Shark vs Dyson – Full Size Vacuum Comparison Chart
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| Model | Dyson DC65 Animal Complete | Dyson DC40 Origin | Shark Rotator 3 in 1 Professional | Shark Navigator Lift Away Professional |
| Highlights | Twice the suction of any vacuum cleaner on the market | Mid-size vacuum with fantastic suction | Great daily workhorse | Good suction in a lightweight model |
| Best Sale Price | $500 – $527 | $310 – $340 | $234 – $299 | $170 – $199 |
| Weight (pounds) | 17.35 | 14.6 | 15.5 | 14 |
| Tools Included | – stair tool – combination tool – pet hair turbine tool – Zorb tool – stiff brush – multi angle brush – accessory bag | – combination tool – stair tool – instant release wand | – turbo brush – crevice tool – car & home detail kit – straight suction nozzle – dusting brush – canister caddy | – hard floor attachment – hard floor duster pad – turbo pet brush – dusting brush |
| Bagless | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dust Container Capacity (gallons) | .55 | .42 | .78 | 1.1 |
| Power | 245 air watts | 200 air watts | 10 amps | 10 amps |
| Filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter |
| Cord Length | 35′ | 24.7′ | 30′ | 25′ |
Dyson vs Shark – Sweeper Vac Comparison Chart
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| Highlights | Most powerful | Cordless power for pet hair | Great pet hair tools | Twice the dirt capacity | Good all-around cleaner |
| Best Sale Price | $465 – $485 | $350 – $370 | $225 – $235 | $195 – $200 | $185 – $195 |
| Weight (pounds) | 4.9 | 4.6 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Tools Included | – mini motorized tool – nozzle/brush tool – crevice tool – wall mount | – motorized pet tool – nozzle/brush tool – wall mount | – crevice tool – dusting brush – pet hair tool – hard floor tool – motorized pet brush – accessory bag – wall mount | – crevice tool – dusting brush – pet upholstery tool – hard floor duster – accessory bag – wall mount | – crevice tool – pet upholstery tool – dusting brush – hard floor duster – detail kit – accessory bag – wall mount |
| Dust Container Capacity (gallons) | .12 | .12 | .24 | .24 | .12 |
| Power | 28 air watts (100 in boost mode) | 28 air watts | 500 watts | 500 watts | 500 watts |
| Filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter | washable with HEPA filter |
When it comes to the battle of Shark vs Dyson, it’s really not a competition at all. Both of these popular brands put out some of the best vacuum cleaners available, so the choice you make really depends on your budget and what you need as far as power, attachment and you preference of features incorporated into the design.
Power
One of the main differences in Dyson vs Shark vacuums comes in the power each has. In other words, is the vac going to have enough suction to clean your house to your satisfaction? Each of these brands measures the suction differently, so it can be a bit confusing trying to figure out which is best. While there’s a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo involved in the calculations, we’ll do our best to make it simple enough so it helps to make a decision instead of making it even more confusing.
Dyson measures their cleaner suction in Air Watts, while Shark only provides the Watts of their cleaners in their marketing materials. Air watts are the European test standard (Dyson originated in Europe), while most American manufacturers use watts as a measurement. Make no mistake – they are quite different.
Essentially, air watts are the measurement of the amount of energy output from the motor, while watts are a measure of the input. There is some debate about which of these actually measures how well a vacuum cleaner will perform, and they are certainly not the only factors.
To give a rough guideline, it is said that an upright vacuum should be about 100 air watts for maximum performance. The Dyson DC65 comes in at an amazing 245 air watts and the DC50 is 180 air watts, so it’s easy to see they are far superior. Both the Dyson DC59 Motorhead and Animal models come in at 28 air watts, or 100 air watts if you use the Boost Mode feature. However, since these digital slim models are so small and lightweight in comparison to the full-sized vacs, they don’t need as much of a boost to get the job done.
As far as wattage, the vacuums sold today generally range between 500 – 2000 watts. Both the Shark Rotator and Navigator come in at 1200 watts, so they are on the higher end of the spectrum. The Rocket series including the TruePet and Deluxe Pro come in at 500 watts, so they are on the lower end, but again, they are very small in comparison, so they don’t need as much power.
In any case, don’t get too hung up on the motor or power bragging from either of these brands. It’s far from the only factor in how well the unit will perform.
Cyclone Technology
Both of these brands boast of cyclone technology, which simply means the dirt spins around inside the machine. Simply, this makes it less likely that the unit will clog.
Dyson does have a leg up here versus Shark in that their newer models have two tiers of radial cones, making them better performers in this arena.
Features
Now, on to the fancy bells and whistles, you may or may not need or appreciate in your vacuum. First and foremost, Dyson vacs have an articulating base plate. This is a fancy way of saying you don’t need to make any manual adjustments when going from bare or hardwood floors to carpet – even deep pile shag. The base plate moves up and down by itself into a position that makes the best seal against the floor.
When you compare this to Shark, it’s different in that with the Shark vacuums, you need to manually change the height of the base plate/brush roll. However, on the newer models this just means pushing a button. People who review these vacs say this is easier, but Dyson still has Shark beat in this area.
The second huge difference in features is that popular vacs like the Shark Rotator models incorporate a canister and handheld option along with the upright. While Dysons have a much longer hose and some fancy tools that work very well, the upright models like the DC65, DC40 and DC50 will not convert into a canister or handheld.
Other features that may matter to you are headlights (Shark has them; Dyson doesn’t), hose long enough to go up the stairs without dragging the whole vacuum cleaner (Dyson hoses are MUCH longer).
Warranty
While Shark offers anywhere from a 5 to
Price
This almost goes without saying: Dyson vacuum cleaners, even though well-loved in reviews, are pretty expensive. Granted, you get more than with cheaper brands and a great warranty to back it up, but they still cost a lot. However, if it’s your budget, reviews say they are definitely worth the price and are built to last.
While Shark models are inexpensive in comparison, there are some corners that have been cut to keep them affordable. Overall, they are still really good vacs, and you will not likely be disappointed if you invest in one.
Overall, if you’re picking a Dyson or Shark vacuum based on price, Shark will win every time just because they’re so cheap in comparison. However, if you have the money to spend, Dyson is a great value.
Who Wins?
Overall, Dyson puts out much better vacuum cleaners; some say the best vacuum cleaners available for the money. If it doesn’t kill your budget, get one. They have superior cleaning power, design, usability, maneuverability and a better warranty.
However, if you just don’t have the money to spend and need a good solid machine to clean your house, Shark can also be a good choice. While it doesn’t have many of the fancier features or design of its competitor, it’s still a good value and investment and will do the job.