Shark Navigator Lift Away Review – Expensive for the Quality?

Many shoppers are looking for a vacuum that is mid-priced, has great suction and works well on both carpet and hard floors. Thanks to some very useful attachments, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away fits that bill. With enough power to suck up dirt from even deep pile carpets and a bare floor attachment combined with a brush roll shutoff conveniently located on the handle, many people who bought the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro love it.

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Shark Navigator Lift Away Review – Features & Benefits

Last update on 2024-03-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Ease of Use

According to reviews, the Shark Navigator Lift Away vacuum is very easy to use. While it is not self-propelled, it is lightweight for an upright vacuum. It also incorporates swivel steering, making it much easier to navigate around furniture and corners.

Another convenience with this unit is that it lays flat when going under furniture, ensuring you can get the most surface coverage without having to move chairs and sofas out of the way. The head of the vacuum is also very low profile, meaning it will fit under more things (like kitchen cabinets).

As far as cleaning, the Shark Professional Lift-Away is also very user-friendly. First, the dust container is huge compared to that of other machines. At 4.4 dry quarts (much larger than the 3.1 held by the Shark Rotator vacuum), unless your floors are extremely dirty and you have a large house, you won’t need to worry about emptying it out often.

Emptying the canister is easy. There are 2 latches (one on each side) that hold it onto the main unit, then it empties by pushing a button. The container is also clear, like many newer appliances, so you can see when it needs to be emptied.

As far as filters, the Shark Navigator Pro has 3 of them, and they are all washable. The three filters are a foam one, then one made of feeling, and finally the HEPA filter. The manufacturer recommends washing the first two every 3 months and the HEPA filter about every 2 years. Of course, you’ll want to keep an eye on these to ensure they remain clean, as this will not only extend the life of the machine but also ensure you’re getting a cleaner house.

An important note: There are two versions of this vacuum for sale on Amazon. One has a Standard Brush Roll, one with a Premium Brush Roll. From what we can tell, the only difference is the Premium Brush Roll model can be opened up completely to remove any build up on the roller, while the Regular model cannot be opened all the way. This may be an important feature depending on your needs.

Mechanics & Power

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The best thing about this newer model in the Shark lineup is that it uses the popular technology that allows it to not lose suction over the life of the vacuum. According to reviews from actual users, they brag about its powerful suction more than any other feature. It seems to do great on all types of carpet, whether low or high pile (including shag rugs).

Additionally, it comes with a hard floor attachment that works kind of like a Swiffer dry floor mop to vacuum up dust and debris on your bare floors.

The Shark Navigator Professional boasts a powerful 1200 watt (10 amp) motor, which makes it more than adequate for taking up all kinds of dirt and other debris around your home.

It also has two power settings: One for carpet with the brush roll on and one for bare floors (where the brush roll is turned off). This will make it work much better depending on the surface you’re cleaning. Also, having an off option for the roller will ensure your hard wood floors don’t get scratched by the brush.

Another feature of this best-rated vacuum cleaner that users comment on repeatedly is the sealed HEPA system. If you or someone in your household suffers from allergies, you’ll really appreciate this feature, as it traps over 99.99% of allergens inside the vacuum cleaner instead of throwing them back out into the air like some machines.

The lifetime HEPA trap isn’t just good for those with allergies. It’s also great for dust mites and pet dander, which can make anyone sneeze when they build up. Using one of the attachment tools to vacuum your mattress might even help you sleep better.

Speaking of pets, Shark Navigator Lift Away reviews from pet owners all express happiness at the ability of this unit to effectively suck up animal hair from both carpets and hard floor surfaces. If you have animals in your house, you know how pervasive their hair can be and how difficult it can be to get it up in a vacuum cleaner without clogging it up. It seems this machine does a great job at that particular task.

Accessories & Tools

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The Shark Navigator Professional Lift Away comes with some very handy tools. First, you get a hard floor attachment with a duster pad. According to reviews, this works great on bare floors to get the dust off. Of course, the vacuum itself can also be used for this by turning off the brush, but the attachment with pad just give your floor that extra buff and polish.

With this unit, you also get a pet power brush for use on upholstery or in your car, 2 crevice tools – one 8” and one 24” as well as a dusting brush.

Though it’s not a tool, remember the Shark Navigator Professional Lift-away vacuum cleaner also has the removable canister vac, which is great if you can’t fit the upright into tight spaces. It also works excellent for cleaning stairs so you don’t have to maneuver the upright to get into those tight corners.

Specifics

Following are the specifications of the Shark Navigator Lift-away bagless upright vacuum:

shark-navigator-lift-away-pro
  • Cleaning Path: 9.5”
  • Dust Container Capacity: 4.4 dry quarts
  • Cord Length: 30’
  • Power: 1200 watts/10 amps
  • Weight: 14 pounds
  • Filters: 3 – all washable
  • Head to handle length: 45.47”
  • Hose Length: 6.3’

Pros

  • Great suction
  • Holds a LOT of dirt in the canister
  • Lift away canister vacuum is very convenient
  • Easy to navigate, steer and turn
  • HEPA filter means more allergens get trapped
  • Hard floor attachment is a nice plus

Cons

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The only real complaint we found that several users had about the Shark Pro Navigator lift away is that the cleaner head is narrow. At only 9.5”, if you have really large areas to vacuum, you’ll be making more passes to cover it. However, the narrower head also means you can get into tighter spots. This is something you should consider before you buy, as you want to be happy with your new purchase.

Consumer Ratings

After going through about 1,500 different reviews of the Shark Professional Navigator upright vacuum cleaner, we found that overall it gets an average of good stars.

shark-rotator-vs-navigator
Shark Rotator vs Navigator

People particularly like the vacuuming power and its ease of use. They say it’s very easy to maneuver and steer. They also like the extra-large container, which needs to be emptied less often.

Consumer Reports rated this vacuum good stars.

Want to see the manual before you buy? Click here for the Owner’s Guide.

Price

Currently, this Shark Navigator upright retails for about $$$. However, by shopping online, you can find it much cheaper.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Navigator Lift-Away is a great vacuum for the price, making it one of the best-rated vacuums available today. People who own one love it in reviews. It has many features you usually only find in more expensive vacuums. It’s lightweight, easy to handle and gets the job done. Overall, a really good investment.

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