After the first few months of owning my cat Hank, a long-haired breed who shed an unspeakable amount of fur, it was becoming quickly apparent that my standard cordless stick vacuum was not cutting it. My rugs and soft upholstered furniture were matted with tufts of white fur and fluffy dust bunnies tumbleweeded throughout my apartment. I suspected I knew just the vacuum for the task — a working horse corded model that would only cost me $130 and came with a boatload of endorsements from other pet owners.
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe may be a more traditional-looking vacuum, but what it lacks in bells and whistles it makes up for in pure, indisputable power that managed to suction up an alarming amount of dust, hair and debris from virtually every surface in my home —even after I had just gone over them with both my stick vacuum and carpet rake. It made my carpet appear so fluffy, vibrant and clean that I had to double-check the price I paid for such a gizmo.
Part of the powerful suction can likely be attributed to the completely sealed HEPA filtration system, a pretty standard yet effective way to ensure that captured dust and debris do not escape. Also, for as many reservations that you might have about a cord on your vacuum, I will say that it wasn’t nearly as cumbersome as I remember after years of relying on a cordless model — it was actually refreshing to have a vacuum that maintained consistent power throughout its entire use, without ever having to worry about it running out of charge.
It switches from hard floor to carpet function with just a flick of a manual switch, and once shifted to carpet mode, the brush roller jumps into action, creating a suction that’s so powerful that the vacuum almost drags me along.
When it comes time for emptying, the surprisingly large and bagless receptacle easily detaches and lifts away from the vacuum and can be emptied with just one hand — no need to cram my hand in awkwardly and pull out clumps of mess.
While it’s true that this is a simple appliance, it does still have the convenient and welcome option to detach and extend the hose to direct its cleaning power elsewhere. It comes with both an upholstery attachment and a crevice tool, so I can use it along the harder-to-reach areas like floor moldings, curtains and the seams of my couch cushions.
Truthfully, it’s not the most sleek nor delicate vacuum I’ve ever used — meaning it’s a little tough to get under low-standing furniture — but it’s shockingly nimble to maneuver with the built-in swivel steering. I find that a very small concession to make when I consider how well it does its job.
It would appear that many reviewers had the same experience as I did, in that we both were under the false impression that our existing stick vacuums were sufficiently cleaning our rugs and floors, until after using the Shark, when we learned just how much was really being left behind.
See for yourself in the promising reviews ahead before finally adding this effective vacuum to your cleaning team.
Promising Amazon reviews:
“Best vacuum ever! This vacuum is outstanding!! The suction is absolutely incredible. I wish the dirt bucket was bigger , because this thing goes to work for you . You fill the bucket really fast because spots that you were sure were clean , try going over them again and you might be shocked, especially if you have dogs . I have two German Shepherds that blow their coats constantly this weird winter in Texas. It comes apart in many places to make cleaning so easy. It’s very easy to use , just watch out for area rugs and runners . This thing has such powerful suction, i almost sucked mine up a few times . It’s compact too. It doesn’t take up much space at all . Just the corner in the closet will do. I have had mine several months now and it still works as good as the first day . I love it ! It’s way better than the Dyson I had . Just saying.” — Cindy
″I bought this on a little bit of a whim after growing frustrated with my Miele vacuum and feeling like it just wasn’t getting the job done. First pass with this Shark vacuum proved my feelings were correct. The suction is excellent. It picks up so much dirt and dust. It is lighter than the Dyson ball and maneuvers easily. Attachments are all pretty intuitive and I like being able to easily lift off the barrel to use the wand attachment. I’m impressed with this vacuum and wouldn’t hesitate to purchase again! It’s definitely a better value than most- I was about to spend more than the cost of this vacuum on a new attachment for my Miele and I’m so glad I decided to just purchase this vacuum instead!” — Amazon customer
“Oh my goodness! I am so impressed with this Shark Navigator deluxe. I have had the plain ol Shark Navigator for the last almost 4 years now, but her life is coming to an end. She has duck tape on the hose cuz it tore and losing its suction so it was time to get a new vacuum. I vacuumed with my old Shark before I used my new one to see what the new one would pick up after the first vacuum. My carpet looked clean after the first vacuum, but when I went over it again with the deluxe, holy crap the amount of dust and dirt it sucked up was unbelievable!!! Like look at the container how much it grabbed!!! I am so pleased at how powerful this thing is! Definitely worth the money to me and so glad I got it while on sale!” — Laney
″Best vacuum hands down and affordable. Omg this is the best vacuum! I thought the one I had was doing its job and this shark vacuum shows how badly it wasn’t. I live in a 2 bed apartment and I have already emptied the bin that holds the dirt and hair 5 times and I still am going to go over it again and do the edges with the suction tube. So glad I bought this and so disturbing I was living with all that dirt and cat and dog hair in the carpet” — Alexis Sebastian
If you want to shop for more fan-favorite vacuums that are perfect for pet owners, take a look at this list gathered from previous HuffPost coverage down below:
Shark pet cordless stick vacuum cleaner
If you are after a cordless model, this lightweight vacuum cleaner, also by Shark, is easy to lift, store and use, with a trigger that instantly sucks up debris and plenty of power to pull even the most stubborn stuck-on dog hairs. It has attachments that let you reach in the crevices of sofas, a brush head compatible with hard surfaces and carpets alike, plus a wall attachment for cleaning hard-to-reach areas and ceilings. It also has a swivel head that can reach underneath sofas without squatting or bending over. Detach its canister head from the stick, and you’ve got a handheld vacuum to use in your car, couch or chair!
Bissell Little Green carpet and upholstery cleaner
Though this isn't a traditional vacuum cleaner, the Bissell Little Green is, in my opinion, an absolute must-have for everyone, but especially pet owners. In fact, this may just be one of the most beloved cleaning tools we cover, and reviewers have given it 4.5 stars in gratitude and tons of testimonials gushing about its "shocking" performance. The Bissell Little Green machine gets stains out of carpet and rugs with a spray-and-scrub brush that also sucks up the dirty water into the dirty water tank as it cleans.
"I am SHOCKED at the dirt this thing picks up," one self-proclaimed clean freak wrote in an Amazon review. "It is powerful and has strong suction that picks up deep stains. I’ve already used it a few dozen times to clean up mud spots and after a dog that was sick. Big messes seem like they never happened. It gets up coffee spills and even cleaned my light upholstered bed frame that was so dirty."
I have witnessed it breathe new life into my couch and upholstered chairs after years of wear and pet ownership. It even made an entire matcha latte that I spilled on a rug vanish before my very eyes.
Dyson Ball Animal Total clean upright vacuum (39% off list price)
With suction strength comparable to a “6-horsepower shop vac" and several smart attachments that allow for floor-to-ceiling cleaning, the famed Dyson Ball Animal upright vacuum is more than well-equipped to clean your home and completely eliminate any pet hair or pet-related messes from sight. One reviewer even swears, “It’ll change your life.”
It uses what the brand refers to as "Radial Root Cyclone technology" for the most powerful suction possible, while the ball design makes it impossibly easy to maneuver beneath furniture, around corners and turns on a dime.
"I thought my house was clean, but when this vacuum arrived, and I tried it out, I was shocked," claimed one Amazon shopper who agreed that the suction was powerful.