Shark Powered Lift-Away

[electrolux137]

~
~


I really don't have any interest in new vacuum cleaners but the other night I saw an "infomercial" for the Shark Powered Lift-Away which seems to be a pretty nice vacuum cleaner. Anyone out there have one or have tried one?

 

[tolivac]

I have tried one in a store and repaired ones at the vac shop-STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!Your title name shows a MUCH BETTER vacuum!!!!Sharks can spend MORE time in vac shops than in actual use.Their filters clog quickly-belts in the powernozzle break(the powernozzle is a SEALED design so the belt isn't field replaceable-you have to get a new powerhead or vacuum!)It a MESSY bagless design-'Luxes at least use a nice,clean bag system.One shark was berought into the vac place near me--weird-why do folks that have big dogs like sharks-even with the dust cup dumpted and wiped out with a bleach rag,and the foam filter cleaned out the Shark vacuum still smelled like a Stale dog!!!!Lux vacuums can last for years or possibly decades-the Shark is lucky to live only a few years.Fine dirt gets past the foam filter and KILLS the suction motor!!

 

[crazykirbydude]

DON'T GO FOR IT

My mother bough the XL capacity one to replace a dead Dyson and holy crap, This thing is crap. You can't remove the brush, so getting hair and string off of it is really difficult. It also loses quite a bit of airflow every time you use it. Look up the thread "Shark Week". Dust leaks out from around the seal. It's also VERY loud. Stay away at all costs.

 

[singingrainbow]

I have a different opinion

I had a shark rotator for five years, never had an issue with it. The filter didn't require nearly as much cleaning as people say, the filtration never showed any signs of leaking even as I vacuumed up fine carpet cleaning powder. Never leaked any carbon dust either. The noise level was also less than that of most dysons and other modern uprights, it is clear they put a good ammount of noise reducing insulation into it. There was no high pitched whine to it, although their smaller machines such as the rocket are fairly noisy.

I have also extensively used the newer shark powered lift away in a neighbor's home. They have a busy house, and the filters are rarely washed. Yet when I went to use it I was still impressed with the performance even with filthy filters. I was able to clean the entire house with no noticable drop in performance. Not to mention after two years in a large family home, and with little care, it is still fully functional.

Oh, and on the latest duo clean models all you have to do is press a button on top of the power nozzle and the brush roll lifts right out. No tools needed, and the brush can be easily cleaned.

I think for the features and versatility they offer, for the price, they represent excellent value.

 

[crazykirbydude]

You have to remember if a Shark malfunctions, the only sensible option is to toss it. There is almost no parts base for Shark cleaners. They could never outclean a quality machine, as the bagless system restricts airflow so much, and it gets worse as the filter gets dirty. Do not purchase at all costs.

 

[dave]

I recently got rid of a Powered Lift Away. I found it performed very well and it was also very versatile. I was having to wash the filters every 7-14 days (I have a dog) as they were consistently dirty. The dust cup had a small capacity, although I did tend to empty it well before it was even halfway to the fill line because it would smell (dog). The internal hose within the sealed Power Head unit split within 6 months, Shark replaced the whole machine under warranty so I sold the new one and was glad to get rid. Very poor quality components and build although performed it well enough.

 

[vinvac]

I have the Shark Rocket and other than being bag-less, Love it. Cleaning the filters is a pain, but overall performance is not bad.

I disagree with parts not being available, I have repaired several machines and have not had issues getting parts.

Would I consider it a high end vacuum, No. Would I consider it something that the average person looking for a lower cost vacuum might appreciate yes.

 

[gman]

Shark DuoClean

I have the DuoClean model and I am actually pretty impressed with it. It does a great job on the hardwood floors and area rugs. I find the brush roll to stiff for my taste for use on any of my other carpet though. I think having an affection towards vacuums makes us collectors probably take better care of one of these machines than the average consumer.

 

[ocscott3085]

I bought the Shark Apex Powered Lift Away with Duoclean back in September. I bought it to replace the regular Powered Lift Away that died on me. I much prefer the fist model over the Apex. I find the Apex to be fairly bulky and uncomfortable to use after awhile and I'm a pretty athletic guy. It does do a great job on the wood floors but on carpets I don't feel like it makes the pile stand up. I'm wondering if it's because the soft roller mashes the pile back down. Not sure. I bought a Sebo Felix to replace it.

 

[myvacsrock]

if a Shark malfunctions, the only sensible option is to toss

What? No it isn’t...

There is a huge availability of parts. Between eBay, Amazon, and calling Shark directly, who will sell any parts out the door for an extremely reasonable price, these machine are easy to fix. On top of that, I find them at Thrift stores by the handful for between $5-$20 and always buy them. They’re extremely easy to fix. I end up putting an average of $15 in parts into them and an hour of time. They are always sold within one day on a FaceBook Marketplace for around $60. That’s a great and easy turn around.

If you’re looking for something that will be fun, modern, and work pretty well, these are actually cool machines.

 

[crazykirbydude]

You are probably thinking about the old Shark Navigator line. Those did have a serviceable power nozzle. However, the new Shark Rotator and Shark Rocket lines do not have a serviceable power nozzle. I find it really wasteful that the whole power head needs to be replaced when one small component goes out. They also clog and smell as well.

 

[vacuumdevil]

Deja Vu yet again

I don't know how many times this is going to be brought up on vacuumland.
Which is perfectly searchable by Google.
Shark vacuums have one place. I'll give you a hint it's not with collectors.

 

[singingrainbow]

Personally I don't see why a certain topic can't be discussed more than once. I know my views and opinions change over time, so rediscussing a topic has value to me.

I frequently miss threads on here, or stop reading certain ones when they become particularly nasty.

I haven't had to fix a shark myself, but I know my local vac shop can repair them. Another nearby shop can as well, although I don't know how they get the parts.

I think there is room in the industry for all kinds of vacuums, and I enjoy the variety.

 

[mike811]

Shark pre-motor filter gets dirty pretty quickly, but how dirty the filter has to be before it loses airflow?
I tested it with pile of flour. It took a lot of abuse before the airflow started to drop.
What it comes to modern vacuums I personally prefer my Sebo K1, Felix and Miele C3.
But because this topic was about Shark I just want to share this video.

 

[mark40511]

I'm the first to agree

that there are better vacuums out there for sure. But my shark rotator lift away is going on 4 years old now. The only thing that I had to replace was the hose which they sent me for free when I called to complain about it ripping around the 3 year mark. So they can last much longer than 6 mos to a year if they are taken care of. I've actually used the hell out of mine and never seen any dust escape while in use. Cleaning it up is the messy part but I use another vacuum for that.

 

[electromatik]

@vacuumdevil

You appear to dislike almost everything that isn't a Miele. You nitpick and criticize other brands but fail to do the same for your favorite brand. You are really arrogant in your know-it-all biased opinions and it is kind of annoying. Your opinions are just that. Your highly biased opinions are not "facts." You are not the only person here with an operational brain and I don't think you own the site. Others can think over and discuss anything they wish here.

Lighten up.