Which vacuum brand should you buy?

Vacuum cleaners are a necessity for any household, but with so many options on the market it can be difficult to know which one is best for you.

Dyson and Shark are easily two of the most recognisable brands, with both offering numerous cordless, corded and robot vacuums to suit all households. 

But what are the key differences between Dyson and Shark’s respective offerings? Is one brand an easier recommendation than the other? Or are both similar enough performers?

As we’ve reviewed many Dyson and Shark vacuums, we’re in a great position to provide insight into how the two brands measure up. With this in mind, we’ve compared our experiences with Dyson and Shark to help you decide between the two.

Read on to see how Dyson compares to Shark, and decide which brand is right for you. Otherwise, our list of the best vacuum cleaners, best cordless vacuums and even best vacuums for pet hair has plenty of options across all budgets.

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How we test

We put every vacuum that comes into our office through the same rigorous testing process. Where applicable, we test each vacuum on both carpet and hard flooring and determine how strong pick-up and general performance is (using appropriate floor heads too). We also measure the AirWatts (AW), noise level in dB and battery life for cordless models too.

We also ensure each product is tested for usability, and measure factors such as ease of assembly, manoeuvrability, dust capacity and an overview of the included accessories too. For corded models, we’ll naturally measure the cord length while cordless cleaners are reviewed based on their portability. 

For a more in-depth look at our review process, visit our vacuum cleaner test guide here.

Brand overviews and pricing

Overall, Dyson undoubtedly has the pricier selection of vacuums compared to Shark. While Shark’s cheapest vacuum in the UK is the Shark VacMop VM200UK with an RRP of £79.99 (though in the US it’s the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ which starts at $69.99), the cheapest Dyson is the handheld Car+Boat which will set you back a hefty £249.99/$299.99.

Suction and cleaning performance

We’ve found that both Dyson and Shark provide impressively powerful suction and overall cleaning performance. However, in terms of AirWatts (AW), Dyson vacuums typically tend to do better than Shark’s own. Even the cordless Dyson Piston Animal saw a staggering 401AW result which is among the best we’ve seen from a cordless, and puts it on par with many plug-in models too. In fact, the corded Dyson Ball Animal surprisingly falls slightly short with a measurement of 203AW. 

In comparison, the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro achieved a 322AW result which falls slightly short of both the Dyson Piston Animal and the Dyson Gen5Detect. Having said that, considering the Shark model has an RRP of around £499.99 while Dyson’s Piston Animal will set you back an eyewatering £749.99, that slight difference in power suction is arguably negligible.

While it is important to factor in suction power, AirWatts shouldn’t be the sole reason you opt for a vacuum, and you should also consider the specific cleaning performance. Even so, the Dyson Piston Animal does benefit from both an incredibly high AW and some of the best cleaning we’ve reviewed. In fact, we found that 99.8% of dust was collected in our controlled tests while 99% of dust was collected during our edge tests.

Otherwise, although the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro achieved slightly lower results, generally it still performed pretty admirably. We found that the vacuum collected 99.1% of dust in our controlled tests and 95.9% in our edge test. Sure those results are lower than the Dyson Piston Animal, but remember that price discrepancy. 

Both saw 100% mess collection on hard floors.

This isn’t to say that a Dyson model is guaranteed to pick up more mess. In fact, during our time with the Dyson V8 Cyclone, we concluded the vacuum collected 94.85% in our real-world test and a much lower 85.9% when cleaning against the skirting boards. However, with an RRP of £349.99, it’s a cheaper option than the Shark PowerDetect Pet Pro and still offers a solid performance.

Design and usability

Both Dyson and Shark include cordless, corded and robot vacuums in their respective ranges. While cordless models are usually lighter and easier to use, corded models tend to offer stronger power whereas robots are brilliant for hands-free cleaning. Deciding between the model type will depend on your preferences, with each having their own pros and cons. 

For example, although cordless models are the more convenient choice for easy whole-house cleaning without being restricted by a cord, battery life can be an issue. In comparison, corded models may require you to keep plugging and unplugging the cord for you to achieve a whole-house clean.

Another factor to consider is usability, specifically regarding how easy a vacuum is to push around. The Dyson PencilVac, for example, is genuinely one of the lightest and easiest vacuums to push around – however remember it is just for hard floors.

More premium Shark’s floor heads, like the one of the IA3241UKT, are also designed to collect as much dust on the back pass as the forward pass, which makes it easier to quickly clean areas. 

Otherwise, both Shark and Dyson vacuums tend to come with plenty of accessories – although there are some key exceptions to keep in mind. Models like the Dyson PencilVac, which is designed purely for hard floors, only comes with a main floor head and a two-in-one crevice and dusting tool, while the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is equipped with two floor heads and plenty of handheld attachments too. 

The Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro instead comes with a more conservative number of attachments, including a two-in-one crevice and dusting tool and a motorised pet tool alongside the main floor head. Realistically, that’s all the tools one actually needs for a whole house clean.

While you may think the more accessories the better, you should consider how you plan on storing the attachments. Vacuums like the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251UKT have an optional self-empty station that is fitted with clips to keep all its attachments neatly stored. In comparison, the Dyson V8 Cyclone has quite a frustrating docking station that can only take two accessories. Not only that, but if you store the mini motorised tool then the second port is blocked. On the other hand, the PencilVac allows you to store the tool you aren’t using on the dock, with no issue.

Battery life (cordless models)

Battery life is undoubtedly a key factor to keep in mind when choosing a cordless model, as ideally you’d want a vacuum that can handle a whole home clean on a single battery. Otherwise you’ll have to stop to charge during a clean, which isn’t practical. 

Fortunately, we’ve always been impressed with the battery life across both Dyson and Shark’s cordless vacuums. While the Dyson V16 Piston boasts one of the highest capacities and can last a whopping one hour seven minutes on Eco Mood, and a solid 16 minutes and 26 seconds on Boost, both the V8 Cyclone and Gen5Detect still see a brilliant average battery of 26 minutes. That should be enough to see you through a whole house clean.

Shark models also offer a solid battery life, although generally it tends to be slightly lower than Dyson’s own. For example, the PowerDetect IA3241UKT sees an average of just over 32 minutes with Boost mode resulting in 12 minutes and 17 seconds. In comparison, the Freestyle Pro (SV2000UK) powers for just under 20 minutes while the PowerPro Pet (IZ380UKT) has a pretty low battery of just over 17 and a half minutes. 

While those figures may sound small in comparison, keep in mind your home. If you live in a smaller house or flat then a battery of under 20 minutes should be enough to clean your home.

Maintenance and emptying

Keeping your vacuum well maintained is seriously important, as doing so can significantly improve its lifespan and ensure it works as well as possible. If you’ve noticed your vacuum’s suction isn’t as strong as it once was, visit our guide on how to unclog a vacuum.

Otherwise, it’s worth checking your device’s manual to see whether you can manually remove and clean its filters. Vacuums like the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251UKT and Dyson V16 Piston Animal (alongside many others from the brand) are equipped with washable HEPA filters that can be easily accessed. 

Many cordless vacuums are supported by a self-empty station which, although they are usually sold separately, we would always recommend the extra investment. Take the Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro IA3241UKT as an example, as its self-empty station sucks all the collected dust into the bag-free bin. Then, when the docking station is full, you simply need to remove and empty it directly into the bin. 

This is much easier than emptying the vacuum cleaner’s 0.47-litre bin which can be a bit fiddly and cause dust to go everywhere. However, the Dyson V16 Piston Animal does sport a clever eject mechanism which is much more streamlined.

However, that doesn’t mean all Dyson vacuums are as easy to empty. For example, while the Dyson PencilVac cleverly compresses collected dust into the handle, emptying it does take some getting used to. Having said that, as long as you point the handle directly into the bin then there shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Best for pet hair

If you have pets, then you’ll know how quickly hair tends to accumulate on surfaces and floors. Not only that, but you’ll likely have experienced the pretty gross need to manually cut tangled hair from your floor head. Fortunately, many Dyson and Shark models are equipped with anti-hair wrap technology that promises to ensure long and pet hair doesn’t get tangled in floor heads.

Generally speaking, we’ve been impressed with both brand’s anti-hair wrap technology and rarely note an issue. Both cordless and corded models do an admirable job or both picking up hair and ensuring it doesn’t get tangled either. 

Having said that, if one of your main household concerns is dealing with an endless shedding of pet hair, then we’d recommend opting for vacuums that are specifically designed to deal with this. Vacuums such as the Shark Pet Pro not only sport anti-hair wrap technology in its main floor head, but also come with a mini motorised pet hair tool to remove hair embedded from furniture too. Similarly, the Dyson V16 Piston Animal also comes with relevant tools to help remove hair.

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Verdict: Which brand should you buy?

As shown in our tests, Dyson vacuums generally tend to boast stronger suction power and a longer battery life than Shark’s own – however Dyson cleaners usually come with a considerably higher price tag. In comparison, Shark vacuums have a more modest price tag and are only just shy of meeting Dyson’s specs.

Essentially, this means that deciding between a Dyson and a Shark will boil down to your budget and needs. If you genuinely need the most powerful and battery-efficient vacuum, and have the cash to spare, then a Dyson is an easy recommendation. On the other hand, those with a more modest budget will undoubtedly find that Shark serves them well.