Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away Upright Vacuum, Red (NV501)

I purchased my Shark Rotator Professional Lift away vacuum several years ago when my old vacuum stopped working. It works perfectly yet. I love seeing results and the fact that you can see through the dirt cup filling up with dust and debris brings much satisfaction. You can hear it picking up literally the smallest crumbs which I also love. It's lightweight and swivels so smoothly and it's low profile base gets under the edges of our beds and recliner very easily without using the hose attachment or moving furniture. The only downfall which isn't even an issue because I love this vacuum so much is that the cord isn't retractable. Both filters are incredibly easy to change too which is huge for efficiency and suction power. The price seemed about average for vacuums ... MoreI purchased my Shark Rotator Professional Lift away vacuum several years ago when my old vacuum stopped working. It works perfectly yet. I love seeing results and the fact that you can see through the dirt cup filling up with dust and debris brings much satisfaction. You can hear it picking up literally the smallest crumbs which I also love. It's lightweight and swivels so smoothly and it's low profile base gets under the edges of our beds and recliner very easily without using the hose attachment or moving furniture. The only downfall which isn't even an issue because I love this vacuum so much is that the cord isn't retractable. Both filters are incredibly easy to change too which is huge for efficiency and suction power. The price seemed about average for vacuums I was looking at. If you're interested in this but the price is too high for you, wait until around black Friday as I've seen these for almost $100 off at Kohls.

I bought this off Amazon for $269 roughly a year ago after everyone in a Facebook group suggested I check out the shark vacuums. It works so much better than the cheaper vacuums I’ve always bought from Wal Mart. This one has lights and the sucking power is strong. You can even adjust the suction power with a dial at the top. I don’t bother using any of the attachments when I use the hose and have no complaints. It does require filters or filter cleanings and the cup on the front pops off for easy disposal. It could be a better design for the pop off compartment so that’s why I’m giving it 4 stars. I always seem to spill just a little when I’m emptying it into the trash. This vacuum is still going strong and I do recommend it to anyone asking for a great brand. The ... MoreI bought this off Amazon for $269 roughly a year ago after everyone in a Facebook group suggested I check out the shark vacuums. It works so much better than the cheaper vacuums I’ve always bought from Wal Mart. This one has lights and the sucking power is strong. You can even adjust the suction power with a dial at the top. I don’t bother using any of the attachments when I use the hose and have no complaints. It does require filters or filter cleanings and the cup on the front pops off for easy disposal. It could be a better design for the pop off compartment so that’s why I’m giving it 4 stars. I always seem to spill just a little when I’m emptying it into the trash. This vacuum is still going strong and I do recommend it to anyone asking for a great brand. The biggest pro for me is it works on my hardwood floors and my rugs! There’s even an indicator light that flashes red if something had your roller clogged.

4 dogs, 3 cats and a flood…it’s still going strong

Bought this about 7 years ago off a tv shopping channel. It came with all the accessories and a steam mop for $400. It’s still going strong. My son who is the real test of a vacuum as he just vacuums without paying attention and always vacuums something he shouldn’t. It comes apart so we can remove the offending item. The motor is as strong as ever. It even survived a flooded basement. It started right up after it dried out. Did I mention at the time of purchase we had 4 dogs (including a German shepherd who sheeted like a champ.) and 3 cats. It’s gotten relegated to 2nd vac status as we just got a Vertex. I’m a committed Shark customer now. Before this vacuum we had Kenmores, Electroluxes, Hoovers and Bissells, none were as good as or lasted as well as my Shark.

About 6 Years Strong

My husband got me this vacuum about 6 years ago and it is still going. I use it daily, sometimes light duty on the floors (tile, hardwood) carpet and area rugs, just a basic vacuum throughout. Every so often I use it for "heavy" duty where it goes all day on furniture, blinds, baseboards, cabinets, fans, air purifiers, etc. I absolutely love this vacuum and how versatile it is.All of the attachments are used depending on what I'm cleaning, but each of them does a great job. I love that I'm able to use the hose and wand or just the hose with the attachments.The canister caddy is really nice to have for when I'm "dusting" or vacuum above floor. I'm able to put the canister right on the caddy and just go along without having to hold/carry the canister.I do ... MoreMy husband got me this vacuum about 6 years ago and it is still going. I use it daily, sometimes light duty on the floors (tile, hardwood) carpet and area rugs, just a basic vacuum throughout. Every so often I use it for "heavy" duty where it goes all day on furniture, blinds, baseboards, cabinets, fans, air purifiers, etc. I absolutely love this vacuum and how versatile it is.All of the attachments are used depending on what I'm cleaning, but each of them does a great job. I love that I'm able to use the hose and wand or just the hose with the attachments.The canister caddy is really nice to have for when I'm "dusting" or vacuum above floor. I'm able to put the canister right on the caddy and just go along without having to hold/carry the canister.I do maintain the vacuum by taking it apart (canister, hose, wand, filters, etc) and cleaning it all every month or so. Usually weekly or a few times a week (depending on use) I clean out the brushroll and check the attachments to make sure theres no clogs.This vacuum really runs well and still has powerful suction after all these years. Its reliable and i really love it.We are looking into a new vacuum which would be either the Apex DuoClean with ZeroM or the Rotator Pro DuoClean with Zero M. Even though our current one runs well, I really like the DuoClean and ZeroM options in the new vacuums.

Excitement turned Disappointment

After months of research and deliberation on what vacuum to buy I purchased the Shark Rotator Professional Lift Away (NV501). Several friends had recently purchased this model & recommended it. Several other friends had Dyson & recommended those. Initially I was SO pleased with this vacuum. The amount of dirt it took up made me feel like I'd been living in filth my whole life. This honeymoon period lasted nearly a year before things went downhill. First the hose tore between the folds at the top near the handle. Then one of the thin red plastic pieces on the bottom of the brush roll housing cracked. It started losing its turning ease. I've looked at replacement parts however there is no option to purchase individual parts such as a new brush roll or just the very ... MoreAfter months of research and deliberation on what vacuum to buy I purchased the Shark Rotator Professional Lift Away (NV501). Several friends had recently purchased this model & recommended it. Several other friends had Dyson & recommended those. Initially I was SO pleased with this vacuum. The amount of dirt it took up made me feel like I'd been living in filth my whole life. This honeymoon period lasted nearly a year before things went downhill. First the hose tore between the folds at the top near the handle. Then one of the thin red plastic pieces on the bottom of the brush roll housing cracked. It started losing its turning ease. I've looked at replacement parts however there is no option to purchase individual parts such as a new brush roll or just the very bottom of the casing. By the time I purchase a new hose and base motor unit I may as well just buy a whole new vacuum!For something so expensive I feel it should last at least a few years without requiring major replacements.Think I'll go back to buying a new vacuum every year vs spending hundreds on something that only performs like new for the first year.(Of note, I used this under normal conditions in my home with weekly vacuuming. I am 40 years old so no wild crazy acrobatics or daredevil stunts while using it. I have cleaned the filters monthly & replaced them every 3 months)

Great for deep cleaning but lacks standard needs

This does get your carpet clean, a deep clean. It does come with a 30 foot cord for ease of moving around. What I don't care about the vacuum is ... 1. it's not a self-propelling vacuum, so pushing it on plush, or even a high quality brand of thickness carpet gives you quite a workout, and does take endurance. 2. Only 2 of the 5 attachments will store on the unit at any give time, and some will not store on it at all. You would just use the attachment when needed, and then store the attachment back in a closet. It needs to store all of the attachments on it for ease, and organization. 3. For the price, it is cheaply "plastically" made. Finally, If you are going to pay retail price, or even half the retail price, it should be not be so cheaply made of a product as a ... MoreThis does get your carpet clean, a deep clean. It does come with a 30 foot cord for ease of moving around. What I don't care about the vacuum is ... 1. it's not a self-propelling vacuum, so pushing it on plush, or even a high quality brand of thickness carpet gives you quite a workout, and does take endurance. 2. Only 2 of the 5 attachments will store on the unit at any give time, and some will not store on it at all. You would just use the attachment when needed, and then store the attachment back in a closet. It needs to store all of the attachments on it for ease, and organization. 3. For the price, it is cheaply "plastically" made. Finally, If you are going to pay retail price, or even half the retail price, it should be not be so cheaply made of a product as a whole, and should include a self-propelling motor, and it should contain all of the attachments stored on the unit at all times. If you have berber carpet (which is small thickness), and tile or wood floors you may enjoy this vacuum not being self-propelled, but for those with a quality thickness of carpet ... not so much. If this had a self-propelled motor which even the cheapest of vacuums come with that, and if it stored all of the attachments simultaneously, at it's current retail price ... everyone who vacuums would own it, therefore, making it the perfect vacuum of all time. However, to do something standard that even the cheapest of vacuums already offer to make this one perfect, they'd probably raise or double the price which would turn off most consumers. Great suction power for deep clean is all this really offers. In our home this vacuum will only be used as a monthly deep cleaning, and we will do the rest of the weeks with our other one, as it's more convenient for daily to several times a week use.

Shark Vacuums Rock!!

So I had to write about this vacuum which in my terms after owning Dyson and several other high end brands blows them all out of the water. Think about those huge Hoovers and other brands that have attachments hanging all over....clunky and heavy....why?My very first Shark was purchased in 2007 and to this day sucks as good as a new one and I am finally replacing the hose after it has aged and cracked. I had my neighbor vacuum his place the best he could with his $450.00 Hoover with lights that made it look like Jesus was coming. I came behind him and vacuumed with his wife there and filled two canisters full of powdery carpet fresh and lots of pet hair. Understand that my Shark was under $300.00 and was much smaller with comparable stated power, needless to say his ... MoreSo I had to write about this vacuum which in my terms after owning Dyson and several other high end brands blows them all out of the water. Think about those huge Hoovers and other brands that have attachments hanging all over....clunky and heavy....why?My very first Shark was purchased in 2007 and to this day sucks as good as a new one and I am finally replacing the hose after it has aged and cracked. I had my neighbor vacuum his place the best he could with his $450.00 Hoover with lights that made it look like Jesus was coming. I came behind him and vacuumed with his wife there and filled two canisters full of powdery carpet fresh and lots of pet hair. Understand that my Shark was under $300.00 and was much smaller with comparable stated power, needless to say his wife said to take his Hoover back. This year "2019" I purchased one for the Harley Davidson shop I manage and now 7 employees are proud owners after using the one here at the shop. The suction power is almost unmatched and the filtration system is great leaving almost zero visible dust particles in the air. Here is the only thing I would do if you order directly from Shark, both of mine came with the extended cords which make it really nice when you have large areas. The attachments make it possible to get in almost every corner, the swivel action makes it easy to hit corners and hard to reach areas. So to sum this all up. this vacuum rocks, for the price and the quality, it can't be beat!!!

Suction on carpet is poor!

Pros: suction in lift-away/hose mode, attachment options, lift-away function, lighted pathwayCons: poor suction in carpet mode! I must depend on the roller brush to grab anything. In the ~3 years I've owned this (purchased at Best Buy) we've had to do a thorough clean and semi-dismantling of the machine twice to try to keep the suction up during carpet mode. Alas, we've never been able to discover what caused the suction to vanish in this setting. We regularly remove the hair from the roller brush and check all the typical places where things tend to get caught, plus have washed the filters thoroughly, once a year. For reference, we use this vacuum once a month during full house clean, along with other cleaning devices. Also, the slot where the hose gets popped ... MorePros: suction in lift-away/hose mode, attachment options, lift-away function, lighted pathwayCons: poor suction in carpet mode! I must depend on the roller brush to grab anything. In the ~3 years I've owned this (purchased at Best Buy) we've had to do a thorough clean and semi-dismantling of the machine twice to try to keep the suction up during carpet mode. Alas, we've never been able to discover what caused the suction to vanish in this setting. We regularly remove the hair from the roller brush and check all the typical places where things tend to get caught, plus have washed the filters thoroughly, once a year. For reference, we use this vacuum once a month during full house clean, along with other cleaning devices. Also, the slot where the hose gets popped into place to keep it from swinging around doesn't hold the hose well, although that's not that big of a deal. The suction, however, IS.Personal complaints: I often reach for the vacuum, intending to use only the hose-wand and crevice tools and am prevented by the cord that I've carefully wrapped/hung up. That's annoying but I suspect to also be the case with other corded vacs. Additionally, when using the hose-wand in either upright or lift-away mode, one risks the canister (or whole vacuum!) falling over if the hose is extended too far. Or, the canister might just slide across the hardwood floor like a boomerang and hit me. And maybe still fall over.

Thee best Shark model by far!

I’ve had this model for about 5 years and yes occasionally you’ll have to cut some hair off the powdered brush if you have long hair or girls around or just heavy traffic I guess but that takes literally 20 seconds. Grab a pair of scissors, cut the hair and pull it out. Any vacuum with a brush is going to eventually wrap up hair! The vacuum has one killer motor, it cleans like nothing I’ve ever seen. I’m continuously impressed by the vast amount of dander, dust, and allergens it grabs every single time! I love how the handle comes off to clean small areas such as my couch cushions, behind furniture, etc. (I have this model which cane with ALL the attachments so I may have paid a bit more but it was definitely worth it) the only other difference is the colors. Mine ... MoreI’ve had this model for about 5 years and yes occasionally you’ll have to cut some hair off the powdered brush if you have long hair or girls around or just heavy traffic I guess but that takes literally 20 seconds. Grab a pair of scissors, cut the hair and pull it out. Any vacuum with a brush is going to eventually wrap up hair! The vacuum has one killer motor, it cleans like nothing I’ve ever seen. I’m continuously impressed by the vast amount of dander, dust, and allergens it grabs every single time! I love how the handle comes off to clean small areas such as my couch cushions, behind furniture, etc. (I have this model which cane with ALL the attachments so I may have paid a bit more but it was definitely worth it) the only other difference is the colors. Mine has dark blue where the red is shown. I absolutely love how I can detach the base when going up stairs as shown in the photo. I don’t use the tiny “car part cleaners” which also came with the bulk of attachments but I guess it’s there if I were to ever need it. My fav attachment is the smaller roller brush that literally eats every cat hair off my dining room chairs and wherever else I need it. Anyway I suppose I could go on but you get my drift. By the way of course after awhile the vacuum will accumulate dust around the base and hose (I’ve seen someone post photos here of their dirty vacuum lol) but it’s a vacuum! It’s going to get dirty! My last thought pertains to the newest model I believe, the NV1000 with the “self cleaning brush” or double brush very bulky looking one. Although I haven’t used it, I personally don’t think it is going to sell much in the end. I say that with regards to the current reviews and complaints along with the marketing aspect in mind. What I conclude is just logical: once again as long as there is a revolving brush or in this case 2 rolling brushes, in time there WILL BE a hair issue as long as there are women, girls, and pets around. Stick to this model.

great upright vacuum with design flaw corrected

I am a highly experienced electronic repair technician. I just rebuilt a Shark Rotator Professional lift-away vacuum. Of course users fail to replace or clean all three filters causing loss of suction. Cleaning these with warm water and dawn dish soap works best.The unit claims to have thermal monitoring protection on the brush roll base and its design is causing the complaints of failure to work on carpeting in consumer homes. There is no thermal sensor. It uses a D.C. motor to a circuit board where a series low ohm current drop resistor exists. When the motor is slowed , thwe motor draws more current which lowers the resistence in the moter resistor series circuit causing increased voltage drop on the resistor triggering the circuit and activating the motors ... MoreI am a highly experienced electronic repair technician. I just rebuilt a Shark Rotator Professional lift-away vacuum. Of course users fail to replace or clean all three filters causing loss of suction. Cleaning these with warm water and dawn dish soap works best.The unit claims to have thermal monitoring protection on the brush roll base and its design is causing the complaints of failure to work on carpeting in consumer homes. There is no thermal sensor. It uses a D.C. motor to a circuit board where a series low ohm current drop resistor exists. When the motor is slowed , thwe motor draws more current which lowers the resistence in the moter resistor series circuit causing increased voltage drop on the resistor triggering the circuit and activating the motors disconnect relay turning off motor. Although it does much to protect the motor in case of armature freezing with current applied. It makes the consumer unhappy because they cant vacuum carpets as they expect to paying almost 400 dollars for this nice vacuum. The fast fix is simply taking a soldering iron and lifting on side of the feed back silicon diode and reassembling unit. Now you will find the brush roll attachment actually works and does an awesome cleaning job on any carpet. Be sure to use caution and not pick up things that will jam the brush roller and break the belt. If this happens please turn off vacuum unplug and remove obstruction from brush roller. Then plug back in and finish vacuuming. I hope this helps others, mine is now issue less and working awesome.