REVIEW: Shark vs Dyson for Pet Hair (Stick Vacuum Comparison)

If you’re looking for a side-by-side stick vacuum comparison, you’ve come to the right place! Today we’ll be looking at the Shark vs Dyson for pet hair. Specifically, the Shark ION F80 lightweight cordless stick vacuum vs the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute

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Side-by-side:

Type

Stick Vac

Stick Vac

Cordless

Bagless

Surfaces

Hard floors + carpet

Hard floors + carpet

Size

9.8 x 10.1 x 49.2 inches

13.4 x 10.2 x 46 inches

Weight

5.9 pounds

8.7 pounds

Run-time

Up to 60 mins
(single battery)

Up to 80 mins
(when using both batteries interchangeably)

Suction*

41 CFM at the wand
39 CFM at the brush head
(on max. power mode)

38 CFM (Ion Boost mode)
24 CFM (Ion Power mode)

Bin capacity

0.76 litres

0.32 litres

Noise level

70db

69db

HEPA filter

Battery

1x lithium polymer battery

1 lithium ION battery
(2 supplied so you can charge while you clean)

Docking /Charging

Drop-in wall mounted charging/docking station

Battery charging station only
(no wall-mount)

Included Attachments

Crevice tool, quick release mini motorized tool, mini soft dusting brush, combination tool, soft roller cleaner head, torque drive cleaner head

Duo-clean cleaner head, crevice tool, upholstery tool, precision duster (other attachments available separately)

Converts to handheld

Reach mode

(additional mini flex tool available separately for handheld operation)

(multi-flex technology)

Power modes

3 power modes

2 power modes, 2 surface settings (duo-clean)

Other features

1 x Motorized bristle head
1 x soft roller head
(both supplied)

Duo-clean head
(2 brush rolls in the 1 head)

Warranty

2 years

5 years
(2 years for battery)

*According to independent reviews.

Similarities:

Starting with the obvious, both vacuums are cordless and bagless stick vacs with very similar sucking capabilities.

Both vacuums have been designed with hard floors AND carpet in mind and have dedicated cleaner heads to suit each surface type. The Shark ION F80 utilizes a 2-in-1 ‘duo-clean’ powerhead whilst the Dyson V10 Absolute has 2 separate dedicated surface cleaner heads – 1 for hard floors and 1 for carpet.

Both lightweight devices are battery-powered and easily convert to handheld vacuums when required and claim to be equally tough on dirt, debris, fine dust, AND PET HAIR!

Differences:

Now that we’ve got the similarities out of the way (which were really just basic standard features), let’s get into the nitty-gritty differences to determine which model really is better for homes with pets…

Size/weight, overall appearance, and design

Whilst both stick vacs are ‘lightweight’, the Shark ION F80 is significantly heavier than the Dyson V10 Absolute (2.8 pounds heavier to be precise).

The Shark is also slightly larger in terms of physical specs and is a little ‘clunkier’ in appearance vs. Dyson’s sleek design (IMO).

Bin capacity

Surprisingly, while the Dyson weighs much less than the Shark, it actually holds A LOT more waste than its rival, with a bin capacity of 0.76 litres (vs Shark @ 0.32 litres).

This is an important consideration for multi-pet households (‘coz we all know those fur tumble-weeds be crazy y’all!).

Battery running time

This is where the Shark stands out.

Whilst both vacuums run on a single rechargeable lithium battery, Shark actually supplies you with TWO instead of one. Meaning that you can charge whilst you vacuum, ultimately offering up to 80 minutes of fade-free run-time when using the batteries consecutively.

The Dyson on the other hand only comes with one in-built battery, which offers a maximum of 60 minutes running run.

IMPORTANT: Both offer considerably less run-time when using the maximum power settings – an important consideration if you are planning on using these vacuums as your primary vacuum in a household with pets.

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Dyson's 'drop-in' docking station pictured above. Source: Dyson

Docking and charging

Whilst the Dyson doesn’t benefit from having multiple interchangeable batteries, its sleek, light and modern design mean it is capable of being stored on the wall in a neat docking/charging station. Making it super easy to grab for quick clean-ups.

Conversely, Shark’s chunkier design means it must be folded and stored away when not in use. It also has a separate charging station for its batteries.

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A look inside Shark's Duoclean cleaner head - 2 brush rolls inside one cleaner head. Source: Shark Clean

Duo-clean vs 2 separate cleaner heads

As mentioned above, while both vacuums have been designed for use on both hard floors and carpet, the Shark actually only comes with one main cleaner head.

They refer to this as duo-clean technology (basically just two cleaner heads in one), which they claim pulls in anything from large particles like pet food, to small particles like dirt, stuck-on debris and fine dust.

Conversely, Dyson supply two dedicated cleaner heads with the V10 Absolute; a motorized bristle roller for carpets to remove deep-down dust, debris and pet hair, as well as a ‘fluffy’ soft woven motor-driven brush, which claims to be gentle on hard floors yet tough on dirt and dust.

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Dyson's mini motorised head attachment makes light work of pet hair on upholstery. Source: Dyson

Attachments

As you would expect from Dyson’s top of the line V10 Absolute model, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to attachments.

Included with the Dyson V10 Absolute are a crevice tool, quick release mini motorized tool (great for pet hair on upholstery), a mini soft dusting brush and a combination tool (in addition to the two main cleaner heads).

With the ION F80, Shark supplies a crevice tool, precision duster, and a non-motorised upholstery tool. According to some sources, depending on your country, you may also be able to buy additional attachments direct from Shark in your region.

Filters / HEPA

The Dyson has a fully-sealed filtration system and HEPA filter which claims to capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. Conversely, the Shark F80 is not fully sealed and does not contain HEPA filters (it has washable foam filters only).

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Shark's multiFLEX wand makes cleaning under furniture a breeze. Source: Shark Clean

Reach mode

A unique feature offered by Shark is multiFLEX. multiFLEX gives you the ability to bend the F80 wand easily to clean hard-to-reach areas (like under furniture) – a definite bonus if you are living with pets.

multiFLEX also enables you to bend the vacuum over for compact storage (not offered by Dyson).

Some sources indicate that a mini flex tool may be available for Dyson separately for use with handheld mode only.

Power modes

The Dyson V10 Absolute offers 3 power modes to choose from, to suit any task on any floor type. Conversely, the Shark F80 offers only 2 power settings. It does, however, offer a handy surface setting button which allows you to switch between hard-floor ‘mode’ and carpet (not offered by the Dyson V10 Absolute).

Price

And last but by no means least, price! Probably one of the biggest, if not THE biggest difference between the two vacuums. 

The Dyson is quite significantly more expensive than the Shark. And not surprisingly so, when you consider the history and technology behind the brand (i.e. cyclonic technology and advanced filtration systems).

Final Thoughts - Shark vs Dyson for Pet Hair

At the end of the day, both vacuums offer a raft of compelling features for pet owners, with your choice ultimately coming down to what you are looking for in a stick vac and how you intend to use it.

If you like the idea of having multiple, interchangeable batteries for extended running time and a flexible wand for hard-to-reach areas at a competitive price, the Shark ION F80 might be the better option for you.

If, on the other hand, an advanced filtration system with lots of attachments, sleek design, docking station, and larger bin capacity is more your thing, (and you have a little bit more to spend), then the Dyson V10 Absolute might be a better fit for you and your household.

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