Shark NV352 vs Dyson Ball Animal 2: Which Is Better For Home Use?

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Shark NV352 vs Dyson Ball Animal 2: This is one of the few cases where the significantly cheaper model wins.

The Shark NV352 has powerful enough suction for everyday cleaning chores. At such an affordable price tag, the number of vacuums with the same cleaning performance can be counted on one hand. Lightweight and easy to maneuver are its other big pros. But its power cord should be longer.

As for the Dyson Ball Animal 2, it has insanely strong and non-adjustable suction, which is a double-edged sword. If asked whether I would be willing to spend close to $400 to get a machine that has overkill suction and lacks features like LED lights and automatic cord management, my short answer is No!

Shark NV352 vs Dyson Ball Animal 2: Comparison Chart

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THE WINNER (#1)
Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum, Hepa Filter, Anti-Allergen Technology, Swivel Steering, Ideal for Carpet, Stairs, & Bare Floors, with Wide Upholstery & Crevice Tools, Lavender
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Dyson Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Ball Animal 2, Iron/Purple
Model
Shark NV352
Dyson Ball Animal 2
Type
Upright
Upright
Color
Purple
Iron/Purple
Dimensions
45.5 x 11.4 x 15 inches
42.13 x 13.39 x 16.93 inches
Weight
12.5 lbs
17.2 lbs
Brush Roll On/Off
Cord length
25 ft
35 ft
Warranty
5-year limited warranty
5-year limited warranty
Corded/Cordless
Corded
Corded
Bagged/Bagless
Bagless
Bagless
Suction Adjustment
Surface Recommendation
Carpet, Hard Floors, Upholestry
Hard Floors
Dust Cup Capacity
0.33 gallons
0.32 gallons
Alternate Configuration
Semi-handheld Configuration
None
LED Headlights
HEPA filter
Price
$179.99
$556.66
What I Like
THE WINNER (#1)
Image
Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum, Hepa Filter, Anti-Allergen Technology, Swivel Steering, Ideal for Carpet, Stairs, & Bare Floors, with Wide Upholstery & Crevice Tools, Lavender
Model
Shark NV352
Type
Upright
Color
Purple
Dimensions
45.5 x 11.4 x 15 inches
Weight
12.5 lbs
Brush Roll On/Off
Cord length
25 ft
Warranty
5-year limited warranty
Corded/Cordless
Corded
Bagged/Bagless
Bagless
Suction Adjustment
Surface Recommendation
Carpet, Hard Floors, Upholestry
Dust Cup Capacity
0.33 gallons
Alternate Configuration
Semi-handheld Configuration
LED Headlights
HEPA filter
Price
$179.99
What I Like
More Info
THE RUNNER-UP (#2)
Image
Dyson Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Ball Animal 2, Iron/Purple
Model
Dyson Ball Animal 2
Type
Upright
Color
Iron/Purple
Dimensions
42.13 x 13.39 x 16.93 inches
Weight
17.2 lbs
Brush Roll On/Off
Cord length
35 ft
Warranty
5-year limited warranty
Corded/Cordless
Corded
Bagged/Bagless
Bagless
Suction Adjustment
Surface Recommendation
Hard Floors
Dust Cup Capacity
0.32 gallons
Alternate Configuration
None
LED Headlights
HEPA filter
Price
$556.66
What I Like
More Info

Shark NV352 vs Dyson Ball Animal 2: Differences

The Shark NV352 wins 1-0 and draws three times against the Dyson Ball Animal 2. The former produces sufficient suction, is lightweight, and can be used as a portable vacuum. On top of that, it’s dramatically cheaper than its competitor.

Cleaning Performance

Winner: Shark NV352

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is advertised as providing extremely strong suction. I thought this was cool until I discovered that its suction is non-adjustable, making it both a blessing and a curse.

It sucked up most of the pet hair and debris, from small to large, on my hard floor with ease. However, the extremely strong suction makes pushing this machine on my carpet a daunting task. Unfortunately, adjusting its suction was impossible, so I had no way to make it easier on the carpet.

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is also not ideal for pet owners as its floorhead is not designed to minimize hair wrap like the new version – The Dyson Ball Animal 3. So I wasn’t surprised to see a large amount of long hair stuck on its roll after a while.

As for the Shark NV352, it generates what I consider “sufficient” suction. It’s strong enough to pull the majority of debris and hair out of my hard floor and carpet without sacrificing its maneuverability on the carpet. 

Better yet, you can adjust its suction. Whenever you find it hard to push this vacuum on your high-pile carpets, just twist a little ring on the handle to reduce suction. Just note that reducing suction means sacrificing cleaning performance.

The floorhead of the Shark NV352 is also not designed to remove tangled hair automatically. So you will need to maintain it regularly, or it will perform gradually poorly and get stuck one day.

It is worth noting that the brush roll can’t be removed, so keep your fingers crossed that the vacuum doesn’t suck up things like coins or Lego blocks, which could damage the floorhead and lead to a costly replacement.

maintaining the floorhead of the shark nv352 regularly is necessary
Maintaining the floorhead of the Shark NV352 regularly is essential

Design

Winner: Tie

Weight and Maneuverability

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is on the heavy side at 17.2 pounds, while the NV352 weighs only 12.5 pounds. The difference is quite dramatic and can influence many people’s buying decisions.

It is a breeze to maneuver the NV352 over most surfaces and carry it from room to room or up and down stairs. It’s even lighter and more portable thanks to the lift-away feature (discussed later). 

The swivel steering feature makes reaching nooks, crannies, and tight areas easy, but some people find it annoying and inconvenient. I bet they will fall in love with this nifty feature once they get the hang of it.

On the other hand, the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is heavier than many vacuums that I tested. Along with its strong and non-adjustable suction, pushing it on high-pile carpets can be a workout for many people. So unless you want your daily cleaning chores to help you get your heart rate up and burn calories, you’ll be better off with something lighter like the NV352.

Range

The Shark NV352 comes with a 25-foot power cord, which is pretty short, in my opinion. For anything shorter than 30 feet, I highly recommend using an extension cord, or you’ll have to plug and unplug multiple times throughout your cleaning process.

As for the Dyson Ball Animal, it offers a better range with a 35-foot power cord. I have no complaints about the length of this cord, as it allows me to reach anywhere without switching between sockets too often, but if only it was retractable. The fact that such an expensive machine lacks automatic cord management makes me a bit disappointed.

Dust Cup Capacity and Filters

Winner: Tie

Both the Shark NV352 vs Dyson Ball Animal 2 have pre-motor and HEPA filters that have a reputation for trapping up to 99.9% of dust and allergens in the air. So these vacuums are both ideal for people with allergies or asthma.

These HEPA filters are washable and do not need to be rinsed too often since most of the dirt is already captured in the pre-motor filters. Depending on how often you use the vacuum, the HEPA filter should be cleaned every half year to once a year. You can invest in an extra filter so you always have something dry for use.

As for the dust cup capacity, the Dyson Ball Animal 2 has a 1.28-quart cup, which is slightly larger than the 1.1-quart dirt bin of the Shark NV352. The difference doesn’t seem like that much on paper, but it’s still worth mentioning and considering.

Utilities

Winner: Tie

Alternate Configuration

Most upright vacuums are pretty bulky, mainly due to their large dust canisters, making it quite difficult for them to clean hard-to-reach areas or tight spaces. Both the Shark NV352 vs Dyson Ball Animal 2 are also somewhat bulky, but one thing that the NV352 has over the latter is that it can be converted into a semi-handheld vacuum, thanks to the “Lift Away” feature.

In this portable configuration, the NV352 makes cleaning stairs and bookshelves or removing spiderwebs from walls much more effortless. But going further under furniture is still quite tricky, and you will need a model with the powered Lift-Away feature like the Shark NV752 for this purpose.

Surface-type Settings

the shark nv352 features two surface-type settings
The Shark NV352 features two surface-type settings

The Shark NV352 has two surface-type settings: “Hard floor” and “Carpet.” You’ll have to bend over to press a switch on the body to toggle between these two mods. It sounds inoffensive, but this design is really a big minus for people with serious back or hip problems, as constant bending over can worsen their problems. I think Shark recognized this deal breaker and replaced this switch with a slider on the handle for newer models.

Meanwhile, the Dyson Ball Animal 2 has a self-adjusting cleaner head that automatically changes height as it moves from surface to surface. All you need to do is press a button to turn the roller on or off when vacuuming your hard floor or deep cleaning your carpet.

the cleaner head of the dyson ball animal 2 can automatically adjust the height
The cleaner head of the Dyson Ball Animal 2 can automatically adjust the height

Quick Rundown Of Shark NV352

Sale
Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum, Hepa Filter, Anti-Allergen Technology, Swivel Steering, Ideal for Carpet, Stairs, & Bare Floors, with Wide Upholstery & Crevice Tools, Lavender
  • 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.
Pros
  • It is portable and lightweight.
  • Has a removable large dust cup.
  • Easy to handle.
  • Multiple accessories are included
  • Washable HEPA filters.
Cons
  • No suction control slider.

Quick Rundown Of Dyson Ball Animal 2

Dyson Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Ball Animal 2, Iron/Purple
  • Strongest suction of any vacuum; Even more power for tough tasks
  • Self adjusting cleaner head seals in suction across carpet, wood, vinyl, and tile floors
  • Tangle free turbine tool, stair tool, combination tool included
  • Whole machine filtration ensures that allergens are trapped inside the machine, not expelled back into the home.
  • Hygienically empty the bin with the push of a button
Pros
  • Features a spacious dirt compartment.
  • Has a super long power cord.
  • Carries a 5-year warranty.
  • Both the pre-motor and post-motor filters are washable.
  • The brush roll motor is powerful.
Cons
  • It is not a lightweight machine.
  • It is on the expensive side.

Product Video

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