It seems that between the Shark NV352 vs CU530, the CU530 is a better vacuum, but in my opinion, they are comparable in performance and convenience. Overall, they are good vacuums with good prices for their powerful suction, decent cleaning performance, and nice filtration system.
The Shark CU530 is equipped with an ungraded brush roll, a self-cleaning one, so it reduces the amount of hair tangled on the roller after every cleaning. However, the option to completely turn off the brush roll when switching to bare floors is removed. Instead, its brush roll speed is much slower.
The Shark NV352 does not have the self-cleaning brush roll, but its brush roller can be turned off completely in the Bare Floor setting. Besides, its suction is adjustable, and the pick-up performance is decent, similar to those of the Shark CU530. Therefore, the result in this comparison is a tie!
Shark NV352 vs CU530: Comparison Chart
Shark NV352 vs CU530: Differences
After assessing the differences between Shark NV352 vs CU530, my final score is a tie. I highly appreciated the brush roll system of Shark CU530, but I miss the ability to completely disengage the brush roll action like the one on Shark NV352. Besides, both vacuums have strong suction and work well on either carpets or bare floors.
Cleaning performance
Tie!
Suction and floor-type compatibility
For the suction power between the Shark NV352 vs CU530, I could say that they are comparable. This means that both of them give very suction, allowing them to pick up almost everything from the mats or carpets and solid floors. Particularly, they pulled up a ton of dust, little particles, and pet hair from my carpet as well as my hard floors without any noticeable scattering or difficulty.
However, sometimes they are hard to push and pull on the carpet owing to their strong suction. Fortunately, it is possible to adjust the suction power on the Shark NV352 and CU530. This will support their maneuverability on different carpet piles. The suction adjustment can be accessed via the Suction Release collar for the Shark NV352 and the Suction Slider on the driving handheld for the Shark CU530.
Besides, their head rollers are fixed and have no adjustable height option. This could be an issue when cleaning high-pile and thick carpets with long fibers because the brush roll could stop spinning, and the vacuum is impossible to push. So, I wish they have the nozzle-height adjustment feature in addition to their suction control functionality, offering more convenience to the cleaning process.
Brushroll system
The most noticeable difference between Shark NV352 vs CU530 is in their brush rolls. Though they own similar conventional brush bristles, the Shark CU530’s brush roll features a self-cleaning function. The design of its roller is a bit different from that of the Shark NV352, aiming at reducing the amount of hair getting tangled on the brush roll after every cleaning.
After testing, I could confirm that the self-cleaning brush roll of Shark CU530 does work, though it is not as effective as the duo-clean brush roll on the higher-price models of Shark. Long human hairs and coarse pet hairs are picked up and get all into the dust cup.
For the Shark NV352, though its brush roll is not the self-cleaning type, it still performs well on carpets, giving good agitation and loosening embedded pet hairs. Besides, unlike the CU530’s brush roll, that of the Shark NV352 can be completely stopped in the Bare Floor setting. In the same setting, the brush roll of Shark CU530 spins slower.
When disengaging the brush roll, the scattering of debris could be reduced so the floor surfaces can be protected. However, the spinning brush roller will help the hair to be picked up into the dirt bin easier as the hair may stay on the roller when the brush roll stop spinning.
However, if you own pets that shed a lot and frequently, it is recommended to check and clean the brush roll to make sure it functions well. The hair clogged up may happen as hair can get wrapped on the brush even though it is the self-cleaning type.
Design & Convenience
Tie!
Maneuverability
The Shark NV352 and CU530 are relatively lightweight compared to many other products on the upright vacuum market. They are also simple to assemble and easy to maneuver and transition between different floor types. Additionally, they all feature nice swivel heads, making them easy to steer and get under furniture.
Besides, they all have the lift-away canister, which comes in handy when vacuuming stairs or blinds. Moreover, these portable pods allow you to clean the car furniture more conveniently.
Dirt bin & Filtration
Tie!
On paper, the dust cup capacity of the Shark NV352 is slightly bigger than that of the CU530. I often empty the dust bin before it gets full to the fill line, so I see this difference is not significant. Besides, their dirt bins are easy to dump and clean.
These two Shark vacuum models all have the post-motor HEPA filter and the filtration system with a complete anti-allergen seal. In addition, they come with pre-motor foam filters that are easy to rinse and reuse multiple times.
I especially like the allergen-seal HEPA filtration since the air that comes out of the vacuum is dust-free. I’d say the Shark has done well with its filtering technology, as I haven’t sneezed frequently while vacuuming like before.
Quick Rundown of Shark NV352
- LIFT-AWAY FUNCTIONALITY: lift away the detachable pod and easily clean above-floor areas like stairs, furniture, and more.
- ANTI-ALLERGEN COMPLETE SEAL TECHNOLOGY: Works with a HEPA filter to trap dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner.
- POWERFUL & LIGHTWEIGHT : Powerful suction to deep-clean carpets and tackle bare floors with a lightweight design for effortless portability.
- BRUSHROLL SHUTOFF: Feature allows you to instantly switch from deep carpet cleaning to gentle bare floor cleaning.
- SWIVEL STEERING: Easily maneuver your vacuum in and out of tight spaces, in corners, around furniture, and more.
Quick Rundown of Shark CU530
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References:
- Shark CU530 (in ZU560 series): https://support.sharkclean.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403100551186-ZU560-Series-Shark-Navigator-Lift-Away-Speed-FAQs
- Shark NV352 (in NV350 series): https://support.sharkclean.com/hc/en-us/sections/360005917460-NV350-Series
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.