Shark is one of the best alternatives if you are in the market for reliable yet affordable vacuum cleaners. There are plenty to choose from this brand such as Shark ZU881 Vs NV586 that are both powerful and easy to use. These vacuums have very similar features and performance however so if you wonder which to go for, here are what you may want to know about the two.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- How to Improve Vacuum Cleaner Performance
- What are Shark ZU881 and NV586
- How are the Unit of Shark ZU881 and NV586
- How are the Specs of Shark ZU881 and NV586
- How are the Performance of Shark ZU881 and NV586
- How are the Features of Shark ZU881 and NV586
- Shark ZU881 Vs NV586
Contents
Improving Vacuum Cleaner Performance
Vacuum cleaners are very useful because they are effective and easy to use. Back then our great grandparents may only use brooms to keep the house clean and dust the furniture they have manually but technology has introduced so many convenient appliances to us and one of them is a vacuum cleaner. It is almost like a basic tool that you must have or buy when moving from our parent’s house or starting to live alone since we will definitely need one.
There are so many to choose from when you are in the market for a vacuum cleaner, just like when buying a TV, there are sizes, brands, and overall quality. Designing a good vacuum cleaner is not easy so every company can experiment with their technology in order to make a better product but there is always a better choice for everyone based on their typical house layout and need or the preference and budget. Overall our house or the type of flooring does play an important role in the buying decision.
If you just buy a new vacuum but they start to lose suction and are not as reliable as they used to be, don’t buy a new one yet. There are chances that your vacuum is still good but probably needs some light or heavy maintenance. The first step is to check the bag or canister because some of us tend to just use and forget to care for the vacuum. Experts are recommending emptying the vacuum’s bag or canister at about half or 3/4 of the capacity.
Many vacuums have a brush roller on the cleaning head which is meant to swipe the floor and agitate the soft carpet. To improve your vacuum’s efficiency, it is wise to check the roller from time to time or after every cleaning. Use the vacuum to clean it by attaching different tools such as a crevice tool and vacuum the brush or bristles. If you have pets like dogs and cats, their fur may get tangled on the roller, including with our hair.
If you have already done these steps but the vacuum is still not working reliably, it is probably the filter that is in your vacuum which gets too dirty to filter the air. This filter is necessary to prevent the small particles like dust from coming back to the room when air is ejected from the appliance so it will get dirty as we use the vacuum for daily cleaning. Some filters need to be replaced but many are washable so we can use it for longer. Your vacuum may come with several additional filters too.
| Shark ZU881 | Shark NV586 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 10.6 x 12.2 x 47.2 inches | 30.7 x 13.5 x 13.1 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 24.9 pounds | 21.7 pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | Check price | Check price |
About Shark ZU881 and NV586
There are so many good vacuums to consider when you are in the market to look for one. Most of them are affordable so we do think the budget is flexible yet if you want the more reliable choice, make sure to know what the appliance can offer, including the features. Not all vacuums are the same and usually they are made to be as versatile as possible with several features to help the cleaning process. If you have a mix of hard and carpet flooring, make sure that the vacuum is also capable for both surfaces.
For those who don’t mind about the budget, we can always rely on the most popular or the highest rated models currently available like Dyson and Shark vacuums. Dyson is typically more expensive than many of its alternatives including Shark. Shark is many people’s favorite when it comes to upright vacuum and the reason is they carry a wide range of options or variants at different price points so everyone can have their ideal vacuum whether you are budget shopper or willing to put more into the appliance.
If you are also interested in buying a vacuum from this brand, it is wise to list what you need from the appliance and we can start shopping from their collection. They have so many similar vacuums with virtually identical features so it can be a bit confusing for buyers. For those who want a vacuum that is both reliable but won’t break the bank, Shark ZU881 and NV586 are two perfect variants to go for. They are very similar in terms of performance.
What sets the two apart is the line as both come from different families. ZU is kind of similar to the Apex line which you can check in our Shark AZ1002 Vs ZU881 for the dual cleaning roll. On the other hand NV or Navigator line is one of the basic models from Shark with Powered Lift-Away feature, something that you can find on the ZU881 as well. These vacuum’s overall mechanism is the same but the cleaning head design is different.
Shark ZU881 and NV586 Design
If you have a Shark vacuum, the shape and design are pretty much the same. They are detachable from the main housing which transforms the vacuum into a handheld solution. The main difference is slight styling such as color while the height is the same or almost 47 inches tall. The vacuums are not coming ready to use as we need to attach the housing to the hose and other components. All are made of thick plastic and seem reliable.
Depending on the model, do check what they come with but for these Shark ZU881 and NV586, they will give you the crevice tool, brush, and also the pet brush. These are basic tools that we can attach to the hose when in above-floor mode but you can buy other attachments too from Shark. They are about the same in weight but ZU881 is slightly heavier and for the overall mechanism, they are pretty similar.
Shark ZU881 and NV586 Specs
Now for the most important part, let’s see what the Shark ZU881 and NV586 can offer starting from the performance. The cleaning head width is about the same or 11 inches wide, the same to many other vacuums in Shark’s lineup. The motor is also pretty similar at 9 amp and 9.5 amp respectively and if you want to get a higher motor, we will recommend checking their Apex model. The main difference is their cleaning head’s rolling brush.
Most vacuum cleaners are featured with one rolling brush with stiff bristles in order to swipe and agitate a surface of carpet flooring but ZU881 have two brushes which are also self-cleaning. This brushes design is unique because one is a soft rolling brush and is smaller, located at the front for hard flooring while next we also have hard bristles in larger diameter for agitating the soft carpet.
Shark ZU881 and NV586 Performance
For the performance, we do think Shark ZU881 and NV586 are very reliable for daily cleaning. They are perfect for both types of flooring and are very ideal if you have a mix of the two. However, we do think the brush of ZU881 is best when you have more hard flooring compared to carpet. They are probably not as tall for the most effective carpet cleaning yet they are very well performing when it comes to larger debris.
There are still chances of their brush getting tangled on some fiber, especially human hair or if you have a large dog that sheds a lot in the house. They are very easy to clean so we recommend always checking the brush roller after cleaning if you have pets like dogs or cats at home.
Shark ZU881 and NV586 Features
Lastly for the features, both Shark ZU881 and NV586 are very similar to each other. You can remove the main canister from the upright frame and use them in handheld mode; the method to remove them is slightly different. They have adjustable floor settings too but only Navigator comes with a collar that is useful to reduce the suction power. This can be useful if the suction is too strong for the type of surface you are going to clean but we rarely use this feature.
Shark ZU881 Vs NV586
There are plenty of good vacuum cleaners by Shark and these two are some of the best options on the budget and mid-range. The main difference is on their cleaning head because ZU881 has a dual-brush system which is very effective for hard floors. But for the carpet, Shark ZU881 and NV586 are very similar in performance and they do need maintenance from time to time. The other difference is that we can reduce the suction when your vacuum is difficult to push.
Conclusion
These vacuums are very reliable and easy to use but we will recommend ZU881 because this variant seems to be more durable for prolonged use. It is still affordable too and you get all the basic accessories with the purchase.