Shopping for a new vacuum can be a little stressful, especially if you don’t know what type of vacuum you want or which type you are looking for. With so many types of vacuum cleaners available to you on the market today, each with their own unique qualities and characteristics that are branded to be the best, it can be tough to make an informed decision.
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Here in this article, we are going to walk you through everything you need to know about two of the best stick vacuums you can find on the market today, the Dyson V6 and the Shark Rocket. Each vacuum has been tried and tested over time and has been recognized for being a user favorite among consumers. We will walk you through the pros and cons of each to ensure you can make a well-informed decision upon which vacuum will work the best for you and your needs.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Quick Comparison Table
| Product Name | Dyson V6 | Shark Rocket |
|---|---|---|
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  |
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| Type | Stick | Stick |
| Cord | Cordless | Cord Length – 25 ft |
| Surface Types | Carpet and bare floor | Carpet and bare floor |
| Dimensions | 9.8×8.2×46.4 | 10.5×9.8×46 |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs | 7.6 lbs |
| Editor's Rating | ||
| Available | Check on Amazon.com | Check on Amazon.com |
Dyson V6 vs Shark Rocket: Overview of Features
First of all, there are many similarities between both vacuums. In this classic Shark vs Dyson debate, you will see how both models compare to one another. Both Shark and Dyson are two deeply reputable companies, each known for their top of the line products in the vacuuming industry.
Traditionally speaking, Dyson is known for being more pricey and high-tech while Shark is known for being more traditional and affordable, having more traditional products similar to what the general consumer will likely be used to.
Dyson continues to be on the leading edge of new technologies and provides durable vacuums that will withstand the test of time thanks to their unique design and build. Dyson also leads in the industry in coming out with new vacuum types, although they have traditional models like the Dyson V6.
Each vacuum model is a stick type vacuum. Stick type vacuums are upright vacuums that are slim and most have the option to convert from a typical vacuum experience into a handheld vacuum type (think “Dustbuster”) that you can take around you home and office for sweeping up those hard to reach areas.
The Dyson V6 has a weight of 5.1 pounds and the Shark Rocket weighs in under 8 pounds, so their relative weight is similar, meaning their internal and external constructions are similar as well. The Dyson vacuum is cordless while the Shark Rocket features a 32-foot long cord; a cord at this length is long enough to extend its reach to multiple rooms without you needing to frequently adjust the power outlet it is operating from.
Both of these vacuums have the flexibility to be converted from their normal upright position into the handheld vacuum, so even though the Shark Rocket has a cord and is not cordless like the Dyson, the handheld portion of the Rocket’s operations are cordless which makes for added ease of use for this vacuum.
Each vacuum is able to be used on a variety of surfaces including both carpet and bare floors. If you have hardwood floors, tile, linoleum, or other types in addition to carpet, don’t worry because each of these models will be able to do the job for you. They are properly built to handle a number of different surfaces, so no matter the surface you have in mind, each will take care of the job wonderfully.
Even more, both the Dyson V6 and the Shark Rocket comes complete with different accessories to make your job even easier and to allow for their maximum cleaning potential. The Dyson has a miniature motorized tool, a miniature soft dusting brush, a docking station which enables the charging for its cordless capabilities, a combination accessory tool, and a crevice tool so you will be able to reach those hard-to-get-to places with even more comfort and ease.
The Shark Rocket has a standard wide upholstery tool, a dusting brush, a 12-inch crevice tool for those difficult spots, and a wall mount so you can properly stow your vacuum without the need for additional storage.
While there are many great similarities between each vacuum, one of the major differences you will notice right away is the cost. The Shark Rocket is listed around $150 to $200 from various retailers while the Dyson V6 has a price tag of $250 to $300. As usual to Dyson’s fare, their prices tend to be much higher than vacuums of similar styles.
Individual Reviews
Everything You Need to Know About the Dyson V6
The Dyson V6 is a lightweight traditional stick vacuum. It’s 5.1 pound weight makes it easy for all users to carry around from one place to the next and increases the vacuum’s user friendliness.
It is available in a bright orange-red color which will make it stand out while still adding to your home’s comfort and appeal. It will quickly become one of your favorite home cleaning tools and you will have the time of your life cleaning around your house with it.
There are two roller heads on the vacuum. One is soft in texture which allows for grabbing harder and denser items that might be lying on top of your carpet or your floor. The other roller head is a direct-drive roller head which makes for deeper cleaning into carpets and picking up items that have made their way deeper into the texture of your floor’s surface a reality.
As mentioned earlier, the traditional stick type portion of the vacuum can be transformed into the handheld version with a click of a button. The handheld version of the vacuum (i.e. “Dustbuster”) can maneuver into those spots in your home and office that you find difficult to clean. This increases the flexibility of the vacuum which helps to maximize the value you will be able to get out of it.
Looking into its specifications, this vacuum has a lot of power; it really sucks. One of the features Dyson is known for is for its strong suction power and this Dyson model lives up to the hype. The Dyson V6 has a maximum suction power of 100 air watts making it the prime choice for getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to going all-out on suction power.
The dirt bin on the vacuum holds 0.11 gallons. While it’s not a very big container, the vacuum makes up for itself in its ability to transform into a handheld device and in its flexibility as a smaller container helps the vacuum reach into smaller and difficult to reach places. The dirt bin is washable, so you will be able to keep your vacuum clean over time. This, too, will help offset the initial price of the vacuum, allowing its value to be spread throughout a prolonged period of time.
Also, the Dyson V6 comes complete with washable filters over the lifetime of the vacuum, so no matter how long you will have the Dyson for, you will be able to have washable filters for its continued use.
Too, as briefly mentioned above, a host of attachments come standard with the Dyson V6 when you purchase it. These tools include a combination accessory tool, a crevice tool (for those extra hard to reach places), a small motorized tool, a small soft dusting brush, and a docking station for charging and upkeep. With these devices and tools, you will be able to maximize the value of your purchase even further by getting the most out of your buy.
Picture from Amazon.com
These tools will help you for those times when you need to use your vacuum for special cleaning purposes. If you sometimes need to borrow a neighbor’s steam cleaner or similar device because of a certain issue on your floor or carpet, the Dyson V6 should take care of that issue so you don’t have to borrow your neighbor’s devices anymore.
Lastly, one of the big advantages to the Dyson V6 is its cordless vacuuming capabilities. Its cordless operation allows for it to clean in places all over your home and office. However, one of the downsides to its cordless operation is its continual need for charging. Since the vacuum has such a high suction power, it will likely need to be charged between each use.
On average, the vacuum takes about three and a half hours to charge fully and each full charge provides about twenty minutes of operation. When operating the vacuum, you can change the power mode to a maximum power operation where you can run at the highest possible suction. The vacuum is capable of doing this for 6 minutes in total.
Now, let’s move on to take a look at the Shark Rocket and see how it compares.
Everything You Need to Know About the Shark Rocket
The Shark Rocket is black and grey throughout its structure with sun-kissed orange and red accents throughout the stick vacuum. The colors represent the traditional color scheme found on a variety of Shark vacuums.
Shark is one of the most popular vacuum brands and has been around for decades, providing home owners with quality cleaning products at affordable prices.
Designed for multiple uses and functions, the Shark Rocket was created to have strong flexibility with what it is able to do. First of all, it was originally created to clean a variety of surfaces including carpets and area rugs to all flooring types. The structure of the vacuum itself is created to allow for these multiple surface types.
The vacuum is designed with a swivel steering feature, enabling the vacuum to have a more customizable path for where it can reach. With this feature, the vacuum will be able to get to places that you might not have been able to get to before with a traditional upright vacuum.
If there are places you are still having a difficult time in reaching even after using the swivel feature of the vacuum, you can adjust its operations further by using the handheld portion of the vacuum which detaches from the main stick structure. This will allow you to get into even more tighter and tougher of places, so if you thought some areas around your house or office were long gone and now considered disaster zones, the Shark Rocket will be your guide to getting them cleaned back up in little to no time at all.
Next, the Shark Rocket comes complete with a handle that is ergonomic and comfortable to the hand, so even after prolonged use, you won’t be feeling any discomfort.
The vacuum is not cordless like the Dyson V6; instead, the Shark Rocket has a cord that is 32-feet long. You might be wanting a cordless vacuum for their ease of use, but a corded vacuum like the Shark Rocket might actually be a more practical and useful solution for you especially if you have a lot of vacuuming needs.
Pic from Amazon.com
If your home and office both require a lot of prolonged vacuuming, you might benefit more from a vacuum with a cord since you won’t have to worry about not having enough charge on a cordless device or having to stop and charge your vacuum for a few hours in-between your vacuuming when you just want to get it all done at once.
The Shark Rocket also has hooks for storage on the back of the vacuum so you can store the vacuum properly while not taking up much room in your likely already stuffed storage areas. Plus, its storage features make it a welcomed addition to any home decor and won’t be an eyesore to you or your guests no matter where you keep it safe. A wall mount is included on the device, too; you can simply hang it up when you are done using it for the day.
The practicality of the vacuum continues with a neat feature that allows for the dust cup to be released at the simple and quick push of a button. This will allow you to empty out the dirt tray in the blink of an eye. The dust cup is fully washable as well, so you can wash and clean it anytime whenever you are done using the vacuum.
Even though it is priced well below the Dyson V6 and doesn’t have as many of the extra features that the Dyson has, the Shark Rocket is still a powerful and affordable option for the average consumer that will be able to withstand the test of time.
Shark Rotator vs Dyson Ball
In addition to the Shark Rocket and Dyson V6 that we have outlined above, both companies make additional vacuums that are similar in nature and structure. These are upright vacuums, the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away and the Dyson Ball Multi Floor. Both vacuums are very closely aligned to their respective stick type vacuum models, except the upright models tend to be a touch stronger than the stick models.
The Dyson Ball is one of Dyson’s most popular and recognized models. It is characterized with its bold yellow color and a large “ball” at the base of the vacuum where the model gets its name from.
The purpose of the ball is to allow for increased mobility and movability, allowing the vacuum to get into more difficult to reach places than what a typical and traditional vacuum could do.
Additionally, the vacuum’s ball-like structure allows for improved suction, making the vacuum one of the most powerful vacuums available on the market today.
Available for around $300, the Dyson Ball is not cordless like the Dyson V6. Rather, the Dyson Ball has a 30-foot long cord and comes in weighing 17.3 pounds. Its extra weight makes the vacuum nice and durable for any need that you have. It comes complete with a combination tool and a stair tool which makes cleaning the stairs a breeze.
Furthermore, much technology is included with the vacuum, including Radio Root Cyclone technology that makes for an improved vacuuming experience with added power. A lifetime-washable filter is standard on this Dyson model too, just like the filter with the Dyson V6. The Dyson Ball also comes complete with a cleaning head that self-adjusts, an instant-release want, a bin that empties in a hygienic manner, and a HEPA-approved filtration system. All of these factors combine to make the Dyson Ball a remarkably profound and well-built vacuum.
Looking into the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away, many of the same strong features that makes the Shark Rocket the wonderful stick vacuum it is are noticed on this model as well. The Shark Rotator is available for around $200 from various retailers, keeping firm with the company’s commitment to affordable yet powerful products.
The Shark Rotator is a little lighter than the Dyson Ball, weighing in at 15.7 pounds. The Rotator has a cord length of 30 feet; it is a corded vacuum much like the Shark Rocket.
Taking a look into its features, the Shark Rotator has a phenomenal list of accessories that come standard with each individual vacuum. For example, it comes complete with a dusting brush, a pet upholstery tool which is great if you have shedding pets, and an 11-inch crevice tool for getting into the especially difficult places that are hard to reach.
Even more, the Shark Rotator is able to convert into a lift-away mode allowing the vacuum to turn into a smaller-sized model that can be more mobile than the entire upright vacuum itself.
The Rotator has a motorized floor nozzle, a comfortable handle for all grips, a 12-inch nozzle for increased accessibility, ergonomic controls right at your fingertips, a long power e-hose, a cleaning wand, a handle that makes the vacuum nice and easy to carry, LED headlights which make it even easier to see what you are doing especially if you are vacuuming in dimly lit areas, on-board accessory storage, a dust cup that is large in size and capacity, cyclone technology for improving the suction ability of the vacuum, lifetime washable filters, and a HEPA-approved filtration system.
Considering all of the factors, the Shark Rotator is a phenomenal vacuum for the price. It’s laundry list of remarkable features coupled together with its great affordability help to make it a leading vacuum in the industry for all consumers.
Which is Better?
The Dyson V6 is good for many things and has many options that can be beneficial for you.
For example, the lightweight and durable construction of the device itself will make you want to buy it on the spot, even though the price tag is likely more than you have ever paid for a vacuum in the past.
With the vacuum being cordless, it is very portable, perhaps more portable than the Shark Rocket which is powered by a cord. Combined together with its great suction power that is highly unmatched in the industry, the Dyson V6 is a strong fit for many.
However, there are some downsides to the Dyson V6. For instance, the cordless features of the Dyson do not last for too long. The vacuum is only able to operate for a maximum of thirty minutes off a three and a half hour charge, not including using the maximum suction mode which cuts the operation time of the vacuum down even more.
Pic from Amazon.com
The Shark Rocket might not be cordless, but it makes up for it in value and affordability and even though the vacuum is quite affordable to the general buyer, it still maintains a phenomenal standard of giving you the most out of your purchase.
This vacuum is very reliable as it comes from one of the most reputable vacuum brands on the market today. It shares a number of the same strong features that the Dyson V6 has while doing so at a much more respective price.
Plus, many attachments come standard with the vacuum and with it being designed for multiple different surfaces, you can trust that you will be getting a high value from your purchase with the Shark Rocket.
The Dyson is a high-powered upright vacuum, ideal for those who have a multitude of flooring surfaces in their home and office. With the attachments and technology of the Dyson Ball, you will be able to have all of your surfaces cleaned in little to no time at all.
Plus, with the vacuum needing to be plugged in rather than being cordless, you won’t have any time restraints when it comes to your sweeping needs.
However, consumers have noted that the “ball” structure of the vacuum might be wonderful for mobility, but it makes it difficult for reaching into tough places, like under furniture because the ball-like structure just can’t fit. Therefore, consumers noted that the Dyson Ball isn’t the best option for how much you are paying for it.
The Shark Rotator comes standard with a long list of high-quality features. The upright vacuum itself features a very strong and high-powered suction ability and can be adjusted for a variety of surfaces, so no matter what you need to use your vacuum for, you will be able to use the Shark Rotator for it.
This vacuum has all of the benefits that the Shark Rocket has, but is more powerful and durable than its sister model simply because of the difference in the structure, comparing a stick-type vacuum to an upright-type model vacuum. Consumers appreciate the Rotator’s durability and its incredible value that no other vacuum can match.
All in all, one vacuum might outweigh the other for your particular and individual needs, no matter if you are looking to purchase the vacuum for your home and/or office. The Dyson V6 will give you great power but might not last as long on a single charge when comparing itself to the Shark Rocket which can operate non-stop with its need for a cord.
The Dyson Ball is fantastic for getting the most mobility and movability from a vacuum, but the affordability of both the Shark Rocket and Shark Rotator make them even more desirable than the rest. Looking into each vacuum itself will give you your very own answer on which to purchase for you.