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Shark Navigator vs Rotator Vacuum: What’s the Difference?

If you decided to add a Shark vacuum to your cleaning arsenal, good for you. Over the years, Shark has gained an excellent reputation for producing high-quality vacuums at a reasonable price. Not only are they innovative, but Shark also offers a lot of vacuum types, series, and models. This guarantees that you will be able to find something that fits your taste.

If you are currently on a crossroad, unable to decide between two Sharks, we are here to help. You should now that choosing their upright vacuum will probably meet your needs, but which to choose? Chances are you are looking to compare various models, and maybe you are not sure what the differences are. If you are wondering how a Shark Navigator compares to a Shark Rotator, you are in the right place. We prepared this short informational article and by the end of it, you will get to know this Shark models well enough to make a decision.

Shark Navigator vs Rotator – General Information

Before we dive into similarities and differences, we will tell you right away that Navigator and Rotator models are a lot more similar than different. As a matter of fact, there is no claim that one or the other perform better (or worse) on certain surfaces or in some specific conditions. Shark has not made a huge distinction between these two models. And that is simply because there is none. But still, they are worth comparing. So, let us jump into it.

Comparison

Shark Navigator Brush Roll Replacement
shark navigator vacuum cleaner

To help you determine exactly how similar, or different these models are, we will make a comparison considering several points such as design, attachments, additional details, performance, and ease of use.

Design

How to Reset Shark Vacuum Motor
shark rotator vacuum

When it comes to how these vacuums look, they are almost the same at a first glance. if you are not a Shark expert and if someone does not point to the differences, you would probably not notice them right away. Both of these vacuums are a similar size, upright vacuums. If you want a bagless vacuum, both of them meet this criterium. They come with a dirt container, a cord wrap, and accessories.

Both of them can be used as a handheld vacuum and an upright, so you get the same versatility. Speaking of which, there is a slight difference in weight, with the Rotator being a bit heavier. However, when used as a handheld, both vacuums are around 8lbs.

As for the parts they consist of, you will find a canister, an upright wands, a cleaner had and attachments. When it comes to the cleaning head, there are two options with both models: a hard floor brush and a brush roll for carpets. There is a difference in the dirt container capacity, with the Navigator having an advantage. Nevertheless, bot models have enough capacity for your needs, even if you are using your Shark vacuum for pet hair.

Accessories

Accessories
accessories

This point is also where these two models are more similar than different. The Rotator comes with a bit more accessories and they are what you would call more advanced, and the Navigator features all the basic tools you need. This is the only difference we found when comparing the tools.

Additional Details

shark rotaor lift-away
shark rotaor lift-away

This is another interesting thing to mention. The Rotator model could be called a basic one. It does not feature anything more advanced or more interesting for a vacuum. Unlike the Navigator, which includes LED lights, a brush roll indicator lights, a bit more advanced tools, and even its colors are edgier than the Rotator. This is, of course, nothing that should make or break your decision, but you should still know about it.

Performance

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powerful suction

Unlike the previous additional details we mentioned, great performance is something that should be high on your requirement list. This is why we included a section talking about similarities and differences in vacuuming different surfaces and types of dirt with both Rotator and the Navigator.

As we mentioned, both vacuums use brush rolls, and they have strong suction. The brush roll makes sure that the dirt gets moved from the floor so the suction can work its magic and suck it up. Both models work very well on hardwood floors, and low to high pile carpets. This makes them versatile enough for many different users. If you are a pet owner, using your vacuum for pet hair is your daily activity. These models proved to work well even for that.

As for the type of dirt, besides hair, you can also pick up everything from salt, sugar, cat litter, to larger dirt particles, such as cereals, rice and other.

Ease of Use

shark nv501 baggless vacuum reviews
ease of use

Finally, we have the ease of use, which is important to a lot of future users and customers. No one wants to wrestle a vacuum and make a workout out of vacuuming. So here it goes.

When it comes to unpacking, unfortunately, it is a struggle with both models. You probably now that manufacturers like to pack their products well, but these models have A LOT of parts, so it looks a bit scary when you first unpack them. But then it gets easier.

When you get all the parts, putting the vacuums together is plain sailing. Both vacuums are similar in this respect. The Rotator also has some red parts, usually those which are important, so it may be a bit more user-friendly, but nothing significant.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, Shark Navigator and Shark Rotator models are more like siblings than they are competitors. Differences between them are subtle, and it all comes down to your preferences. You cannot go horribly wrong with choosing one over the other, so do not break a sweat. Keep in mind that there are more models in both the Rotator and Navigator series and that they all differ, but we presented some of the general differences and similarities. Hope it helps! Good luck!

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