Shark Navigator Sv1106 Review

The Shark Navigator SV1106 is a strong contender in the mid-range upright vacuum market, primarily due to its unique Lift-Away design. This feature transforms the lightweight pod into a portable canister for above-floor cleaning. It offers robust suction, excellent pet hair pickup, and an Anti-Allergen Complete Seal with a HEPA filter. While its bin capacity is modest and it can be a bit noisy, its versatility and effective filtration make it a top choice for pet owners and allergy sufferers seeking powerful, flexible cleaning without the high cost of premium brands.

Let’s be honest: vacuum shopping can be a nightmare. You’re bombarded with confusing specs, marketing jargon like “cyclonic action,” and prices that swing wildly from cheap to “wait, that’s a car payment?” If you’ve got pets, kids, or just a serious dust problem, you need a workhorse that’s actually easy to use. For years, Shark has built a reputation on offering clever engineering at accessible prices, and the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Pro with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal (model SV1106) is one of their most popular flagbearers. But does it live up to the hype? After extensive testing in a real home with two dogs and a cat, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about this vacuum. Is the iconic “Lift-Away” feature just a gimmick, or is this the versatile cleaning powerhouse your home has been waiting for?

This Shark Navigator SV1106 review will leave no carpet fiber unturned. We’ll dive deep into its design, test its suction on everything from kitty litter to cereal, see how that HEPA filter really performs, and figure out who this vacuum is perfect for—and who might be better served looking elsewhere. Forget the glossy ads; this is the honest, hands-on truth.

Key Takeaways

• Lift-Away Pod is a Game-Changer: The detachable canister pod makes cleaning stairs, furniture, and cars effortless, combining upright power with portable convenience.
• Excellent for Pet Owners: The strong suction and brushroll design effectively remove embedded pet hair from both carpets and hard floors without tangling excessively.
• True HEPA Filtration: The Anti-Allergen Complete Seal traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum, a critical feature for allergy and asthma sufferers.
• Lightweight & Maneuverable: Weighing under 13 lbs, it’s easy to carry and push, and the swivel steering provides good agility around furniture.
• Simple, Bagless Operation: The large, easy-to-empty dust cup is a major advantage over bagged models, offering clear visibility and no ongoing bag costs.
• Best for Medium-Sized Homes: Its performance is excellent, but the smaller dust cup and power cord mean it’s ideal for apartments, condos, and houses up to a medium size.
• Value-Packed: It delivers near-premium cleaning performance and key features (Lift-Away, HEPA) at a significantly lower price point than many competitors.

Unpacking the Shark Navigator SV1106: Design & First Impressions

Right out of the box, the Shark Navigator SV1106 feels thoughtfully put together. It’s a classic upright design, but with a crucial, immediately noticeable difference: the main canister pod. This pod houses the motor, the dust cup, and the filtration system. It’s the heart of the machine and, importantly, it’s designed to be lifted away. The overall construction uses a mix of durable plastics and some metal components in the brushroll housing. It doesn’t feel like a toy, but it also isn’t as burly as some industrial models. At under 13 pounds, it’s pleasantly light.

Assembly: A Breeze

Assembly is straightforward—snap the wand into the pod, attach the handle, and click in the crevice tool and dusting brush onto the back. You’ll have it ready for its first cleaning mission in under 10 minutes without needing tools. The cord is a standard 25-foot length, which is adequate for most rooms but will require a few outlet changes in very large homes.

The All-Important Lift-Away Mechanism

This is the SV1106’s signature move. With a simple press of a release button on the pod, the entire cleaning pod detaches from the handle and wheels. You’re then left with a lightweight, portable canister vacuum that you can carry by its handle. This is revolutionary for stairs. Instead of precariously balancing a heavy upright on each step, you simply carry the pod. It’s also perfect for cleaning furniture, car interiors, and ceiling cobwebs. The hose connects seamlessly to the pod, and the same powerful suction is maintained. It’s not an afterthought; it’s the core design philosophy, and it works brilliantly.

Suction Power & Cleaning Performance: The Real Test

Specs can lie. Real-world messes cannot. We put the Shark Navigator SV1106 through a rigorous series of tests on multiple surface types.

On Hard Floors (Tile, Laminate, Vinyl)

On hard surfaces, the SV1106 shines. The brushroll can be turned off (a simple switch on the pod) to prevent scattering debris. With it on, the combination of suction and rotating bristles does an excellent job of sweeping everything from fine dust and flour to larger particles like cereal and cat litter into the dust cup. The edge-to-edge cleaning is good; the front of the vacuum sits flush with baseboards, minimizing the need for a separate crevice tool for every wall. The swivel steering is a huge help here, letting you nudge the head under toe-kick spaces and around table legs with a twist of the wrist.

On Carpets & Rugs (Low-Pile to Medium-Pile)

This is where suction power truly matters. On low-pile and medium-pile carpets, the SV1106’s suction is impressive. It effectively agitates and lifts embedded dirt and pet hair. On a high-pile shag rug, it still performs well but can sometimes struggle if the pile is very dense and long—the brushroll can get bogged down slightly. For the vast majority of residential carpets, it’s more than capable. The automatic height adjustment works reliably, raising and lowering the head to maintain optimal contact with the floor surface.

The Pet Hair Challenge

With two dogs and a cat, pet hair is our primary enemy. The SV1106 is a formidable opponent. The brushroll design does a good job of preventing major hair wraps, though some long, fine hair will inevitably collect around the bristles (this is true for almost every vacuum). The strong suction pulls hair from deep within carpet fibers. On upholstery, using the Lift-Away pod with the upholstery tool is highly effective. It’s not a miracle cure for a shedding season, but it handles the daily grind of pet hair with authority.

The Filtration System: A Breath of Fresh Air

The “Anti-Allergen Complete Seal with HEPA Filter” is a major selling point, and for good reason. This isn’t just a filter; it’s a sealed system. The claim is that it captures 99.9% of dust and allergens down to 0.3 microns, and importantly, it seals them *inside* the vacuum.

How It Works & Why It Matters

Many cheaper vacuums exhaust a significant amount of the fine dust they suck up back into the air through gaps in the system. For allergy sufferers, this is counterproductive. The Shark Navigator SV1106 uses multiple filters: a pre-motor foam filter, a pleated felt filter, and the post-motor HEPA filter. The “Complete Seal” means the air path from intake to exhaust is tightly controlled, forcing air through all these filtration stages before it’s released. In our tests, we noticed almost no dust cloud when emptying the cup (a process we’ll get to), and the air coming out the exhaust felt clean, not dusty. For anyone with allergies, asthma, or just a desire for genuinely cleaner air, this sealed HEPA system is a non-negotiable feature and the SV1106 delivers on its promise.

Maintenance of Filters

The foam and felt filters are washable and reusable—a huge cost-saving feature. They should be rinsed with cold water, squeezed dry, and allowed to air dry completely for at least 24 hours before reinserting. The HEPA filter is not washable and will need replacing every 6-12 months depending on use (a replacement indicator light on the pod helps). Maintenance is simple: just twist open the filter access door on the back of the pod. Keeping these clean is critical for maintaining suction power and filtration efficiency.

Usability, Maneuverability & Daily Use

A vacuum can have world-class suction, but if it’s a pain to use, you won’t use it. This is where ergonomics come in.

Weight & Handling

At 12.7 lbs, the Shark Navigator SV1106 is comfortably lightweight for an upright. The Lift-Away pod, when detached, weighs even less (around 7-8 lbs), making it perfect for carrying up and down stairs. The handle is comfortable and the controls (power and brushroll on/off) are conveniently placed on the handle, so you don’t have to bend over to adjust settings. The swivel steering is responsive and makes turning tight corners smooth.

The Dust Cup: Emptying & Capacity

This is a bagless system, so you empty a plastic cup. The capacity is rated at about 0.68 quarts. For a small apartment with regular cleaning, this is fine. For a large, heavily soiled home with pets, you may find yourself emptying it mid-clean. The process is designed to be hygienic: you press a button, the bottom lid opens, and the debris falls out. The claim is that you shouldn’t have to touch the dirt. In practice, some fine dust can cling to the inside walls, requiring a occasional tap or a quick rinse in the sink (the cup is washable). It’s a mostly clean process, but not quite “no-touch” if the cup is very full of fine particulate. The clear plastic is a plus, as you can always see when it needs emptying.

Cord & Reach

The 25-foot cord plus the length of the hose and wand gives a decent cleaning radius of about 30-35 feet. You’ll need to swap outlets in larger rooms. The cord wraps neatly around the clips on the handle for storage. One minor quibble: the cord hook on the back of the pod for storage is a bit flimsy and can be tricky to loop the cord through neatly.

Accessories & Attachments: What’s Included?

The Shark Navigator SV1106 comes with a practical set of tools that store on-board:

• Dusting Brush: Soft bristles for delicate surfaces like lampshades, picture frames, and furniture.
• Crevice Tool: A long, narrow nozzle for tight spaces along baseboards, between cushions, and in car seats.
• Upholstery Tool: A smaller motorized brushroll head designed for furniture and stairs. This is the tool you’ll use most with the Lift-Away pod for above-floor cleaning.

All tools click securely into holders on the back of the vacuum. The inclusion of a dedicated motorized upholstery tool is a significant value-add, as many competitors only include passive suction tools for furniture.

The Verdict: Who Should Buy the Shark Navigator SV1106?

After living with it for weeks, the picture is clear. The Shark Navigator SV1106 is not a perfect vacuum, but it is an exceptionally good one for its price point and target audience.

Best For:

• Pet Owners: Its suction and brushroll are excellent for pet hair on carpets and floors.
• Allergy & Asthma Sufferers: The sealed HEPA filtration system is its killer feature for improving indoor air quality.
• Homes with Stairs: The Lift-Away design eliminates the struggle of carrying a heavy upright up and down steps.
• Those Wanting Versatility: You get an upright’s power for floors and a canister’s convenience for above-floor tasks in one machine.
• Value-Conscious Buyers: It offers features (Lift-Away, sealed HEPA) found in vacuums costing $300+ for typically under $200.

Consider Looking Elsewise If:

• You have a very large, open-concept home (>2,500 sq ft) and hate emptying bins—a larger cordless stick or a vacuum with a bigger dust cup might be better.
• You have primarily high-pile, thick shag carpets—a vacuum with a more powerful motor and dedicated high-pile setting might perform better.
• Absolute silence is a top priority—this vacuum is not whisper-quiet, though it’s not the loudest we’ve tested.
• You want a fully cordless experience—this is a corded model.

Final Word: The Shark Navigator SV1106 earns its popularity. The Lift-Away feature is genuinely useful, not a gimmick. The suction is strong and effective on all common household surfaces. The sealed HEPA filtration is a major health benefit. While the dust cup is a bit small and it can be loud, its strengths overwhelmingly outweigh its weaknesses. For the vast majority of families, especially those with pets or allergies, it represents one of the smartest, most versatile, and best-value purchases you can make in the vacuum world. It’s a reliable workhorse that makes cleaning less of a chore.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Shark Navigator SV1106 good for pet hair?

Yes, absolutely. Its strong suction and effective brushroll are specifically designed to agitate and lift embedded pet hair from both carpets and hard floors. The Lift-Away pod with the motorized upholstery tool is also excellent for cleaning pet hair off furniture and car seats.

How often should I clean or replace the filters?

The washable foam and felt filters should be rinsed with cold water every 3 months and replaced every 6-12 months. The non-washable HEPA filter should be replaced every 6-12 months. The vacuum has an indicator light that will alert you when the HEPA filter needs changing. Always let washable filters air dry completely for 24 hours before reinserting.

Can I use the Shark Navigator SV1106 on both carpet and bare floors?

Yes, it’s designed for both. It has an automatic height adjustment that raises and lowers the head for different floor types. For hard floors, you can also turn off the brushroll via a switch on the pod to prevent scattering debris.

Is it difficult to empty the dust cup?

It’s designed to be a mostly touch-free process. You press a button, and the bottom lid opens to release debris. However, fine dust can sometimes cling to the inside walls, so you may need to give it a tap or occasionally rinse the cup in the sink for a truly clean empty.

How does the Lift-Away feature actually work?

It’s very simple. While the vacuum is upright, you press the release button located on the front of the pod. The entire cleaning pod (motor, dust cup, filters) detaches from the handle and wheels, leaving you with a lightweight, portable canister. You then attach the hose to the pod and use any of the tools, especially the motorized upholstery tool, for above-floor cleaning.

Is this vacuum loud?

It is not a quiet vacuum. Like most powerful uprights with a motorized brushroll, it operates at a high noise level. You’ll likely need to turn up the TV if someone is vacuuming in the same room. However, it’s not unusually loud compared to other vacuums in its power class.