Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe vs Dyson Ball Animal 3
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Upright Vacuums: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe is the upright most people should buy: it is light, its pod lifts away for stairs, and it cleans nearly as well as machines costing far more. Step up to the Dyson Ball Animal 3 if deep carpet and heavy pet shedding are your priority and the weight and price do not put you off.
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe
Buy itLighter, cheaper, and lift-away versatile: the corded upright most homes should buy.
- Lift-Away pod detaches for stairs, upholstery, and above-floor cleaning
- Light and easy to steer
- Anti-Allergen complete seal with a HEPA filter, plus a brushroll shutoff for bare floors
- Near-flagship results for a fraction of the Dyson price
- Deep-pile carpet pickup trails the Dyson and the Miele
- Bagless bin and filters need regular cleaning to keep suction up
- Plastic build feels less durable than the premium picks
Dyson Ball Animal 3
Buy itThe deepest carpet and pet-hair clean here, if you can handle the weight and the price.
- Strong deep-carpet and edge cleaning
- Self-detangling Motorbar head clears wrapped pet and long hair as it cleans
- 5-stage filtration that Dyson says captures 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns, aimed at fine dust and dander
- Strong long-term reliability reputation
- Heavy and tiring to carry up stairs
- Premium price well above the Shark for a similar everyday result
- Runs loud on maximum suction
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Our pick | Dyson Ball Animal 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Most households wanting a light, versatile, genuinely capable upright without overspending. | Pet owners and deep-carpet homes that want the strongest clean and will pay for it. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium |
| Dust system | Bagless bin with Lift-Away pod | Bagless bin |
| Deep-carpet cleaning | Very good | Excellent |
| Pet hair handling | Very good | Excellent, self-detangling head |
| Weight and handling | Light, swivel + lift-away | Heavy, ball steering |
| Filtration and sealing | Anti-Allergen seal with HEPA | 5-stage filtration, 99.97% at 0.3 microns |
| Expected lifespan | Solid for the price | Long, strong reputation |
| Noise | Moderate | Loud |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe if
most households wanting a light, versatile, genuinely capable upright without overspending.
Know before buying: deep-pile carpet pickup trails the Dyson and the Miele.
Pick the Dyson Ball Animal 3 if
pet owners and deep-carpet homes that want the strongest clean and will pay for it.
Know before buying: heavy and tiring to carry up stairs.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe - Lighter, cheaper, and lift-away versatile: the corded upright most homes should buy. Choose the Dyson Ball Animal 3 instead if pet owners and deep-carpet homes that want the strongest clean and will pay for it.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Upright Vacuums: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).