Shark NV801 vs NV803 Reviews (ARE THEY REALLY DIFFERENT)

Shark NV801 vs NV803 vs NV800, What is the difference?

We were initially confused about the differences between the vacuums in the 800 model so we contacted Shark to get the lowdown.

The manufacturers of the shark vacuum explained that all the vacuums in the 800 series had the same level of performance.

The only differences were minor cosmetic differences such as color and the accessories that are sold with the various 800 series vacuums.

The color and models numbers will vary depending on which outlet the vacuums in the 800 series are sold.

Additionally, there are also some variations in the accessories that come with each model. We have highlighted the accessories that come with each model below:

Note: Sometimes retailers will not provide all the accessories mentioned so please check with your retailer before purchasing.

Shark NV803 vs NV752, How Does it Compare?

The main difference between the NV803 and the NV752 is the fact that the NV803 utilizes duo clean technology. We have included a table below that highlights the main differences:

Shark NV803 Detailed Review

Here is the review of the different aspects of the Shark NV803 Vacuum

Duoclean Technology:

Most tradition vacuums have a solid front wall that causes vacuums to struggle with large debris. The traditional vacuums did little to move stuck on dust on hardwood floors.

Shark redesigned the vacuum head and removed the front wall and added a second rotating soft brush, thus creating duo clean technology.

This allows your vacuum to easily suck up large particles instead of pushing them around. For hardwood floors this means that the vacuum will remove stuck on dust particles that accumulate on hardwood floors.

The Soft brush rolls works in unison with the other duoclean brush, to pull in both large and small particles thus allowing you to get a deep clean experience.

Cleaning Performance on hardwood floors:

The shark nv803 performs extremely well on hardwood floors. The soft roller at the bottom helps you to pick up large debris from hardwood floors.

The soft brush also picks up the stuck on fine dust that tends to accumulate on hardwood floors. Most vacuums only have suction power so it tends to leave stuck on dust on your hardwood floors.

An added plus is the LED lights that helps you to see dirt in those hard to reach dark areas. The hardwood switch allows the brush roll to go slower so it doesn’t scatter debris but instead sucks up all the debris.

Cleaning Performance on carpets:

Reviewers have expressed amazement about how well this vacuum performs on carpets. This vacuum has suction control that allows you to select the requisite suction power depending on the type of carpet (low pile or thick carpet/rugs) you are vacuuming.

The duo clean technology ensures that the brush roller pulls in both large and small items from your carpet.

Performance on Stairs:

With the nifty powered liftaway feature shark vacuums are ideal for cleaning stairs. Simply detach the canister, which, is extremely lightweight and you are good to go.

An added benefit of the Shark NV803 is the smaller cleaning head that fits perfectly on your steps.

Maneuverability:

This shark vacuum is highly maneuverable due to its swivel steering. This allows you to clean narrow spaces. The fact that the cleaning head is not too large makes it much easier to clean tight spaces.

An additional benefit is the powered lift away feature. If you want to clean under low spaces, with a click of a button you can detach the canister pod and easily clean under low pieces of furniture such as beds and sofas.

Another benefit is the LED lights. This makes it much easier to see dirt when you are cleaning under low spaces.

Dust Bin:

The shark nv803 has a smaller dust bin than other models such as the shark nv752. The shark nv803 dust bin is .9 dry quarts compared to 1.4 dry quarts for the Shark nv752.

The dust bin on this model has a catch opening on the top and bottom part of the vacuum. If anything gets stuck in the top part of the dust bin simply release the catch on the top for easy access.

Performance with Pet hair and long hair:

The shark nv803 comes with a number of accessories such as the pet multi brush and the pet power brush that make it ideal for pets and long hair.

A nice feature of this vacuum is you can easily access the roller brushes when hair wraps around them. Shark has even included a cutter that is stored in the interior of the vacuum that you can use to cut away the hair that wraps around the brush.

The only drawback we see is the dust bin holder is smaller than other shark vacuums such as the Shark nv752. If you want to look at reviews of other shark vacuums that are good for pet hair, click here.

Ease of use:

Everything comes out easily on this machine so if need to remove accumulated hair this is very easy to do. The brush on this machine can be easily removed.

Shark has even provided an on-board cutter tool that can be used to cut the material wrapped around the brush. This is extremely handy if you plan to vacuum a lot of long hair.

More than likely hair strands will wrap around the brush when you are cleaning. Simply insert the cutter in the groove and voila you are back in business.

The roller on the vacuum can also be easily removed if you need to clean it. Keep in mind that the brush roller has an automatic cut off switch if you get anything stuck in the vacuum. The light will change from green to red if you need to remove any obstructions.

This shark vacuum has edge cleaning on only one side so keep this in mind. On the opposite side there is a bit of a gap so it’s not going to clean up to the edge on both sides of the nozzle.

Filters:

Shark recommends you wash the two washable filters every three months. Make sure the filters are thoroughly dry. It will be handy to buy a spare set of filters so that when you are washing and drying one set of filters you can use the spare so you are never without your Shark vacuum.

Versatility (Powered Lift away Technology):

Once you use a shark vacuum and experience the powered liftaway feature you will wonder how you managed to vacuum without it. You no longer have to move furniture to clean under them or carry the vacuum up the stairs.

This also makes above ground cleaning much easier. Once you detach the canister you can utilize some of the shark cleaning accessories to clean upholstery, window sills, cabinets, vents, drapes, ceiling fans, under appliances, your car, mattresses and other hard to reach areas in your house.

The powered liftaway feature allows you to detach the canister section of the vacuum. In theory you have a canister vacuum and an upright vacuum all in one.

Control Switches:

This Shark vacuum allows you to easily switch from hard-floor to carpet with the touch of a switch on the handle. You can also easily adjust the suction control depending on what type of carpet you have in your house.

Accessories Available:

The Pet power brush is one of the accessories that come with the Shark nv803. This is great for cleaning pet hair from upholstery and other areas in your home. The air powered rotating nozzle makes it ideal for picking up pet hair and ground in dirt from carpeted stairs and upholstery.

Under appliance wand: Is a great accessory that allows you to clean under your microwave, stove and other appliances.

Duster Crevice Tool: This nifty cleaning tools allows you to reach small spaces and clean a multitude of surfaces.

Pet Multi Tool: For those of you with pets, you know pet hair can be difficult to remove from upholstery. The pet multi tool is two tools in one. First, you have a stiff bristle brush for cleaning stuck on debris. You can remove the bristels to reveal an upholstery tool that is great for removing stubborn pet hair.

Build Quality:

The Shark NV803 is very lightweight. The swivel steering and the smaller cleaning path makes it very easy to maneuver in tight spaces.

Anti-Allergen:

The Shark NV803 has advanced anti-allergen technology so it doesn’t leak allergens back in to the air. This vacuum has HEPA filtration and is a completely sealed system. This shark locks in 99.99% of dust and allergens and actually expels cleaner air.

The Verdict

We have heard nothing but good things about this vacuum. It performs well on hardwood floors and carpets and customers are very happy with the dual technology, which is great at picking up all types of debris.

Another thing reviewers liked was how easy the unit was to maintain. The fact that you can easily detach the brush roll when you wanted to clean it was a plus.

Overall reviewers really like this vacuum. The only drawback is the smaller cleaning head and the fact that the dust bin is a bit smaller than other shark models such as the NV752.