When debating between the Shark Rocket HV382 Vs Dyson V8 Absolute, one has to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each unit relative to what you actually need.
Dyson V8 Vs Shark HV382 – Head to Head
Dyson V8 Absolute
The Dyson V8 is a best selling cordless vacuum cleaner. It is much more expensive than the V6 because it has much more battery power than the V8, so it can last almost half an hour with the vacuum head brush bar on or up to forty minutes when used without a beater head. This is twice as long as the V6.
The Dyson V8 is actually two vacuums in one. While you can use the brush head to clean up your floor like an upright vacuum cleaner, the V8 can be detached from the hose and head to work as a handheld vacuum. It has a forty minute run-time in that mode. The brush head and suction are powerful enough to pick up pet hair.
Not all V8 units are sold with a dusting brush, crevice tool and combination tool. You can buy a separate Dyson handheld tool kit if the vendor doesn’t sell these tools with the Dyson V8 vacuum cleaner. The soft roller brush that comes with it won’t scratch up hardwood floors, though you have to switch from the hard brush roll to the soft when transitioning from carpet to wood floors.
One of the annoyances of this model is that you can’t keep it standing upright, but this doesn’t matter if you disassemble to store it or lean it against the wall. Conversely, it provides whole unit filtration so it doesn’t scatter a fine trail of dander as it picks up pet hair from your carpet or crumbs off the floor. It is certified asthma and allergy friendly.
The Dyson V8 comes with a docking station, but it doesn’t come with a replacement battery. If you try to buy one online, be careful of the model numbers.
The filters are washable, but they need to dry at least a full day to not mildew in the vacuum cleaner.
Shark Rocket HV382 Vacuum
What are the pros and cons of the Shark Rocket model HV382, the shark Rocket vacuum with the Duoclean vacuum heads? The Duoclean refers to the dual brush rolls in the vacuum head that allow it to clean hard floors and carpets, in contrast to the Dyson V8 requires you to swap out vacuum heads. The Shark Rocket dual heads pick up both small and large particles, through the Shark picks up stuck on stains better in a comparison to the Dyson.
Shark upright vacuums overall are more reliable than Dyson vacuums. According to the 2017 Consumer Reports buying guide, only 6% of Sharks required repairs in a given year compared to 13% Dysons. Reliability is a major attraction of the Shark line – and so is cost.
Like the Dyson V8, this is top heavy. And like the Dyson, you can separate the vacuum head from the body to have a handheld vacuum cleaner. The Shark Rocket has a “TruePet” mini-motorized brush that does a good job picking up pet hair from upholstery and drapes. The only minor downside is needing to clean the roller periodically, especially if long pet hair gets wrapped around it.
It has a similar range of tools like a crevice wand and duster, but Shark has more wands and tools to get every nook and cranny.
Shark isn’t cordless – it has a thirty foot cord. Yet that is preferable if you need to clean for more than an hour.
The Shark is heavier than Dyson. The Shark vacuum cleaner weighs around ten pounds while the Dyson is less than six. If you have weak upper body strength, arthritis in the hands or weak grip strength, Dyson is the better choice if you use it as an alternative to an upright vacuum. As handhelds, both weigh about as much.
Shark offers a five year limited warranty on most of its vacuums. Dyson in general has better product service.
Summary
In a comparison between the Dyson V8 Absolute and Shark Rocket HV382, the Shark wins on price and ease of use if run time is not an issue. If you want something that you can carry around for an hour while spot cleaning without getting tired or hate cords, the Dyson V8 is the better choice. Both work just as well with pet hair and both vacuum cleaners can work on carpets and hardwood floors, though the Dyson is more work to swap out the brush rolls.