Shark NV700UK Lift-Away Review – Cheapest Duoclean Upright from Shark

About the Shark NV700UK/T

Quick View of the Shark NV700UKT Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS

• Regular Price*: £280
• Lift Away: YES
• Powered Lift Away: N/A
• Duo Clean: YES
• Anti Hair Wrap: N/A
• Pet Powered Brush: N/A
• Anti-Allergen Complete Seal: YES 
• Cord Length: 8M
• Hose Length: 1.5M
• Dust capacity: 1.1L
• Size ( Overall): 115cm x 30cm x 28cm
• 2-1 Duster Crevice: YES
• Upholstery Tool: YES
• Warranty: 5 Years 

Shark NV700UK/T – Key Differences Explained

What’s the difference between theNV700UK and NV700UKT? One of Shark’s better features is that there isn’t much difference between the models in a range, both in terms of features and price point.

Firstly, the model number ends in either UK or UKT, with the T standing for True Pet. This means that it is the pet version of the vacuum cleaner, and there is only one difference; the pet version comes with a very useful pet tool that can be used on furniture, carpets, and their beds.

Secondly, you’ll also find the colour is a little different, with the UK coming in a light grey, and the UKT in rose gold and black.

Otherwise, there is nothing that separates these two vacuum cleaners. This is also why we decided to feature the NV700UKT, it comes with the extra tool. As a result, we can cover every feature offered for you.

Features and Benefits

Cord and Hose Length

Sadly, this is another Shark with an 8m power cable, which just isn’t quite long enough, but you can make do with it. While I don’t like having to switch sockets frequently, there are shorter cables out there.

 I did like the continued use of the cable tidy on the back for neat storage at the end of cleaning, however.

You do have the hose at an excellent 1.5m, and this provides you with an excellent cleaning radius overall. It assists with stretching across a room, as well as making floor to ceiling cleaning a much smoother experience.

It can be pretty handy with cleaning the stairs too, with the hose stretching to allow better reach and coverage. 

Cleaning Power

Carpets. On carpets, it was also great, and the bristle bar really reached in to get all of the dirt that had been stamped into it over time. Honestly, it brought up stuff I would not have thought was there. It did take a couple of passes to get tougher debris off, but overall it did an impressive job and was relatively quick about it.

What I did miss from this vacuum cleaner was the new anti-hair wrap technology from Shark. What this does is incorporate a guard and a special comb that is able to remove hair from the carpet and direct it straight to the bin without tangling.

While my brush bar was not tangled, it does happen over time, and having this new technology would have prevented it. If this is something you fancy investing in, you can check out our AZ910UK/T review instead. 

Our Low-Pile Carpet Test Results

In order to test this out, we took a fresh 1.5m strip of carpet and measured 100g of debris. This debris is chosen to represent typical household dirt, and it contained chilli flakes, flaxseed, loose black tea, and the classic cheerios. This mixture was then spread evenly over the area.

Once this was done, we took the vacuum cleaner and performed a 10-second pass over the carpet to collect the debris. We then took the bin and carefully emptied it before weighing what had been gathered.

The table below shows the percentage, and you’ll be able to see that it’s a fantastic result – one of the highest for the Shark range. 

100grams Mixed Contents inc fine dust

95%

Our Hardwood Floor Test Results

Hard Floors. In all, I was really pleased with the cleaning ability of the Shark NV700UKT. On hard floors, it worked effortlessly, and the DuoClean technology meant that even fine particles were swept up without issue.

It also managed the large particles without snow ploughing them, a feature that always leaves me jumping for joy when I find it in a vacuum cleaner. Having DuoClean tech available is a fantastic feature and one that I go into further detail about in the following sections. 

Here, we replicated the conditions used for the carpet test. The only difference is that we used the leading UK hard floor as our chosen surface – laminate. As you can see from the below table, it provides near-perfect results.

This is a massive improvement from the NV601UKT. This is because of the soft roller that makes DuoClean technology.

100grams Mixed Contents inc fine dust(see notes) (low)	93%
Pet Hair (Scattered Pet Hair over 4 foot area)	100%

Stairs. Combined with the powered lift away technology, stairs were a breeze. All I needed to do was remove the main body, attach the tool of my choice, and get to work. It took hardly any time, and I was able to do the furniture as well. I felt that it gave a really thorough clean as well, so I could get right into the corners.

The included wand also allows for floor to ceiling cleaning, which is great for reaching high places and cobwebs that might normally be out of range. The flexible hose also makes things easier, and lift away technology means that you are not limited in terms of how far you can stretch. 

Pets. The pet tool was the shining star of the show in terms of accessories. I used it to clean dog beds, stairs, furniture, and the inside of my car. In each area, it was both thorough and effective, which was just what I needed.

My dog has what I call sticky hair as well, which means it seems to embed itself in furniture, and the pet tool was even able to remove those; making it thoroughly impressive.

The only downside is that the pet tool in this version is not powered, which leaves it akin to a standard accessory. A powered tool would make the process more efficient and also lend assistance to stubborn areas of carpet effectively. 

Our Pet Hair Tests

Our pet hair test is similar to our flooring ones, but this involves a five foot strip of carpet and an excess of dog hair physically combed into the fibres.

A 20-second pass then follows to see how much the vacuum cleaner is able to collect, followed by a window blade to determine how much was missed in the process. The results were superb, and you can see them in the below table.

Pet Hair ( Combed in Pet Hair over 4 foot area)

99%

Filtration

It uses the usual Shark combination of filters. You will find the HEPA filter near the motor, which helps to muffle the sound, and it only needs to be washed annually in order to remain effective (or every six months if you like to be cautious).

The main filter is a gloriously large sponge that can be removed and washed with ease. This should be done monthly, because while it does absorb a lot of dust, it is the best way to reduce your chances of loss of suction.

What the NV700UKT also benefits from is an excellent fully sealed system. This means that when air is going through the vacuum cleaner, it is only pushed through the filter and out of the exhaust.

Unsealed systems have dirty air being pushed through every possible gap, which isn’t good for allergy and asthma sufferers. A sealed system is exactly why Shark is so popular. 

Our Filtration Test Results

Using a particle test metre, we checked the environment before the vacuum cleaner was used, and then tested it once more after spending 15 seconds sucking up special international approved dust from DMT. The table below shows you the results of our filtration tests.

Air Particle Test ( Our rating %)

99.9%

As you can see from the table above, it is superb with regards to filtration. The sealed system is effective, and certainly able to keep the number of allergens being thrown back into the air at a low level.

Noise Levels
The noise level comes in at 78dB, which is compliant with the EU maximum of 80dB. This is very quiet compared to much older models of vacuum cleaner, and I did find that it was not particularly offensive to the ears. In lift away mode, it remains nice and quiet as well, which was a good bonus.

However, once you have attached the pet tool the noise levels spike massively. It reaches 89dB, which can be deafening to use. When you first attach the tool it is not a pleasant surprise, and so I recommend being prepared for some serious noise once you find yourself needing to use this tool. 

Our Noise Test Results

For this test, we grabbed our decibel meter and placed it three feet away from the floorhead of the Shark NV700UKT. We then switched it on and recorded the results, which you can see clearly below.

Noise ( Decibals)

78DB

Design

The overall design is quite standard for an upright Shark, and the build is quite compact which should make for easy storage. I don’t have a great deal of space in my home, and the fact that it was able to fit into my cupboard was a massive bonus with this model.

As briefly mentioned previously, the Shark NV700UKT also has powered lift away, which means the main body can be detached from the head and stick to create a lighter and more versatile vacuum cleaner for better and more effective cleaning.

It’s really easy to access as well, as the simple press of a button will allow you to remove the main body effortlessly.

Powered lift away is different from the standard in that power still goes directly to the floorhead so that you can use it in the portable mode.

This allows you to reach under furniture and clean your home as normal but within a different format. It’s just a much simpler and smoother way of cleaning without needing to give up the main floorhead.

The controls are located on the handle as well, which makes things a lot easier for you, especially in powered lift away mode, and also allows for controlled cleaning in said form.

You can switch between carpets and hard floors with ease. There is also a suction valve so that you can adjust the power accordingly when needed.

Of course, the head comes with LED lights so that you can see clearly when you are cleaning and spot even the most hidden clumps of dirt and dust. There is also on-board storage for the main tools, so you can access them quickly and easily no matter where in the house you are – even in lift away mode. 

The power rating is 750w, which is well within the EU regulations, so you know you are getting something that is both powerful and approved.

While it may be a change from the kind of vacuum cleaners we used to have, I have found the lower wattage models to be just as effective at cleaning while also saving me money on my energy bill.

Our Weight Test Results

In order to give you the most accurate information, we performed our own weight test so that you have a clear idea of what you’ll be picking up. The table will show you things like the weight of the vacuum cleaner with tools on board and without them.

Weight (Without Tools)	6.5Kg
Weight (With All Tools on Board)	6.9Kg

So, the Shark NV700UKT is heavier than most. This is mostly because it is an upright vacuum, and many are used to using stick or cordless models. It comes in at 6.5kg without tools, with the lift away mode weighing half of this.

With all the tools on board, it came in at 6.9kg. However, as I pushed the vacuum cleaner around, I can’t say I noticed the weight too much, and that using it was still a smoother experience.

It also has swivel steering, which makes for easy handling and great turns when navigating furniture and other obstacles that might be in your way. The handle is also padded for a comfortable grip that won’t leave it sore or tired after particularly long cleaning sessions.

Overall, the weight might be an increase from what you’re used to, but the overall manoeuvrability is superb. 

Tech Features

The most exciting thing about this vacuum cleaner is that it is the first Shark model to incorporate both lift away and duo-clean in one. What this means is that the Shark NV700UKT has two brush bars in the main head.

The first of these is located at the front and is incredibly soft, making it good for use on hard floors as it can pick up fine dust and debris effortlessly.

It’s an absolute gamechanger with regards to cleaning hard floors, and this is not a feature that you typically see in upright vacuum cleaners. The soft roller is perfect for fine dust collection, as well as easy to clean, and all but two Shark upright models feature this fantastic addition. 

The second is the usual bristle brush, which works excellently on carpets to pull up hair and dirt that is embedded deep down. While the bars on the head are easy to access, the bristle brush is, as usual, not removable, a feature I hope they will discontinue in newer models.

However, the brush roll can be taken out, which is good as it will need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Duo-clean is one of my favourite Shark features though, so I was really pleased that this model had it.

The Shark NV700UK/T also has some excellent onboard storage for the tools that come with it. This is ideal for taking them around with you while you are vacuuming, making them easily accessible when you need them. 

Accessories

The Shark NV700UK/T comes with some excellent tools, each of which are listed below for you.

#1 Pet Power Brush. This only comes with the UKT, and it is a non-motorised tool (which is a little bit of a let-down). It is a good pet tool, and can be used on bedding as well as a wide range of furniture and surfaces.

#2 The 2-in-1 Crevice and Dusting Tool. This nifty tool is perfect for reaching corners and down tight gaps to collect all the debris it can find. The dusting brush is ideal for delicate surfaces and has a gentle touch. It’s a slim and versatile tool that can be used anywhere in the home.

#3 Upholstery Tool. This works wonders on furniture and car interiors to get them nice and clean again. It is effective, and also easy to attach to the vacuum cleaner.

#4 Under Appliance Wand. This is an optional attachment, and it has been curved so that it can reach right under appliances and similar areas with ease. This allows for flexible cleaning, which means you can finally retrieve that piece of chopped carrot that fell down the gap months ago. There’s no shame, it happens to us all.

#5 Car Detail Kit. Also an optional extra, and one that is usually priced around £25. It comes with an incredibly long and flexible hose to make reaching inside the car easier, as well as a range of attachments to clean everything from between the seats to the actual seats themselves. 

Ease of Use and Setup

Building the Vacuum
This is a very simple process, and it just includes snapping the two halves of the vacuum cleaner together so that you can get started.

If you do feel a little unsure, there is an instruction manual provided that will give you all the details you need for the construction of your machine.

Emptying the bin

It has a great dust capacity of 1.1L, which can hold all of the fur, fluff, and dirt that you pick up each clean. However, it is not quite as big as the NV601UKT. The bin removal is very simple, and emptying it rarely needs you to get your hands involved. Therefore, it creates a pretty clean emptying process.

Maintenance
It’s really easy to look after your Shark vacuum cleaner. All you really need to do is keep an eye on the brush bar, especially since this does not feature the new anti-hair wrap technology.

When the brush bar starts to get a little hairy, just detach the main floorhead, flip it over, remove the plate, and use scissors to remove the hair. It’s a very simple process, and we actually have a dedicated guide to Shark maintenance and repairs that you should certainly check out.

At a minimum, you should be cleaning the filter every three months. We recommend going monthly just to stay on top of things, but you can use your own judgement when you check the filter. The actual cleaning process is nice and quick, as well as straightforward.

Take the filter and rinse it under cool running water until all the gunk is gone. You can give it a gentle squeeze while you wash just to make sure you got it all. Leave it on the side for 24 hours or until it is completely dry, then put it back in the machine and get back to vacuuming.


Warranty
Shark has a great warranty system, and the NV700UKT comes with a warranty that lasts five years. This includes the cost of parts and labour should your vacuum cleaner malfunction and need replacing.

Should I Buy the Shark NV700UK/T?

We hope that this Shark NV700 guide has helped you to learn more about what they have to offer, as well as which one is going to be best suited to your home.

Of course, it does have a couple of flaws that need to be addressed. It is a little heavy when compared to other vacuum cleaners, but this is something to expect when using a full-size upright.

It’s a fantastic vacuum, and the fact that it uses DuoClean technology is one of the top positives for this model. That and the incorporation of powered lift away for easier cleaning and versatile manoeuvering. It’s not one to miss out on, and it gets a solid 4/5 from me.

What did you think of our Shark NV700UK and NV700UKT review? Do you agree with our thoughts on the vacuum, or are there others that you think are better suited to the task? We love hearing from you, so make sure you leave us a message in the comments below. 

Last Updated on January 27, 2022 by Gemma Tyler