Is Shark Navigator Lift Away Pro NV356E The Best 2-in-1 Vacuum Cleaner

by Jay Mulban | Nov 17, 2017 | Upright Vacuum Cleaners | 2 comments

Affiliate Disclosure: I am grateful to be of service and to bring you content free of charge. In order to do this, please note that when you click links and purchase items, in most cases I receive referral commissions. Eventually, I may earn enough to buy a beer or two 🙂 

Is Shark Navigator Lift Away Pro NV356E the best 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner for carpets and hard floors? If you’re searching for a low-cost vacuum that gives great results then read on. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright NV356E is a light multifunctional vacuum that offers versatile cleaning thanks to the removable canister.

Simply press a button to detach the canister from the main body to conveniently clean areas that are harder to reach. It’s good to know that the Shark upright vacuum is fitted with one of the best HEPA filters and a sealed system to capture dust and airborne allergens.

You can seamlessly transition from carpet to hard floors by simply pressing a button to turn off the brush roll. Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright NV356E can compete with the big boys i.e. Dyson, and in some cases outperform premium vacuum cleaners at a cheaper cost.

Is Shark a brand you can trust and more importantly can their vacuums stand the test of time and maintain suction performance? In this review I’ll scrutinise every aspect of the Lift-Away Professional NV356E and help you decide if it’s the best upright vacuum cleaner for you.

Shark Navigator NV356E Build Quality

The vacuum feels sturdy and is built from durable materials although the clips don’t feel as strong as previously tested models overall I’m impressed by the machine’s robustness. It’s great to see that the extension tube is metal and the accessories attach together very easily. The suction power on the Shark Navigator NV356E is comparable to that found on the Dyson upright vacuums such as the DC40.

The motorized brush is transparent at the top to help you spot clogged up dirt or hair caught in the brush. Thankfully the Shark Navigator NV356E is lighter than it looks and is ideal for the elderly or anyone that struggles with cumbersome vacuum cleaners.

Cosmetically, the Shark NV356E does not look as good as Dyson vacuums but that shouldn’t put you off. Although the machine is not pretty it delivers excellent performance throughout.

Shark Navigator NV356E Ergonomics

When comparing the Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV356E to Dyson vacuums you can notice some similarities ergonomically. Dyson wins the race when looking at compactness and a streamlined design but Shark ultimately leads the way for ease of use.

Where Shark really excels is their “Lift-Away” canister that gives the option of detaching the canister from the main body to allow for easier cleaning of hard to reach areas, stairs, window frames and so on.

It’s remarkably lightweight even when using it as a canister and I like that it uses a swivel function comparable to the Dyson ball which works just as good. You get the distinct advantage of a canister and upright vacuum cleaner in one machine, something that you can’t get from Dyson.

The handle is positioned well and makes the Shark vacuum cleaner easier to operate. The primary roller head has simple adjustments and works in harmony with the rest of the machine to give great steering and tilting.

Detaching the tank couldn’t be easier and is a reminder of how well the Shark Navigator is put together.

I like that the motorized brush is fitted with an indicator that illuminates green when the brush is free from clogs. If it changes to red you need to check for blockages.

There’s also a small ring that you can turn to adjust the suction power when cleaning low pile carpets or rugs.

Shark Navigator NV356E Filter

Shark Navigator Lift-Away NV356E is fitted with a multi-step filter system in 2 different parts of the machine. In my opinion, the filter is superior to the HEPA filters found on rival vacuums. As soon as the machine comes to life you can notice a difference in air quality. The air smells cleaner and dust is extracted efficiently from the expelled air.

If you want to see how hard the filters are working check out the base filter after cleaning and you’ll find plenty of trapped dirt and dust. Thankfully you can clean the filters with little effort.  The pre-motor filter, accessible when you detach the canister, is made from layers of felt and foam.

The second filter is a post-motor HEPA filter that cleans the air by catching dust and airborne allergens. If you suffer from allergies or want to breathe cleaner air I would highly recommend this premium filter.

How Does The Shark Navigator NV356E Perform On Carpets?

For starters I expected the machine to be louder but the Shark NV356E lift-away vacuum is surprisingly quiet. The machine pulled up more dirt than its predecessors and the cleaning performance exceeded that found on some pricier machines.

If your home is mostly carpeted and you are a pet owner you might want to seriously consider choosing the Shark Navigator. You’ll enjoy stronger suction power that goes deeper into the carpet compared to the Dyson upright models.

How Does The Shark Navigator NV356E Perform On Hardwood Floors?

You are supplied with a Dust Away accessory specifically for hard floors. It features a removable pad that works extremely well at sucking up dust and debris that gets stuck between floorboards. The Dust Away pad reaches right into corners and edges leaving no dirt behind.

There is an open area at the front of the pad to capture larger items of dirt. The Shark Navigator NV356E is multifunctional and versatile across multiple surfaces thanks to the fabulous accessories provided.

Shark Navigator NV356E Pet Attachment

For pet owners there’s a pet accessory provided similar to the Dyson Animal accessory. The attachment is handier because of the portable size that allows you clean in between furniture and upholstery easier. It lifts more pet hair than a standard brush attachment and personally I think this is the best attachment I’ve used to eliminate pet hair. I’m surprised that Shark doesn’t really mention much about the pet accessory considering how good it is.

Pros

• Low-cost but high performance.
• The vacuum is lightweight and easy to handle.
• Swivel steering similar to the Dyson ball for less money.
• Suction power is amongst the best I’ve tested and matched up to costlier vacuum cleaners.
• Easy control of the suction level.
• The filtration system is noticeably better than rival machines.
• 2 position power switch to activate the motorized brush head.
• We like that the motorized brush head features an indicator light for blockages.
• A transparent section of the motorized brush head helps to spot blockages.
• Intuitive lift-away canister mechanism to clean stairs and areas that are hard to reach.
• Hard floor attachment is a great must-have.
• The pet attachment is even better.
• The vacuum comes with a 5 year warranty as standard.

Cons

• The design a bit clumsy (but the lift away function makes up for this).
• A soft brush attachment is not supplied.
• It not the prettiest looking vacuum cleaner.
• Dirt bin door is at the bottom of machine meaning there’s a slight chance you might come into contact with dirt when emptying.
• The motorized head could be a bit wider.

Product Specifications

• Weight: 13.7 pounds.
• Largest dirt bin capacity across the Navigator and Rotator range.
• Hose length: 5 feet.
• Cord length: 30 feet.
• Cleaning Path Width: 9.5 inches.
• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology + a HEPA filter. Traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum.
• Accessories: Dusting Brush, 8″ Crevice Tool, Pet Attachment Brush, Dust-Away Hard Floor Attachment with 2 Microfiber Pads.

Where to buy the Shark Navigator NV356E

Product Rating

Expect nothing but great performance and plenty of raving reviews. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright NV356E scores highly.

Rating: 8.8 / 10 

Conclusion

Overall I’m thoroughly impressed by the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright NV356E and would say it’s arguably the best 2-in1 multifunctional vacuum cleaner priced at a reasonable cost of $180. It enjoys plenty of positive customer reviews and is a smart investment if you’re looking for a vacuum cleaner that ticks most boxes.

Shark strikes a great balance between functionality and performance with the NV356E. The lift-away design is a testament to easy usage and good ergonomics-Dyson are yet to design a 2-in-1 upright. The suction power is in a league of its own and the 2 stage filter system could easily be found on a machine twice the price.

Should you buy the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright NV356E? All of the above features are given to you at an affordable price with a 5 year warranty included. I recommend this upright vacuum because of the lift away canister convenience, high-performance suction and easy handling.

Are you thinking of buying the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright NV356E or already own one? I would like to know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Best Rated Affordable Upright Vacuum Cleaner under $100

by Jay Mulban | Apr 16, 2017 | Upright Vacuum Cleaners | 2 comments

Affiliate Disclosure: I am grateful to be of service and to bring you content free of charge. In order to do this, please note that when you click links and purchase items, in most cases I receive referral commissions. Eventually, I may earn enough to buy a beer or two 🙂 

Are you looking for a powerful low cost upright? Check out our latest summary of the best rated affordable lightweight upright vacuum cleaner under $100.

The BISSELL 9595A CleanView is a popular affordable vacuum cleaner that doesn’t cut corners. It provides the equivalent cleaning performance to premium cleaning machines that cost 3 times the price. So what exactly are you getting for your money and how does it stack up with its features?

OnePass Cleaning Technology

The main advantage that sets this inexpensive upright vacuum cleaner apart from its rivals is a feature dubbed OnePass Cleaning.

It reduces cleaning times and increases efficiency because it’s designed to suck up debris with one swoop, unlike similar vacuums (at this price range) that will need to clean the same area several times before the floor is completely free from dirt.

How does the BISSELL CleanView Upright clean in just one pass?

Through a combination of strong suction force and advanced brushing technology that sweeps up dirt the first and only time. It is built with Multi-Cyclonic suction power that delivers enough airflow to deep clean tiny particles and stubborn dirt nesting in your carpets and rugs.

BISSELL CleanView Weight

Surprising the machine is much lighter than it looks, which makes it a joy to manoeuvre around the house and easy to move between rooms.

The BISSELL CleanView weighs in at a meagre 15 lbs or 6.8 Kgs.

Dirt Bin and Filtration

The Dirt Bin’s capacity is a massive 0.6 Gallons (2.27 litres) for longer intervals between emptying. Dirt disposal is just as easy thanks to the bottom easy emptying tank.

The vacuum cleaner is also equipped with a washable foam filter that provides Multi-Level Filtration. You also have the benefit that foam filters are much easier to wash than other filter types.

Performance

My carpets had recently been vacuumed the day before testing the Cleanview 9595A. I was certain it wouldn’t suck up much dirt and made some allowance for a day’s worth of dirt. Boy, was I wrong.

The vacuum cleaner sucked up the equivalent of a week’s worth of dirt from a single room in one sweep.

It’s good to see that the “OnePass cleaning” strapline is not a fake sales pitch for a subpar vacuum cleaner.

This machine lives up to the hype considering it costs less than $100.If you own a pet or a few, the Bissell Cleanview 9595A can easily do away with fur balls and pet hairs.

My Shiba Inu’s hair gets everywhere, so I appreciate a good vacuum cleaner that can keep my home hair free.

The Bissell vacuum is easy to assemble, I unboxed and got it sucking up dirt within 5 minutes. I targeted the problem areas first, where I suspected the Cleanview would struggle.

It showed no signs of weakness when tested against thick carpets and shaggy rugs. The dirt collected was surprising and embarrassing that my carpets were still so dirty from my old vacuum.

Durability

The Bissell Cleanview 9595A is a robust machine and much stronger than it looks. It feels sturdy and well balanced when in use. At no point did I feel that the vacuum cleaner would break or start falling apart after a few months.

At no point did I feel that the vacuum cleaner would break or start falling apart after a few months.

From customer feedback, it appears that most owners have used the Bissell solidly for well over a year without performance complaints. I wasn’t expecting such strong performance from bargain vacuum cleaner.

Bissell Cleanview Weaknesses

Some customers have advised that the extension hose is a bit too firm to comfortably reach down to the baseboards and that it should be made from a material that’s more flexible.

I didn’t experience any issues with the hose and didn’t find it to be any more difficult to use than other uprights that I’ve tested. In my opinion, this is a minor gripe that shouldn’t affect your purchasing decision.

How does it stack up to the Competition?

When pitted against a similar upright that costs more than twice the price, the results surprised me.

I recently tested the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Upright so decided to compare performance on both machines.

The weekend brought with it a social occasion with plenty of guests and food. I used this as an opportunity to test out the machines the following day.

I started with the Shark Navigator and vacuumed the entire house. The results were impressive and it lifted all types of dirt just like I would expect from a premium vacuum cleaner.

Out comes the Bissell CleanView Upright to see it would find any dirt left behind by the Navigator Lift-Away.

I performed the exact routine, going over each area just once.

The machine excelled itself and still managed to suck up a considerable amount of dirt that the Shark left behind.

I was not expecting the cheaper Bissell to clean up after a premium machine especially knowing that the Sharks costs more than double the price.

The suction power delivered by the Bissell Cleanview is so much better than the Shark Navigator Lift-Away. I’d recommend the Bissell if you want to make an instant cost saving of more than $100 but doesn’t sacrifice on cleaning performance. Get yourself a competitively priced vacuum cleaner that beats premium appliances.

Accessories provided:

The Bissell Cleanview is supplied with a good range of accessories to speed up cleaning times and target problematic areas efficiently, such as tight gaps and upholstery.

Dusting Brush: Dust is difficult to clean properly. It often gets displaced elsewhere if the correct tools are not used. The Bissell dusting brush traps hairs and dust from furniture, drapes, upholstery and window frames.

Crevice Tool: This is a must-have attachment that helps to suck up dirt hidden in small spaces which are hard to reach.  Use it underneath furniture, along baseboards, awkward corners and the car’s interior.

TurboBrush Tool: A powerful mini rotating brush that loosens stubborn dirt in carpets and rugs coupled with strong suction power to lift away dirt effortlessly. Use it to vacuum upholstery, rugs, stairs and car interiors.

Extension Wand: Great for extending the reach of the Dusting Brush, Crevice Tool or TurboBrush. Use it to reach cobwebs on ceilings, dust on ceiling fans and chandeliers or on baseboards without hurting your back.

Product Dimensions

Product dimensions for Bissell Cleanview:

12.5 x 13.5 x 44 inches

Cord length

There’s 25ft (7.62 metres) of cable length to make cleaning convenient and give easier access to hard-to-reach areas.

Rating:

A lightweight design, OnePass Cleaning and low-cost multi-cyclonic suction earn the Bissell Cleanview a strong rating and plenty of positive customer reviews.

Rating: 8.6/ 10 

Where to Buy the Bissell Cleanview 9595A

Conclusion

Is this Bissell Cleanview 9595A worth purchasing? Absolutely. I was half expecting an average machine with average results and it proved me wrong.

The Bissell vacuum cleaner ticks all the boxes and provided results that I would expect to find on a premium machine.

It was put up against Shark Navigator Lift-Away, that costs twice as much, and performed better.

If you are looking for a robust powerful vacuum cleaner that won’t break the bank, this is it.

Are you considering the Bissell Cleanview 9595A or do you already own one? Please share your experience in the comments section below. Thanks again for reading.

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