Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed: I gave the winning ticket to the second one for good reasons.
The Shark Rocket Corded is the perfect choice for those looking for something lightweight and affordable. Although it doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as the other, it still helps you to complete your daily cleaning tasks efficiently.
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed is a powerful vacuum cleaner with all punches of Shark. So if you want to get the best features from this brand without spending an arm and a leg, it’s your best bet.
Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed: Comparison Chart
Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed: Differences
The Shark Rocket won 3-2 against the Shark Navigator. It lacks some conveniences like a HEPA filter, Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology, and Lift-Away feature, but it still performs better. In addition, it is more compact and lighter, so it has better overall maneuverability.
Dimensions And Weight
Winner: Shark Rocket
The dimensions of the Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator are 11.42 x 10.24 x 35.83 inches and 11.93 x 12.01 x 45.67 inches, respectively. As you can see, the Shark Rocket is considerably more compact than the Shark Navigator, so it’s not surprising that the first one is also dramatically lighter than the other.
The Shark Navigator is a bit bulky, but it’s lighter than many similarly sized models I’ve tested. This model is even lighter if used as a semi-handheld vacuum cleaner, thanks to the lift-away feature.
Cleaning Performance
Winner: Shark Rocket
My testing demonstrates that the Shark Navigator performed superbly in sucking up all types of debris on both low and high-pile carpets as well as bare floors. This model works well with hardwood, tiled, carpeted, and laminated floors.
The performance of the Shark Navigator remains consistent as the dirt compartment fills, which is great for dealing with large messes.
On the downside, I’ve noticed some small debris stuck underneath the floorhead, and its brushroll scattered a very small amount of debris around. Plus, regarding pet hair removal, a few longer hairs got wrapped around the brushroll. Since this brushroll is not removable, it can be a bit arduous to clear away tangled hairs.
As for the Shark Rocket, this vacuum had no issue removing pet hair or small debris on bare floors, but it struggled a bit more with larger debris. It cleared large and fine debris without too much trouble on low-pile carpet. It also had an impressive performance on my high-pile carpet, though I had to make another pass to clear everything.
Not only a good choice for cleaning carpets and hardwood floors/laminated/tiled floors, but the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light is also good for cleaning cars as it comes with a Home & Car Detail kit.
Maneuverability
Winner: Shark Rocket
With Shark Rocket, cleaning underneath couches and low tables is as easy as pie, as it’s compact and lightweight. You will have full control even when the machine is under your furniture without crouching.
As for the Shark Navigator, it has a rotating head and swivel steering control. Together, they make it easier to navigate this machine between obstacles. Yet, it is a bit harder to vacuum underneath furniture or in tight spaces because of its bulky floorhead and dust cup. Fortunately, you can use it as a semi-handheld vacuum cleaner thanks to the Lift-Away feature.
Dirt Cup And Filter
Winner: Shark Navigator
The Shark Rocket is compact, which helps with maneuverability, but it sacrifices the capacity of the dust cup. Its dust cup only holds up to 0.10 gal of dirt, and I had to stop in the middle a few times to empty it during testing, which is a bit annoying.
Meanwhile, the Shark Navigator features a 0.30-gallon dust bin. This cup is definitely bigger than the Shark Rocket’s, but it’s still not enough for me to vacuum my whole house seamlessly.
Regarding the filter, the Shark Navigator has a HEPA filter, while its competitor does not. Combined with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology, it can trap up to 99.9% of dust allergens and prevent them from releasing into the air.
Better yet, this filter is washable, and you should wash it at least once a year with water. So, in addition to minimizing recurring costs, Mother Nature will also be grateful to you for using this type of filter.
Utilities
Winner: Shark Navigator
Noise
My noise tests showed that the Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator produced an average of 75.1 dB and 75.1 dB, respectively. To my mind, these noise levels are acceptable.
Lift-Away Feature
The Shark Navigator has a few nifty features that the Shark Rocket doesn’t, and Lift-Away is one of them. It lets you lift the cleaning pod and carry it anywhere to clean hard-to-reach areas with its wand. However, even when used as a semi-handheld vacuum, the Shark Navigator is still fairly cumbersome.
The Shark Rocket, on the other hand, is quite light and compact, so I don’t think it needs this feature, not to mention that it can also be used as a handheld vacuum by detaching the wand.
Power Adjustment
I didn’t find a way to adjust the suction strength of the Shark Rocket. Meanwhile, the suction power of the Shark Navigator could be slightly adjusted with a slider on its handle. To decrease the suction power, all you need to do is open the slider. To maneuver on carpeted surfaces, all you need to do is open the slider to decrease the suction power.
Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed: Similarities
Surface Type Adjustment
The Shark Rocket has two surface-type settings: “I” for bare floors and area rugs and “II” for high-pile carpets. You can toggle between them manually to change the brushroll speed but not its height. As for the Shark Navigator, I also found two levels of surface type adjustment: setting “I” is for “hard floors,” and setting “II” is for carpets.
Build Quality
The build quality of both the Shark Rocket vs Shark Navigator is mediocre since they share a mainly plastic construction. They don’t feel especially sturdy overall, particularly their fragile dust cups. So if you go with either of these, keep your fingers crossed that you don’t drop your machine while cleaning the stairs.
Quick Rundown Of Shark Rocket
- Never loses suction or power.Specific uses:Stairs,Furnitures.Amperage : 4.2 amps
- Cleans carpets and bare floors
- Lightweight - only 7 pounds. Amps- 4.2. Wattage- 500
- Versatile floor to ceiling cleaning
- Never Loses Suction or Power
Quick Rundown Of Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed
- Self-cleaning brushroll for powerful pet hair pickup with no hair wrap.
- Use as an upright vacuum for powerful floor and carpet cleaning. Or for more portability, detach the pod to go into Lift-Away mode to easily clean, above-floor areas like furniture and stairs.
- Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology and a HEPA filter traps over 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner.
- Swivel Steering provides effortless maneuverability for cleaning hard-to-reach areas.
- Suction control slider to manage suction power from hard floors to carpets.
Product Video
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References:
- Shark Navigator Lift-Away Speed: https://support.sharkclean.com/hc/en-us/sections/360005961059-ZU560-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.