Whether you are an adherent of evolution or of creation, one thing you will have to agree on is that man has come a long way over the centuries. The common man used to live in houses made from the hide of animals, some in mud houses and yet others just camped out in the open.
With growing populations came the need to set up permanent roots, this led to all sorts of creative thinking. Houses started to get more sophisticated with increasing knowledge of woodwork and metal working.
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As early humans started to dwell in more permanent structures, the hygiene of their surroundings started to become a priority. Most of it was mainly as an attempt to dwell in a disease-free environment. At this point, class systems had already sprung up.
How the different classes achieved hygiene differed vastly. The kings and rulers employed a number of slaves who did all the work for them. The common folk had to factor in hygiene work into their everyday lives.
As time progresses, so did the technology that surrounded man. This meant that the common folk would require better solution they could use to clean their more sophisticated housing. This was mostly because as a result of industrialization, people had less time to spend on chores around the house.
One innovation would become particularly useful in achieving this endeavor. This was none other than the introduction of the vacuum cleaner. Yes, the vacuum cleaner is more of an innovation than invention. Carpet cleaners came before it and early vacuum cleaners were modelled after carpet cleaners.
A carpet cleaner used a system of brushes on rollers to collect debris and deposit them in a box that was part of the cleaner. The vacuum cleaner built upon this by adding the power of suction. However, as all early machines, these were large and cumbersome. Large enough that they needed a horse drawn carriage and operated as a door to door service.
The miniaturization of the vacuum cleaner as technology evolved was one part of the puzzle. The other part of it was mass production and as it so happened, this happened at the right time in history. Vacuum cleaners proliferated all over the developed world.
It’s inevitable that humans would continue to push the envelope on development of the vacuum cleaner in order to provide consumers with the best and latest in technology. And this bring us to the Shark Rotator Professional Upright Vacuum. Is it worth considering? Is it a straight buy? Or is it something you shouldn’t take a look at twice?
Let’s find out together.
Shark Rotator Design
Of course, over the years of development, various designs have come forth. However, most can usually be associated with certain geographical areas. For instance, even though vacuum cleaners with separate hoses and bags can be found in America, they are mostly associated with Continental Europe.
While each design is unique in its own way, each has its own merits and demerits. Shark decided you know what, instead of trying to stick to a particular style, why not go for versatility?
And that’s exactly what this vacuum cleaner is, and the game it plays. The Shark Rotator vacuum is designed to operate in the three most common modes that vacuum cleaners can be found in. These are upright vacuums, canister, or caddy and a handheld, which they call the Lift-Away.
As mentioned earlier, every continent became associated with different styles of vacuum cleaners. With North America, it is the upright, or standing vacuum cleaners that are more common. This style is also common in the UK and other Commonwealth nations.
The upright models use a cleaning head, with the handle attached to it. A canister or a bag may be attached to these handles. The suction fan is usually placed very close to the cleaning head and as it sucks up dirt and debris, it is then deposited in the bag or a canister. This arrangement makes vacuums operate as a single unit.
Because of the position of the fan next to the cleaning head, these create excellent suction power. Upright vacuums are known to be excellent carpet cleaners, and that is exactly what the Shark Rotator Professional Upright vacuum is.
The second mode in which the Shark Rotator vacuum can operate in is the canister mode, or the caddy mode. This can be achieved by using one of the many accessories that have been made available to complement the vacuum cleaner.
These operate in a different manner from the upright. In this mode, the suction fun and debris collection bag or canister are connected to the cleaning head via a hose pipe. Their handles are usually hollow to allow debris flow through it, through the hose and into the canister.
There are a variety of advantages that come with using a vacuum cleaner in this mode. While an upright is an excellent mode for cleaning carpets and picking up debris from hard flooring, the canister mode adds flexibility to this arrangement.
Where there are hard to reach places, the freedom the handle has been given allow you to get to those hard to clean places such as under the fridge and other household appliances and furniture.
The third mode the Shark Rotator vacuum cleaner can operate in is the hand held mode. This give is unprecedented portability. In this mode, you can reach even more difficult to clean places. The top of the cupboards no longer needs to be cleaned with brushes that might trigger your allergies.
The Shark Rotator is built from a glossy material which is colored white. This would have been dead boring had it nor been for the well placed red and silver accents around the cleaning head as well as the other parts. This gives it a feel of its own, unlike the Dyson range of vacuum cleaners which try to mimic a premium feel.
Although the general design seems to be outdated in some ways, it does not take away from the multitude of tasks it can accomplish. This vacuum makes a major argument for function over form.
Shark Rotator Features
In this area, the Shark Rotator takes all the podium spots by itself. The versatility, the convenience it gives to its users is unmatched by other cleaners in or around its price category.
Aside from being capable of being used in three different configurations, the vacuum cleaner also comes with a load of accessories. These accessories further add to the versatility of the cleaner. These include:
- The crevice tool: This can be employed in areas with tight spaces such as the linings under seat cushions and spaces in between baseboards.
- The dusting brush: This can be used to clean sensitive places such as the tops of ceiling fans and delicate surfaces such as window blinds.
- A straight suction floor nozzle: When you and your children host a party or a sleepover, and the inevitable mess ensues, you can then use this to pick up sizeable debris.
- The wide upholstery tool: This looks similar to the dusting brush tool but is more effective on upholstery, even when your pet may make any observer think it is going through a particularly bruising round of chemotherapy due to all the fur left on the furniture.
The Shark Rotator is also fitted with LED lighting to help you see in those deep, dark crevices… okay, spaces that also need to be cleaned. This is a nifty feature if you have a large house, or you’ve been away and need to do some deep cleaning to return your home into being the habitable home it has always been.
When it comes to accessories, a few of the Dyson vacuum cleaners can give you a selection headache. However, when it comes to features, nothing else holds a candle to the versatility of the Shark Rotator Professional.
Various people are allergic to different things. Some are allergic to pet dander, and can end up having to live with hairless cats (I’m sorry, they are scary and remind everyone of Gollum from Lord of The Rings). For others, it could be an allergy to dust, pollen or even mold spores.
Rather than having to deal will flare-ups and constant pill popping to prevent reactions when you think of doing some cleaning around the house, the Shark Rotator Professional comes with an anti-allergen seal which traps the allergens.
Standard vacuums are notorious for blowing these allergens back into the environment. The Shark Rotator Professional seeks to deal with that problem by utilizing a HEPA filter. No, this is not just some other fancy marketing term.
A HEPA filter is known as High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. These work by forcing air, by mechanical means, through a fine filter of some sort, such as a foam mesh. This mesh will then trap any allergens in them and the air coming out will be 99.97 percent pure.
Usability
The Shark Rotator Professional is one of the most versatile vacuum cleaners on the market. The variety of modes in which it can operate in means it can be used in a variety of different situations.
Because of its design, it would seem like attempting to make the conversions when cleaning would require some technical nous, or calling for the help of someone more technically gifted. That, surprise, surprise, is far away from being the case.
At the press of a button, you can remove the canister from its upright position and place it on a caddy within a minute. This completes its conversion from an upright to a canister vacuum. Extending the handle is easy as well.
Where most companies fail with their products is the operation of the canister. Most make it a chore to remove the collected dirt, and most have small canisters, making turn around time longer and having to do more work.
The canister on the Shark Rotator Professional is 0.73 gallons. That’s a massive amount of volume for dirt and debris to fill. This allows you to concentrate on cleaning large areas without having to take several trips to the bin. Emptying the canister is also a simple affair. At the press of a button, debris is released into a bin and you can then move on into other rooms for cleaning, with almost negligible turn around time… unless you stop for a drink.
Performance
The Shark Professional takes advantage of scientific principles to create a powerful cleaning tool that uses very little power. The position of the suction fans just above the cleaning head makes it a powerful suction machine that can operate on a variety of surfaces.
Picking up debris on carpets, hardwood floors or even tiled floors was a routine procedure for this cleaner. It can easily pick up Cheerios or even things are little as coffee grinds from the thickest of carpets.
This vacuum cleaner is also a master at keeping things down. At 75.9 decibels, this vacuum cleaner is quieter than a large number of other cleaners in the market, which usually operate in the range of 78 to 80 decibels. 75 decibels is the same amount of noise that a washing machine will produce while in operation.
Even though the cleaner weighs 15.1 pounds, it is still a joy to operate. Being big and clunky does not stop it from swiveling around corners to get to areas that need cleaning.
Is it worth it?
Let’s cut to the chase. It would be pretty impossible to look at the functional design of this vacuum cleaner and just walk away without taking a long time to think deep and hard about it. Yes, this cleaner is absolutely worth buying.
And then to make it more of a steal, it costs a third of what a Dyson Ball Multi Floor would set you back. For the people looking for a traditional upright vacuum cleaner that is available with a load of accessories, you don’t have to look any further than this.
If you also are the kind of person who likes setting a work groove and getting into it without having to worry about disruptions, this then is the right product for you. The sheer size of the collection canister will allow you to work with the focus of a bomb defusing expert.
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Shark Rotator Review Conclusion
Shark definitely did their research when it came to designing this product. It takes quite some doing, and the hunger to make consumers lives better for a company to think of putting three different designs into one machine.
Normally, such builds would cost a pretty penny. At $240, Shark are looking to cause an upheaval in the market and they definitely will with this well thought out product.
Check out: the advantages of using a robotic vacuum for floor cleaning, sweeping floors vs vacuuming floors which is better.