Shark Vs Dyson Vacuums (2023) – Compare Cordless, Upright, Handheld and Pet Cleaners

Shark and Dyson are giants of the vacuum world. But which brand produces the best vacs? And which should you buy? Keep reading to find out!

Dyson has dominated the UK vacuum market in recent years. And, while Shark has had more success in the US, they are increasingly popular in the UK.

There are good reasons for this popularity. Dyson and Shark produce excellent vacuum cleaners with innovative features, strong suction, and reliable designs. They also both make a wide range of cordless, upright and handheld vacuums cleaners.

This competition is great for consumers, but it can also be overwhelming. To help you decide, we’ve compared 10 of the most popular Shark and Dyson vacuums below. The comparisons are split into sections – upright, cordless and handheld – so you can skip to the part that’s most relevant to your needs.

Upright Comparison: Dyson Small Ball Allergy & Dyson Ball Animal 2 Vs. Shark Lift-Away NZ801UKT & Shark NV702UK

A Quick Overview of Shark and Dyson Uprights

At the time of writing, Dyson only produces three corded uprights: the Small Ball Allergy, Small Ball Allergy 2, and the Ball Animal 2. This is due to Dyson’s new focus on cordless vacuums.

These models stick to the company’s tried-and-tested design. They feature the “Ball” for mobility, cyclone technology to prevent suction loss, and a high reach wand/hose combination.

Shark makes a wider range of uprights. These come in several forms, including traditional uprights and corded stick vacs. Unfortunately, the naming system can be a bit confusing!

Each vac in the Shark upright range is named with a combination of features and product code. The most common features are:

• Lift-Away. Shark’s Lift-Away vacuums have a detachable canister for greater mobility. The brush bar is not powered when using this mode.
• Powered Lift-Away. Powered Lift-Away vacuums also have a detachable canister, but the brush bar does turn when in lift-away mode.
• DuoClean. DuoClean technology is a unique floorhead with two powered brush bars. These combine to remove both large debris and small particles more effectively. The DuoClean floorhead can also move between carpets and hard floors without changing tool.
• TruePet. Shark’s TruePet vacuums come with a pet turbo tool for upholstery, stairs and car interiors.
• Anti-Hair Wrap Technology. This is a floorhead system that is designed to prevent hair getting caught around the brush rolls.

Some of Shark’s most popular models are the Powered Lift-Away NZ801UKT, Lift-Away NV601UK, DuoClean Powered Lift-Away AX910UKT and Powered Lift-Away NV681UKT. The most expensive model (at the time of writing) is the AZ950UKT, which includes all of the above features.

It’s also worth noting that pet versions, which come with a powered pet brush, have a “T” at the end of their model name. For example, the pet version of the NV801UK is the NV801UKT.

Of course, both Dyson and Shark cordless vacuums could also be considered uprights. But in this section we’ll focus on corded uprights – specifically the Dyson Small Ball Allergy, Ball Animal 2, and Powered Lift-Away TruePet NZ801UKT.

Design and Weight

Both the Dyson Small Ball Allergy and Ball 2 Animal are built with Cyclone technology to prevent suction loss, Ball for greater mobility, and a high-reach wand/hose. They also include the company’s standard upright cleaner head.

While the Ball design has been around for a while, it makes a real difference to the vacuum’s manoeuvrability. The Animal 2 also has an articulated handle to make cleaning awkward locations easier, although this isn’t included with the Small Ball Allergy.

The most obvious difference between the Dyson and Shark vacuums is that both the NV702UK and NZ801UKT have a detachable canister. This is useful for cleaning stairs and other high locations, while making the vacuum more mobile. Removing the canister also makes it easier to clean under furniture.

Only the NZ801UKT has the Powered Lift-Away design though. The NV702UK’s brush bar doesn’t turn when in Lift-Away mode. Still, both modes are genuinely useful for cleaning stairs and other locations that traditional uprights struggles with.

While Shark vacuums don’t have the Ball design, they do come with swivel steering. We think the Ball is better for mobility, but the Shark vacuums are still comfortable to push around.

Aside from this, both sets of vacuums have similar features. They are all bagless vacuums with a hose and a similar noise output. They have stretch hoses and are mains-powered.

The Dyson vacuums are the winner when it comes to cleaning radius though. The Small Ball Allergy has a 4.39m hose and a 9.4m power cord. The Shark hoses are much shorter – 0.8 metres stretching to 1.6 metres, plus they have a shorter power cord.

On the plus side, the Shark cleaners are marginally lighter – the NZ801UKT is 6.5kg compared to 6.9kg and 7.3kg for the Dyson vacs.

Dust Capacity

Here are the dust capacities for all four vacuums:

• Dyson Small Ball Allergy – 1.2 litres
• Dyson Ball Animal 2 – 1.8 litres
• Shark NV702UK – 1.1 litres
• Shark NZ801UKT – 0.83 litres

As you can see, the Shark vacuums have dust bins that are considerably smaller than the Dyson Ball Animal 2. The NZ801UKT is also the outlier in this comparison, so you’ll need to be prepared to empty it more often.

Cleaning Performance and Suction Power

Both Dyson vacuums are powered by a similar motor and have Radial Root Cyclone technology. This increases efficiency and prevents suction loss as the bin fills up.

The Ball Animal 2 also comes with Dyson’s excellent Epicyclic cleaner head. This has a new gearing system to provide more power to the bristle brush bar.

The Shark vacuum cleaners are powered by a 750W motor. Both models in this section come with the DuoClean floorhead, which has two types of brush bar for different surfaces. We think the DuoClean is one of the best floorheads on the market, so this is a big plus for the Shark vacuums.

Floor Cleaning

The Ball Animal 2 is excellent at cleaning both low-pile and thick carpets. The combination of strong suction and Epicyclic brush bar does a great job at removing dust, dirt and hair.

It also performs well on hard floors, such as tile or hardwood floors. The suction is strong enough to suck up debris between floorboards, and the floor head is capable of picking up larger debris (such as cereal). The exhaust air can sometimes push finer dust around though.

The Small Ball Allergy has a similar design, so it’s just as good for floorboards and carpets. The Dyson vacuums can be awkward when cleaning under furniture though. They can also be difficult to push on thick carpets.

In comparison, the NZ801UKT does a great job on hard floors and even exceeds the Ball Animal 2’s performance in some areas. The DuoClean floorhead is brilliant for picking up larger debris and it’s less likely to scatter smaller particles. We don’t think the NZ801UKT is quite as good on carpets as the Dyson vacs, but it’s no slouch either.

The NV702UK doesn’t quite match the other three in terms of all-round performance. While it’s decent on hard floors, it’s not great for cleaning carpets and can struggle on laminate.

On the plus side, the Lift-Away design is great for cleaning under furniture. The NZ801UKT is particularly effective, as the brush bar is powered in lift-away mode.

In short, this section is a tie between the NZ801UKT and the two Dyson vacuums. The NV702UK is a decent vacuum cleaner, but lags behind the rest.

Above-Floor Cleaning

The Small Ball Allergy can be a bit awkward to use on stairs due to its size and shape. It makes up for this with the long hose, although it doesn’t come with a mini turbo tool for digging deeper into carpet fibres. It’s also not the easiest to use when cleaning.

It’s not all bad news though. The long wand and hose combination makes cleaning ceilings and lampshades a simple job.

The Ball Animal 2 is a better option for above-floor cleaning. It has an articulated handle that tilts and rotates, making it easier to get into tight spots. It also has a mini turbo tool for stairs, car interiors and upholstery.

Both Shark models are built with a Lift-Away design. This is great for cleaning stairs or other awkward places, making them versatile vacuums. Only the NZ801UKT comes with the company’s TruePet turbo tool for cleaning stairs and upholstery, however, making it the better option for stairs.

Be aware that the shorter hose greatly reduces the vacuum’s cleaning radius though.

Pet Hair

The Small Ball Allergy is great at picking up pet hair from carpets. It also has excellent allergen retention (due to the HEPA filter) and comes with tools like the mattress nozzle, crevice tool, and dusting brush. The problem is that it doesn’t come with a pet turbo tool, so it’s not a good choice for removing hair from sofas, stairs or car interiors.

In contrast, the Ball Animal 2 includes Dyson’s mini motorised tool, making it one of the best pet vacuums on the market. It does an outstanding job of removing both short and long pet hair, whether that’s stuck in carpet fibres or on stairs.

The NZ801UKT also includes a pet turbo tool. This makes quick work of pet hair, making it an excellent vacuum cleaner for homes with dogs or cats. The anti-hair wrap technology can also save time and is a useful bonus feature – although it’s not always 100% effective.

Unfortunately, the NV702UK doesn’t have a pet turbo tool, so we don’t recommend it for people with pets. The main floorhead is effective at removing hair from carpets and hard floors though.

Price

The Dyson Small Ball Allergy is a similar price to the NV702UK Lift-Away. The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is the most expensive of the lot, with the Shark NZ801UKT the second priciest (disclaimer: these prices change all the time).

But which provides the best value?

This depends on what you want. For maximum cleaning performance and filtration, the Dyson uprights have a slight edge – although the lack of a pet tool makes the Small Ball Allergy less suitable for pet owners.

If you prefer the extra mobility of the Powered Lift-Away design, or want extras like convenient controls, anti-hair wrap technology, and headlights, then the Shark NZ801UKT vacuum is a worthy alternative that still provides great cleaning performance – and for a cheaper price.

Top Pick

The upright category is a close call when comparing Shark and Dyson upright models. Dyson vacuum cleaners are powerful and provide great performance on most floor types, while Shark vacuum cleaners tend to be more featured-packed.

Our top pick from either company’s upright range is the Shark NZ801UKT. It provides excellent cleaning performance on all surfaces, DuoClean floorhead, versatile Lift-Away design, and a mini motorised tool for above floor cleaning.

There are certainly reasons to buy the other three vacuums though. For raw cleaning performance, the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is hard to beat – although it’s the most expensive. If you don’t have pets, the Dyson Small Ball Allergy is a cheaper alternative to the Ball Animal 2. The Shark NV702UK is also a highly versatile vacuum, due to its Lift-Away design.

Ultimately, both companies produce excellent upright vacuums.

Want to learn more about upright vacuums? Check out our full guide here.

Cordless Comparison: Dyson V8 & V10 Vs. Shark DuoClean IF250UKT & IC160UKT

A Quick Overview of Shark and Dyson Cordless Vacs

Both Dyson and Shark currently produce a wide range of cordless vacuum cleaners.

Dyson has its popular V series, which includes the V7, V8, V10 and V11 cordless stick vacuums. These all feature a stick design with detachable handheld and powered brush bar.

Shark has two broad categories of cordless vacuums:

• Powered Lift-Away – These are similar to Shark’s upright vacuums but with a cordless design.
• Flexology – These are stick-style vacuums that are closer to Dyson’s V series. The name comes from the joint in the stick, which decreases storage space and makes it easier to clean under furniture.

In this article, we’ll compare the Dyson V8 and Cyclone V10 with the Shark DuoClean IF250UKT (Flexology) and IC160UKT (Powered Lift-Away). These are all excellent cordless stick vacuum cleaners, even though they aren’t top-of-the-range.

Note: Where applicable we’re going to focus on the V8 Animal and V10 Cyclone Animal. Most of the points remain the same between versions (Absolute, Total Clean, Animal), as the only real difference between these cordless models is the tools included.

Design and Weight

Let’s start with the Dyson cordless vacuums.

The V8 and V10 are  stick vacuums with a detachable handheld mode. This makes them highly versatile, as all tools can either be attached to the stick or handheld.

Both the V8 and V10 are lightweight vacuums. The V8 only weighs 2.61kg, while the V10 is marginally heavier at 2.68kg. They also have powerful motors that rival corded uprights for suction power.

There are a few key differences between the V8 and V10 though. Firstly, the V10’s bin has been rotated in-line with the stick, as this improves efficiency and cleaning power. It also has three power modes and a longer battery life (more on that in a moment).

The Shark IF250UKT DuoClean has a similar design to the Dyson vacs. It’s a stick cordless vacuum with a handheld mode, dust canister in the handle, and a lithium-ion battery. Unlike the Dyson vacuums, the IF250UKT includes Shark’s Flexology feature, so there is a joint in the stick for easier storage and cleaning under furniture.

A downside of the IF250UKT is that it’s heavier than the Dyson vacuums. At 4kg, it’s at the upper end of the typical weight range for cordless vacuums.

The Shark IC160UKT has a different design to the other vacuums in this comparison. It’s effectively an upright vacuum, with the dust canister as part of the main body and a powered floor head. Unlike most uprights, however, it’s powered by a battery.

While there are advantages to this upright design – particularly when cleaning large areas of floor – the IC160UKT weighs 5.8kg. This is almost as much as a regular upright and considerably more than most cordless vacuums. It’s also bulkier to store and less mobile than a stick vacuum.

Dust Capacity

Cordless vacuums typically have smaller dust capacities than full-size models. The four vacuums in this comparison are no exception.

Here are the dust capacities for each vacuum:

• Dyson V8 – 0.54 litres
• Dyson V10 Cyclone – 0.76 litres (due to the redesigned bin)
• Shark IF250UKT – 0.33 litres
• Shark IV160UKT – 0.6 litres

While none of the vacuums have huge capacities, the V10 Cyclone can hold more dust before needing to be emptied. The Shark IF250UKT, on the other hand, will need to be emptied much more frequently.

On a side note, both the Dyson V8 and V10 are built with the company’s hygienic bin emptying system. Instead of relying on gravity, a silicone collar pushes out dust and dirt. It’s not perfect, but makes emptying easier than the old V6 model.

Cleaning Performance and Suction Power

The Dyson V8 is powered by the company’s V8 motor. It has two power modes, although MAX power greatly reduces run-time. All versions of the V8 include Dyson’s excellent direct-drive cleaner head and a mini-turbo tool.

While the V8 provides strong suction for a cordless, the V10 Cyclone’s motor is even more powerful. Aligning the bin with the motor and cyclone also reduces wasted suction. Like the V8, the V10 comes with the direct-drive cleaner head, although it has three power modes instead of two.

Both the Shark IF250UKT and IV160UKT include the company’s DuoClean floor head. This has two powered brush rolls that work together, improving pickup on both carpets and hard floors.

How do the vacuums perform when cleaning though?

Floor Cleaning

The Dyson V8 provides excellent cleaning performance. It’s brilliant on both hard floors and carpets, due to the direct-drive cleaner head. It also has enough suction to remove dirt between floorboards.

You can also switch on MAX mode when tackling stubborn dirt. This reduces battery run-time to under 10-minutes, and isn’t necessary for most tasks, but is useful for tough jobs.

While the V8 is a great vacuum cleaner, the Dyson V10 is even better. It’s a true upright replacement that’s fantastic for cleaning carpets and hard floors. The downside is the price – but it certainly isn’t a let down when it comes to suction and performance.

Unlike the upright section, the Shark vacuums in this comparison struggle to compete with Dyson’s cordless vacs. While the IF250UKT provides decent performance on hard floors, it’s less effective at cleaning carpets. The same can be said for the IC160UKT.

This is a shame, as they have excellent designs and some useful features. When it comes to floor cleaning, however, the Dyson vacuums are clear winners.

Above-Floor Cleaning

Both Dyson vacuums are great for cleaning upholstery, car interiors and stairs, due to the convenient handheld mode.

The lack of a hose can make it difficult to clean some areas – the rigid tube is often clunky to handle – but there’s almost nowhere the Dyson can’t clean effectively.

The same goes for the Shark IF250UKT. It has a similar stick design and detachable handheld, along with a turbo tool for upholstery and stairs.

Shark has taken a different approach with the IC160UKT. Despite the Lift-Away design, there’s no “true” handheld mode as you always need two hands. Detaching the canister makes it easier to clean stairs and under furniture though. And, as this is a Powered Lift-Away model, the brush bar continues to turn when the canister has been detached.

The IC160UKT also has a hose. The flexibility makes getting into tight spots easier, and you can attach a rigid tube for extra reach. Considering it can function as a regular upright, in lift-away mode with a powered brush bar, with a long hose for high locations, or as a two-handed handheld with small tool attachment, it’s a highly versatile vacuum.

It’s much heavier than other cordless vacs though, so it’s not as portable.

Pet Hair

Cleaning pet hair is another category where the Dyson vacuums are clear winners. Both the V8 and V10 Cyclone are great for removing pet hair from carpets, while the mini-motorised tool is useful for stairs and upholstery.

The Shark vacuums are less effective – even though they include a turbo tool. The DuoClean floorhead just doesn’t seem to be that great at removing hair from carpets.

If you have pets, one of the Dyson cordless vacuums is the better choice.

Battery Life and Charging

Here’s a breakdown of the run-times and charging times for each vacuum cleaner in this comparison:

• Dyson V8 – 40-minute run-time with a 5-hour charge time
• Dyson V10 – 60-minute run-time with a 3.5 hour charge time
• Shark IF250UKT – 44-minute run-time with a 3.5 hour charge time
• Shark IC160UKT – 50-minute run-time with a 3.5 hour charge time

It’s worth noting that these run-times are when the vacuum is in standard suction with non-powered tools. You should expect the battery life to drop if you use a powered tool or switch to higher power modes.

In fact, the Dyson vacuums last less than 10-minutes when in their maximum power modes. The Shark vacs last a bit longer – around 20-minutes – but are less effective at cleaning.

An interesting feature of the Shark IF250UKT is that it comes with two lithium-ion batteries, along with a dual charging station. The batteries can be removed and swapped out for charging, which is useful if you don’t want the vacuum on display when recharging.

Price

All four cordless vacuums in this comparison are high-end models. The Shark vacuums have an RRP that’s similar to the V10 Cyclone. The V8 has the cheapest RRP, although prices vary depending on sales and time of year.

When it comes to value for money, the Dyson V8 Animal is a great choice. It provides excellent all-round cleaning performance for considerably less than the V10 Cyclone – although the V10 is the superior vacuum.

We think the Shark cordless vacuums in this comparison are overpriced. They have lots of interesting features and unique technology, but struggle with carpet cleaning.

Top Pick

The Dyson V10 Cyclone is the clear winner in this comparison. It provides outstanding cleaning performance, while also being lightweight and versatile.

That doesn’t mean the V8 series is obsolete though. It’s still an excellent cordless vacuum cleaner – and for a much lower price than the V10.

Should you consider buying Shark cordless vacuums? When it comes to cleaning and suction power, we think the Dyson vacuums are better options. With that said, the IC160UKT is one of the best cordless vacuums with an upright design. If that appeals to you more than a stick vacuum, it could be a good choice.

Want to learn more about cordless vacuums? Check out our full guide here.

Handheld Comparison: Dyson V7 Trigger Vs. Shark WV251UK Handheld

A Quick Overview of Shark and Dyson Handheld Vacs

Dyson only produces the V7 Trigger at the time of writing. This has the same design as the V7 cordless, but without the rigid tube or floor head.

Shark makes two handhelds – the WV200UK and WV251UK – but they are very similar in design. The only real difference is that the WV251UK has dual batteries for a longer run-time.

In this section, we’re going to compare the Shark WV251UK with the Dyson V7 Trigger.

Design and Weight

There are big differences between the V7 Trigger and WV251UK, so it’s important to understand what each vacuums trying to achieve.

The V7 Trigger provides the power of the standard V7, but without the floor tool. This gives it a long run-time and powerful suction. Dyson also includes a mini-motorised tool for stubborn dirt, so it’s great for tackling dirt and pet hair.

In contrast, the Shark handheld vacuum is more suited to quick jobs. It’s small, lightweight and has a relatively short battery run-time, so it isn’t suitable for long cleaning sessions. The slim design is more convenient than the V7 Trigger though.

Both vacuums have lightweight designs. The WV251UK weighs just 1.3kg, while the V7 Trigger is slightly heavier at 1.38kg. The WV251UK has a much smaller dust capacity (0.25 litres), so you’ll need to empty it regularly.

There’s no doubt that the Shark has a sleek and stylish design . It looks great when charging, so you won’t mind having it on display. The thin design also makes it easier to clean tight spots.

Cleaning Performance and Suction Power

The V7 Trigger is powered by a 21.6V battery and Dyson’s V7 motor. These combine to provide excellent suction power for a handheld, so it’s great for cleaning car interiors, stairs and other awkward areas. It also has two power modes and a motorised miniature floor head, so it’s capable of handling tough dirt.

Shark’s handheld is powered by two 10.8V batteries. It can’t match the V7’s suction power, and, although it also comes with a pet tool for cleaning hair, this doesn’t have a motorised brush bar.

Floor Cleaning

Handheld vacuums aren’t designed for cleaning large areas of carpet or floor – they are mainly for spot cleaning.

Even so, both the V7 Trigger and Shark handheld do a great job of cleaning small patches of carpet. They are also useful for stairs.

The V7 Trigger is the more powerful option. If you need a handheld for stubborn dirt, the boost mode is a useful feature.

Above-Floor Cleaning

Cleaning sofas, stairs and car interiors is easy with both the Dyson and Shark.

The Shark is particularly good for cleaning tight spots in cars, due to its slim design. The V7 Trigger is bulkier, but still lightweight and easy to use. Dyson’s handheld also does a better job at cleaning stubborn dirt, due to the V7’s motorised turbo tool.

Battery Life and Charging

The Dyson V7 Trigger is the clear winner when it comes to battery life. It has a maximum run-time of 30-minutes, compared to just 16 minutes for the Shark WV251UK.

As you would expect, the Shark is quicker to charge. It takes around 2.5 hours compared to 3.5 hours for the Dyson.

Price

Both vacuums have a similar price. They are amongst the most expensive handheld vacuums on the market, but provide excellent performance.

There’s also the option of buying the cheaper Shark WV200UK. This is the same as the WV251UK, but only comes with a single battery, which reduces the run-time to 8-minutes. This is short, but could be enough for cleaning spills.

Top Pick

It’s tough to choose between the Shark WV251UK and Dyson V7 Trigger. Both provide excellent handheld cleaning with a lightweight design.

For convenience, the Shark is probably the better option. It has a slim design that looks great when charging, so you won’t need to hide it in a cupboard. Most people only need a handheld for quick spot cleaning, and the Shark is great for this.

The V7 Trigger has more raw power and better cleaning performance though.

Want to learn more about handheld vacuums? Check out our full guide here.

Summary

Shark and Dyson are both excellent vacuum manufacturers. It’s impossible to pick a “best” company, as it’s the models that really matter, not the brand.

For this reason, we hope the comparisons above have helped you decide which vacuum best matches your needs. To summarise our comparisons:

• Upright Vacuums (Dyson Small Ball Allergy & Dyson Ball Animal 2 Vs. Shark Lift-Away NZ801UKT & Shark NV702UK) – Both Dyson and Shark produce excellent upright vacuums. The Shark NZ801UKT is our top pick in this comparison, but the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is a close second.
• Cordless Vacuums (Dyson V8 & V10 Vs. Shark DuoClean IF250UKT & DuoClean IC160UKT) – While Shark cordless vacuums provide decent performance, we don’t think they can match the Dyson models for all-round cleaning.  Our top pick in this comparison is the Dyson V10 Cyclone, but the V8 is also an excellent (and cheaper) vacuum.
• Handheld Vacuums (Dyson V7 Trigger Vs. Shark WV251UK) – This is another close comparison. For convenience, go for the slim-line Shark WV251UK. For maximum cleaning performance, choose the Dyson V7 Trigger.

Do you have any questions about our Shark Vs Dyson article? Please let us know in the comments section below.