Shark vs. Bissell – Critical Comparison

Which is better, a Shark or a Bissell?

If you're looking for a comparison of Shark vs. Bissell, you've come to the right place.

In this comparison, we'll cover all of the pros and cons of each brand, their best products, and much more.

Keep reading to learn if Shark vacuums are better than Bissell vacuums.

Overview Of Both Brands

Bissell Overview

Bissell has made environmentally friendly cleaners a big part of their lineup, keeping up with the increasing demands that vacuums be made of recycled parts.

Some of their units owe at least half of their plastic to recycled material. The company is also heavily involved in its commitment to providing homes to pets without owners.

Shark Overview

Shark is one of the leaders in providing new features to vacuum cleaners, perks that aren't always easy to come by for other cleaners retailing around the same price range.

The parent company of SharkNinja, which is headquartered in the state of Massachusetts. They rank among the best in motor power, feasibility, and quality in accessories included with their cleaners.

Read More: Shark vs. Dyson: Which Vacuum Brand Is Better?

Bissell vs. Shark Full Comparison

Comparatively, Shark and Bissell are two great companies with vacuum products that last as long as their users would expect them to.

Reviews for every one of their retailed cleaners are plenty, with the majority being satisfied to the point of recommending them for others to purchase.

But how do they stack up when both companies and their products are scrutinized together?

Below is a comprehensive study and breakdown of everything you want to know regarding Bissell and Shark vacuums.

By the time that you're done, you'll know exactly which one is best for you, and the advantages that set them both apart.

Keep reading!

Range

The range is the span of vacuums that Bissell and Shark have, including the number of features of their primary sellers.

Each company's vacuums can be divided into four types, which are upright, cordless, handheld, vacuum mop combos, and robot vacuums.

Canister vacuums are sometimes divided between these. We'll take a look at their main upright and canister units.

Overall, each has attributes good for cleaner hardwood and carpeted floors but some are better geared for getting up pet debris and eliminating odors.

Each section will showcase Bissell and Shark products by their type, ending in the one that's recommended for specific purposes.

Since no two people are alike, the one that interests you could be different from what's suggested. In that case, go with the one that you think is better!

Read More: Dyson vs. Bissell

Shark vs. Bissell Upright Vacuums

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser

The Bissell Hair Eraser relies on a spinning system to increase the suction strength of the vacuum.

This all but eliminated the risk of dust coming from the vacuums when it's turned on and running.

Less dust means fewer particulates in the air. Therefore, the Hair Erasers inadvertently act as a sort of air purifier.

Since fewer particles will escape from the unit, you'll also get no odor issues, even if you left the debris inside for a while.

Every Hair Eraser has accessories.

As the name of the product suggests, this is beneficial to cleaning up pet hair from hard floors and fabric carpets.

The first that you'll notice when unboxing the product is the dust brush, one that's you've probably seen before.

However, it isn't of the cheap variety and the bristles will never come off, no matter how hard you brush with it, they'll stay on and remain straight.

A crevice accessory is also in the box. But much like the dust brush, this is a conventional crevice tool that you've probably seen on cheaper vacuums. This one has an LED light in the front.

Been in a situation where you wanted to clean something, but couldn't even see how dirty it was?

It's happened to many people. With the light, you can leave the crevice behind your couches, and under furniture without sucking up things that you don't want to get trapped in the debris, such as precious jewelry.

As this is an upright vacuum specializing in pet cleanup issues, a Pet Turboeraser Tool attaches to the primary hose.

A paddle in the front is designed to pick up the deep layers of odor-causing bacteria and hair that you cannot see, some of which may blend in with carpets and rugs.

The Hair Eraser uses a dust bin to store what's sucked into the machine. It's easy to tell when it's full since the machine itself is semi-transparent.

When you do so, don't worry about getting your hands dirty or spilling anything back on the floor that you just cleaned.

Just open it up from the bottom by pressing the button in that vicinity, which in turn removes the section for you to empty into a nearby trash can. The canister is also very easy to clean, which can be done by simply rising it out in the sink.

Concerned about not being able to reach areas that are out of reach from your arms? Don't be.

A telescopic attachment is featured that'll help you go where your hands and the other accessories are too short to take you.

Shark Duoclean Apex

The Shark Duo Clean Apex has very strong suction power, slightly better than Bissell's Hair Eraser. Still, suction power alone doesn't necessarily mean that it's better suited for getting pet hair out of the carpet.

The filters are also more durable, they tend to get dirtier at a faster pace than the Bissell vacuum.

The motor is also quieter. You'll hear it when nearby with the doors closed, but it's low enough to keep people in the vicinity from becoming annoyed at the presence of the sound.

Some pets, especially dogs, have ears that are sensitive to the sound that some vacuums make. If you're worried about your pet's hearing, this is a good option for you.

There's a tool very similar to a crevice accessory found with the Clean Apex called to under appliance wand.

But this is longer than most crevice attachments, therefore helping you vacuum in corners that might have been neglected before.

You'll no doubt get a detailed cleaning job with every use of this vacuum, more so if you have high ceilings or ceiling fans that get dusty.

Most control switches are around the vacuum's handle area. This can speed up your cleaning since you won't have to constantly walk back and forth to turn the machine on and off from the main body.

No different from its name, Shark produce utilizes a feature called DuoClean which operates dual brushes in the front.

More brushes allow for a deeper penetrating clean, particularly with carpets and rugs that have thick fabric materials.

Such threads are sometimes hard for standard vacuums to get into, leaving dirt buried within that can produce a lingering smell over time.

You can imagine the benefit that this has on thinner carpets. But even on hard floors, the brush combination works great and gently removes stuck-on debris in a way that's almost identical to a buffer.

The Duo Clean has an active glide feature for moving the head under areas in maneuvers that'll remind of a swivel duster.

You can turn into an almost parallel angle to the floor. It's useful for going under objects that you don't need any attachments to reach.

Shark Duo Clean vs. Bissell Pet Hair Eraser

Remember, each of these vacuums is upright in style and has features making them suitable for use as handheld cleaners. Each is great for people with pets.

However, the Shark Duo Clean comes with more included accessories at purchase and is better for reaching low areas on the floor. It harbors slightly better reach than the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser.

You can remove the dust container on each product.

They both will dispense the trash in a sanitary way and drop the chances of an accidental spill of the trash when you're walking to empty their contents.

The Bissell has friendlier, or in this case, more aggressive tools to combat stubborn pet hair and the odors that they bring out. Your carpets and rugs will smell and look better as soon as the cleaning job is done, especially with the Turboeraser attachment.

And this product is lower in price than the Duo Clean. Use the latter when a strong HEPA filter and the larger option of accessories are what you're after.

Read More: Hoover vs. Bissell

Bissell vs. Shark Cordless Stick Vacuums

Shark IONFlex Duo Clean

This vacuum uses a lithium-ion battery that's rechargeable. You can pull off close to 30 minutes of cleaning if you didn't turn it off for the entire session. For smooth surfaces such as hardwood floors and tile, add another five or 10 minutes to the battery life.

With DuoClean in the name, you'll get two brushes at the vacuum's head for a deep clean of your fabric floors.

There are numerous settings that you can try out. One of them can double the battery by running the motor at a slower speed.

This is good for when you want to do general cleaning, but aren't looking to make full use of the dual brushes.

Some attachments for the IONFlex will bend and flex, like the name of the product implies. You can choose a setting that corresponds to the surface being cleaned for better results.

This is called the Smart Response system. When you activate this, the power will adjust to that setting, greatly increasing or lowering the runtime.

Since the main hose for the IONFlex is flexible, you'll have the ease to turn it in ways that might take you by surprise if you've never seen the vacuum in action before.

The hose increases reach, helping the unit suck in debris that's compacted in gaps and corners.

No longer will you be forced to move around chairs, tables, and furniture to keep your home's floors tidy.

The unit weighs approximately eight pounds when there's nothing attached. You won't feel the least bit exhausted when you're done with the vacuum.

The Bissell Bolt Ion XRT for comparison

The Ion XRT is even lighter than the IONFlex, but not by too much. It's a little over five pounds and is very easy to lift when you need to do so.

Like the vacuum it competes with, it has a lithium-ion battery. The average time for its battery life is about 30 minutes. Again, this is about the same as the IONFlex.

Pass the vacuum over your hard floors, carpets, upholstery, and ceilings. It's also suitable for tile, laminated floors, and grout surfaces.

Rugs are very easy to keep clean with the Ion XRT.

It harbors the characteristics of multiple vacuum styles and can mimic the handling that's commonly found on upright cleaners.

Use a portion of it as a handheld vacuum if you want, which detaches with the press of a button.

The Bissell Bolt Ion has a feature called EdgeReach. This is very handy for getting corners clean to the point of reaching the point between where the floor ends and the walls begin.

The dust bin can hold close to half a liter of debris and is quick to empty when filled.

Other accessories that you'll get with the main unit are a crevice piece, dusting brush, and sweeping accessory. It has a sweeping brush on it capable of quickly scooping up dry debris that's numerous in quantity.

Shark IONFlex vs. Bissell Bolt Ion

Making a black and white recommendation for either vacuum cleaner isn't easy. They perform about the same in many aspects. Each is cordless and has a fast-charging time. The runtime is also similar.

The Shark IONFlex has a sturdy wand that works its way into places far away from the reach, such as behind beds that are up against walls.

But the Bissell Bolt Ion earns high marks for people with pets and others that enjoy cleaning with a lightweight vacuum. The Shark IONFlex is light as well but slightly heavier than the Bolt Ion.

Price

The cost of the average Bissell vacuum is between $60 and $400. These are the price ranges of their canister and upright vacuums.

This is reasonable, considering that most new vacuums aren't always easy to find at friendly prices.

Don't forget that Bissell is touted and one of the leaders in producing vacuums, widely known for their upright design models.

Shark has good prices ranges but you'll likely pay more if you want their best vacuums.

The more expensive units of Shark go well above the $400 mark where Bissell ends. But when you look at the numbers of units that are the same type, Shark and Bissell aren't that different in price.

Your Shark may cost about $30 or $50 more than an identical Bissell. If you're in the budget for the most expensive Bissell, you could certainly find a Shark that won't break the bank.

Additionally, each brand has promotional offers and discounts wherever they're retailed all the time.

Battery Life

If you're looking for a cordless vacuum cleaner, you should never pass up the battery life of the choices you're thinking of purchasing. Some machines are drastically different from others.

However, most tend to stay on for around 30 minutes.

This number is sometimes used by brands in a deceptive manner, where such a time is a factor only when one runs the vacuum at the lowest possible setting.

Bissell and Shark cordless vacuums don't have this problem.

You can extend the life of their batteries by selecting an eco-friendly level, or one that'll increase the time to nearly an hour.

There are no winners or losers here. Most of their wireless models will last about the same time if you operate the motor at a similar speed setting on floors that are alike.

But what about the lifetime of their lithium-ion batteries? Bissell and Shark should last about two to three years before you begin to see signs of battery degradation.

Dust Bin

Bissell and Shark vacuum cleaners each have bagless debris containers. These are easy to keep clean, don't need to be replaced, and come quickly off of the units they're featured on.

Most Bissell vacuums hold about a quarter to half a gallon of debris. That's around 1.8 liters at the maximum level.

Shark's containers are typically bigger and can hold a little over one gallon of dust, or over four liters, on some models.

If both models are compared for this, Shark wins but not by much. Consider that larger canisters and more debris inside can equal a higher weight.

But people on the hunt for a vacuum that doesn't feel like lifting a dumbbell, The Bissell's smaller container frame might be a selling point.

Filtration

Bissell and Shark use HEPA filters or models compatible with them.

Filtration is needed to prevent dust, some of which could be harmful if breathed in, inside of the container until it's time to empty.

Shark and Bissell HEPA filters work about the same and can separate almost all of the dust, mold, and fungal spores from the larger pieces of trash in the interior.

Warranty

Warranty is the length of time that you can return a product without needing to pay for refurbishing or a total replacement.

Shark has a five-year warranty for their products, which encompasses replacement and repair of every vacuum they sell.

Bissell has a warranty ranging from two to three years. This can change with the model that you buy.

Shark easily beats Bissell in warranty, but also in the way that warranty is implemented.

With a Bissell, you might have to go online to complete the registration for your warranty.

Depending on where you buy one of their vacuums, it could be provided automatically, something that Shark typically does better.

You can even get an extended warranty from them that lasts up to a lifetime. Bissell is strictly limited to three years and the most.

Features

The features of Bissell and Shark vacuums look the same, at least on paper. Customers have their preferences for each.

Every competing vacuum type that Bissell and Shark sells is packed with great attributes that make them both a solid buy.

And each also relies upon clear branding of certain features, like Shark's DuoClean technology.

On the surface, Shark appears to focus their primary features on reachability and holding capacity for debris, whereas Bissell is all about cleaning difficult-to-reach layers within carpets.

They both have attachments that go along with the products they sell, with the additional attachment being separately sold.

Suction Strength

Suction power is the heart of what makes a vacuum worthy of cleaning your home. If it's less than satisfactory, it won't be of any use.

Shark and Bissell have suction power that's strong enough to pull up dirty and grim that you can't see,

Shark markets itself heavily in this area, with promises of their machines operating with consistent function power that never lets up.

This is only half true since the suction can degrade if the machine isn't clean properly.

However, this wouldn't be the fault of Shark alone.

Bissell's suction is good, too. The key to both performing well lies in the fact that each has about the same battery power. Motor quality may also contribute, but there are no poor-performing motors in the models of either brand.

Final Verdict

To know whether or not the Shark of Bissell is best for you requires that you know what kind of vacuum you wish to buy.

Are you living in a home that's mostly covered with carpets and rugs, or do you care more about things such as the length of the warranty?

Each brand is equal in performance, battery life, and attachment quality. Bissell is better for rugs and carpets and highly recommended for people with pets. Sharks are good with pet hair and odors but have heavier units.

Not planning on buying a vacuum for at least half a decade or longer?

A unit from Shark will service you well. Has issues getting rid of pet odors and has a minimalist lightweight build. Go for a Bissell.