It has been a while since the Shark Navigator Lift Away site NV352 was released. To be more specific, last year was the official 10th anniversary of this upright vacuum’s release.
Typically, any old thing cannot compare with newer ones. But as you will soon see, this is not the case for this Shark vacuum. Despite being eleven years old, the NV352 is still an excellent bagless upright.
How, exactly?
Well, that’s what you can find out in today’s Shark Navigator Lift-Away bagless upright vacuum review!
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As a result, you can read and make your own purchase decision with confidence! Whatever you read here in this article today about the Shark Navigator Lift Away NV352 will accurately describe the real thing to a tee.
With that said, let’s get on with the review.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum Reviews (NV352)
Performance
The most important thing about any vacuum is how well it cleans.
Well, the good news is that the NV352 can clean very well despite its age and its price (which is very affordable). This Shark Navigator Lift Away upright vacuum has a 1,200 watts motor, which can generate a surprisingly strong suction flow. The majority of Shark Lift Away vacuum reviews from customers all praised the vacuum’s great suction power.
With its suction strength, the NV352 can be used to clean any surface from bare floors (like hardwood, tiled floors, and vinyl) to carpeting. You can find on the handle a button which controls the motorized brush roll inside the cleaning head. This button makes transitioning between bare floors (brush roll off) to carpeting (brush roll on) quite seamless.
When it comes to the carpet cleaning, tests have shown that this Shark Navigator Lift Away is decently effective on both low-pile carpets as well as on high-pile ones. It is not as good as most premium vacuums, mind you. But the vacuum can tackle the job well enough to say that it wouldn’t be frustrating for you to use.
The NV352 can suck up your average household dust and dirt. As for debris, the vacuum has been found to work well with small debris like rice grains. However, large debris like cereal bits may prove difficult for the NV352 to clean up, according to many Shark Navigator Lift Away reviews from users.
Pet hair can be easily handled by this upright vacuum.
All in all, performance holds up very well. If you want a basic household vacuum, theShark Navigator Lift Away will satisfy every single criterion you may have.
Design
General Design
The Shark Navigator Lift Away bagless upright vacuum cleaner shows its age in the general design. From the very first look, it is obvious that the overall design is fairly outdated. While modern vacuums have a slender, sleek, and minimalistic design, the NV352 is big and bulky.
It is the Shark NV352’s colossal size and bulkiness that makes it less appealing than it once was 10 years ago. The vacuum’s size makes it difficult to navigate tight spaces and small corners. Meanwhile, its bulky body prevents it from fitting into cramped areas like the undersides of furniture.
The Shark Navigator Lift Away vacuum cleaner NV352 is heavy, too. At 13.7 pounds, we have received complaints from many users of back pain while using the vacuum. For this reason, if you have back pain or arthritis, it’s best that you steer clear of this upright. Instead, we recommend lighter types of vacuum cleaners like stick vacuums. They will be easier for you to use.
Since the NV352 is a corded upright vacuum, it comes with a power cord. The power cord measures only 25 feet long, which is quite limiting. Most upright vacuums these days have a 30-foot power cord. If you have a large space to clean, the short power cord can make the job irritatingly difficult. You may even need to use a vacuum extension cord!
Lift-Away Mode
But despite having an outdated general design, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away bagless upright vacuum makes it up with its unique Lift-Away mode. In fact, it is the saving grace of this model.
If you are unaware of what this is, basically, Lift-Away mode gives you the ability to convert the NV352 into a canister vacuum. By pressing a button, the canister portion of the vacuum is detached from the rest of the body. The canister contains all of the most essential components for the vacuum’s function like the motor, the dust cup, and filter.
In this light, more portable form, you will find it much easier to do certain tasks that require mobility. These tasks can be cleaning the stairs or vacuuming the car.
How heavy is this canister? Well, the Lift-Away canister weighs just 7.5 pounds (half the weight of the full vacuum).
Honestly, the Lift-Away system makes it easy to forgive the NV352 for all of its flaws. After all, in spite of this design’s convenience, we still don’t see it widely adopted anywhere else. So in this aspect, the 10-years-old upright vacuum has beaten most of its contemporaries.
Hygienic System: Dust Cup, Filter and Anti-Allergen Complete Seal
Like all other upright vacuums, the Shark Navigator Lift upright vacuum contains a big dust cup. The cup can hold 1.2 dry quarts of dirt and debris. Though it isn’t the largest we have ever seen, it is adequately-sized for the price.
It can be easily emptied. But the NV352 is similar to other upright vacuums in that emptying it can be a bit messy. It’s not uncommon for dust to be kicked up when you pour the cup’s contents into the trash can. As a result, if you have allergies or are sensitive to dust, exercise caution or wear a mask to protect yourself.
For an affordable upright vacuum, the Shark NV352 has a very strong filtering system. The best we’ve ever seen in a budget vacuum, in fact.
The vacuum’s filtering system consists of three filters: a foam filter, a felt filter, and a HEPA filter. The foam and felt filters take out large-sized particles and dust, while the HEPA filter eliminates microscopic threats like bacteria.
It’s quite surprising that the NV352 has a HEPA filter. This kind of filter is the most efficient on the market and can take out 99.97% of all dirty particles passing through it. Usually, you can only find HEPA filters on mid-range to premium vacuums.
Besides the strong filtering system, the NV352 also has what’s called an Anti-Allergen Complete Seal construction. The vacuum’s body is sealed from leakage, so the dust cup will not leak dirt and allergens back into the environment.
For all of these reasons, the vacuum is excellent for allergy sufferers. Compared to the rest of the market, the NV352’s filtering system is even better than some modern vacuums with much higher prices.
Accessories
Three accessories are included: the Pet Upholstery Tool, the dusting brush, and the crevice tools. Selection is fairly limited, but for the price, it’s acceptable.
Conclusion
Overall, this Shark Lift Away vacuum cleaner holds up exceptionally well in 2021. Plus, with its affordable price, it is an excellent option if you’re currently seeking a budget upright vacuum.