It's a review of Shark's latest upright vacuum the Vertex Powered Lift-Away. Which they claim is their most powerful vacuum yet. The Shark AZ2002 Vertex DuoClean PowerFins is the new top-of-the-line premium upright vacuum from Shark. And it seems to be an upgrade from their previous flagship vacuum the Apex.
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Before talking about what has changed, let's go over things both vacuums share. Both have sealed filtration with a HEPA filter so those two are very safe for anyone sensitive to dust.
What is an anti-allergen complete seal system?
It means filtration keeps all the dust and microscopic stuff in the vacuum instead of blowing it back out into your air. This is normally typical for premium machines.
Powered Lift-Away technology is also presented in both models. This means the vacuum can be used to clean above the floors without suction loss.
Both have a self-cleaning brushroll, the same length cord, and are about the same size & weight.
LED lights on the floorhead help to track dust and dirt.
Shark AZ2002 Vertex vs. AZ1002 APEX: what has changed
| Specs/Models | AZ2002 Vertex DuoClean PowerFins | APEX DuoClean Zero M AZ1002 |
|---|---|---|
| DuoClean PowerFins | yes | no |
| DuoClean | no | yes |
| Self-Cleaning Brushroll | yes | yes |
| Powered Lift-Away | yes | yes |
| Lift-Away | no | no |
| Anti-Allergen Complete Seal | yes | yes |
| Filter type | Washable HEPA + Foam and Felt Filters | Washable HEPA + foam filters |
| Dust capacity (quarts/ml) | 1/946 | 0.88/832 |
| Wattage | 1344 | 1350 |
| Amps | 11.8 | 11.3 |
| Cord length (ft) | 30 | 30 |
| LED | yes | yes |
| Accessories in the box |
|
|
| Product weight (lbs/kg) | 16.4/7.4 | 17/7.7 |
| Price | $340.99 | $336.97 |
The Vertex has:
- A bigger dustbin
- A wider cleaning path
- More power (based on tests)
- DuoClean Powerfins technology
Shark AZ2002 Vertex DuoClean PowerFins
The best at resiting hair tangles on the market
Ideal for both surfaces: carpet and hard floors.
$224.99 on AmazonThe Vertex is about the same weight as the Apex but it has a bigger dustbin a wider cleaning path and it has more power. It also is equipped with the newest duoclean powerfins brushroll that is the best at resisting hair tangles as well as picking up any kinds of debris. It does a better job at agitating dust hidden away in carpets compared to the standard DuoClean.
Vertex's main advantages:
- Power
- Pickup ability
- Hair tangle resistance
Cleaning performance
Based on specs, there is not much of a difference between the two. Suction and airflow are way above average. The Vertex is really powerful.
| Power / Models | Vertex | APEX |
| Suction (hose) | 104" | 101" |
| Airflow, CFM (hose) | 105 | 90 |
The Vertex has higher suction numbers than all the previous Sharks including the Apex. Its airflow which considers being as much or more important than suction was off the charts as well. All that power shows up in cleaning tests such as the crevice pickup test with the Vertex picking up all the debris in the first pass which is pretty rare. Most vacuums can't do that after multiple passes.
Another impressive tool would be the anti-tangle power brush that does a good job of resisting hair tangles and removing debris.
If you remember, the APEX is one of the best at picking up debris on any kind of surface. The Vertex does it even better. The Vertex has a soft roller upfront that is ideal for hard floors and an upgraded regular brush that is optimized for carpet. This DouClean system does not make you change the cleaning heads as you switch from carpet to hard floor.
The Vertex picks up even the largest debris with no issue
The finest debris is no issue for the vacuum so it leaves the floors with a polished look which is great for dusty houses. As to resisting hair tangles, the Vertex is one of the best too. After testing it with 1 gram of 7 and 14 in hair and there was no hair on the brushroll after the test. Previously the APEX did the best in this test. After testing the Vertex with 2 grams of 14-inch hair (which no one vacuum could ever come close to doing), it was clear that the Vertex had no hair tangles other than a little bit caught in its wheel.
With the newly designed anti-hair wrap system, the Vertex is the best on the market at resiting hair tangles so far
The PowerFins system does the job and does it better than an average cleaner scoring 98% of the deep carpet clean test (APEX does 96%).
Cons
The Powered Lift-Away mode (the hose in particular) is a bit too long. It kind of runs away as you use it. So it's best to use it for above-the-floor cleaning.
Another thing is that you have to regularly clean behind the soft roller as it might start to shut off if you do not clean it for a few weeks.
Conclusion: is the Vertex worth all the hype?
So the Shark Vertex is a good upgrade from the Apex with more power and an upgraded anti-hair wrap system. The Shark AZ2002 Vertex DuoClean PowerFins is one of the best vacuums on the planet for picking up debris on the surfaces of hard floors and carpet. The Vertex is particularly a no-brainer if you have a lot of hard floors and have to deal with lots of pet or human hair.
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