If you are wondering which one to choose, Shark ZU62 vs ZU561, this article may be useful to you. From personal experience, I would like to offer a few of my opinions humbly. For a quick answer, the winner is ZU62.
Shark ZU62 wins due to its strong suction. Although both machines are equipped with Zero-M technology, the ZU62 has better cleaning performance on both hard floors and carpets. Besides, this machine also impresses me with its huge dust cup, a super long hose, and low noise level.
Shark ZU561 is a great choice for people who are looking for a lightweight. In essence, this is a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner, but thanks to the lift-away feature, it becomes even lighter to carry in hand. Additionally, its HEPA filtration system also works effectively to remove dirt and odors from the air.
Shark ZU62 vs ZU561: Comparison Chart
Shark ZU62 vs ZU561: Differences
After examining the differences between these two machines, I concluded that Shark ZU62 wins 4:0 against Shark ZU561. Read the explanation below to learn more about the details.
Cleaning performance
The winner: Shark ZU62
Performance on hard floors
Both machines perform pretty well on hard floors. I observed that they work best when picking up fine and small debris. These two vacuums passed the tests with flour, sugar, chili flake, kitty litter, and pet hair without straggling. When on the “hard floor” setting, their brush roll slows down instead of turning off completely, so you can pick up dirt more efficiently without worrying about scratching the floor. In comparison, Shark ZU62 has better cleaning performance because it has stronger suction power than Shark ZU561.
However, when trying to get them to vacuum up large debris like cat food and full-size Froot Loops, you’ll need to push them back and forth several times to get them all out. Although they don’t struggle too much to pick up large debris, I still recommend using the wand to suck up all the large particles quickly.
Performance on carpets
On low-pile and medium-pile carpets, these machines move smoothly and pick up dirt very well. But every move became more difficult when I used them to vacuum on high-pile and shag carpets. Pushing and pulling these machines across deep pile carpets is really hard. The strong suction makes them tend to cling to the carpet. Fortunately, I have some tips for you to deal with this matter.
With Shark ZU62, you can overcome this situation by setting the machine to “carpet” mode and then adjusting the slider on the handle to reduce the machine’s suction strength. At this point, you will find that the machine rolls on the carpet much easier and can completely take in all fine and small particles. As for large debris, I still recommend using the wand to suck them up instead. In fact, I let the ZU62 try picking up Froot Loops on a thick carpet, and as a result, some crumbs got stuck on the brushroll.
With Shark ZU561, I also tried to solve the problem in the same way, but the result was not as expected. When I reduce the suction of the machine, it actually moves more easily on shag carpets, but also, as a result, the cleaning performance is significantly reduced. The machine just cleaned the carpet perfunctorily and couldn’t dig deep into the fibers.
Pet hair performance
Thanks to the Zero-M self-cleaning brushroll, these machines pick up pet hair really efficiently. In older Shark’s versions, if vacuuming on carpets with a lot of hair, most of that stuff is wrapped around the rollers. As a result, after every use, people have to spend more time removing that tangle of hair. If the brushroll is not removable, you can just try to cut the tangled hairs with scissors or something like that.
But with Shark ZU62 and ZU561, everything is different. Their brushroll system is completely redesigned with a series of protrusions to actively remove pet hair and other materials before they can wrap around the roller. These brush rolls almost cut off any hairs they suck in.
Dirt bin and filtration
The winner: Shark ZU62
Dirt bin
Shark ZU62 has a huge dust cup with a capacity of 3 liters. This capacity allows you to vacuum freely without worrying about the trash being full or emptying the dirt bin regularly. This cup is made of hard and clear plastic, so you can easily see everything inside. It also has an open layout design, making it easy to clean.
Empty the dirt bin is pretty simple. After removing the dirt compartment from the vacuum’s body, you can see that it has a lid on the bottom. Press the release button next to it, and the lid will pop open, then all the dirt will fall out.
Shark ZU561’s dirt bin has a similar design but is much smaller than the Shark ZU62’s. The ZU561 has a dust cup capacity of 0.85 liters. As a pet owner, my house carpets are usually full of cat hair, so I need a machine with a larger dust cup capacity than this.
Filtration
In this aspect, both machines share the same filtration system. This system comprises one post-motor filter, two pre-motor filters, and anti-allergen complete seal technology.
The filters are all washable and reusable, so they don’t require a lot of recurring costs. They are placed in easily accessible locations for users to take them out for inspection and cleaning. The post-motor filter is a HEPA filter, which can trap the smallest particles in the air with 0.3 microns in size, such as pollen, mold, bacteria, dust, etc. Therefore, it can support people with allergies or respiratory problems.
The other two filters include a foam filter and a felt filter. They are pre-motor filters and are located under the dirt compartment. These filters play a role in capturing a certain amount of dust particles in the air to prevent them from attaching to the engine.
As for the anti-allergen complete seal technology, it keeps the unfiltered air from leaking to the outside and forces it to go through all the filters. From there, ensure the air is filtered before being released.
Design and convenience
The winner: Shark ZU62
Build quality
These vacuum cleaners have a decent build quality. They are mostly made of hard plastic except for the mental wand. Some parts, like the dust cup, seem a bit flimsy, but overall they are still quite sturdy. They can all stand on their own on the floor firmly.
Both machines are easy to assemble. It took me less than 5 minutes to snap all the things together. This is so easy that you probably won’t need instructions and tools like screwdrivers or something like that.
Maneuverability
When it comes to dimensions, both machines have compact designs. The ZU62 stands 45.5 inches from the floor to the top of the handle, and when placed upright, it takes up just one square foot of space.
While they are about the same size, the ZU62 is 3 pounds heavier than the ZU561. Shark ZU561 weighs only 13.4 pounds, so it has a huge advantage in maneuverability. This allows you to move the machine at will with more ease. Meanwhile, Shark ZU62 is a bit heavy, and you can feel it most clearly when pushing the unit on the carpet. The ZU62 has such a large weight due to its huge dust cup and super long hose.
In addition, each machine comes with a swivel head, increasing its maneuverability in tight spaces. Regarding this feature, I appreciate the portability of the ZU62 more because this device moves more smoothly and has a wider turning radius. Meanwhile, the swivel head of the Shark ZU561 is a bit awkward to control. It is rather difficult for me to keep the machine in a straight line, and sometimes it doesn’t move according to my will.
Another feature that sets Shark ZU561 apart from Shark ZU62 is the lift-away, which is known as a unique feature of Shark vacuums. In lift-away mode, you can convert your upright vacuum into a handheld vacuum by detaching the pod. This allows you to hold the dirt canister in one hand and use the wand and attachments in the other hand to clean the stairs, furniture, and surfaces above the floor. Besides, this feature also helps to reduce the unit weight significantly. However, please note that you cannot use the cleaner head when the machine is in the “lift-away” state.
Range
Each machine is equipped with a 25 ft-long power cord. I think such a power cord is not too short but too long. As you may likely know, the long power cord lets users clean the room comfortably without searching for another outlet to change. Besides, they also have the same cleaning path width, which is about 12 inches. Most of the Shark vacuum cleaners that I have reviewed have such a cleaning path width.
However, Shark ZU62 has a hose that is almost twice as long as the one of Shark ZU561. I have not encountered many other vacuum cleaners with such a long hose, which is an advantage for the ZU62.
When you use this machine to clean upstairs, you just need to put the machine at the foot of the stairs and then carry the hose up to do the job. Its hose is very long, so there is no need to worry about the cleaning reach. Additionally, the 16-pound weight and the sturdy footprint design help the machine stand perfectly upright on the floor. You won’t need to carry the whole unit to clean each step of the stairs, so its weight is no longer a big deal. Therefore, even though there is no lift-away feature, this machine can still assist users in doing a pretty good job.
Suction control
Regarding the controls, these machines have the same design. In general, controlling them is quite simple. Both have a slider to adjust the suction strength on the handle and a switch to select the floor setting on the top of the dirt canister. There are three settings, including “off,” “hard floor,” and “carpet.”
Noise level
From what I measured, the noise level of the Shark ZU62 is about 75 dB, and the Shark ZU561’s is 77.6 dB. These are just average noise levels, and they will vary more or less depending on the type of suction surface.
For an upright vacuum, Shark ZU62 has an average noise level, which means it’s not too noisy and not exceptionally quiet. At this level, you can still talk normally while vacuuming without raising your voice. To be honest, I was also surprised at how quiet it was.
Accessories
The winner: Shark ZU62
Both Shark ZU62 and ZU561 come with a wide variety of accessories, including an upholstery tool, a dusting brush, and a duster crevice tool. On the ZU62, two of these tools can be stored in the vacuum, and there is no room for the third tool. As for the ZU561, there is only one room to store a tool on board.
Quick Rundown Of Shark ZU62
- Dust cup capacity 2. 8 quarts; The vacuum that deep cleans now cleans itself; The zero m self cleaning brush roll delivers nonstop hair removal
- Powerful upright vacuum suction to pick up embedded debris, stubborn pet hair, and more
- Lightweight design allows for easy maneuverability and portability
- 3XL capacity for long cleaning sessions with fewer interruptions to empty the dust cup
- Anti allergen complete seal technology and a hepa filter trap dust and allergens inside the vacuum cleaner
Quick Rundown Of Shark ZU561
- 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.
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References:
- Shark ZU62: https://sharkclean.com.au/products/shark-navigator-self-cleaning-upright-vacuum-zu62
- Shark ZU561: http://www.sharkclean.us/support/product-series/1134/shark-navigator-speed-upright-vacuum-with-lift-away-and-self-cleaning-brushroll/
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.