Shark Rotator TruePet NV652

Avg. consumer rating = 93/100 

The Shark Rotator TruePet NV652 is getting top notch reviews and ratings from owners.  The TruePet is a 3-in-1 vacuum cleaner and it operates as an upright, a canister, and to some extent a handheld.  It has powerful suction and comes with a host of features and accessories including a pet tool with a motor-driven brush.  The hose however, is a bit stiff and can sometimes tip the vacuum when it is stretched, and some owners feel that the dust canister is a bit small.

 

Quick Specs
Type	Upright
Bagged/Bagless	Bagless
Best for...	Hard Floors & Carpet
Pet Hair Features	Yes
Approx. Weight	15.6 lbs
HEPA Level Filtration	Yes
Power Cord Length	30 ft
Motor Driven Brushbar	Yes
Warranty	7 Years

 

With Shark vacuums there are often several models of the same machine, differentiated predominantly by the tool/attachment set (also, sometimes by color).  With the new Rotator the most common models are the NV650 (metallic color), the NV651 (lavender) and the NV652 (burgundy).

All models come with the Hard Floor Genie, the Dusting Brush and the Pet Upholstery Tool.  The NV652 has the following additional tools/attachments:

- TruePet Mini Motorized Brush
- Combo Tool (dusting brush/crevice tool – sometimes called Dusting Genie)
- Accessory Bag

Owner Insights
When reading comments and reviews about this vacuum cleaner the first thing you will notice is that most owners are very pleased with their purchase.  We’ve reviewed thousands of owner comments over the past 7 years and can quickly see how well a new machine is received.  The Shark Rotator TruePet NV652 is getting a very good reception. 

The following table shows scores from 171 consumers. 

Source	Consumer Ratings	#Ratings
Amazon	4.6 stars out of 5	130
Bed, Bath & Beyond	4.8 stars out of 5	37
Macy's	4 stars out of 5	4

 

 The above ratings, when averaged, generate an overall score of 92.6 out of 100 (about 4.6 stars out of 5).  This is a very good score and you can compare it to that of other vacuums in our table of vacuum cleaner ratings.

An analysis of owner comments from several websites has indicated the following pros and cons:

PROS
- TruePet mini motorized brush works well
- Headlights on nozzle and wand are a great feature
- Not too loud
- Strong suction
- Easy to assemble
- Power button easily accessible on handle
- Gets under low furniture in canister or lift-away mode
- Lengthy 7-year warranty
- Easy to empty dust canister

CONS
- Some folks feel it is a bit heavy
- Smallish dust canister
- Only room for 2 attachments on vacuum body
- Hose doesn’t stretch out easily and unit can tip

Most owners like the TruePet Mini Motorized Brush and feel that it works very well.  This is in part due to the fact that the tool is motorized.  Many such tools have air-driven brushes which simply don’t have the power of a motor-driven brush.  With an air-driven tool the brush can slow or sometimes even stop on carpet/upholstery.

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NOTICE: NV652 RECALL Recently there have been reports of the NV652 vacuum handle disconnecting but maintaining its electric charge, thereby posing a potential electric shock hazard. As a result Shark has issued a recall on four models - NV650W, NV651, NV660 and NV652. However, we have also read that some of these machines may still be ok (don't have this problem). You can check if your machine is ok on the Shark site here. You can also call or email Shark regarding this issue: Call: 1.877.593.5140 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. In addition, we have found that Shark has now made available the Shark Rotator NV752 Powered Lift-Away TruePet Vacuum. This is almost the same vacuum as the NV652, although it would appear the TruePet Mini Motorized Brush is slightly smaller on the NV752. Like the NV652, the NV752 is getting great reviews (4.6 stars out of 5 on Amazon at this time). You can view the new NV752 on Amazon if you wish.

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Many folks really like the LED headlights on the floor nozzle and on the wand.  They feel that they help when vacuuming in dimly lit areas both on the floor and above the floor.  These lights cannot be switched off however and they are on when the vacuum is on.

Probably one of the most popular characteristics of the NV652 is its ability to act as an upright, a canister vacuum, and a hand carry unit.   Owners feel that all configurations of the machine work quite well and that it is easily converted from one to the other.  In addition, in canister or lift-away mode the unit’s low profile help it get under low furniture.  See image below:

 

 

The NV652 also has a tendency to pull itself forward in upright mode.  Some folks like this, indicating that the machine almost feels self-propelled, however there are reports that this can sometimes make it difficult to pull the machine back.

A common complaint is that in upright mode the vacuum is prone to tipping when using the hose/wand assembly. This is because the thick material of the hose doesn’t stretch easily and it pulls back, often pulling the upright over.  Some owners report that they avoid this problem by only carrying the canister (lift-away mode) whenever they use the hose/wand assembly. The inflexible hose also limits cleaning reach and can make it difficult to do a long flight of stairs for example.  It is possible that the lack of hose flexibility is due to the fact that the hose is now designed to carry electricity because it has to power the likes of the motorized TruePet tool. 

A few other things to watch out for are the smallish dust canister that requires frequent emptying, the fact that edge cleaning is only on the right side of the floor nozzle (not an uncommon configuration), the limited on-board tool storage (can only carry 2 tools), and the lack of a wrap around bumper on the canister caddy (can scuff walls and furniture if not careful).

Most owners are pleased however, and to some extent astonished, by the length of the warranty on the NV652.  The unit carries a lengthy 7 year warranty – which is not common for units in this price range.

Vacuum Specs & Details
The default mode for the machine is “Upright” but the main body of the vacuum can also be set atop a wheeled base (included with the vacuum and referred to as the “canister caddy”) to convert the machine into a “Canister Vacuum”.  The caddy also has space for accessory storage (TruePet Mini Motorized Brush and Combo Tool -  but not all accessories unfortunately).  In “Lift-away” mode one carries the dust canister along with motor, hose and handle.

This short commercial from Shark is worth a look to get an idea what the machine looks like and how it operates in its three modes.  Bear in mind this is advertising.

 

The TruePet has 3 filters - A pre-motor foam filter, a pre-motor felt filter and a post motor HEPA filter.  All of these can be hand rinsed and air dried.  The pre-motor filters should be cleaned every 3 months while the HEPA filter generally requires cleaning once a year or so. 

In addition to HEPA filtration the vacuum has a sealed system.  Shark sometimes refers to this as “Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology”.  This is an important feature if you want your vacuum to truly clean the air.  A sealed system ensures that all the air entering the vacuum passes through the filter before it is exhausted from the machine.  It doesn’t allow air to pass around the filter or escape through cracks or seams in the vacuum body.   You can read more about sealed systems and HEPA filters in our HEPA filtration article.

On an interesting note Shark claims this vacuum "Has more suction power and cleans carpet better than the Dyson DC65".  They refer to test results from independent labs.  In response Dyson has posted this page.  The page, while not overly descriptive, would seem to indicate that the DC65 has better performance than the NV652 – although it stops short in providing much in the way of details.  There is an on-going court battle between these two companies with respect to advertising claims.

The NV652 is bagless and uses cyclonic technology.  Cyclonic technology involves sending the air stream through cyclonic cylinders which spin the air very rapidly in a spiral path.  As the air spins the dust and debris are forced out – via centrifugal force – and into the dust canister.  There are no bags and one simply empties the dust canister when it is full.

The dust canister on this unit is a bottom-empty design and has a volume of 3.3 dry quarts which is a bit small.  Several owners have reported being a little frustrated by having to frequently empty the dust canister – as it fills quickly.  It is easy to empty however and the top can also be removed allowing one to get at difficult to reach debris that won't come out easily.

Nozzle height and suction are controlled via a switch on the vacuum handle that allows one to choose from three cleaning options:

1) Hard Floor
2) Carpet/Low Pile
3) Thick Carpet/Area Rug

 - The Hard Floor setting provides strong suction but the brushbar is off. 

 - The Carpet/Low Pile setting provides strong suction with the brushbar powered on. 

 - The Thick Carpet/ Area Rug setting reduces the suction but keeps the brushroll spinning.  This makes it easier to move the unit on thick carpet.

In addition, the vacuum works fairly well on hard floors, and owners report that the hard floor genie is a nice add-on.  The hard floor genie is a floor nozzle with suction at the front-end followed by a microfiber cloth.  This cloth is attached with velcro and is washable (by hand or by machine) and it can also be reused.  The idea behind this tool is to pick up large debris and fine dust at the same time.  It can be a little hard to visualize, so the video below, while promotional, may help provide an idea how this nozzle works. 

The NV652 comes with an accessory bag which can be used to hold the tools that do not fit on the canister caddy. 

You may run across Shark sometimes referring to "Zero Maintenance Costs".  What they are getting at is the lifetime washable filters (designed to last the lifetime of the vacuum – generally the length of the warranty), no bags, the lifetime belt (if there is a brushbar obstruction the nozzle motor shuts off instantly to avoid belt wear or motor strain), and the long-lasting headlights (again designed to last the lifetime of the vacuum - no replacing should be necessary during this period).  

The Rotator TruePet has a 30 foot power cord, which in our opinion is a reasonable length.  Anything less than 30 feet often elicits grumbling from consumers.  It also has a 12 inch cleaning path width (average) and in upright mode it weighs 15.6 lbs.  15.6 is about average for an upright – it is neither lightweight nor particularly heavy.  You can view our list of lightweight vacuums if you like.  By way of comparison the Oreck 2100 RHS weighs 8.2 lbs and the Dyson Cinetic Big Ball weighs 19.8 lbs.  The NV652 lift away pod weighs about 8lbs on its own.

The Shark Rotator TruePet also has swivel steering which allows one to direct the nozzle head by turning your wrist.  Consumers report that this features works well and that the vacuum is easy to maneuver.  It also has a handle for carrying the machine from room to room or up and down stairs.  The vacuum is easy to assemble out of the box, and as mentioned previously, it carries a very lengthy 7 year warranty.

All Shark Rotators have very good ratings from consumers - and the Shark NV652 is no exception (the Shark Rotator NV501 presently heads our list of the Best Upright Vacuums).  The NV652 works well in all 3 modes – upright, canister, lift-away, and it has strong suction.  The tools are quite effective and the machine carries a good warranty.  While it isn’t cheap, at over $300, a large percentage of buyers are pleased with their purchase and give the machine a thumbs up.  

Vacuum Cleaner Manual 
You can view the NV652 vacuum manual here

NOTE: As of the time of this writing we have noticed the NV652 has become unavailable at many of the large retail outlets.  We have unconfirmed reports that this is due to a "bad batch" of machines and Shark may even be announcing a voluntary recall.

 

	Nigel Russco has been writing for Vacuum Cleaner Advisor for years and has a background in business and engineering, as well as a keen interest in anything related to vacuum cleaners. Connect with Nigel on Google+

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