Regarding Shark Vertex vacuums, we have two sides: Shark Vertex Upright vs Stick. Of course, each has its own pros and cons, and you can be on the fence about which one is better.
In terms of cleaning performance, they are neck and neck with very impressive scores. If you’re after a compact and lightweight cordless vacuum that’s easy to store and maneuver, you’ll be better off with the Shark Vertex stick. But if you need a larger dust cup to minimize trips to the trash can, the Shark Vertex upright will be your best bet.
Shark Vertex Upright vs Stick: Comparison Chart
Shark Vertex Upright vs Stick: Differences
At the end of the day, no one becomes the overall winner. Both performed excellently on both my hard floors and carpets. The Shark Vertex upright is heavy and bulky, but its dust cup is considerably larger. Meanwhile, the Shark Vertex stick is compact and lightweight, but its dustbin is very small.
Cleaning Performance
Winner: Tie
Cleaning Head
The Shark Vertex upright vs stick share a DuoClean powerhead, one of Shark’s hallmarks. This type of floorhead includes two rollers: a soft roller at the front and a combination finned/bristled roller that is called PowerFins. This 2-in-1 design is very handy since users don’t have to swap cleaning heads as they move from floor to carpet or vice versa.
This DuoClean PowerFins cleaning head is claimed to be more effective than the basic DuoClean head (which includes a soft roller and a roller), which I found on the Shark IF281. The PowerFins roller has some silicone fins that can dig deep into carpets to pick up deep-seat debris and hair, and the spiral paddle design can prevent tangled hair and clogged debris, which means less maintenance.
All of the above is what Shark states about their DuoClean technology with PowerFins rollers. I did a few examinations on my floor and carpets to see how well it worked.
Hard Floor
Both the Shark Vertex Upright vs Stick worked great on my hard floor, with near-perfect scores: +99%. They easily picked up almost all debris, including large ones, which models without soft rollers struggled with. The soft roller just splashed a very small amount of fine debris forward.
Carpet
Honestly, when we first tried a vacuum with DuoClean technology on my carpet, I was concerned that the soft roller may impair the vacuum’s ability to clean thoroughly – but I was wrong. My tests showed both the Shark Vertex upright vs stick worked fine on the carpet.
They picked up all the large debris and almost all the fine and small ones. The stick seemed a bit inferior to the upright, but their overall scores were very close (96% and 98%, respectively).
On my high-pile carpet, their average scores were still impressive: around 97% of total debris was collected. These scores are not as great as those I got with the Dyson V15. But, anyway, the PowerFins technology works and isn’t a gimmick. Only a small amount of visible debris was left behind, so I had to do another pass to pick up everything.
Hair Removal
These models picked up all the hair that I dropped on my hard floors and carpets and sent most of it into their dustbins. Only a small amount of long hair got stuck around their rollers. That said, PowerFins technology isn’t perfect, but it works. The only thing that bothered me a bit was a small amount of hair wrapped around small side wheels, which was very difficult to untangle.
Design & Usability
Winner: Shark Vertex IZ462H
Attachments And Storage
| Shark Vertex AZ2002 | Shark Vertex IZ462H |
|---|---|
| DuoClean powerhead Dusting brush Crevice tool Pet power brush | DuoClean powerhead Crevice Tool Anti-Allergen Brush Combination Tool (Brush & Upholstery) Charger |
I really like the pet power brush, which is the icing on the cake of the AZ2002. Despite being called a “power” brush, it is non-motorized. This tool features a finned brushroll, which includes some yellow blades/fins designed to prevent hair, thread, or string from wrapping around the brushroll. I found it very effective at picking up hair/fur on my sofas and worktops.
Like most uprights, the AZ2002 is quite chunky, but it can be put anywhere since it can stand itself. I would be happy with its bulky footprint if it had room for all three attachments, but it doesn’t. It only provides onboard spaces for the dusting brush and the crevice tool, so the Pet Power Tool needs to be stored somewhere else.
Unlike most sticks, the IZ462H, on the other hand, can also stand upright on its own thanks to the Multi-Flex system, which is Shark’s patented feature. This feature can transition between the original stick form and the flex form by pushing a lever, which cuts the vertical footprint in half for more compact storage – quite like a folding knife. It would be better if there were room on the vacuum’s body for attachments.
Weight & Maneuverability
The Shark Vertex upright is heavier than the Vertex stick, which is a no-brainer. The AZ2002 weighs about 16.38 pounds and is one of the heaviest full-size uprights I’ve tested. Likewise, weighing in at about 9.02 pounds, the IZ462H is also on the heaviest side. Maneuvering these machines was pain-free for me since they both have swivel heads, but I’m not sure these monsters are right for everyone.
The IZ462H can easily go further under my furniture, while the AZ2002 can’t due to its bulk dust canister. But fortunately, the latter can be transformed into a stick vacuum by lifting the canister off the floorhead (thanks to the Powered Lift-Away feature). In this configuration, it is easier to vacuum under furniture with the Shark AZ2002, but you need to hold its canister with one hand. If you leave it standing on the floor, it will flip over.
The Shark AZ2002’s main nozzle is 12 inches wide, which is wider than the IZ462H’s 10-inch floor head. A wider head allows you to cover the same area with fewer passes, reducing vacuuming time. But its Achilles’ heel is that it can’t or struggles to get into tight areas.
Battery Life & Cord Length
The Shark IZ462H is a cord-free vacuum, so I didn’t have to find an outlet to plug it in. But I had to take into account the battery life and charging time:
| Max Battery Life | ≈ 38 mins |
| Min Battery Life | ≈ 21 mins |
| Charging Time | ≈ 3 hours |
For people who live in mammoth-sized houses like me, one fully charged battery isn’t enough to get the job done. So I highly recommend purchasing a second battery on Amazon to ensure your busy cleaning schedule is uninterrupted. The IZ462H uses a removable battery, so it is a breeze to swap out the dead battery with a fully charged one. I love that the charger can plug directly into the battery, which means it is unnecessary to install the battery in the vacuum to give it a charge.
The Shark AZ2002, on the other hand, is a corded vacuum. It sports a 30-foot power cord, which is enough for me to clean my entire house without switching between outlets too often. Its cord isn’t retractable, but it’s not a big deal. Is there any way to increase its range? Yes, just buy an extension cord.
Dust Cup & Filtration System
Winner: Shark Vertex AZ2002
The Shark Vertex upright triumphs over the stick here with a large dust cup: the upright’s dust canister has a capacity of 0.83 liters, which is significantly greater than the 0.32-liter dust cup of the stick. As a result, the second one needs to be emptied considerably more often, and I loathe this since my trash can is outside.
Emptying the AZ2002 dust cup is a breeze: press a release button to open the bottom door to let all the dust and dirt go. The problem is that the release button is very close to the door, so my fingers sometimes get dirty. As for the IZ462H, emptying its dust cup is a bit more hygienic – just push a lever down.
The Shark Vertex Upright vs Stick share a sealed body construction, two pre-motor filters (a felt filter and a foam filter), and a post-motor filter (HEPA level). Without this sealed system, there is no guarantee that dirt and allergens won’t get out before the filters can catch them. All filters are washable: pre-motor filters should be washed monthly since they trap most of the dust and dirt, while the post-motor filter can be washed annually.
Utilities
Winner: Tie
There is a power button and a slider on the AZ2002’s handle, which are used to turn the vacuum on/off and switch between three surface type settings: “Hard Floor,” “Carpet / Low Pile,” and “Thick Carpet / Area Rug.” I could make changes quickly and easily without bending over as I did with many other Shark uprights.
The IZ462H also includes a slider on the handle, which I could reach with my thumb to switch between the “Carpet” setting and the “Hard Floor” setting. It also features a Dyson-like trigger, which is used to enable the “Boost” setting. This mode drains the battery very quickly and should only be used to remove stubborn messes.
Quick Rundown Of Shark Vertex AZ2002
- SHARK’S ULTRA-POWERFUL VACUUM: The Vertex is an ultra-powerful vacuum, with incredible suction and innovative cleaning technologies..1344.0 watts.Cord length (ft.): 30, Hose length (ft.): 5.5..Amperage : 11.8A
- SELF-CLEANING BRUSHROLL: Engineered for more pet hair pickup with no hair wrap (vs. Shark bristle nozzles).
- DUOCLEAN POWERFINS: A PowerFins brushroll and a soft roller combine on all floors. Continuous cleaning contact to dig deep into carpets, directly engage floors, and pick up more in every pass. (vs. original DuoClean).
- POWERED LIFT-AWAY: Detachable pod for motorized cleaning under furniture or detach the nozzle to clean above the floor, on upholstery, furniture, stairs, and more.
- PERFECT FOR PETS: Includes a self-cleaning Pet Power Brush for deep cleaning with no hair wrap and a Pet Crevice Tool to remove pet hair from hard-to-reach spaces like corners, ceilings, and between couch cushions.
Quick Rundown Of Shark Vertex IZ462H
- HYPERVELOCITY ACCELERATED SUCTION: Provides incredible cleaning performance in an ultra-lightweight vacuum.Specific uses:Hard Floor, Carpet
- UP TO 60 MINUTES OF RUNTIME: Removable battery with up to 60 minutes of runtime measured at the hand vacuum in standard mode.
- DUOCLEAN POWERFINS: This deep-cleaning nozzle technology gives you continuous contact with all surfaces, digging deep into carpets, directly engaging hard floors, and picking up more dirt in every pass (vs. original DuoClean).
- NO HAIR WRAP: Self-cleaning brushroll for powerful pet hair pickup with no hair wrap.
- FLEXIBLE WAND: MultiFLEX technology allows you to bend the wand to clean under furniture, or fold it over for compact, freestanding storage.
Product Video
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References:
- Shark Vertex upright: https://www.sharkclean.com/exclusive-offer/AZ2002WBKT/shark-vertex-upright-vacuum-with-powered-lift-away-duoclean-powerfins-and-self-cleaning-brushroll/
- Shark Vertex stick: https://www.sharkclean.com/exclusive-offer/IZ662HWBKT/shark-vertex-pro-lightweight-cordless-stick-vacuum-with-duoclean-powerfins/
Victor K. Giles is a leading consultant and expert in vacuum cleaner technology with over a decade of experience. As a mechanical engineering graduate in the University of Michigan, he specializes in product development, design optimization, and performance analysis. Victor collaborates with manufacturers and educates consumers, making her a sought-after guest speaker at industry events. His work has been featured in renowned publications, and he shares his expertise on his blog, “The Vacuum Teria”. Victor’s passion for cleaner, healthier living spaces drives his to help clients choose the best vacuum solutions for their needs.