Although we recently tested the Shark Cordless Pro with Clean Sense IQ, the newest model in this specific line, it did not compare in suction capability or ease of use to the older PowerFins model. The Shark Vertex PowerFins Vacuum features powerful suction on all surfaces, a storage-friendly handle, and generally quiet operation. As we discovered in The Lab, it has the power you need to leave your carpets shark robotic vacuums deeply clean and your hardwood floors sparkling. This model earned a perfect rating for its effectiveness and didn’t cause any debris to scatter in the process. In fact, it cleaned up every material in just a pass or two, regardless of flooring type. We found that the 1.4-quart dust bin empties easily, but given the vacuum’s powerful suction and long-lasting battery, we do wish it had more capacity.
While our initial setup experience was a bit confusing because there is not much guidance given on setting up the home base and emptying station, we found the actual programming of the vacuum to be a breeze. The Shark app leads you through a series of programming settings and the robot maps out your home. You can also tweak the map to get it exactly how you want and establish no-go zones and carpeted zones and name different rooms. This part was the most tedious of using this vacuum as you can go into as much or as little detail as you want.
Several Wirecutter staff members have bought the Navigator Lift-Away since we started recommending it, and everyone is basically happy with it. Staff writer Michael Sullivan has owned this model for four years and uses it once a week. “I’ve never had an issue with it, and it’s easy to empty.” Senior editor Grant Clauser has had the Navigator for at least two years and likes it better than the more expensive Dyson upright it replaced. “The only thing I’d change is a better way to attach the attachments,” he says. Staff writer Signe Brewster says it picks up cat hair from a shag-like rug in a single pass. Sometimes she has to dig hair out of the dustbin by hand, but we’ve found that’s often the case for all bagless vacs.
If we didn’t mention a particular model you’re curious about, we did actually consider it but decided not to recommend it. We came close to recommending the Shark Navigator Swivel Pro NV150 because the dustbin is easy to empty and the handle is comfortable to hold. In our fine-debris pick-up test, however, it picked up less sand and baking soda than any of the other upright models we tested. However, this robot doesn’t just vacuum — it also has a mopping ability, which was surprisingly effective in our tests. The robot actually vacuums and mops simultaneously, so it’s not pushing dirt around the floor, and we found that after mopping, our floor looked just as clean as if we had used a steam mop on the area.
But the evidence we’ve seen leads us to believe that the Navigator Lift-Away is actually more reliable than most vacuum cleaners in this price range. Thanks to the long-lasting geared belt and reusable filter, performance shouldn’t decline much over time. This vacuum’s five-year warranty gives us every reason to believe it will last at least that long for most owners. The Navigator Lift-Away does a decent job of filtering out dust and other allergens. It has a post-motor HEPA filter, and the transfer points are also sealed with rubber gaskets. In our own emissions test, we also found that the Navigator Lift-Away released less than 2,000 particles sized 0.5 micron or larger per cubic foot.
We found it difficult to move around on high-pile carpets and slightly docked its maneuverability rating for this reason, but we did note that the vacuum is not too heavy overall. However, the Shark vacuum does feature a flexible wand that is a real game changer for reaching under furniture. You can stop ignoring the dust bunnies under your sofa because Shark designed this vac with a hinge that gives the floor head shark robotic vacuums greater reach. Plus, the Vertex series from Shark includes dual rollers in the floor head and one is equipped with grippy rubber fins to maintain contact with the floor. While making use of the 60-minute battery life, which is significant compared to many other cordless models, you can feel this technology working. We noted the vac essentially pulls itself, and we gave it a perfect rating for maneuverability.
On the other hand, the Shark 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop Robot can only be used to mop hard floors, so it might not be the best option if you have lots of carpeting in your house. If you regularly forget to empty your vacuum’s dustbin, the Shark Wandvac Self-Empty System takes this important maintenance step off your hands, ensuring your vacuum is always ready to start cleaning. This vacuum is one of the more expensive canisters you can buy, and in terms of price, is really only comparable to canisters from premium brand Miele.
But the wand is rather heavy and bulky, and it cannot be expanded or collapsed. The underside of the canister has four 360 degree rotating caster wheels. We did expect that the canister would have some kind of bumper around the perimeter to stop scuffing or scraping of walls/furniture, but it does not. The Shark Navigator series is already relatively light, at about 12 pounds, but there are plenty of great vacuums that are even lighter.
While we initially had a few issues when first testing this model, it did impress us with new technology like a self-emptying base and a self-cleaning brush roll. The setup process is a little complicated for this model, as the individual vacuum pieces are not labeled, which makes the directions slightly confusing. When it came time for testing, our first two rounds of testing on carpet and hard flooring did not go smoothly. The vacuum shut off repeatedly and alerted us that it needed to be emptied, despite having no debris in the dust bin, and it spit larger debris across the floor. However, it suddenly started performing flawlessly when we moved to cleaning our set of testing stairs. We ended up re-testing the vacuum on the other flooring surfaces and it then began performing very well.