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If you’ve been hiding in your home to escape seasonal allergens, sorry: Your indoor space poses its own problems, from dust mites and pet dander to mite and cockroach waste, especially if you have carpets, rugs or fabric decor. Vacuums with HEPA filtration, like Shark’s “worth every penny” upright vacuum, are more effective at trapping these allergenic micro-particles than your standard vacuum, and can filter some particles from smoke and pollution, too.
“Most particles that trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, like dust mites and mold spores, are airborne for a short time and then settle as dust,” explained Dr. James Sublett, an allergist and air quality specialist for the Allergy and Asthma Network. “Homes with carpets are a reservoir of allergens; each time someone walks across or vacuums the carpet, particles fill the air.”
While vacuuming won’t completely remove all mites or dander from your environment, vacuums with HEPA filters “help keep mites and mite waste from getting back into the air,” according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The best practice? Use your HEPA vacuum at least once weekly, and run a HEPA air purifier at the same time (like this popular Levoit option). “Using a HEPA vacuum will trap some particles, leaving others that are stirred up into the breathing space to be removed by room or whole house air filtration,” wrote Sublett. (For extra protection, wear a mask while you clean.)
Designed with a sealed HEPA filter to trap allergens and dust within the machine, Shark’s upright vacuum purportedly captures 99.9% of allergens and dust with a staggering 1,416 watts of suction power. Folks love this thing so much, they’re literally buying spares. “For allergy sufferers this is 5-star stuff,” wrote one reviewer.
The vacuum is equipped with a large-capacity dust cup for longer cleaning sessions, multiple attachments, including pet hair and crevice tools, and a detachable pod for tackling spots high up.
While the Shark Navigator is beloved by reviewers, who’ve given the piece an impressive 80,000 5-star ratings, if you prefer a cordless option, this Dyson V15 vacuum is pricier but equipped with a HEPA filter and up to 60 minutes of run time.
Grab your Shark HEPA Navigator Lift-Away vacuum at Amazon or Target, or check out more reviews below:
“Wow, for this money, a total home run. HEPA, detachable handle and portable PLUS IT CLEANS.... love the adjustable suction control, floor to carpet height adjustment is easy access ..... My wife is a ‘cleaner’, first time she used it was off the charts happy. And for me, no nasty smelling air coming out of of the filter. Highty recommended.” — K. Wilson
“Absolutely a great vacuum. Only had a month, but after seeing reviews online it truly is amazing. Easy to assemble. Have two boxers who shed a lot. Suction and pickup is absolutely unbelievable. With HEPA filtration, no stinky vacuum smell. No more changing carpet to bare floor adjustments as on cheaper models. Easy to empty. Excellent feature for people who have stairs-canister easily removed and suction power is wonderful from hose. Noise is low. Easy to maneuver the unit across floor-not traditional wheels. Watch video comparison of models and you won’t hesitate.” — Tom H
“I did a test with this unit out of the box. I vacuumed with my older canister vacuum with a HEPA filter, then I repeated with my Shark. It picked up small dirt and tons of dust. I was amazed, embarrassed and relieved to have a new unit that actually cleaned as I vacuumed. If you are questioning your older vacuum, give this a try and find out for yourself. I got this on sale and recommend to anyone who wants superior performance at a bargain price.” — Robert Wojnowski
“Absolutely love this. I’ve been using a cheapy stick vacuum for a year. No pets, just me, my husband, and our toddler. We have three carpeted bedrooms upstairs and one rug in the downstairs. I did a VERY quick once over all of the carpeted areas with this thing and this picture is the amount of dirt I got. Absolutely in shock. Prior to this, I was vacuuming at least 3 times a week with our stick handle crap vacuum and I try to keep the house very clean at all times (minimal amount of dust, grime, etc. we all have killer allergies). Heck, we use the highest quality HEPA filters for our HVAC AND have a large capacity air purifier. Still, the difference a good vacuum can make clearly can’t be beat. This thing is no joke for suction, very powerful but still pretty easy to carry and maneuver considering it’s size. Easy to click together after unboxing. Canister emptying seems easy enough, and I like that the lifespan of the filters is literally years.” — Olivia Dunn