If you had to choose between the Shark AZ2002 vs Dyson Ball Animal 3, I’d recommend the first one!
The Shark AZ2002 doesn’t come cheap, but the good news is that this machine is worth it. It is equipped with all the punches of the Shark to help ease the burden of your cleaning duties, and I have almost nothing to complain about it except that it is quite bulky and heavy.
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 delivers extremely powerful suction, allowing it to suck up anything thrown at its floorhead. However, it is a bit heavy and difficult to push on the carpet, so I recommend it for those who have mostly bare floors in their houses. It also cannot be used in a semi-handheld configuration and does not have LED headlights available on the AZ2002.
Shark AZ2002 vs Dyson Ball Animal 3: Comparison Chart
Shark AZ2002 vs Dyson Ball Animal 3: Differences
The Shark AZ2002 wins the Dyson Ball Animal 3 with a score of 3-2. The AZ2002 works well on both hard floors and carpets. It’s a little more difficult to push on carpets, but that’s the price to pay for good suction. It is quite heavy but can be converted into a portable vacuum. For the rest, I can’t find anything wrong with this fantastic model.
Cleaning Performance
Winner: Shark AZ2002
Regarding suction, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is an improvement over its predecessor. It produces excellent suction power that raises my eyebrows about how much debris it pulls up from my hard floor. However, its strong suction power and heavy weight make it somewhat hard to maneuver.
It is particularly hard to push the Dyson Ball Animal 3 on the carpet. Some users will even need both hands and arms to push it! That said, this machine is not ideal for use on carpets, especially for people who have problems with their shoulders, hands, elbows, backs, and more. I was also impressed with its hair-catching brush since almost no fur and hair were left after vacuuming.
The Shark AZ2002, on the other hand, also offered impressive suction, allowing it to capture almost all small to medium-sized debris on my hard floor. On my carpet, it was also a little hard to push, but it didn’t make me struggle like the Dyson Ball Animal 3. To have such a strong suction, I believe this is a reasonable sacrifice.
The thing that the AZ2002 gives the Ball Animal 3 a run for its money is a self-cleaning brush roll. It features a PowerFins design that helps agitate carpet fibers for a deep clean, which I think is more effective than the Ball Animal 3.
My testing also showed that the brush roll of the AZ2002 sent a good amount of the captured hair to its dust canister, making it an ideal choice for pet owners. So it is unnecessary to clean and maintain this brush roll regularly.
Dimensions and Weight
Winner: Shark AZ2002
The Shark AZ2002 vs Dyson Ball Animal 3 are both giant monsters with dimensions of 15 x 12 x 46.2 inches and 15.24 x 11.1 x 42.13 inches, respectively. The good news is that they make good use of their bulky footprint by providing onboard accessory storage. But I wish they had a bag for organizing the extra attachments.
The AZ2002 weighs about 16.38 pounds, while its competitor weighs 17.46 pounds. Frankly, they are heavy for many people, especially those with weak wrists. But I bet you’ll be fine once you get the hang of this machine and build up a bit of strength.
The Shark AZ2002 is lighter, resulting in better maneuverability. So it’s definitely the winner of this round.
Dust Cup Capacity And Filter
Winner: Dyson Ball Animal 3
Dust cup capacity is one of the factors that should be considered, especially for those who regularly vacuum. There is always a risk of dirt and allergens being released back into the air every time the dust cup is emptied. The larger the dust cup, the less often you’ll find yourself emptying it, and the lower your risk of re-exposure to the allergen.
The AZ2002 sports a 0.25-gallon dust cup, while the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is even better with a 0.32-gallon dust canister. Both dirt bins are large enough that you won’t have to empty them too often. The small minus is that they are both rather narrow, and sometimes I had to frequently use my hand to get debris out.
Both the Shark AZ2002 vs Dyson Ball Animal 3 have HEPA filters to capture and trap up to 99.9% of dust, dirt, and airborne allergens. Better yet, they are washable and can be reused many times before requiring replacement. In addition to minimizing recurring costs, Mother Nature will also be grateful to you for using these reusable filters.
Range
Winner: Dyson Ball Animal 3
The Shark AZ2002 comes with a 30-foot power cord, while the Dyson Ball Animal 3 has a better range with a 35-foot cord. I have no complaints about the length of these cords, as anything 30 feet or more has allowed me to vacuum quite a large area without unplugging the cord too often.
The only thing that makes me sad about these cords is that they don’t roll up into the units themselves. Instead, I had to wrap these cords manually, which gave me a nostalgic experience that shouldn’t be available in such expensive models.
The hose length of the Dyson Ball Animal 3 is over 9 feet, which gives me more than enough to clean on top of my bookshelves with ease. The AZ2002, on the other hand, comes with a 6.5-foot hose, which is a bit short, but the “Lift-Away” feature makes up for it.
Utilities
Winner: Shark AZ2002
Noise
The average noise level of the Shark AZ2002 is 77.2 dB. When I ran this vacuum, I didn’t feel that its noise was at an annoying level. You can use it early in the morning as long as you vacuum in an enclosed area with the door completely closed.
The Dyson Ball Animal 3, on the other hand, is too loud, with an average noise level of 81.2 dB. I wouldn’t sacrifice the suction for noise reduction, but keep in mind that this vacuum isn’t for use where you might disturb others.
Other Configuration
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 has no alternate configuration. The only thing you can do to clean hard-to-reach areas is to use the wand and hose while the unit is in an upright position for the suction to go through the wand.
The Shark AZ2002, on the other hand, is a 3-in-1 machine. You can use it as a semi-handheld vacuum or a stick vacuum thanks to the powered lift-away feature. That way, it will be the star of the show every time you need to clean ladders, under furniture, and hard-to-reach areas.
LED Lights
I was a bit disappointed that the Dyson Ball Animal 3 wasn’t fitted with any LEDs. In fact, many cheaper Shark vacuums have this nifty feature to help you clean better in areas with less light. Perhaps Dyson, like many users, thinks it is superfluous, and I’d like to tell you that this is the wrong way to think!
Surface-Type Settings
The handle of the Shark AZ2002 has a slider with three floor-type settings: “Hard Floor,” “Carpet/Low Pile,” and “Thick Carpet/Area Rug.” This control is intuitive and easy to use. On top of that, it is at your fingertips, so you won’t have to bend down to tap a switch as you would with many other Shark vacuums. It is a big plus for people with back issues.
The Dyson Ball Animal 3 can automatically adjust the height of the head to suit different surfaces, but it does not allow you to fine-tune the suction power. The Ball Animal 3 allows you to manually adjust its head height and suction force by using a slider on its floorhead. The far left setting is ideal for hard floors, the center position is for cleaning low-pile carpets, and the rightmost position is for cleaning high-pile carpets.
But you will need to bend over to adjust every time you move from one type of surface to another, which is inconvenient to some extent. However, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 has overcome the drawback of its predecessor, which had too strong non-adjustable suction.
Quick Rundown of Shark 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 Dyson Ball Animal 3
- The best cleaning performance of any upright de-tangling vacuum¹
- De-tangling technology. Automatically clears wrapped hair from the brush bar as you clean.
- Ball technology. Navigate around obstacles with a simple turn of the wrist. For easy, precise maneuvering around your home.
- 3 cleaning modes. Select the right cleaning mode for the right task. Optimized for a variety of tasks, for complete control over your clean.
- Engineered for larger homes with pets. Removes dirt and pet hair around your home. Easily tackles big messes.
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References:
- Shark AZ2002: https://direct.sharkclean.com/16/products/shark-vertex-powered-lift-away-az2000w/20/microsite/ogiii/?opt=2
- Dyson Ball Animal 3: https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/uprights/ball-animal-3
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.