Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum vs Shark Rotator Lift-Away NV501

Buy the Rocket Pet Plus if you want a light stick you can grab for quick passes on carpet, stairs and pet hair, and you can live with a cord. Buy the Rotator Professional NV501 if you want one upright that deep-cleans carpet, seals in allergens with a true HEPA filter, and lifts off as a pod for stairs and furniture. The Rocket is lighter and slimmer and gets under low furniture more easily; the Rotator is heavier but has more raw power, a bigger sealed system and a far larger owner base. Owners of both praise suction and pet-hair pickup; the common complaints are the Rocket's small dust cup and the Rotator's weight.

• Choose the Shark Rocket Pet Plus if you want a light, slim corded stick for fast pet-hair cleanup on carpets, stairs and upholstery, and you don't need HEPA filtration.
• Choose the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away NV501 if you want a full-size upright with sealed HEPA filtration, a lift-away pod and stronger carpet cleaning for a whole home.