Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 Review – I recently purchased the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 vacuum cleaner. Comparisons to Dyson vacuums
I recently purchased the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 vacuum. I was forced into a vacuum purchase because my last model had reached 14 years old and was beginning to malfunction.
I first thought that I would have to spend a ton of money to get the high-end Dyson vacuum. But, after a great deal of research, I realized I could get an excellent vacuum for hundreds of dollars less.
The online reviews of the Shark Navigator Lift-Away vacuum were pretty remarkable. The first and foremost feature I was looking for in my next vacuum was to have an airtight seal so that nothing could escape out of the vacuum as I was picking up dust. This vacuum had that very claim.
I also wanted a vacuum that was easy to clean. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 empties easily and has two filters that need an occasional rinse. It’s simple enough.
Next, I was looking for something more light weight. With the older vacuums, the mentality was the bigger the better. With newer models, you can get a lot of suction and cleaning power without all the excess back-breaking weight. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 is only 12 lbs, so this was a definite plus when considering this purchase.
Lastly, I was looking for a vacuum that would move effortlessly from carpet to hardwood floors without having to switch out to different attachments, thereby saving time. My old vacuum could clean hard wood and tile, but I had to switch to another hose attachment and pull the canister out of the wheel portion of the vacuum and carry the heavy unit around in one hand while I vacuumed with the other. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 can move from carpet to floor with the flip of a switch that turns off the brush system.
I was looking forward to using my new Shark for the first time. It was like driving a new car. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away vacuum impressed me. It had great suction, was super easy to use because of its light weight and ability to move from carpet to hard floors. I also love the swivel feature that helps to maneuver and turn the vacuum easily. At first, I was concerned about the smaller size in the vacuum’s head width, but after a short amount of use, I preferred it because it was more manageable. Sure, I wasn’t covering as much area with each “sweep” but it was a wash when you considered the other time savers.
Thus far, I can only think of two down sides to the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 – one being that I can no longer vacuum under my kids’ beds like I could with my even larger old vacuum. For some reason, the canister on the Shark Navigator Lift-Away sticks out a bit more and won’t fit under the bed.
Secondly, the cord holder notch doesn’t snap the cord in very well, so I can’t seem to keep the cord out of my way while vacuuming because it keeps coming out of the cord hook.
I purchased the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Model NV351 on sale at Best Buy for $159, and it’s totally worth the money. I am so happy I didn’t spend $500 on a Dyson.
Note: Shark has released many newer models since the NV351. Their latest vacuum cleaners have improved performance and advanced features, such as the DuoClean floorhead, anti hair-wrap technology, and lift-away canister. One of the best examples is the excellent Shark NZ801UKT Lift-Away.
