Shark NV105 Navigator Light Vacuum Review: Worth the Money?

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Known for their powerful lines of upright and stick vacuums, Shark delivers the goods time and again. The NV105 is no different – a true testament of craftsmanship and quality. After trying it, you’ll wonder how you got by without it for so long.

Join us as we take a closer look at one of Shark’s finest to date. We’ll talk about what makes it worthy of your time and money, and how it will benefit you most. If you’re tired of heavy vacuums cleaners that don’t do their job and lose suction, it’s time you looked into the Shark NV105.

Shark NV105 at a Glance

So, what makes the NV105, or ‘Navigator Light’, so good? Is there anything that’s not so great about it? Fear not; we’re going to answer those questions and a whole lot more.

Here, we’d like to share some of the Navigator’s best features that make it stand out from the rest of the vac pack. We’ll look at why you should buy it right now, and why you might want to think about it some more.

Key Features

  • Never loses suction
  • Lightweight
  • Bagless

Product Specs

  • 5.8 amps
  • 10.6 pounds
  • 1.8-quart capacity

Pros

  • Great on all floor types
  • Easy to maneuver
  • Affordable

Cons

  • No swivel head
  • Few attachments
  • No retractable cord

Why Get the Shark NV105?

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about a few of its features in greater detail. These are what make the Navigator Light stand out from the crowd. As one of the best-selling vacuum manufacturers, Shark consistently rolls out quality products.

Our tests revealed the Navigator Light to be no different. It’s easy to use and a pleasure to handle. It doesn’t feature a swiveling head, but the lightweight design more than makes up for that one minor detraction.

Its versatility gives it quite the advantage over much of the competition. If you’re still lugging around an old, heavy upright, it’s time you made the switch. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.

So, what else does this Shark bring to the table? As you’ll soon learn, it’s a mighty little vacuum that’s plenty capable of delivering the goods.

Suction Power

Out of all that Shark is known for, perhaps most impressive is its suction. Most vacuum cleaners lose this vital component of their operation over time. That’s just not the case with Shark. We decided to put this bad boy through its paces to test its limits. As one of the most important qualities of any vacuum, we made sure to thoroughly explore its suction capabilities.

It’s important to note that this isn’t rated as highly as one of Shark’s larger vacuums. The Navigator Light is relatively small compared to some of Shark’s other offerings. This one is best-suited for small- to medium-sized homes or offices.

That being said, it most definitely packs a punch and won’t disappoint. We first tried various objects and debris to see what the Nav Light could pick up. We ran it through every room of the house, with each one having a different type of carpet.

Starting in the kitchen, the Nav Light did splendidly. We were impressed by how well it cleaned grooves in the flooring. We purposefully put various types of debris onto the floor to test its suction power.

We were able to pick up hair pins, pennies, and rubber bands without issue. We whipped out the wand on a couple of occasions to ensure we got a deep clean. This works beautifully and really helps to get every last piece of debris.

We also ran it over piles of rice, sugar, and coffee. The sugar took a couple of passes, but left no evidence of mess afterward. Bare floors are handled with the greatest of ease; more so than we had anticipated. It was then time to test its mettle over other surfaces. Ones that might pose more of a challenge.

We hit the living room next. Using the same various objects, we littered the floor with them to see how the Nav Light would fare over low carpeting. Just for grins, we even spilled the same rice, sugar, and coffee onto the carpeting. Same results. Two quick passes later and the carpet was clean.

And that’s what makes this Navigator so easy to use. You don’t have to make several passes to get your floors clean; one or two should do it.

We wanted to be sure to note that the roller brush can be turned off when necessary. We found this to be incredibly useful when vacuuming our bathroom rugs. If you’ve tried sweeping these with a regular upright, you know how tough this can be.

With the Navigator, simply turn off the roller for a much easier experience. We had much less difficulty and were able to successfully get our bathroom tidy. You can always use one of the two included attachments if you want a more detailed clean.

Lightweight Design

In our final test of suction power, we used the Nav Light on our carpeted stairs. This was the perfect opportunity to see just how lightweight this model truly is. At just 10.6 pounds, we had no trouble carrying the unit up and down our stairs as we swept.

One of the great features of the Nav Light is its detachable wand. It’s curved to allow for easy maneuvering on stairs and other awkward areas. Combined with the Navigator’s lightweight design, typically difficult areas are a breeze.

This extends beyond just stairs, too. Sweeping in general is much easier because you’re not pushing and pulling a lot of weight around. If you suffer from back or extremity pain of any kind, you owe it to yourself to switch to the Navigator Light.

The difference that the compact design makes is remarkable. At no time did we feel strained or stressed. Sweeping stairs is usually a backbreaker, but not with this mighty upright. We were able to complete each area effortlessly.

Bagless System

If you’ve owned a traditional upright for any period of time, you know all too well the struggles of changing bags. The mess involved on top of going to the store to find the right kind is enough to drive anyone crazy.

Shark eliminates this aggravation by delivering a completely bagless system. Simply sweep your floors, remove the dust cup, and dump out its contents. It’s quick, easy, and effective. And it’s all thanks to the clever design of the unit.

Shark made this as painless as possible by allowing debris to be emptied from the bottom of the container. There’s a push-button release that opens a hatch. There’s no tipping involved, meaning less dust flying up in your face.

The Navigator’s cup capacity measures 1.8 quarts. While this isn’t the biggest that’s out there, we found it to be more than enough room for our needs. We were able to clean our entire house without having to stop and empty it once.

Obviously, this will vary depending on how often you sweep your floors. But considering that it’s easy to empty a Shark vacuum, the smaller capacity is only a very minor gripe.

Conclusion

We hope you found our review of Shark’s NV105 Navigator Light to be helpful in your quest for cleanliness. We’re big fans of simplifying everyday chores. Investing in a powerful and easy-to-manage vacuum is a great place to start. Shark delivers once again with a vacuum that’s sure to make life easier.

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