Shark NV31 Infinity Vacuum Review

Shark NV31 Infinity Vacuum

Unless you're Martha Stewart, have deep-seated issues around cleanliness and sanitation, or have a serious case of Keeping-up-with-the-Jones', a vacuum cleaner is just not something for which you want to shell out big bucks.

It's not fun. It's not sexy. But it is a necessity.

And until recently, consumers were faced with a dilemma: pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars for top brands that do a bang-up job and last a lifetime or pinch pennies and settle for a low- to mid-range brand that is essentially disposable and does a half-baked job to boot.

Those of us with allergies or pets (or both), particularly those with wall-to-wall carpeting, understand the wrath of the underperforming vacuum cleaner better than most. That's why it is so refreshing to find the Shark NV31 Infinity Vacuum.

The Shark NV31 Infinity comes in two models: the basic model runs about $250, and the pet care model runs about $50 more. For that price, we found the Shark NV31-which many have compared to the much more expensive Dyson-does an outstanding job removing pet hair and other grunge from all sorts of surfaces, including carpeting, tile, and hardwood flooring.

We had the Kirby folks over for a visit about a year ago and were stunned (and grossed out) to see the amount of dirt it picked up from our supposedly clean carpets. We even contemplated coughing up nearly $1,000 to buy one. But we just couldn't do it. And boy, am I glad we didn't! The Shark vacuum, for a fraction of the cost, does nearly as good a job. And since I'm not serving dinner on my floors (and since I'm most assuredly NOT Martha Stewart), nearly is plenty good enough.

Because the Infinity doesn't use bags, the cyclone technology truly does create superior suction. Plus, it saves you a lot of money on vacuum cleaner bags. The dust cup could be bigger, but it's not a big deal to empty it multiple times for big jobs. The lifetime washable True HEPA filter is also a great design feature that slashes to the total cost of ownership over the life of the vacuum.

The Shark NV31 Infinity Vacuum with Pet Care System includes a complete lineup of accessories, including a quick release cleaning wand, low reach bare floor brush, pet hair power brush, dusting brush, crevice tool, upholstery brush, extra filters, and an owners manual.

While the Infinity won't last a lifetime like the much pricier brands, it is a truly durable vacuum that provides excellent suction and cleaning power at a very affordable price.