Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK review

You can easily move from room to room, from hard floor to upholstery without having to switch modes or change equipment. This Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK is all about giving homeowners the freedom to clean without extra weight or problems with maneuverability. With advanced swivel steering, Shark ensures that you can get even the toughest cleaning tasks done in a matter of minutes rather than hours. Get details in Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK review.

Specifications – Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK

• Lift Away: YES
• Powered Lift Away: N/A
• Duo Clean: N/A
• Anti Hair Wrap: N/A
• Pet Powered Brush: N/A
• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal: YES 
• Cord Length: 8M
• Hose Length: 2.15M
• Dust capacity: 1.65L
• Size ( Overall): 117 x 31 x 34cm
• 2-1 Duster Crevice: YES
• Upholstery Tool: YES
• Warranty: 5 Years 

Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK comparison

Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK review

Design

At first glance, this upright vacuum device looks like any other model in the Shark range. It’s sleek, elegant, and streamlined – with a slim handle accompanied by a chunkier trunk. While this isn’t the most attractive or futuristic-looking vacuum we’ve ever seen, it doesn’t need to be. The compact design is more than enough for most households. It’s quite handy particularly when you’re looking for something that gets the job done without unnecessary bells and whistles.

The quick-start guide and instruction booklet that comes with the Shark makes it easy to start using your new investment as soon as it arrives at your doorstep. All you need to do is slot the major components together, plug your machine into a wall socket, and get going.

Cord and Hose Length

I was disappointed with the 8m cable that comes with the Shark NV601UKT. I did find myself unplugging more than I used to, and while it wasn’t a massive downside, it could have done with the extra length. I was pleased with the cable tidy on the back of the vacuum though, and it certainly made storage easier.

However, it does help that the hose is quite long at 2.15m. This gives a wider cleaning radius, and also made above floor vacuuming a lot easier, especially for someone who can never quite reach those high-up cobwebs. The other benefit of the stretchy hose is that it is much better for trying to reach as many stairs as possible. 

Turns into a Handheld

The lift-away feature of this Shark upright vacuum is probably the most impressive part of its design. It ensures that you can easily transform your standard vacuum cleaner into a lightweight hand-held unit. Just press the button on top of the device to release the handheld canister.

The lift-away canister still features a versatile and flexible hose that you can use to get into tight areas and difficult-to-reach spaces like the corners of ceilings, or your stairs. What’s more, because the hand-held is still powered by the cord, there’s no loss of suction like you get with some battery-powered cleaners. However, this does mean that you can’t easily take the device outside if you want to clean the inside of your car.

Noise & weight

A difficult-to-use vacuum cleaner can be a real headache. The only thing that makes that pain even worse is the sound of a loud and obnoxious machine. While this specific model isn’t the most whisper-quiet machine that we’ve seen on the market, it’s not the loudest option either. It measures in at around 80 decibels. That means you are definitely going to hear it, but it’s not going to leave you reaching for the paracetamol after you’ve finished cleaning.

The low noise levels of the Shark mean that you won’t dread using this unit as much as some of the other models on the market. Additionally, the machine only weighs about 6.2 kg. Once again, that’s a lot heavier than some of the smaller, cordless cleaners around. It is also lightweight enough that you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting it up and down the stairs.

Duo-Clean Tech

The main cleaner head of the Shark vacuum comes with duo-clean technology. That means that there are two efficient brush rolls working together as one on carpeted and hard floor surfaces. The soft brush roll is ideal for targeting stuck-on-dirt, while the bristle bra picks up dirt deep within the fibres of your carpet including any pet hair.

Dust Canister and Filter

A high-quality vacuum cleaner is defined not just by its suction power, usability, and performance. It is also essential to ensure that the model that you choose can improve your quality of life. This Shark vacuum device can do this by getting rid of any of the allergens and airborne particles that might lead to coughs, sneezes, and other common problems.

The dust canister in the Shark upright cleaner is about 1.6 litres in size – which is a lot more than you would get from most cordless vacuums. Additionally, because you lift the entire canister away when you’re using the portable version of the machine, you don’t have to settle for a smaller dirt container when you are vacuuming hard-to-reach areas.

Like most bagless vacuum cleaners, this machine can get a little messy when it comes to actually empty the dirt that you collect. However, the one-button functionality should mean that you can reduce your risk of ending up with dust everywhere. There’s also a sponge filter with HEPA qualities that is excellent for absorbing contaminants, along with massive amounts of dirt.

Floor headlights

To ensure that you get the best quality of clean – no matter when you do your vacuuming, the Shark comes with some pioneering LED lights built into the front of the unit too. These lights help to illuminate any of the dust and hair that you might miss under standard indoor illumination.

Combine all the functionality of the full hoover mode with the wand and lift-away features of this upright vacuum, and you should have everything you need to become the ultimate cleaning force, transforming your home into an oasis in minutes. You’ll even be able to get rid of those pesky cobwebs in the corners of your ceiling that neither you nor your partner could reach before.

Usability (Ease of Use)

Few people enjoy spending their free time cleaning. However, the chore of keeping your home tidy becomes even more exhausting and overwhelming when you have to drag a difficult-to-use machine around your house. That’s why Shark has made sure that this vacuum model is convenient and simple. The instructions and quick-start guide will give you all the information you need to begin removing dust and dirt from your rooms instantly. What’s more, you can turn on the LED lights to illuminate small particles and dirt instantly – even when it’s hiding in dark corners.

One of the things that makes the Shark particularly easy to use is that you don’t have to use the complete upright machine unless you absolutely need to. Just press a button to remove the lightweight pod from the hoover and turn your traditional device into a convenient and portable tool. This makes it much easier to clean your stairs, curtains, and ceilings with absolute freedom.

Unlimited Power Supply

The fact that the lift-away is powered means that you don’t have to worry about losing suction or brush power. You’ll still be connected to the mains, so your extendable brush can rotate and pick up embedded hair, even without suction. This makes the Shark stand out from other hoovers that rely exclusively on suction to power their extensions.

HEPA Filter Maintenance

The sponge filter slides out of the unit, so you can wash it with water and reuse it when it starts to get overly clogged. Shark recommends washing this filter at least once every three months. However, you might need to wash it more often if you have large homes or several pets. There’s also a second HEPA filter included to trap allergens and protect your family against unwanted attacks and reactions. This second filter doesn’t need to be washed as frequently, but it’s worth checking on it every so often to ensure it’s still performing well.

Accessories and Extras

Finally, the Shark vacuum unit comes equipped with some extra tools to help you get the most out of your cleaning. These handy accessories are:

Duster Crevice Tool

Ideal for cleaning hard-to-reach areas, this duster crevice tool can get right into gaps between cushions, edges of your carpet, or into the corners of your ceilings.

Upholstery Tool

Paired with an 8-metre flexible suction tube, this particular accessory is great for cleaning the furniture. Furthermore, the length of the tube can reach virtually every area of your home with very little hassle.

Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK performance review

This particular Shark model is a convenient and efficient cleaner that allows users to move freely around their home, from hard floors to carpets without having to change settings. The versatile design means that you can clean virtually any surface without a problem. What’s more, whether you’re using the portable or the upright vacuum mode, the extendable-reach wands mean that you can easily clean above the ground, too.

One particularly impressive thing about this vacuum cleaner is that it comes with various added tools and accessories that make the cleaning process more efficient. For instance, there’s a purposefully designed hair removal tool included within the main body of the vacuum cleaner, which is great for getting rid of embedded dirt.

Our Low-Pile Carpet Test Results

We like to test the results of each vacuum cleaner we get in, and so we grabbed a 1.5m strip of carpet (low-medium pile) and spread exactly 100g of debis over it. This mess was made to resemble household muck, and included things like cheerios, chilli flakes, flaxseed, and loose black tea.

After it was nicely spread, we performed a 10-second pass over the area. We then emptied the bin and measured the amount that came out, which is what the percentage in the below table represents. As you can see, it is a pretty impressive result – although not quite as good as the NV700UK/T

Our Hardwood Floor Test Results

Hard Floors. On hard floors, it picks up very well and quickly, although there was some snow ploughing with the larger debris. It did manage to pick up large clumps and debris quite efficiently, which made cleaning easier. It did struggle a little bit with fine dust.

This is likely to be because the NV601UK/T does not feature DuoClean technology that other models such as the NV700UK, which means it lacks the soft roller at the front of the main floorhead. However, I was really impressed with its ability to clean crevices, and it is one of the more efficient Shark models in this area. 

We repeated the conditions for the carpet test, except for the fact that we tested on laminate flooring instead. This is because it is the most common hard floor in the UK, and so made the most sense for our test.

You will see the results are good, but when you look at the models we have that include the soft roller, they are even better. 

Stairs. I used the lift away feature for the stairs, because there is no way the standard build would ever be able to tackle that. It was really easy to use and handle, but also did well cleaning the carpet on the stairs with the upholstery tool and the pet tool (I will talk about the latter in the next section). The power was great, and it was just a very simple job with no stress.

The wand and lift away mode combined also make floor to ceiling cleaning simpler and more versatile, with great reach so that you can access every corner of the home.

Pets. I always have a good test for pet hair because my dog sheds so much and has a double coat, which means fur that is absolutely everywhere; even on my coffee table. I vacuum every day, and it’s still somewhere.

So, the pet tool was put to the test here. I used it on my dog’s bed as well as the furniture he sleeps on (basically all of it), as well as a few tough spots on my carpet. The results were great.

I was really impressed with how clean and fur-free everything was by the time I was done. The only downside is that it’s not a powered tool, and I feel the experience could be more thorough and efficient if it was powered like some competitor brands.

Our Pet Hair Tests

To test how the Shark VN601UK/T was able to cope with pet hair, we took a five-foot strip of carpet and combed actual dog hair into it. Then, we went over it with the vacuum cleaner for 20 seconds to see how much it was able to collect.

Afterwards, we also went over the carpet with a window blade to see what was left behind. You can see the results in the table below.

We will note that this is an extreme example. However, it is an effective way of showing you just how much this vacuum cleaner is able to remove.

Our Filtration Test Results

For this test, we use what is called a particle test meter. This is where we check the environment before the test is carried out, and then once more after we have spent a good 15 seconds sucking up special international approved dust from DMT. The table below shows the results.

You can see from the above table that the results are excellent. The sealed system really works, and the number of allergens being pushed back into the air are absolutely minimal.

Our Noise Test Results

In order to test this, we placed a decibel meter three feet away from the floorhead of the vacuum and switched it on. The table below shows the results.

Shark lift-away upright vacuum cleaner NV601UK vs NV601UKT

NV601UK vs NV601UKT – what’s the difference? Well, like with pretty much every Shark vacuum cleaner, there is only one major thing that separates them.

The T in UKT stands for True Pet, and this means that it comes with a pet tool that will help you to achieve a deeper clean and really scrub their beds. It’s also perfect for using on the stairs, as well as furniture and upholstery.

Secondly, They are also different colours, with the NV601UK being electric blue, and the NV601UKT a lovely shade of Bordeaux.

Other than this, they clean the same and feature the same levels of power and suction. This is why we decided to feature the NV601UKT, it comes with the extra tool so that we can cover every possible feature. 

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