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Shark vs Dyson 2024: which vacuum cleaner is best?

Our experts reveal the winner when Shark goes toe-to-toe with Dyson

Shark vs Dyson edit
(Image credit: Shark/Dyson)

We've tested all sorts of vacuums over the years, but when it comes down to it, Dyson and Shark tend to top our rankings of the best vacuums. 

While Dyson have led the market for years, offering premium, powerful vacuums, Shark are hot on their heels with great-value vacuums that don't break the bank. 

When you drill into the details, there's a world of difference between the best best Dyson vacuums and the best Shark vacuums. We've had extensive time with both in our homes and testing facility, so we know exactly which comes out on top. 

Shark vs Dyson: which is best?

Dyson-V11-Outsize

(Image credit: Dyson)

TLDR: Dyson is the winner, and our pick for the best vacuum in the world is the Dyson V15 Detect. It picks up debris incredibly well, has a huge capacity, a high-tech laser to illuminate debris and anti-hypoallergenic filtration. 

However, the $700 price point is out of reach for most of us. Very few people can afford to drop nearly a thousand dollars on a vacuum cleaner, no matter how good it is. The Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight Cordless is our narrow runner up in the guide to the best vacuum cleaners, and offers incredibly effective cleaning without the expense. 

However, those are just our overall picks. Read on if you want to drill into the detail on the best cordless, pet hair, upright and robot vacuums from both brands. We also cover which brand is better value, which has stronger suction, and which offers the best warranty.

Buy a Shark vacuum if you:

  • Are looking for value
  • Want powerful suction
  • Don't want to pull hair out of your vaccum
  • Need LED lights on your vacuum
  • Don't like trigger-style power
  • Need a longer warranty

Buy a Dyson vacuum if you:

  • Want the most powerful suction you can get
  • Want the latest innovations like a vacuum laser or particle sensor 
  • Want extended battery life
  • Need top-level filtration
  • Want a light-weight cordless

Shark vs Dyson: best cordless vacuum cleaner

WINNER: DYSON V15 DETECT ABSOLUTE

As we said above, the Dyson V15 Detect is our favorite vacuum cleaner in the world. It has amazing suction, stops pet hair from getting stuck, and we love the laser and piezo sensor, which lets you know exactly what you're removing from your floors. It scored a perfect 100% vs the nearly-but-not-quite 90% of the Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight.

Shark vs Dyson: best vacuum for pet hair

WINNER: DYSON V15 DETECT ABSOLUTE
Our tests found that the Dyson V15 DETECT is not only the best vacuum and cordless vacuum, but also the best vacuum for pet hair. We found that it worked spectacularly on every surface, but that performance didn't stop when it came to pet hair. It managed to pick up all the hair from an old dog bed without tangling, while also restoring the bed's color in the process. That type of detangling is second-to-none.

Another worthy mention is the Dyson Outsize. It's huge, incredibly powerful, has a great capacity, as well as great anti-hair wrap on carpet, saving you from pulling hair out of the vacuum. We tested it in a house with dogs and it easily handled their fur. It also has excellent HEPA filtration to prevent allergies. 

But if the price tag puts you off, our runner up in our tests is the Shark Stratos. This vacuum also excelled when we put it to the test against dog fur, and has amazing odor neutralizer technology that banishes pet smells before they start. If you don't want to stretch to $700 dollars, the Stratos is a smart alternative. 

Shark vs Dyson: best upright vacuum cleaner

WINNER: SHARK STRATOS
While it just missed out for best pet hair vacuum, the Stratos is the best upright vacuum on the market. It overcomes the usual limits of an upright with a handy lift-away body that makes it easy to use on stairs. The odor-neutralizing cartridge is no gimmick, genuinely improving the usual smells of pet hair, and it has good anti-hair wrap, so you won't have to pick hair out of the brush roll. 

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is another good choice, and surprisingly, better than its successor, the Ball Animal 3. it's probably the most powerful vacuum you can buy, annihilating pet hair from carpets and rugs. However, this power is one of its weaknesses — it's so strong that it can be difficult to push on carpet. 

Shark vs Dyson: best robot vacuum

WINNER: Shark AI Ultra 2in1 Robot Vacuum & Mop
This one is an easy call. Robot vacuums continue to be one of Dyson's few weaknesses. They've discontinued all of their robot vacuums in the US market and they only have one available in the entire world - the Heurist, available in the UK. Not only is this not available in the states, but I happen to have tested this vacuum, and it isn't very good, with weak pickup and poor room mapping. 

The Shark AI Ultra 2in1 Robot Vacuum & Mop, however, is a fantastic robot. It has great suction and really great mapping, easily avoiding chair legs, cords, and pets. It also has a built in mop, if you have hard floors, though you'll have to be on hand to change the water and pads. 

Shark AI Ultra 2in1 Robot Vacuum & Mop with Sonic MoppingH&G gold badge

(Image credit: Shark)
Best robot vacuum with self-cleaning base

Specifications

Navigation: LiDAR
Dust bin size: 1.95qt. for the base, .26qt. on robot
Dimensions: 12.9 x 12.6 x 3.5 inches
Noise level: N/A
Compatibility: Alexa/Google/Apple-Siri

Reasons to buy

+
Bagless Self-Emptying base holds up to 60 days of dust
+
Highly customizable map
+
Multiple vacuum settings
+
Able to work around obstacles
+
Impressive mopping abilities

Reasons to avoid

-
Mopping isn’t self-sufficient
-
App can be confusing
-
Can't track progress as it cleans

Shark vs Dyson: FAQs

Shark vs Dyson: which is better value?

WINNER: SHARK

Shark vacuums are at a more mid-range of around $150 for a Shark Navigator to $650 for the Shark AI 2in1 Robot Vacuum and Mop. Cordless vacuums rise to $450 for its top-of-the-line Vertex Pro, which boasts a larger 1 qt. dust bin and increased power. 

Shark also frequently runs promotions of up to half off, while the largest discount you'll see on a Dyson is around $200, and usually only around Black Friday.

Dyson vacuums tend to cost around of $399 for their older models like the Dyson Ball Animal 2  to an eye-watering $949 for its top-of-the-line Dyson Outsize+ , which is the largest cordless on the market, and now includes the laser technology of the Dyson V15 Detect


Dyson V15 Detect

(Image credit: Dyson)

Shark vs Dyson: which is more powerful?

WINNER: DYSON

When it comes to sheer air watts, Dyson offer the most powerful suction around. Dyson typically offers three modes: Eco, Medium, and Boost. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 mentioned above has only one power setting, and it's very powerful. Dyson's models tend operate with a trigger method to conserve battery when not in use, but some people find it uncomfortable to keep pressing down on the trigger.  

Shark also lets you select power modes according to surface type, or if an extra boost is required, however, you will manually have to switch between. Shark typically offers a hard floor, carpet, and MAX power option. Shark vacuums operate with a power switch for continuous power, which may be a better choice if you have mobility problems in your hands like arthritis. 

Shark vs Dyson comparison cordless vacuums

L-R: Shark Stratos, Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless, Shark Vertex Pro, Dyson V8, Dyson V12 Slim, Dyson V15 Detect, Dyson Outsize +

(Image credit: Shark/Dyson)

Shark vs Dyson: which has the bigger product range?

WINNER: SHARK

Shark and Dyson both offer a wide range of choice, but Shark has more models available, and they're in wider categories. Where Shark offers a range of corded, cordless, handheld, and robot vacuums, while Dyson emphasizes its cord-free range, and no longer sells robot vacuums in the United States.

You can scroll the below table to directly compare runtime, power, dust bin size, and any special features. 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0 Shark Stratos CordlessShark Vertex CordlessShark Vertex ProDyson V8Dyson V12 Detect SlimDyson V15 DetectDyson Outsize +
Best ForNewest Shark LaunchSpace-savingHigh-end Digital FeaturesMost affordable DysonMost lightweight 5-star vacuumMost cleaning longevity
Run timeUp to 60 minutes50 minutesUp to 60 minutesUp to 40 minutesUp to 60 minutes60 minutes120 minutes
Power309 W281 W309 WN/A150AW230 AW230 AW
Weight8.9lb.9.04lb.8.82lb.5.51lb.5.2lb.6.79 lb.7.9lb
Dust bin.72 qts.08 gal.25 gal.54L.1 gal.2 gal.5 gal
Price$499.99$429.99$479.99$449.99$649.99$749.99$949.99
Black Friday Deal$449.99$249.99$279.99$349.99$499.99$649.99N/A
Special FeaturesOdor Neutralizing Technology, DuoClean® PowerFins® HairProMultiFLEX freestanding storage, Duo Clean PowerfinsExtended Size Dust Bin, digital displayN/A24% lighter than V15, button power controlAutomatic surface detection, Piezo sensor, green diode laserExtended size dust bin, automatic surface detection, green diode laser

Shark vs dyson upright vacuums

L-R: Shark Stratos Upright, Shark Vertex Upright, Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe, Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra, Dyson Ball Animal 2

(Image credit: Shark/Dyson)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0 Shark StratosShark VertexShark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away DeluxeDyson Ball Animal 3 ExtraDyson Ball Animal 2
Best forNewestPremiumBudget-friendlyNew pet hair and grooming featuresReliable alternative
Cord length25 feet30 feet25 feet35 feet35 feet
Power14161344 watts1200 watts290 AW270 AW
Weight17.72 lb. 16.38lb. 13 lb.17.3 lb.17.5 lb
Dust bin1.48 qt.1 qt.1.2 qt.1.7 L.55 gal
Price$429-$449$499.99$199$499.99$499
Black Friday Price$299.90$249.99$99.99$399.99$349.99
Special featuresDuoClean PowerFins HairPro, Odor Neutralizer Technology, HEPADuoClean Powerfins, Led lights, Powered Lift-Away motorLift-AwayNew Pet hair technology and grooming toolsBall maneuvering technology, single power option

Shark vs Dyson: which has the best suction?

WINNER: SHARK 

Both Shark and Dyson can get the job done. 

Shark wins, however, when it comes to larger pieces, vacuuming up larger pieces like cereal to rice in one pass, while these items can occassionally just be pushed forward with a Dyson. 

Dyson makes different floorheads for varying purposes. The fluffy floor heads are optimized for hard floors with their softer fibers to rid floors of dust, while the detangling motor bar floorhead digs deep into carpets, though still effective on hard floors if the fluffy floorhead is not included. Dyson vacuums either adjust setting power level or automatically adjust based on detected dirt amount. The upright models do feature an option to turn off the brushbar when vacuuming hard floors. 

Dyson V15 Detect sensor

(Image credit: Dyson)

Shark vs Dyson: which has better battery life?

Both Dyson and Shark offer comparable battery life. Both offer up to 60 minutes runtime for their best cordless vacuums, like the Dyson V15 Absolute and the Shark . Depending on the model, both Shark and Dyson offer designs with removable batteries, such as the Dyson Outsize or the Shark Vertex Pro lightweight. 

Shark dust bin

(Image credit: Shark)

Shark vs Dyson: which has the bigger dustbin?

Dyson was actually the first to engineer bagless dust bins, using the clear dust bin design to be able to keep track of how much dirt has been collected and a system that will never lose suction because the bin is full. At this point, however, both Shark and Dyson use bagless dust bins.

Both dust bins use an easy, one-touch propeller system designed to be hassle-free and hygienic. Dyson's base opens and pushes the dirt forward, while the Shark releases the base, which actually has a wider mouth for dirt to dispense out of. 

We've personally found a better emptying experience from Shark as we're not having to reach in to take out stuck clumps of debris, as has been our experience with Dyson. The bins can also easily be rinsed with water. Dyson's dust bins can typically only be wiped with a damp cloth, as they are connected to electrical components. 

Within the dust bin, hair both wraps around the filters inside the dust bin on the Shark and Dyson. Hair is easier to pull out of the Shark, however, which neatly wraps around can easily be pulled out, while it's more difficult to place your hand up in the shaft of the bin. Dyson's dust bin utilizes a rubber stopper to sort of push the dirt down and to keep it going in one direction.

Traditional uprights tend to have larger dust bins by default, while cordless models are typically smaller, in an effort to keep them streamlined and lightweight. Dyson's Outsize is the outlier, with its full-size half-gallon dust bin. Beyond this specialty model, we find Dyson and Shark's dust bin offerings to be rather similar in size.

Dyson filtration

(Image credit: Dyson)

Shark vs Dyson: which has the best filtration?

WINNER: DYSON

All of Dyson's products carry advanced whole-machine HEPA filtration, emphasizing its 5-layer filtration and cyclone technology that is the heart of Dyson's technology to keep dust and dirt trapped inside.

The dust bin is only the first stage to separating the particles visible to the naked eye. Dyson’s multi-cyclone technology, with up to 18 cyclones, depending on the model,   maintains the velocity required to remove fine dust from the airflow. Pre- and post-motor filters are responsible for filtering the smallest particles, capable of removing 99.97 percent of particles invisible to the human eye as small as 0.3 microns.

Dyson filters are easily washable and help prevent the build-up of allergens or dander.

Most Shark machines feature their Anti-Allergen Complete Seal, which traps dust, allergens, and irritants and seals them inside, keeping it out of the air you breathe. Particles filter through the washable foam and felt filters. Some more of the premium models will also feature HEPA, but it will drive up the price.

Shark vs Dyson: which has the better warranty?

WINNER: SHARK

Shark is the clear winner here, offering five-year warranties where Dyson only offers two-year parts and labor warranties. 

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Alex David
Head of eCommerce

As Head of eCommerce, Alex makes sure our readers find the right information to help them make the best purchase. After graduating from Cambridge University, Alex got his start in reviewing at the iconic Good Housekeeping Institute, testing a wide range of household products and appliances. He then moved to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, assessing gardening tools, machinery, and wildlife products. Helping people find true quality and genuine value is a real passion.

With contributions from