“Shark thought of just about everything when making this well-engineered machine.”
- Works well on hard floors, carpets, and area rugs
- Picks up pet hair
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
- Affordable price
- Dust cup could be larger
- Vacuum hose is difficult to click back into place
In this age of smart home technology and robot vacuums that clean your floors, an upright vacuum doesn’t seem all that glamorous. However, a good upright is still essential for most homes, especially those with pets. You also need an upright vacuums with attachments to reach high places, and most people pull out the upright when it’s time for that weekly or biweekly big house cleaning. One of the huge downsides to using an upright vacuum. however, is that the better-performing vacuums are often heavy or cumbersome.
Shark, a brand known for creating some of the best vacuums with affordable price tags, recently came out with a new vacuum called the Shark Apex UpLight Corded LiftAway. Shark claims it offers full-sized power in a lightweight machine that’s easy to manage. I tested out the Apex UpLight to see if this little vac was as powerful as it sounded. Here’s my full review of the Shark Apex UpLight Corded LiftAway.
Out of the box
When I opened the box, I found a pod that houses the motor, filtration system, and dust cup. The vacuum’s hose was also connected to the main pod. There was also a floor nozzle with dual brush rolls, a wand that connects the pod to the floor nozzle, a holder for the accessories, a crevice tool, and a pet multitool.
Assembling the vacuum was incredibly intuitive and simple, and the process took less than5 minutes. The assembled vacuum was pretty lightweight at 10.7 pounds, and it was incredibly easy to maneuver and move from room to room.
So much … dog hair
The first thing I vacuumed with the Apex UpLight was the front entryway area rug. I have a yellow lab, and she sheds … a lot. This is her favorite chill spot. I think she just lays there all day hoping the pizza delivery man will come to the door. I use a robot vacuum for pet hair to clean my floors daily, including the area rug my dog has claimed as her domain. However, when I ran the UpLight over the area rug, I was shocked at the amount of dog hair that came up. It was probably enough hair to cover another dog. I couldn’t see the hair before vacuuming, so it must have been embedded deep into the rug’s fibers.
The Apex UpLight has Hypervelocity accelerated suction, which allows for a direct air path and stronger suction.
The Apex UpLight has Hypervelocity accelerated suction, which allows for a direct air path and stronger suction. I could see my dog’s hair circling around as it accumulated in the dust cup with each push of the vacuum.
Smart brushroll design
Shark’s DuoClean technology is designed to allow the soft brush to polish and clean floors, while a separate brush roll cleans carpets. The Apex UpLight‘s soft brush roll grabs dust and small particles from hard surfaces, and a self-cleaning brush roll deep cleans carpets and grabs up hair.
How does the self-cleaning brushroll work? As you clean with the Apex UpLight, a built-in comb-like mechanism goes over the brushroll and cleans the hair and debris to keep it functioning at its best. There are also four metal wires that go across the self-cleaning brushroll, which help prevent long hairs from tangling in the brush.
Vacuuming in the dark? No problem
The Apex UpLight has LED lights on the front of the floor nozzle that illuminate pet hair, dust, and dirt on the floor. This allowed me to use the Apex UpLight in any lighting condition. It also made it possible for me to see tiny crumbs, dog hairs, and dirt particles I typically can’t see when I vacuum with a different unit.
Accessories and cool perks
As the days passed and I continued to clean with the Apex UpLight, I realized just how much thought and consideration went into this machine and the user’s experience. There are quite a few well-designed features that make this vacuum stand out.
On the back of the floor nozzle sit two wheels, so the vacuum stands up securely when it’s not in use. When you angle the vacuum and begin cleaning, the wheels automatically retract and the dual brushrolls begin to spin.
Two separate brushrolls deep clean carpets and grab up hair.
The vacuum completely disassembles, allowing me to carry only the main pod and hose when I want to vacuum furniture, curtains, or stairs. I can also remove the floor nozzle, and use the pod and wand, or I can attach a brush to the end of the wand.
The accessories conveniently attach to the unit’s wand, so I can access them at any time. Speaking of the accessories, they are also extremely well-designed. The crevice tool, which is 8-inches long, has a brush tool that slides along its shaft. I can snap the brush onto the end of the crevice tool when I want to use it, and then I can slide it back down when I want to use the crevice tool without the brush. The pet multitool has a brush and an upholstery tool that fits nicely inside of the brush. I can use the brush or snap it off and use the upholstery tool when I need to grab up stubborn hairs from my couch.
The Apex UpLight is also allergy friendly. It uses a HEPA filter to capture and trap more than 99.9 percent of dust, dirt, and allergens (based on ASTM F1977 of particles 0.3 microns and larger).
Vacuum hose woes
I mentioned before how the Apex UpLight completely disassembles so I can carry only the lightweight pod and hose around the house to clean furniture and stairs. However, I am unable to use the hose while the vacuum is fully assembled, which I found just a bit annoying. The hose is also a bit tricky to put back in place. It has to be in exactly the right position. Aside from a few quirks with the hose, I didn’t really have any issues with the Apex UpLight.
Warranty information
The Shark APEX UpLight Corded Lift-Away Vacuum comes with a 5-year limited warranty.
Our Take
Overall, the Apex UpLight is a really solid vacuum, and Shark thought of just about everything when making this well-engineered machine. Of course, it could be lighter, but it’s certainly lightweight (especially when you use only the LiftAway Pod and hose), and the vacuum is unlikely to cause any back strain.
Is there a better alternative?
You can pick up the Apex UpLight for around $200, which is an excellent price for this unit. Given the Apex UpLight’s affordable price tag and exceptional performance, you’d be hard-pressed to find many better alternatives. Dyson offers lightweight vacuums with powerful suction that work well on multiple floor surfaces (i.e.. the Dyson V8 Absolute). But unless you find an awesome deal, you’re going to pay more if you opt for a Dyson (the V8 Absolute costs at least $350 on sale, and even the older models, like the V6s and V7s, are at least $275).
Shark also has other comparable options, like the Apex DuoClean Zero-M (which sells for $250). But while the Zero-M offers many of the same features as the Apex UpLight, the Zero-M doesn’t have the LiftAway feature or the self-standing wheels, nor does it have complete anti-allergen sealing.
Want cordless options? Check out the best cordless vacuums for 2020.
How long will it last?
The components all feel extremely sturdy and well-made. Plus, with the impressive 5-year limited warranty, this vacuum should last for years with proper care and maintenance.
Should you buy it?
Yes. If you want a lightweight upright vacuum that will work on hard floors, carpets, area rugs, and furniture, as well as pick up pet hair, you should absolutely buy the Shark APEX UpLight Corded Lift-Away Vacuum.
Hoping to get a discount on these appliances? Check out the best vacuum cleaner deals we’ve found today.
Editors' Recommendations
- Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni boasts a new square design and improved vacuuming skills
- iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop is perfect for high-pile carpet
- Best Dyson deals: Save on hair dryer, fans and cordless vacuums
- SwitchBot S10 robot vacuum connects to your plumbing for fully automated mopping
- Best cordless vacuum deals: Get a stick vacuum for under $100
