Both Shark Navigator DLX and Shark Navigator Lift Away are bagless vacuum cleaners recommended for cleaning hardwood floors as well as picking up pet hair. Choosing between these two options may be confusing, but it doesn’t need to be so. Below, we have highlighted the important differences between Shark Navigator DLX vs Shark Navigator Lift Away to help you decide.
Key points in our discussion below:
- Shark Navigator DLX is generally the more superior product with multiple advantages
- Both are good for pet hair, but Shark Navigator DLX is particularly great for allergens
- Shark Navigator Lift Away may be better for multi-floor houses due to its lightweight profile
- Shark Navigator Lift Away can be a fairly versatile unit, handy for different purposes in a relatively clean environment
- Both Shark Navigator DLX and Shark Navigator Lift Away come with a 5-year warranty
Contents
Let’s start our comparison from the easiest part, the dimensions. Both Shark Navigator DLX and Shark Navigator Lift Away are upright bagless models, so you should expect something tall with some bulk and mass. That said, having a vacuum cleaner that is manageable to bring around the house would still be nice. Read also: Shark Navigator DLX vs Hoover Windtunnel 2.
Shark Navigator DLX actually has a more compact profile, as it measures 47 inches tall, 11.5 inches wide, and 9.5 inches deep. However, it weighs around 18.63 pounds, which is notably heavier than its sibling here. Because of this, the DLX is not really recommended if you are concerned about lifting a heavy unit while climbing the stairs.
Shark Navigator Lift Away, on the other hand, measures 45 inches tall, 11.4 inches wide, and 12.5 inches deep. It may require a little bit more space in storage. Yet, the total weight is only 13 pounds – you will be able to lift this vacuum cleaner without too much effort. You should choose this model if you need something that you can carry up and down the stairs to clean a multi-floor house easily.
| Shark Navigator DLX | Shark Navigator Lift Away | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 14.9 x 11.4 x 45.5 inches | 15 x 11.4 x 45.5 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 15.96 pounds | 12.5 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
Shark Navigator DLX is marketed as a 2XL-capacity vacuum cleaner, referring to its extra-large 3.5-Quart dust cup. This, combined with the 10-amp, 1200W motor, will allow fast and easy continuous cleaning. The DLX certainly comes with a HEPA filter to seal dust, tiny mites, and fine pet hair away, and the multi-level filtration technology features an anti-allergen seal that is highly beneficial for people who need to pay extra attention to pollen, mold, or tiny mites.
Swivel steering is something that we expect from today’s vacuum cleaners, and this is available on Shark Navigator DLX. Maneuvering through furniture won’t be a problem, as well as reaching hard-to-reach areas thanks to the 10-feet long hose and wand. Shark Navigator DLX is recommended for hardwood, hard floor, and carpet surfaces. It is backed by a 5-year limited warranty.
Shark Navigator Lift Away only has a 1.1-Quart dust cup, but it is still packed with a 10-amp, 1200W motor for serious cleaning power. The special feature of the Lift Away is its convertibility; with a simple push of a button, you can detach the canister in order to reach difficult areas. Shark Navigator Lift Away is also suitable for hardwood, hard floor, and carpet surfaces.
For sure, the Lift Away also has a HEPA filter and swivel steering. It has 2 speed options, so you can switch easily between light cleaning and full-power work. Additionally, there is a brushroll shutoff button to transition quickly between bare floor and carpet cleaning.
The hose is only 12 inches (1 foot) long, but this becomes less of an issue since you can just detach the canister out for a better each. The box includes a dusting brush, a motorized brush, and a crevice tool. It is also backed by a 5-year limited warranty.
A feature-packed vacuum cleaner may look enticing, but some features may simply be gimmicks and not provide real value in real use. So, how do the amazing features of Shark Navigator DLX and Shark Navigator Lift Away translate into daily life?
Truth to be told, you will get the most value out of Shark Navigator DLX from heavy-duty cleaning. This is because of the huge dust cup capacity. You can even clean the entire house without having to pause to empty the dust cup. It is very nice and convenient.
Despite the weight, navigating through furniture with Shark Navigator DLX actually never becomes an issue. The swivel steering works wonders, and the extra-long hose is very useful for reaching far corners. The box includes an upholstery tool and a crevice tool, both of which are handy for their intended purposes.
Meanwhile, the convertibility of Shark Navigator Lift Away may seem a bit gimmicky at first – why would you lift an entire canister if you can just use something with a longer wand to reach the corners? Still, it offers more mobility and flexibility, for example when vacuuming the steps on the stairs and the ceiling.
The maneuverability of Shark Navigator Lift Away is very good, thanks to the swivel steering and lightweight profile. In addition to that, this model actually has a wider cleaning path, so it can cover more surface area in one swipe. We only wish that the dust cup can be a little bit bigger so that we won’t need to empty it so frequently.
Performance-wise, Shark Navigator DLX is the champ. It easily picks up debris like rice, cereal, and dust lumps in one go. It also captures the finer stuff like flour, sand, and pet hair easily within two or three passes on hard surfaces. It keeps delivering stellar performance on carpets – we should note that Shark Navigator DLX can catch pet hair that is embedded in carpets fairly easily, with just about four passes necessary.
You can expect similar cleaning power from Shark Navigator Lift Away. After all, it is armed with a similar motor. This vacuum also easily picks up debris and fine dust from hard floors as well as carpets. In addition, it can also catch pet hair effectively, although sometimes some extra effort is needed to pick those deeply embedded particles from carpets.
If you live in a fairly clean environment, Shark Navigating Lift Away can be a handy unit. The small dust cup capacity will only be an issue if you need to clean a large area, or if you live in a place where dust quickly accumulates.
Conclusion
In general, Shark Navigator DLX is more recommended. It has a larger dust cup, a longer hose and wand, and better cleaning performance. Meanwhile, Shark Navigator Lift Away is a good alternative if you need a lightweight unit that is easy to carry up and down the stairs.