Shark Vertex AZ2002 Vs. Dyson Ball Animal 2: Which One Is The Best For You?

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Both the Shark Vertex AZ2002 and the Dyson Ball Animal 2 are two of the most powerful vacuums available today. But when we put them in a head-to-head competition, which of them is the best overall vacuum? With this comparison, we will help you determine the best vacuum among the two.

As someone who has held a cheap vacuum before, I can tell you what it feels like to pull hair out of your vacuum. It’s a pain and feels like a total waste of time you could spend cleaning your room. I can tell you right now that neither of these vacuums will have that problem.

Below, we are going to dig into an in-depth comparison between the two vacuums.

Quick Summary Of Our Comparison

If you don’t want to read the entire post, check out this quick summary:

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 holds the claim to be one of the most powerful vacuums in their line. Dyson has gone as far as to claim it to be the most powerful vacuum out there upon its release. Those who use the vacuum can feel it, as the suction power is enough to feel the vacuum’s pull. Also, various included tools make this something powerful for stairs, animal hair, and thick carpets.

Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum Cleaner
  • The Dyson Ball Animal 2 has the strongest suction of any vacuum.¹
  • Ball technology helps you navigate around obstacles with a simple turn of the wrist. For easy, precise maneuvering around your home.
  • The self-adjusting cleaner head has an active base plate that automatically raises and lowers to seal in suction across all floors. Combined with a powerful motorized brush bar, it deep cleans throughout the home.
  • Engineered for larger homes with pets.
  • 9 Dyson-engineered accessories include the tangle free turbine tool, combination tool, multi-angle brush, articulating hard floor tool, stair tool, reach under tool, carbon fiber soft dusting brush, mattress tool and tool bag.

Last update on 2023-09-22 at 13:27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


The Shark Vertex AZ2002 is the ultimate versatile option. With a full vacuum connected, it provides a great experience that can fit into any crevice. You can even remove the tank, so you don’t have to bend down to reach under things. The vacuum also has two DuoClean rollers that rotate simultaneously and PowerFins to prevent long hair tangles. The result makes the Shark Vertex great for a house with hardwood floors or medium-pile carpets, or a mix of both.

Moreover, if you have long-haired pets or family members who shed heavily, the Vertex is a perfect choice as you don’t have to deal with hair wraps after vacuuming.

Shark AZ2002 Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Upright Vacuum
  • SHARK’S ULTRA-POWERFUL VACUUM: The Vertex is an ultra-powerful vacuum, with incredible suction and innovative cleaning technologies..1344.0 watts.Cord length (ft.): 30, Hose length (ft.): 5.5..Amperage : 11.8A
  • SELF-CLEANING BRUSHROLL: Engineered for more pet hair pickup with no hair wrap (vs. Shark bristle nozzles).
  • DUOCLEAN POWERFINS: A PowerFins brushroll and a soft roller combine on all floors. Continuous cleaning contact to dig deep into carpets, directly engage floors, and pick up more in every pass. (vs. original DuoClean).
  • POWERED LIFT-AWAY: Detachable pod for motorized cleaning under furniture or detach the nozzle to clean above the floor, on upholstery, furniture, stairs, and more.
  • PERFECT FOR PETS: Includes a self-cleaning Pet Power Brush for deep cleaning with no hair wrap and a Pet Crevice Tool to remove pet hair from hard-to-reach spaces like corners, ceilings, and between couch cushions.

Last update on 2023-09-22 at 22:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


Both vacuums are substantial investments that have strengths in various areas. Both can work in almost any house, so make a decision based on your preference. Below, we are going to get into further details of what makes these vacuums great.

What Makes The Shark Vertex AZ2002 Worth Buying

  • Dual brushes with Powerfins that have anti-hair tangling capabilities.
  • Portable cleaning options for under the couch and on the stairs.
  • The soft brush makes this vacuum excellent for hard floors and large debris.
  • HEPA filter making it great for those with allergies.

The Shark Vertex AZ2002 is the sequel project to Shark’s previous model, the Apex AZ1002. The Apex was best known to be a beast among vacuums, having some of the strongest suction power available. The Shark Vertex keeps this tradition alive, as it has incredible suction and airflow.

Read our comparison between Shark Vertex AZ2002 and Shark Apex AZ1002.

This vacuum’s most impressive feature comes from the two rollers in the vacuum’s head. The first cylinder is a smooth cylinder with flexible silicone fins that are great for sweeping large objects on hardwood floors. The second brush is soft and meant to pick up smaller pieces on carpets and hardwood floors. The combination means that you aren’t likely to miss anything on the floor.

DuoClean PowerFins Floor Head

The removable tank also removes from the vacuum base, allowing you to reach underneath couches and above your head with the motorized floor nozzle. If you need to switch to different control settings while doing this, everything you need can be controlled with your thumb on the handle. Cleaning under couches is also incredibly simple with powered lift-away technology, which presses the vacuum forward.

Shark Vertex AZ2002 Controls

Besides, the PowerFins roller removes hair wraps around the beater brush, thus keeping the hair tangle issue at bay. 

Some reviews say that there is too much suction on this vacuum, as it can be hard to lift for some people. It also isn’t the best for the thickest carpets, but it does cover the widest variety of floor styles available in most vacuums.

Related: Comparison between Shark Vertex AZ2002 and Rotator NV752 True Pet

What Makes The Dyson Ball Animal 2 Worth Buying?

  • Incredible suction power great for cleaning thick carpets and animal hair.
  • A multi-angle brush that twists at different angles for cleaning hard-to-reach locations.
  • Has eight tools for a variety of situations, including a tangle-free turbine tool.
  • Included tool bag for storage of tools.
  • Ball technology allows for improved maneuvering.

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is king when deep cleaning carpets. This vacuum specifically addresses this pain-point with a powerful motorized brushroll that creates an excellent agitation. It also has an active base plate that self-adjusts as per the carpet thickness to create a suction seal for maximum airflow needed for deep cleaning performance.

This makes Dyson Animal 2 the perfect option for homes with a majority of carpets and rugs.

The number of tools available can be overwhelming, but they are each designed for various tasks. They include an anti-tangle tool, a hard floor tool, a soft dusting brush, and a multi-angle brush. They have so many tools that the vacuum includes an attached tool bag, which can be carried as you vacuum.

The connected ball technology makes this vacuum very maneuverable, but you will need to move your couch, as the tank cannot be removed. It also has an included HEPA filter, making this the perfect vacuum for people who have allergies. It also suffers from the same muscle need as the Shark, as the suction is a bit too powerful for some people.

Which Is Better At Cleaning Long Human and Pet Hair?

The Shark Vertex has self-cleaning Powerfins roller, making for the quickest cleaning experience for picking up long hair. Despite Dyson’s tangle-free turbine tool, this is best for removing long hairs from carpets and bare floors. 

Though Dyson’s anti-tangle turbine brush is excellent for removing hair from smaller spaces, it’s not practical for picking hair spread across large areas such as carpets and floors.

Which Is Better At Cleaning Hard-To-Reach Places?

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 has eight different tools that you can use to reach difficult locations. The 35 food cord combined with a five-foot hose makes for almost 40 feet of cleaning reach. You can clean the top of your door frames easily with this kind of outreach.

If you happen to have couches to reach the underside, this answer changes to the Shark Vertex. That’s because, with the powered-lift feature, it morphs into a stick vacuum to get underneath your couches with relative ease. Combine this with a removable tank, and short locations with broad areas go to the Shark.

Which Is Better At Cleaning Large Debris?

The Shark Vertex has a combined soft roller and Powerfins brush that makes it perfect for scooping various debris. The powerful suction attracts large debris that must go through two layers of rollers before it can escape.

Shark Vertex large debris pickup on carpet
Large Debris Pickup on Carpet – Shark Vertex

The Dyson has an adjustable plate on the front of its head, making it great for digging into thicker carpets. However, it doesn’t do as well with large debris as a result.

Which Vacuum Cleaner Is Better For Hardwood Floors?

The Shark Vertex dual-roller with Powerfins works for a variety of thinner floor types. As a result, this vacuum cleaner is a reliable option for people with many hardwood floors in their house.

Shark Vertex fine debris pickup on hard floors
Fine Debris Pickup – Shark Vertex

That being said, Dyson’s adjustable-height level makes it great for cleaning small debris that gets into thin crevices on your hardwood floors. 

Both of these are relatively equal when picking small litter off hardwood floors, as their suction power allows for excellent cleaning ability. Due to its dual rollers, the Vertex is good at picking large-sized crumbs and piles of debris with ease, whereas the Dyson snowplow them in front of the nozzle.

Shark Vertex large debris pickup on hard floors
Large Debris Pickup on Hard Floors

Which Vacuum Is Most Powerful?

The Shark Vertex Has a wattage of 1350, while Dyson Ball vacuums vary around 900. Both are sealed equally well, resulting in a stable airflow between the two. It is easy to get hung up on wattage, but suction power is mainly determined by how the vacuums are sealed and the airflow.

In this case, both have similar claims about having the most potent suction among upright vacuums. However, with its adjustable base plate, Dyson Animal 2 creates a better seal with the surface resulting in less suction leak.

On the other hand, the DuoClean roller housing in Shark Vertex leaves openings in front of the nozzle and between the roller for air to escape causing a suction leak.

Which Vacuum Cleaner Has The Best Tools?

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 has eight tools that you can use for almost any given situation. The Shark Vertex has four tools but makes it up by having a removable tank that turns the base head into a tool by itself. Both are good for different reasons.

When it comes to tool flexibility, Dyson clearly takes the cake here. So if you have high curtains and want to vacuum above door hinges, Dyson has likely made the vacuum for you.

Conclusion

As we compare the two vacuums, each of them has different strengths, which will make them a substantial addition to your home. As you use the guide above for your own decision-making process, you will be able to ensure that you buy the right vacuum for your household.

The Dyson Ball Animal 2 is excellent for deep cleaning carpets and rugs. It also has a wide variety of tools for any situation. With the 5 ft hose and 35 ft cord, you have around 40 ft of cleaning reach.

The Shark Vertex AZ2002 is excellent for cleaning under hard-to-reach areas. With all of your controls located on your handle, it’s straightforward. Also, the dual brush action makes it great for hardwood floors and medium-length carpets.