Should I purchase a Shark® Vacuum?
Many customers ask our opinion of the Shark® vacuums that are advertised on TV. We have serviced many of them and want to share our findings. We compared the latest model, the Shark Rotator Powered Lift Away®, to the Dyson Ball™ Multi Floor which most closely resembles the Rotator.
Two Key Disadvantages for Shark
Parts availability — Shark sells very few replacement parts and are available on-line only. If you run over the cord, crack the handle or have a bad switch, parts are not available for purchase. Shark will not repair vacuums that are out of warranty which means the vacuum is thrown away.
Dyson sells all parts for their vacuums and we stock virtually all of them. Parts can be picked up same day and you can fix the machine yourself, or we can repair in our store.
Warranty Service — Shark does not have warranty service centers. If your Shark needs a warranty repair you have to pack it up and send it to Spruce Pine, NC. Again the process can take a few weeks.
We are Harford County's only authorized Dyson warranty center. Bring your vacuum to us and we will complete the warranty work and will take care of the paperwork for you.
Shark Customer Reviews
Amid our research on Shark vacuums, we have come across plenty of positive reviews from homeowners who recently have purchased a Shark. As the vacuum starts to fail or needs service, the customer is exposed to the nightmare of finding parts or getting the vacuum fixed.
The only parts available for the NV751 Rotator are the filters, filter cover, dust cup and wand. If any other part needs to be replaced, the entire vacuum has to be sent to Shark. Their owner’s manual notes that non-durable parts that normally require replacement — such as filters, brushes and electrical parts — are excluded from the warranty.
Based on our research, we are confident that Shark does not fix vacuums. If the warranty does not apply, Shark will offer to sell the homeowner a replacement vacuum at a discounted price. We understand that this process can take a few weeks. So a simple problem like a broken switch can turn into a $100 to $200 “repair”.
Furthermore, the owner’s manual states that the customer has to pay the cost of shipping back to Shark plus an additional $19.95 for return shipping. Both of these apply even if the vacuum is under warranty.
Customer reviews on consumeraffairs.com echo these concerns — describing being left without a vacuum for weeks, learning that Shark will not send replacement parts to qualified vacuum service centers, finding that local shops cannot buy repair parts or service Sharks, and struggling to find even basic replacement belts in stores that sell the vacuums.
If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call at 1 800-848-4018.