How Long Do Shark Vacuums Last?

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byPenny
How Long Do Shark Vacuums Last?

I bought my Shark cordless vacuum in July 2018. At the time of writing it is over three years old. I’m pleased to report it is still going strong and works as well as it did when I bought it. I love my Shark cordless vacuum and recommend it to everybody who asks.

During my research, one of the biggest concerns I had was how long the Shark vacuum would last. I’ve owned my Miele bagged vacuum for at least 15 years and it still works great, but I was slightly worried about this one since it has a battery. It’s difficult to predict the life of a vacuum because models change all the time and you can never find someone who has owned the particular vacuum you want long term unless you do a bit of time travelling!

My Shark cordless vacuum works as well as the day I bought it after three years of use. These types of vacuum are predicted to last five to eight years. I fully expect my vacuum to last at least another three years if I take the time to look after it. Hopefully, it will last much longer than that.

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It took me a little while to choose my new vacuum. I looked around for the best cordless vacuum for several weeks before I settled on a Shark. I didn’t have a huge budget, certain brands were immediately out for me, such as Dyson.

Related reading:

At the time I bought my Shark vacuum we didn’t have a pet. But now we have our dog Xena it has been a godsend because it picks up her hair brilliantly. Plus, it has a HEPA filter so my vacuum doesn’t smell like dog and I don’t spread more dust around. As soon as I notice hair I can quickly get the vacuum out without having to fiddle around with cables.

our dog xena
Our dog xena

Related reading:

I have a Shark Duoclean Cordless stick vacuum and it is guaranteed for five years so I would expect it to last for at least that time if the manufacturer is confident enough to guarantee it for that long.

Shark ION F80 Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum with MultiFLEX, DuoClean for Carpet & Hardfloor, Hand Vacuum Mode, and (2) Removable Batteries (IF281)
Shark ION F80 Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum with MultiFLEX, DuoClean for Carpet & Hardfloor, Hand Vacuum Mode, and (2) Removable Batteries (IF281)

Read on to find out what I do to look after my Shark cordless vacuum to ensure it has a long life.

How long do Shark cordless vacuums last?

As I said, my Shark cordless vacuum is going strong after three years. I believe the suction is as good as it was when I bought it.

When I did my research I read that Shark vacuums should last anywhere from three to eight years. I’m pretty confident that my Shark should last the full eight years or more bearing in mind its current working order, which is just as good as when I bought it.

It’s tricky to predict with any accuracy how long a vacuum should last because it depends on how you use it of course.

To give you an idea, let’s talk about how I use my Shark cordless stick vacuum.

  1. It isn’t my main vacuum. The Shark battery lasts about 20mins which is fine for a quick clean up but isn’t long enough to vacuum the whole house. I didn’t buy an extra battery because I didn’t think I would need to use it for longer than one battery would last. For a deep clean, I use my Miele bagged vacuum which I also love.
  2. Sometimes I whip out my Bissell instead. We have mainly hard floors downstairs with a couple of rugs. The rugs attract hair and debris so when that happens I use my Bissell Sturdy Sweep which picks up brilliantly and needs no power because it is manual.
  3. Often I use a Swiffer on hard floors. I also like my Swiffer for dusting the floor because that picks up dust and hair well without having to use power.

So, bearing in mind the other tools I use to clean my floors, I take my Shark cordless out probably about 3 to 5 times per week.

Cordless vacuums aren’t designed to be used constantly because they will simply run out of battery. If you have a large house with a couple of pets then 20 minutes of use time isn’t going to be enough to keep your house clean and you would very probably want to have a corded vacuum on standby. I think the manufacturers probably know that and make their predictions on how long a vacuum will last based on that kind of usage.

Another thing I take into account too is suction. The Shark cordless isn’t as powerful as my Miele vacuum. If I need to do a deep clean on carpets I will always choose the Miele over the Shark. I bought it for quick cleanups so that is no big deal for me. If you have hard floors then suction isn’t a factor like it is for carpet owners.

I don’t expect my Shark cordless to last as long as my Miele bagged vacuum. Miele vacuums are known for their longevity and that is certainly my experience.

However, I will do everything in my power to make my Shark last the longest time possible! Read on to find out how I care for it.

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How long does a Shark cordless vacuum take to charge?

As I said, I tend to use my Shark vacuum for quick cleanups. If it runs out of battery I simply put it away for charging and get out my corded vacuum. Or, simply put off the cleaning!

When it runs out of battery completely it takes about 2-3 hours to charge back to maximum level.

If you are finding that your Shark runs out before you finished cleaning I recommend you buy another battery and simply switch it out and continue vacuuming. The manufacturers have made it very easy to remove the battery. You can have the other battery charged and ready to swap in.

Shark XBAT200 Ion Battery, Black
Shark XBAT200 Ion Battery, Black

How long does the battery in the Shark cordless vacuum last?

It’s difficult to say with accuracy how long you can vacuum with a Shark before you have to recharge it again. That is because there are different speed levels. If you use the lowest power you should get 20 minutes of use which will reduce the suction and brush rotation speed.

You can turn up the suction for carpets and you can turn up the speed of the brushes which is also optimal for carpet cleaning.

When I clean a hard floor I have all the dials turned down because you don’t need high speed or suction. When I go to vacuum a rug I dial up the power.

Now, of course, there is another question to answer. How long does the battery in the Shark cordless last before you have to buy a new one?

This was a buying factor when I did my research because the replacement Shark batteries are quite expensive. I almost bought the corded version instead because I was concerned about the battery life. But, I’m happy to report that after three years of use the battery is still very good with no signs of needing to be replaced.

How long should I expect the Shark battery to last?

The battery in the Shark vacuum is a lithium-ion. These batteries have a life of about 1,000 charges from flat to fully charged. Based on one charge per day, this could mean that the Shark battery could last approximately 3 years.

I don’t charge my Shark every day which is probably why it is still going strong after three years of use. Fortunately, when it does degrade I can buy another battery without having to buy a whole new vacuum. Since the vacuum is very good it is worth the expense.

How to look after your Shark vacuum so it lasts longer

How to look after the vacuum

Looking at the reviews, some folks say the Shark vacuum easily clogs and loses suction.

It is true that you can’t use it to vacuum up big stuff. Once I tried to vacuum up the leaves that had collected in our garage. It was a big fail because I ended up having to take it apart to unblock the pipes. Now I only attempt to pick up normal household debris. For anything bigger, I use my Miele vacuum instead.

However, it is not true that it loses suction. If you keep it maintained then suction always remains high.

Here is what you need to do to keep your Shark cordless vacuum working at its best:

  1. At least once per month – change the filters. The Shark cordless filters are washable and easily switched out. I recommend you buy a second set so you always have clean filters to hand.
  2. At least once every couple of months – clean the brush. Clean out the brush head removing hair and debris that has built up in and around the brush.
  3. Regularly empty the dust canister. You can’t let this fill up. I empty it very regularly sometimes after every use.

Also, keep aware of the usual sound it makes. If it changes or loses suction check the above and also check the pipes are not blocked. Fortunately, the Shark vacuum will cut out and flash so you know that something is up that you can sort out before any damage occurs. 99% of the time it is because the dust cup needs emptying or the filter needs attention.

How to look after the battery

My model of Shark cordless vacuum has a lithium-ion battery. To be quite honest I don’t do anything special to look after the battery other than keeping it charged. I know that you shouldn’t let rechargeable batteries get too low or leave them discharged for too long.

Here are some tips for keeping your Shark cordless vacuum battery fully maintained:

  1. Keep it charged. Avoid draining it and leaving it uncharged.
  2. Keep it at room temperature. Avoid excessive high and low temperatures.
  3. Don’t keep it plugged in. When it is charged unplug it from the mains.
  4. Always use the original charger. To be honest I don’t know if any other charger will fit so that one is easily done!

Frequently asked questions

Do Shark vacuums have a warranty?

My Shark vacuum came with a five-year manufacturer’s guarantee and a two-year manufacturer’s guarantee on the battery. I am in the UK the warranty in your locality may vary.

Do Shark vacuums have a lifetime warranty?

No, Shark vacuums do not have a lifetime warranty. In the UK it is five years for the vacuum and two years for the battery.

Sparkling Penny

Penny | Sparkling Penny

Penny’s expert cleaning advice has been featured repeatedly by Homes and Gardens Magazine, and also at wikiHow, The Daily Express Newspaper, and Glam Magazine to name a few! SparklingPenny.com was founded in 2019 and has since helped millions of people achieve a cleaner living space.


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