Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away Review

Another new Shark release is the Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away. It’s an upgraded version of the ancient ION P50, equipped with the latest DuoClean nozzle, which makes it better at cleaning long hair strands – one of the best I’ve tested.

There are other subtle updates, such as the new screen interface with reconfigured switches, but the general structure remains the same, from the dustbin to the powered lift-away feature.

I wouldn’t classify this as a cordless stick vacuum, but rather as an upright, due to its dustbin placement in the middle and large capacity.

But it’s more versatile than the traditional upright because of the Lift-Away feature so that it can function as a canister vacuum with the hose and additional tools.

How good is this product? Learn more in this review.

Introduction to the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away

The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is one of this space’s (more) unique products.

It’s a cordless vacuum, but it resembles an upright vacuum in terms of capacity (1.28 liters).

This model is an upgraded version of the ION P50, which was released several years ago but is no longer in production.

The upgrades helped address the ION P50 issues, primarily its inability to resist hair tangles and the shorter run time.

All Shark Vertex products feature the enhanced DuoClean nozzle, which includes combs and plastic fins, providing improved agitation and hair pickup.

Duo Clean Nozzle

Shark pioneered the twin brush system in cordless vacuums and may hold a patent, as other brands don’t utilize this feature.

The latest version features more bristles, fins, and combs, which help it avoid hair tangles, even with longer hair strands that exceed seven inches.

It has the same six-LED system to illuminate its path, but it won’t be as good as the Dyson green laser accentuating dust.

One plus for this nozzle is that it’s not heavily reliant on airflow to pick up debris since the two brushes do the heavy lifting.

Handle Controls

Another upgrade Shark has incorporated into this product is the handle controls, which provide consumers with more options and control over suction and brush roll rotation.

The older ION P50 only had two suction setting options, while the Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away has three, thanks to a separate button on the right.

Also, there’s no need to continually press a button to access the max setting, which is a plus for usability.

Large Dustbin

One of the most significant advantages of this product is its large dustbin capacity (1.28 liters), which places it in the upright vacuum category.

Even with the large-capacity container, its placement doesn’t hinder ergonomics, as most of it is near the base, giving this product an upright vacuum feel.

It features a large opening that allows consumers to open it from both the top and bottom, making it easier to clean.

I also tested if it has a fully sealed system by conducting a fog test to check for leaks.

There are no significant leaks based on the test, only slight ones at the bottom of the dustbin. This is excellent news for allergy sufferers, as most allergens will not seep through the exhaust.

Filtration

It features a two-filter system, consisting of a primary foam filter and a HEPA filter located beside the battery.

These filters are located on opposite sides of the vacuum.

Only the foam filter is washable and is located underneath the hose.

While the HEPA is beside the battery, you’ll need to remove it to access it.

Battery

This cordless vacuum features a detachable 2900 mAh lithium-ion battery, providing a maximum run time of over 54 minutes with the Duo Clean nozzle in hard floor mode (at the lowest setting).

The 54-minute figure is almost 20 minutes longer than the ION P50, representing a significant improvement.

Also, the battery’s detachability enables consumers to increase run time by purchasing an extra.

Powered Lift-Away

Another innovation by Shark is the “Powered Lift Away,” where the dustbin detaches from the frame, allowing canister-like versatility for an otherwise bulky vacuum.

The most significant benefit of the Powered Lift-Away is its ability to clean deep under low-clearance furniture.

2-in-1 Versatility

One underrated benefit of the Lift-Away feature is the option to clean above floors, similar to a canister vacuum.

It comes with three additional tools, similar to those found on the Vertex Pro cordless.

1. Crevice tool
2. Upholstery tool with a brush insert
3. Under appliance tool.

However, these tools don’t have a locking mechanism and only rely on friction, so it’s not as secure.

Another downside is the lack of a motorized turbo brush, which hampers its efficiency and ability to clean hair from fabric upholstery – another FYI.

How long will the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away run?

The larger battery enables this product to run for longer than the ION P50, with an additional 20 minutes of runtime using the Duo Clean nozzle.

I tested it by running it from a full charge to empty at every setting in the hard floor and carpet settings – check the results below.

Hard Floor Mode

• Low: 54:35 mins
• Mid: 38:50 mins
• Max:

Carpet Mode

• Low: 
• Mid: 33.23 mins
• Max: 12:08 mins

How much airflow does the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away have?

Since the Shark Vertex products utilize the Duo Clean nozzle, don’t expect a lot of power.

I tested it at the extension tube and nozzle, and here are the results.

• Low: 15.68 CFM
• Mid: 18.52 CFM
• Max: 21.51 CFM

And at the extension wand.

• Low: 26.64 CFM
• Mid: 29.7 CFM
• Max: 48.72 CFM

It had over 48 CFM at the wand but only 21 CFM at the nozzle – a below-average figure for stick vacuums.

I’m guessing this is by design to extend the range, as the Duo Clean nozzle’s twin brushes will agitate more effectively than a traditional brush roll.

Cleaning Performance

• Overall: 96.73%
• Hard Floor: 97.8%
• Sand on Hard Floor: 97.4%
• Carpet: 99.47%
• Deep Cleaning: 92.25%

The lack of airflow hinders the Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away’s cleaning performance in several aspects, mainly picking up heavy debris like sand.

While the Duo Clean nozzle is highly efficient, airflow is (still) critical for vacuuming debris. The heavier the dirt, the more essential the airflow is.

As you’ve seen in the previous section, the Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away Pro has a maximum airflow of 21.51 CFM at the cleaning nozzle.

Compared to a premium stick vacuum like the Dyson V15 Detect, which has an airflow of over 69 CFM, the 21 CFM figure represents a 106% reduction, resulting in a worse cleaning performance.

Hard Floor Results

• Quaker oats: 98.8%
• Coffee grounds: 98.2%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet Litter: 94.2%

This product was excellent in most hard floor cleaning experiments, except for pet litter, with a (slightly below average) score of 94.2%.

It contrasts with the Shark Vertex Cordless, which received 100% due to its higher airflow.

Therefore, consumers need to consider this variance as a potential deciding factor. Do they opt for the cheaper Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away with the extra-large dustbin or the more powerful (but costlier) Vertex Pro cordless model that can pick up heavier debris?

Sand on Hard Floor?

It’s the same issue with cleaning sand on this surface.

The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away picked up a decent 97.4%, but it’s a few percentage points lower than the Vertex Pro cordless.

Again, the lack of airflow is a factor as to why it didn’t vacuum as much.

I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re considering cleaning sand (i.e., living near a beach).

Edge Cleaning

Despite the low airflow, the Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away efficiently cleans debris at the edges.

It didn’t need too many passes to pick up the coffee grounds I scattered in this area, and there was plenty.

However, I used the carpet mode to pick up debris at the edges (along the gutter).

Hair Wrap [on Hard Floors]

One weakness of the older Duo Clean nozzle is cleaning hair because it didn’t have any system to untangle hair.

The upgraded Vertex Pro Duo Clean nozzle addresses this issue by incorporating combs and plastic fins that flank the bristles around the roller.

It got high percentages in most experiments, scoring in the 100s and 90s, even with long strands above nine inches.

• 5-inch strands: 100%
• 7-inch strands: 100%
• 9-inch strands: 100%
• 11-inch strands: 90%
• 12-inch strands: 96%

These are impressive results for a low-airflow cordless stick vacuum.

The fins help prevent hair strands from wrapping around the brush tightly and work in tandem with the combs to untangle hair as it rotates.

Carpet Results

Next, we’ll look at how the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away fared on carpets – low and mid-pile, specifically.

Low Pile Results

• Quaker oats: 97%
• Coffee grounds: 99.2%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet Litter: 100%

Strangely, this cordless vacuum performed better on low-pile carpet than on hard floors, specifically on pet litter and coffee grounds, where it achieved a few percentage points higher performance.

Please note that the carpet mode in the Shark Vertex doesn’t increase suction, but rather the brush rotation speed, causing it to spin more rapidly, which may be why it achieved a higher percentage.

One downside to this is debris scattering forward, particularly with heavy items like pet litter, which isn’t a significant issue on carpet since fabric strands will prevent debris from traveling too far.

Mid Pile Results

• Quaker oats: 99.6%
• Coffee grounds: 100%
• Quinoa: 100%
• Pet Litter: 100%

Again, excellent results were achieved, even with the low airflow, as it picked up 100% in three of the experiments.

The increased brush rotation speed helped with cleaning this surface, and I used the max setting for the closing passes, which is why it got a high percentage.

I don’t recommend using the max setting exclusively because it’ll overheat the battery and shorten its lifespan.

Deep Cleaning

Unfortunately, the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away didn’t pick up embedded sand like other brands with higher airflow.

It only achieved an average of 92.25% in two tests at the maximum setting.

I tried using the middle setting, and it got a decent score of 86.3%, which isn’t bad considering this is a low-airflow stick vacuum.

Hair Wrap [on Carpet]

This product was excellent at cleaning hair on the carpet, but it got a lower percentage with long hair strands.

• 5-inch strands: 100%
• 7-inch strands: 100%
• 9-inch strands: 90.9%
• 11-inch strands: 92%
• 12-inch strands: 82%

It picked up between 82 and 92 percent with nine and twelve-inch strands. And I used more than a gram’s worth of hair, so it’s a substantial amount.

Cleaning the brush roll isn’t difficult, as the fins prevent hair from wrapping tightly around the roller. However, you may need to use scissors to remove long strands.

The large dustbin helps it hold a lot of hair, and if you need to clean a lot of pet hair, put this product on your shortlist.

One issue with emptying debris is (long) hair wrapping around the bottom part of the dustbin; it doesn’t fall even when it opens.

But clumps of dust or shorter hair strands will fall when you open the dustbin.

How noisy is the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away?

One downside of the Shark Duo Clean nozzle is the noise, but the good news is that it’s not as loud as the Shark Vertex Pro cordless. I used a sound meter to check noise levels.

Hard Floor Mode

• Low: 71.8 dB
• Mid: 72.5 dB
• Max: 72.5 dB

Carpet Mode

• Low: 73.4 dB
• Mid: 78.0 dB
• Max: 78.3 dB

Parts Availability

Despite Shark’s growing popularity, it can’t compete with Dyson regarding parts availability.

Yes, spare parts will be available, and the SharkClean company is a reputable brand with its own R&D team; however, they are primarily available for purchase through their website.

So that’s the downside of choosing a Shark product over a Dyson.

Product Specifications

Where can I purchase the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away?

This product is available in online stores like Amazon. Please refer to the links below for the latest pricing information.

• Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away on Amazon

Disclaimer: I’ll earn a commission if you purchase through the link above, but at no extra cost, so it’s a win-win for us!

Does the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away offer excellent value?

The short answer is a resounding yes, due to its lower price point compared to the Vertex Pro cordless and its larger capacity dustbin.

This model is one of the more underrated options available. Even with its bulky frame, it offers decent versatility thanks to the Powered Lift-Away feature, allowing consumers to use it like a canister vacuum.

It doesn’t have monster airflow, but the Duo Clean nozzle has enough agitation for picking up debris, especially on carpet surfaces, where it excels.

5 Reasons to purchase the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away

1. Large capacity dustbin: The 1.28-liter volume is plenty even inside large homes unless you have many pets.
2. Competitive pricing: It’s more affordable than the Vertex Pro cordless, yet offers similar cleaning performance and versatility.
3. Above-average agitation: The Duo Clean nozzle excels at picking up surface debris, especially on carpets.
4. Better handle controls: Shark’s redesigned interface improves usability and ergonomics, as there are more power level options, and the need to continually press the max button for maximum power is eliminated.
5. Good filtration: I only noticed slight leaks during the fog test, which bodes well for those with allergies.

The Verdict: Upright-Like Volume, With Canister-Like Versatility

The Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away is a compelling option given its current pricing.

I’d recommend it over the Shark Vertex Pro cordless for several reasons, as there isn’t much variance in cleaning performance.

First, it has a large dustbin capacity and better ergonomics because of its weight distribution, similar to an upright vacuum.

Sure, it’s heavier, but the dustbin, motor, and battery placement are ideal for vacuuming floors, and it won’t be as tiring to use for extended cycles.

One issue with the lower power output is it won’t pick up heavier debris as well on hard floors, but I don’t think that’s a big issue unless you need to clean sand regularly.