Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away NV750

I admit it–I enjoy watching infomercials. I'm captivated by the enthusiasm of the seller, and I find myself wondering, "is the product really that good?" A few months ago, I was cruising the cable channels, looking for something to watch, when the informercial for The Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away vacuum came on. I tuned to the channel, knowing that our current vacuum, at over 8 years old, was not long for this world. My wife mocked me as I tuned to the channel and sat captivated in front of the screen. The vacuum they were selling seemed too good to be true. I wondered whether it could really do all they claimed, and AS WELL as they claimed. Soon our old trusty vacuum found its way to the garbage heap, and I had the chance to test out the claims that were made on the informercial. And let me tell you: it measured up to every one, including a few that I don't even remember them mentioning! This is a five-star review with no reservations. First–the suction on this vacuum is as powerful as they claim. I have no way of testing whether or not it is "more powerful than a Dyson", of course. What I can say is that if the suction were any more powerful, I would have needed a new carpet. The first thing I did after unboxing the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away was vacuum the living room carpet. To my embarrassment, shock, and surprise, the vacuum sucked the literal crap out of our carpet. Dirt, dust balls, and who-knows-what was pulled from the white carpet–the same carpet I had vacuumed only the day before with our old vacuum. Second–it transforms into a canister vacuum as quickly as they claim. Our old vacuum was an upright with a detachable canister, similar to the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away. When you detached the canister, you could use a separate extension along with separate tools for hard floors or hard to reach places, but you could not use the motorized head for vacuuming carpets. The Shark, on the other hand, seamlessly transitions from upright vacuum to canister vacuum, and from carpets to floors. I was vacuuming my carpet in upright mode, when, just like on the informercial, I bumped into my coffee table. With my old vacuum, the motorized head would only tilt so far, and the canister would prevent me from getting underneath the table. Not with the Shark! I popped off the canister, the motorized head kept spinning and sucking and I could–for the first time–vacuum under that coffee table. (Incidentally, the motorized head tilts back to almost flat on the ground. There is almost nothing this vacuum can't get underneath, while still spinning and sucking away.) Once I finished under the table, I just kept going. Eventually I reached the edge of the carpet, and I came to our hardwood floors. With my old vacuum, this would have been a problem. But not with the Shark, because... Third–the thumb controls really are as convenient as they claim. I can switch from "Hardwood", which turns the motorized carpet roller off, to "Carpet", which turns the motorized roller on and the suction at full speed, to "High Pile" mode, which keeps the motorized roller on, but reduces the suction (The suction is so strong on "high" that using it in that mode on a High Pile carpet gets the vacuum stuck like a suction cup hanging on for dear life.) with the flick of a thumb. The only other button turns the vacuum on and off. With our old vacuum, we had a separate attachment for floors. With The Shark, I pop that puppy into "hardwood floor" mode and it adequately vacuums our hardwood and our tile like it was it's day job–which it is. And the best part? When it's time to vacuum the floor rugs near the doors, and you don't even have to pick the vacuum up. You just keep rolling, flick the switch, and boom. Done. Fourth–this thing has headlights. My old vacuum had some junky headlights too. I never understood it. Who is vacuuming in the dark? My mom, that's who. My wife still remembers when she visited me during a college break and my mom started vacuuming the room she was staying in at 6 am. Was it a power trip? A reminder of who was still in charge? Who knows. But she did it, and it was dark, and she needed headlights on her vacuum. She would love The Shark Rotator Powered Life-Away. The bright white headlights on the motorized head illuminate the floor, which really is helpful when you are shoving that thing three and a half feet under your bed to suck up all the dust bunnies that have accumulated since the last time you've vacuumed it, which was NEVER, since you didn't own this vacuum. On top of that–go ahead and remove the motorized head, pull out the wand, and stick on the crevice tool, and you will be delighted to find that there is a little LED right on the handle of the vacuum that shines perfectly into that dark crevice next to the Fridge as you vacuum it. Now you can see all of those old magnets that you lost, the kids homework that has slid into the abyss and now presents a fire hazard as it slowly warms near the compressor, as well as the pencils, old toys, and fruit snacks that have piled up over the years. You're welcome. Finally–the "advanced steering technology" is as good as they claim. It doesn't just tip forwards and backwards. The motorized head rotates this way and that, making it feel like it is attached by a swivel. At first I wondered whether this would come in handy, and then I went to go vacuum my kitchen, and I realized what a fool I had been. The motorized head is just low enough that it fits between the bottom of my cabinets and my floor–and because of the advanced steering technology–I can get it under there with the wand at an angle for easy maneuvering. Will this vacuum last eight years like my last one? It's hard to say. But even if it died tomorrow, I'd probably buy another one. It's that good. So do yourself a favor. If you're in the market for a vacuum, skip the crappy ones. Don't spend more for a Dyson. Just get this one. You'll thank me later.