Why We Love The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum

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The Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352—a lilac-colored, sensible-looking, bagless upright vacuum—is among those Wirecutter picks that never seem to get knocked down.

We’ve recommended the Navigator since 2014, and for many years, it was the top pick in our guide to upright and canister vacuums. We’ve tested and retested it over the years, against other budget vacs and much-pricier models, and it always finds a place in our recommendations (it’s currently our budget pick).

The Shark Navigator is definitely not the best vacuum, but it’s better than many, and we think it’s the best under-$200 model you can buy.

Budget pick

A cheap, well-rounded upright

Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV352

Though far from perfect, this bagless upright is one of the best vacuums you can buy for less than $200. We’ve been recommending it since 2014.

$150 from Amazon

If you can spend only a little, get the Shark Navigator

Most under-$200 vacuums—and even some that cost more—have parts that break easily, and they may lose motor power and suction after just a few months. The most recent ones we tested were mediocre cleaners, ejecting Cheerios, scattering sand, and choking on hair. Many were also clunky, bulky, and screechy.

Thanks to its impressive suction and airflow, the Shark Navigator sucked up sand, glitter, and fur with relative ease. It’s also relatively nimble, with a swiveling cleaner head that enables you to easily steer in small corners and around obstacles.

Although it’s no longer extraordinary, the Navigator’s “lift-away” feature makes cleaning high-up spaces simple: You can take off the pod and set it down, so you’re left with just the hose, handle, and hand tool. This is great for cleaning upholstery, stairs, and shelves.

The Navigator is more durable than most cheap vacuums. Owners report that they have had this machine for many years. Wirecutter staffers who have owned the Navigator for seven or eight years told us that it still performs as it did on day one.

But if you can spend more, you’ll get a much better vacuum

While the Shark Navigator runs circles around its inexpensive brethren, it’s leagues behind the truly excellent vacuums.

The Navigator does well on low- and medium-pile carpet, but it chokes on thick carpet and fluffy rugs. Although you can switch off the motorized brush roll for bare-floor cleaning, we found it to be too harsh for delicate hardwood floors. And because its low-riding cleaner head isn’t height-adjustable, it tends to snowplow larger debris, like birdseed and Cheerios. Its tiny dustbin holds less than a quart of debris, so you’ll have to empty it frequently.

The Navigator comes with a respectable five-year warranty, but it’s actually much less generous than it seems. The warranty covers only the motor; if anything else breaks, you’re on the hook. (Our research showed that the brush roll is a common point of failure for Shark vacuums. Replacing one costs nearly half the price of a new Navigator.) You also shouldn’t expect too much help from Shark’s customer service.

Our top upright and canister vacuum picks—the SEBO Felix Premium and SEBO Airbelt K3 Premium—boast unparalleled cleaning power, sucking up sand, fur, and fine dust. They glide gracefully across the thickest carpets and coast over the most delicate wood floors. They offer powerful filtration, tightly sealing away dust and allergens, in bags that hold nearly a gallon of debris.

These beautiful machines have ergonomic features (including comfortable grips and adjustable wands) and elevated extras (like soft-bristled dusting brushes and extra-long crevice tools) that make them a joy to own and a pleasure to use. And though they might not be true buy-it-for-life purchases, these vacuums come pretty close. SEBO offers a seven-year warranty on parts and labor and 10 years on the motor (as long as you purchase your machine from an authorized dealer and register it with SEBO).

This article was edited by Catherine Kast.

Meet your guide

Courtney Schley

What I Cover

I am a deputy director at Wirecutter, where I oversee editorial operations and testing across the newsroom.

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