will be most grateful. I have both hard surface and carpeted flooring. Sadly...no more pets but one's always just a thought away.

Comments (37)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You can get a model that is as good, if not better from Costco for the same price. I bought ours 2-3 years ago and it’s a work horse. We like it so much I’m planning to get a 2nd one for our upstairs.

    The real pro about buying from Costco though is their return policy. Costco’s policy is basically forever where as Amazon’s is 30 days and somewhat conditional.

    ETA: We also have hard and carpeted surfaces, wood and rugs downstairs, carpet up. When it comes to hard surfaces, I honestly don’t care for the Shark. It’s the Bomb on rugs, but just like most uprights, it’s really not a good option for hard surfaces. My fix was an inexpensive Eurieka Mightly Mite from Amazon. I bought it 7 or 8 years ago and that thing just goes and goes. It has little bags that are cheap to buy and super easy to change. I think I paid like 65.00 for it and it’s been well worth it.


    User thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    Thank you, Lukki. I just did some "retailer" shopping, too and found I can get it at Bed, Bath and Beyond for a little less than Amazon...with free S & H. B,B & B has a local store here and I like to support my local merchants.

    I'm absolutely delighted you give it such high marks. Especially for carpet. I'm not disappointed about the hard floor cleaning. I sorta expected that. There are very few upright vacs that do hard surfaces well. Actually...I use a Swifter [both wet and dry] with satisfaction. At this point...using a vac on a hard surface was wishful thinking. :-)

    I'm not a Costco member anymore but I'm sure going to look at them as a possibility. They, too, have an outlet within range if need be.

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  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You’re very welcome! BB&B is a great option too, especially when you factor in those 20% off coupons they offer. There are actually a ton of threads on the topic. Do a search for Vacuums or Shark Vacuums and you’ll find a lot of positive feedback.

    User thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    Thanks, Lukki. I did. But it's like neighbors/family to come here and get feedback. I value your opinions because I feel that I know you. You're not strangers to me. If you rave about a product...chances are pretty strong that I'll like it too.

  • 8 years ago

    I have the Shark navigator lift away and think it is the best. My only complaint is the canister is small and fills quickly but it is easy to empty.

    User thanked Dolly
  • 8 years ago

    Yes, we had a long thread here when I got my vacuum. I ended up getting a Shark Rotator. I have no idea what the difference is between the Navigator and the Rotator. Shark makes a lot of models, too many in my opinion. Mine was on special at BBB, plus the 20% is a good deal. I'm happy enough with it. If you are somehow unsatisfied, you would have a better chance returning it there than Amazon or online.

    Two features my vacuum has which I like are the longer cord and definitely the light which helps you see better, of course.

    It's overwhelming to choose, so good luck. And by the way, I had my old Hoover waaay longer than 11 years, so I appreciate a new vacuum.

    User thanked socks
  • 8 years ago

    I bought the Shark Navigator after owning Dyson for years and I have been really happy with it. It picked up so much dirt that I couldn't believe my Dyson had missed.

    User thanked lonestar123
  • 8 years ago

    Only two complaints I have had with Sharks and mine have all be canisters are that they are very noisy. Second is that after 5 years if you need a new hose you may not be able to get one no matter what they promise.

    User thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    There are very few upright vacs that do hard surfaces well.

    After 40 plus years of owning vacuums I finally splurged last year. Have a Sebo canister for whole house cleaning and a Riccar cordless upright for daily cleaning in the part of the house we inhabit the most. I love the light! It's perfect for seeing tracked cat litter. Works great on wood, vinyl, and area rugs. I don't have any carpet.

    User thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    Dolly...I thought it looked a tad small but that won't be a hold back. Actually...it's probably a plus for me. I'll be more apt to keep it clean if it needs to be emptied often. I'm sight challenged so anything that gives me a reminder is a plus.

    Brushworks...I understand your view point completely and if I had the wherewithal to follow your advice as well as the vacuum being the only equipment I need to replace these days...I'd consider your recommendation.

    Socks...I must have been absent that day. Don't remember the vacuum thread. :-) I'm looking forward to a longer cord and light, too. Those were two of the features I was happy to find. Plus the break away feature. I'm so tired of lugging my Hoover up two sets of stairs when they need cleaning. Maybe that's why the poor old dear has warn itself to a frazzle. It certainly hasn't done much for my attitude. LOL Also...they just don't build things like they used to...IMO. the Hoover I had before I bought the one I'm going to replace had lived with me for over 20 years. I'd probably still have it but my then young Golden Retriever had a temper tantrum and did irreparable damage to the poor thing. Both the dog and that old vac are no longer with me. The dog went over the rainbow bridge on my tears and the vac earned a few tears, as well.

    Lonestar...Wow! I thought Dyson was the top of the ladder. I'm impressed...and tickled to find you prefer the Shark.

    You all have been so kind to take the time to give me your opinions. Thank you. I value them. Plus...I'm a very new Amazon buyer and I'm very glad you shared your opinions about them, as well. I've had a couple of doubts myself, but fortunately...nothing of any great value was involved. I'm a very cautious shopper and I've absorbed other KT members criticisms regarding their S & H...as well as some returns...on other threads. It's so nice to have the KT.

    The Shark Navigator it shall be. And I shall probably get it at B, B & B. I have a nice big, fat 20% off coupon just sitting on my date book waiting to be used. I'm going to try for an order in-store-pickup within the next week or so. What fun! A new toy! LOL Thanks again.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    I have dogs with lots of coat so I know pet hair! I also have antique oriental rugs and wood floors. I have to be careful that there is not so much suction that the rugs are destroyed.

    After much trial and error, I ended up with two Simplicity vacuums, one for each floor (cleaner was going to quit if she had to carry it up and down). I've had them now for about 3-4 years and they have been great. They do a terrific job on the dog hair, and they are not "eating" my antique oriental rugs. I have canisters (recommended for antique orientals) but I think they also make an upright. I liked the fact it is made in the USA - in a small town right off I-44 - a place I drove past for many years making the trip from St Louis to Springfield, MO to visit my parents. It's a poor area and I like the fact that it provides jobs for people where there are few.

    User thanked Anglophilia
  • 8 years ago

    Maifleur...There are benefits to old age and dwindling hearing can be one of them. If, as you say, I'm in for a loud machine...I've just found another one. :-) As I'm going to buy an upright...I hope I don't have a hose replacement problem. But I am curious about the mechanics of the break away feature...so I just may have a hose issue to consider. Thanks for the warning.

    CindyMac...Lucky girl! I'm bound to carpet flooring in the majority of my home but I often wish I weren't. Solid vinyl and wood laminate complete the package and are so much easier to maintain. But..there are so many advantages to area rugs...not the least of which is their inherent beauty.

  • 8 years ago

    Winter, it shocks me everytime I use the Shark, I have to empty it. Though the place appears clean, the amount of stuff sucked up says otherwise.

    User thanked Dolly
  • 8 years ago

    Anglophilia...I've never heard of Simplicity vacuums. I can't deal with a canister vac due to my furniture arrangements and the floor spacing but I'm curious about the manufacturer as well as the product so I may go find them just to learn something new. I know the TLC required for orientals. They're so worth the care. Thank you for your input and new knowledge.

  • 8 years ago

    Dust mites, Dolly! The scourge of us housekeepers..and a prime allergy source. The Hoover pulled them in, too. But it's tired and my nose knows the early signs of vac retirement. I've been continually sneezing for days. Sigh. Actually...I'm afraid to see what the Shark will suck up. I may end up vacuuming for a few days in a row just to catch up. LOL

  • 8 years ago

    There are a lot of threads here you can find in a search. The Shark is highly recommended. And I definitely highly recommend it. It have shark navigator lift away pro. I bought it again after losing one in the flood. My cleaning ladies have all bought the same one after using mine. Best vacuum cleaner hands down is shark. Costco has one. I got my new one at big lots with a 20%off sale coupon. Bed bath and beyond has a 20%off coupon. So far I have found big lots had the best price.

    User thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
  • 8 years ago

    I have hardwoods and area rugs and I finally got a Miele canister and LOVE it! It does so much better on the hard surfaces than the uprights I had before. And it's so lightweight I can carry it with one hand without strain!

    User thanked User
  • 8 years ago


    Thank you, Raven. I have a Big Lots here. I never thought of them for this. Their weekly circular should be in my mail box in the next day or so. Maybe they'll have a coupon, too. I shall definitely take a look. I'm so glad to read your positive recommendation. The lift away pro is the one I'm looking at, too. I can't wait to use that on my stairs rather than dragging the whole vacuum up and down stairs. What a blessing that will be!

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    If you don't have a card registered at big lots you may want to do that it gives you a lot more coupons. It's free of course. Buzz club I think they call it.

    You will be amazed at how much you pull out of the house when you use the Shark the first time. Shows you how much you were missing. I have major allergies and it's important to have a vacuum cleaner that cleans well.

  • User thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
  • 8 years ago

    I have two sharks and both carpet and wood floors. They have great suction and I love them. I did return one......it was their most expensive model and I found it too heavy for me. The others are much lighter in weight.

    User thanked georgysmom2
  • 8 years ago

    I have a Shark Powered Lift Away that does an adequate job on different surfaces. It has a slide switch in the handle for different surfaces: hard floors, short fiber rugs, and deep pile rigs. I've had it for about 9 months. Compared to my old Kirby, it is much lighter and easier to handle and its vacuum draw is comparable.

    ********************************

    Minor complaints:

    1. I'd like to have an a hose extension for reaching on the tops of woodwork and cabinet tops and an accessory shaped for this job. I have managed dusting the tops of doorways, but it was not convenient.

    2. The usable volume of the dust collector container is small and must be emptied sometimes after cleaning only 3 rooms. (Rugs collect a lot of dirt and fuzz.) Its best to take the canister outside to dump (and do stay upwind). An upright with a disposable dust bag can hold, up to 5 times or more, the amount of the Shark's container and is less messy for disposal.

    3. Sellers of this product do not stock replacement items such as filters and seals.

    4. It has a flat wand to clean, for example, a refrigerator condenser coil, but the wand is too short to reach all the way to the back of most refrigerators. Its also too short to clean under and alongside kitchen ranges.

    *******************************

    Likes:

    1. I do like the lift-away feature. Lifting the power head off allows one to glide the pick-up head under furniture and beds.

    2. Vacuum and air flow is good.

    1. The filters are easy to remove for cleaning.

    2. It has an accessory with a powered brush for cleaning stairs and stuffed furniture. That is adequate, but no better than the one for the Kirby. However, its reduced weight (of the entire rig) is a bonus when working your way up carpeted stairs.

    3. Its electrical cord has good length and is flexible.

    4. The brush head ( the part in contact with the floor) has an LED light - nice touch.

    User thanked jemdandy
  • 8 years ago

    OT but I wonder how many perfectly good vacuums get thrown out just because their belt is worn. This question bounced around in my head last week when my vacuum needed a new belt. Cost me $4 for 2 at Home Depot and took me about 15 minutes to change it and clean the brush while I was at it.

    User thanked arkansas girl
  • 8 years ago

    Raven...Thanks for the link. I checked and I can actually get the model I want through B, B & B at a lesser price. But...once I have some home time today, I'm going to have a grand time going through the Big Lots website to see all that they offer. I never gave them a thought and yet I love wandering through their store here.

    imdrno...I am so looking forward to that suction.

    Jem...Thank you for all your wonderful detail. I'm glad to be forewarned about sellers not stocking those parts. Plus, you brought back some very fond memories. I owned a Kirby for about 25 years. I would have replaced it in kind but the newer models just weren't the quality of my original Kirby and for all that $$$, I wanted the quality. To this day, I don't think the vacs I've had since come close to that Kirby but I'm hoping the Shark will.

    Arkansas...I've changed belts and I agree with you. Some times that's all that's necessary. But in this current situation...the Hoover motor has just worn out. There isn't a decent repair shop within a hundred miles of here and even if there were...by the time they repaired it...if it's reparable...it would probably cost me more than getting the new Shark. At least that's my logic now. However...the first thing I do when I get a new appliance is read the manual that comes with it and then learn to take it apart from stem to stern so when it does have a hiccup...I can usually repair it. And I try to buy replacement parts like belts and lights when I get the new model. That way...if a problem arises when I have little time to go hunting for such parts...I have them on hand. That has paid off big time over my years.


  • 8 years ago

    And there are times vacuum cleaners are thrown out because the motor loses power or suction decreases. It's often related to replaceable motor brushes ($7 a pair) and a clogged intake tube, easily cleaned with a brush and soapy water.

    User thanked Michael
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I also bought the Shark Navigator Lift Away Pro due to high recommendations here at TKT. I love it, it's is the first vacuum I have ever owned that truly does a great job on hardwood floors and the headlight is fantastic for those dark corners! I really don't think you will be disappointed. I have not had any issue with the canister size, I do have a small house though.

    User thanked lisaw2015 (ME)
  • 8 years ago

    I followed Consumer Reports' recommendations and went with the Kenmore Elite Pet Friendly 31150 upright when replacing our Hoover earlier this year. No complaints.

    User thanked jrb451
  • 8 years ago

    Shark Navigator in Costco coupon book for $119.99 after $30. off, avail 10/31 -11/26

    User thanked always1stepbehind
  • 8 years ago

    Lisa...so glad to read more positive feedback. Thank you

    always...I just put it on hold at my local B, B & B for a little less than $4 more than Costco inc. tax and utilizing a 20% off coupon. That's not too bad. As soon as I get transportation to the store...it'll be mine...in purple. LOL I can hardly wait.

    jrb...Sears is going belly up in my area of the country...closing all stores...so, although I own and have admired Kenmore products throughout my adult lifetime...I, sadly, won't be buying them any more. I'm just hoping that my washer and dryer stay healthy. They're over the ten year estimated life cycle but still going strong...and I hope they stay that way for a while longer.

  • 8 years ago

    The main difference between the purple and the white pro is the size of the container. I had the white pro, lost it in the flood, replaced with the purple for the new house which is considerably smaller. It is excellent for us. I have my cleaning ladies use only my vacuum in my house. They loved it so much they went and bought the same one.

    Back in the days when I could get down on the floor I have done major repairs and fixes on my old vacuums. I kept extra belts along with the bags. I have changed the roller bars too. So glad I don't have to deal with that anymore lol.

    User thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
  • 8 years ago

    Found this

    From Vacuum Cleaner Advisor Site:

    "The Shark Navigator Lift Away NV350 and the Shark Navigator Lift Away Pro NV356E are similar machines but the two can quickly and easily be differentiated by their color. The NV350 is lavender in color while the NV356E is white and silver. The "Pro" is also a little heavier at about 14 lbs compared to 12.8 lbs for the NV350, and the "Pro" dirt canister is larger with a capacity (to the fill line) of 0.55 gallons while the NV350 dirt canister capacity (to the fill line) is 0.3 gallons. It should be noted that the canisters on both units can actually hold more but the recommended capacity before emptying is as stated above. There are a few other differences as well, such as vacuum dimensions."

    User thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
  • 8 years ago

    Wow, Raven. I didn't realize there was a container size difference between the colors. Unfortunately...the only color B,B & B had in stock was the purple and I need it a.s.a.p. so I had them hold it for me. The smaller container shouldn't be a problem but it's interesting that the sales person never mentioned that and I didn't see it in any of the on-line searches I did. See how valuable KT members are! Maybe they'll have the white back in stock by the time I get there and I'll have a look but I don't expect the smaller container will pose any problems.

    I have a pair of knees who complain constantly so my trips to the floor and mechanical maintenance are becoming less and less these days...and I hear ya. I had my very first bone density test done this morning and I was shocked to learn that my bones are less than they should be. Guess I'd better talk nicer to these knees. Even at the tender age of 80...I'm planning on needing them for a lot longer.

    Thanks for the heads up. :-)

  • 8 years ago

    I've never been impressed by household style vacuum cleaners. I've always used a shop vac in the house. I love the little easy carry model that is small enough to go anywhere, easy to carry and use on stairs. Because models change rarely it's easy to get filters, bags, tools for them.

    User thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    I have a Shark Rotator, and I love it, it does a very good job, with one exception. It will not vacuum my two shag area rugs. The old vac I had, (Eureka) would vac them, although about wrecked my arms to push it on them, but, it finally gave out. I had been vacuuming them with the upholstery brush on my hands and knees. I thought, that was doing a pretty decent job, until 2 weeks ago, I bought a 66.00 green bissell upright from the end cap at local walmart. It does vacuum those area rugs, and I almost hate to tell you, that what I thought were fairly clean shag rugs, filled up the entire container the first time I vacuumed them. I couldnt believe it. It has been two weeks now, and I vacuumed them yesterday for about the 10th time, and only got one inch in the bottom of the container . These are the only two large area rugs I have, and I have no carpeting, the rest of the floors are hardwood or laminate. The Shark does a wonderful job on those wood floors.

    User thanked cat_ky
  • User thanked lisaw2015 (ME)
  • 8 years ago

    And it is a bit more expensive...sorry for the mistake! But I DO love it!

    User thanked lisaw2015 (ME)