Confession: My Favorite Vacuum Isn’t a Dyson

Unpopular opinion: cleaning is fine. Sure, there are more enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon, but chores can be satisfying and, dare I say,funin their own right. Which brings me, of course, to the joy of vacuuming. Is there anything quite so satisfying as seeing all the dust and dirt inside the container at the end of a good vacuum run? In my humble opinion, a vacuum cleaner isn’tjusta cleaning tool—it’s also a means of taking care of yourself and your home, and a method of achieving a few moments of zen in the middle of tackling a list of chores.

As you can probably imagine, we have a lot of opinions on vacuums here at Apartment Therapy. We’ve reviewed and discussed vacuums of all shapes and sizes, and the general consensus is thatDyson vacuums rule them all. This is a fair assessment—Dyson models are indeed high quality, look stylish, and have a price tag befitting their high status. For my first year in New York I used aDyson V6courtesy of one of my roommates, and overall felt like it was a good vacuum. I didn’t love it however, as it was prone to stopping mid-run and always needed charged. It wasn’t until a few months ago when I moved into a new place and got my own vacuum that I really fell in love—not with a Dyson, but with the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe.

This model has honestly changed the game for me, making vacuuming as easy and enjoyable as possible with no annoyances. Where do I begin?

It moves with little effort.The Shark Navigator isn’t super slim like the Dyson, but it gets around furniture and into tight spots thanks to a swivel head that makes steering a breeze. Not to mention the crevice tool and two brushes, which are super easy to use and get into every nook and cranny.

It’s powerful.I was honestly a little taken aback at how much dust this machine picked up the first time I used it. Sure, my apartment wasn’t spotless, but I didn’t think it wasthatbad. The container told me otherwise. Plus, you can vacuum on both carpet and hard floors pretty seamlessly, which is just double the fun in my opinion.

It’s reliable.I’ve owned this vacuum for about six months and it hasn’t let me down yet. The suction power is still just as good, and it’s never stopped mid-run like the Dyson did. I get the perks of having a cord-free vacuum, but I personally like that I don’t have to worry about charging it, and the cord is long enough that it hasn’t been an issue.

It’s budget-friendly.Seriously, you can’t beat this price for the quality. It might be controversial, but I just don’t think the Dyson is worth the high price tag (at least, not for a 20-something like me in NYC). With that being said, paying more for a premium vacuum makes sense if you have pets or several people in your household.