Shark Navigator Freestyle Stick Vacuum

 

Avg. consumer rating = 88/100 

This is another Shark Navigator vacuum cleaner that is getting great consumer ratings.  The Shark Freestyle cordless stick vacuum (model SV1100) is capable on both carpet and bare floors and is effective at pulling up the likes of pet hair, dry cat food and kitty litter.  The unit is light, powerful and carries a long charge -– a critical feature in a battery operated machine. It is fairly bare bones however and doesn'’t include any attachments nor does it convert to a handheld like a number of other stick vacuums.

Consumer ratings are very good as can be seen in the table below.  These provide an average rating of 0.88 and place the Shark Freestyle within the group of top stick vacuums we have investigated over the past few years.  You can check out our list of stick vacuum ratings if you wish.

A review of consumer comments provides the following insights into the Shark Freestyle:

PROS
- Very light
- Powerful
- Good at pulling up pet hair
- Capable on both carpet and bare floors
- Very good battery life
- Recharges fairly quickly (compared to some other stick vacs)
- Swivel head nozzle allows for good maneuverability
- Compact
- Very easy to assemble
- Dust canister is easy to empty
- Motorized brushbar

CONS
- Does not convert to a handheld
- Does not come with any attachments
- Not the right tool for vacuuming large size homes (like all stick vacs)
- A couple of comments that the on/off button is not sturdy and may jam or break

The Freestyle is powered by a 14.4 volt battery and Euro-Pro recommends that the first time you charge it that it be charged for a full 6 hours.  Subsequent charges are between 3 and 6 hours.  The charging unit has a safety feature that ensures the vacuum cannot be overcharged so it is safe to leave the vacuum on charge beyond 6 hours.  There is a blue light around the power button which is only partly illuminated when the vacuum is charging.  When the blue light is completely illuminated (forms an oval around the power button) the vacuum is fully charged.  You can see the button on top of the nozzle in the image to the right above.  There is some grumbling that the position of the button makes it possible for it to be depressed accidentally when vacuuming under low furniture.

Some consumers have noted that when the vacuum finally runs out of charge it seems to do so very quickly – the power doesn’t fade gradually.  This is because the Shark Freestyle has a built in feature that shuts the machine down when the battery is almost discharged.  This approach is said to help extend the life of the battery.

The power button on the vacuum nozzle has multiple functions and it turns the vacuum on and off as well as switches the vacuum between low and high speeds. On high speed the vacuum is optimized for cleaning carpet and a full charge will last about 17 minutes. On low speed the vacuum is setup to clean bare floors and will operate for about 24 minutes (consumer comments indicate that the vacuum lasts 20 –- 30 minutes so this is in the ballpark).  The blue light around the power button indicates the vacuum speed setting.  It should also be noted that in both high and low speeds the brushbar is ON as the Shark Freestyle has a motorized brushbar and there is no brushbar on/off switch.

The SV1100 uses standard filtration.  The standard filter needs to be cleaned about once a month and it can simply be washed with clean water.  The Shark Freestyle manual suggests running water through the filter until the water begins to run clean, then, after squeezing out the excess water, allowing the filter to air dry completely before replacing.

Additional vacuum features include swivel steering that allows for greater maneuverability, a deeply reclining vacuum handle for getting under low furniture, and an easy to empty dust canister (capacity is 1.17 quarts).  The vacuum is very lightweight – a feature that is positively commented upon by many owners – and it weighs in at 7.2 lbs.  It is also rather compact with dimensions in inches of (H x W x D) 45.5 x 11 x 9.  The Shark Freestyle stick vac carries a 1-year limited manufacturer warranty.

Note:  This stick vac may make the cut in our soon-to-be updated Best Stick Vacuum page.  If so, it would fit into the mid-range category and would be competition for the Hoover Platinum Linx.

Vacuum Cleaner Manual
The Shark Freestyle manual is rather short but it manages to pack in safety and assembly instructions, a list of vacuum components, information about the battery, and maintenance and troubleshooting tips.  You can find it here.