Shag carpet has a high and deeper pile, which gives it a shaggy look. The name is derived from old English that pulls its root to the word beard. The shag carpets are nice and smooth, as well as they offer a warm sensation that is really nice to touch and adds a beautiful chic appearance to your home. Despite the sweet and classy look, these shaggy carpets require and demand high maintenance. The high pile has a thickness which poses difficulty to push the vacuum cleaner on its surface. The vacuum cleaners with lightweight tend to move more efficiently and make cleaning less of a chore and more fun and enjoyable. I’m going to share the best vacuum for shag carpets, and trust me, these cleaners will make your job a lot easier. Also, the vacuum cleaner won’t work on the carpet marks and stains, so you may need to get a carpet cleaner designed to use a cleaning solution with the help of a powerful brush.
Quick Answer: Top-Rated Best Vacuum for Shag Carpets in 2022
| BEST VALUE 💲 | PREMIUM CHOICE 💎 | BEST CHOICE 🏆 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
| NAME | Shark NV356E Shag Carpet Vacuum | Hoover Bagless Shag Carpet Vacuum | Oreck LW1500RS Shag Carpet Vacuum |
| TYPE | Upright | Upright | Upright |
| RATINGS | 4.9/5 | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 |
| DIMENSIONS | 14.96 x 11.4 x 45.5 in | 13 x 13.5 x 44.5 in | 12 x 10.5 x 47.5 in |
- Best Overall: Shark NV356E Shag Carpet Vacuum
- Best Budget: Hoover Bagless Shag Carpet Vacuum
- Best Lightweight: Oreck LW1500RS Shag Carpet Vacuum
- Shark NV752 Rotator Upright Carpet Vacuum
- Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner
- SharkNinja DuoClean Ultra-Light Corded Vacuum
- Dyson DC65 Animal Complete Vacuum Cleaner
- Miele Turbo C1 Canister Carpet Vacuum
1. Best Overall: Shark NV356E Shag Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.9/5 | Best Results
Shark is another very well known and highly trusted name in the cleaners industry. This vacuum cleaner by Shark is a versatile 2 in 1 option that keeps your high piled rugs or carpets fresh and clean. The unit features Anti Allergen Complete Seal technology, and the HEPA filter is built-in so that all the dirt, dust, and debris are secured inside, leaving the atmosphere neat and clean. This makes it possible to trap the dust embedded deep inside the fabrics of carpet, and you would not be breathing in the air full of contaminants.
The unit features the wheels that would not get stuck inside the pile of the carpet. The value pack of the unit is light in weight and weighs only 14 pounds. This is much less as compared to the other counterparts. Also, this size and weight of the unit work perfectly on the deep pile carpets. The higher maneuverability of the machine allows you to move around while cleaning with ease and comfort.
Furthermore, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away professional NV356E vacuum cleaner is a really cost-effective product as the price range is neither cheap nor too expensive. Moreover, you just need to hit a single switch to convert the unit from an upright type to the canister and reach every hard to reach area conveniently. Overall, it’s one of the best and potent vacuum cleaners for shag carpets.
Additionally, the brush roll is really effective for cleaning, and it can also be easily deactivated if you have hardwood floors in addition to carpeted areas. Overall, the Shark Navigator lift away is a perfect choice, and the investment is simply worth it.
2. Best Budget: Hoover Bagless Shag Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.8/5 | Best Results
This vacuum cleaner by Hoover is another upright option that works really well for shag carpets. The unit is lightweight, and this means that the vacuum cleaner will not sink deep into the fabric of the carpet. The Hoover T series WindTunnel rewind plus also feature heights in 5 different positions. So you can use the vacuum cleaner without worrying that the unit would not snag depending upon the thickness of the carpet pile (see also ‘Best Vacuum for Berber Carpet‘).
Moreover, the wind tunnel technology is developed to produce suction power that is enough to lift and clean the dirt and debris embedded deep into the fabrics of the carpet. The unit features a dusting/ upholstery brush in the accessories that help you to achieve efficient cleaning. Moreover, this tool is the most important for cleaning shag or high pile carpets.
Furthermore, the 8-foot stretch hose lets you clean most of the shag carpets with the need to roll the cleaner on the pile of the carpet. The addition of the HEPA filter is another plus point for the cleaner as it traps 99 percent of dust, dirt, and allergens, down to the size of 0.3 microns. Also, there is no-scuff bumper so that it protects your furniture while you clean along the edges of the furniture. Lastly, the whole unit includes a crevice tool, a powered hand tool, a dusting brush, and an extension wand.
3. Best Lightweight: Oreck LW1500RS Shag Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.7/5 | Best Results
The Oreck Magnesium Upright vacuum cleaner is a lightweight vacuum cleaner that provides full power, despite its lightweight. The Oreck Magnesium forms one among the most favorite options, especially for the price tag. The unit can clean the carpets that are sensitive and have a thick pile as well.
Moreover, when it comes to cleaning a shag or a high piled carpet, you need to set the unit at the lower setting, thus enabling the unit to move and clean the dense carpets effortlessly. The lower profile of the machine allows it to reach under the furniture and clean it. The lower profile goes up to four inches and lower for cleaning. The unit is sturdily built, and the durable magnesium frame is stronger than most types of steel. The motor features high power, which gives higher performance.
The Oreck Magnesium has a Quickswitch that is made so that you can clean any type of floor. This also allows you to use a couple of different power settings that you can choose and operate. The unit weighs only 7.7 pounds, and this may leave you in surprise, in the context of the performance. The large wheels of the machine make it a great choice for shag carpets. Moreover, it is not self-propelled, but you can easily move it on thick carpets without consuming a lot of your energy. Overall, it’s one of the best lightweight vacuum cleaners for shag carpets.
4. Shark NV752 Rotator Upright Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.6/5 | Best Results
This vacuum cleaner called Shark Rotator Lift-Away upright vacuum cleaner has a lift-away ability that allows you to isolate the reservoir and vacuum motor. This feature helps you to clean various hard-to-reach areas such as stairs and corners. The motor has a suction power of 270 AW that cleans the debris, dirt, and dust from floors, ceilings, and shag carpets.
Moreover, the microfiber pad is washable so you can clean the bare floors as well without any worry. The vibrant LED lights aid you to hunt the dust and debris that is not visible to the naked eye. The dust cup has an impressive capacity. The power cord is 30 feet long, and this helps you to reach a greater area and also reduces the cleaning time (see also ‘Best Cordless Vacuum Cleaners‘). The ergonomic handle is built so that you can vacuum easily. The fingertip control also allows you the ease of use where you can effortlessly switch moving from bare floors to carpets.
Furthermore, the above-floor mode enables you to release the handle from the wand providing above-floor cleaning. Another important feature is its pet power brush, which is made to extract the dust, dirt, and allergens from deep inside the upholstery fabrics. Overall, the handsome-looking machine with a nice color scheme forms a really good cleaning unit.
5. Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner
Ratings: 4.5/5 | Best Results
The Soniclean soft carpet upright vacuum cleaner is designed especially to deal with the soft and thick carpets, which are not performed properly by many other vacuum cleaners (see ‘Best Vacuum for Thick Carpets‘). This unit is one of the very few vacuum cleaners that are designed for deep cleaning of thicker shag carpets. The cleaner reaches deep into the fabrics of shag carpets, where all the dust, dirt, mud, and crumbs hide in disguise.
Most of the vacuum cleaners clean the top inch or two inches of the carpet but leave behind the deeper fabric untouched, which results in dust accumulation. The brush roll features soft nylon bristles that provide deep cleaning to the carpet without shredding the fibers of the carpet. Moreover, the most important thing about the unit is that this would not change your shag carpet from a thickly piled carpet to a thinner layer, by wearing out the piles during cleaning.
Furthermore, if the pile of your carpet is such that the piles can get entangled into the brush roll, you have the option to turn off the brush roll and do the vacuuming with only suction. The unit possesses large front wheels that can move over the shag carpets without putting a lot of effort.
This cleaner comes with a handheld option with which you can clean the staircase and upholstery with ease and comfort. The handheld steamer helps you to steam clean your upholstery fabric and sterilize the area where a pet might have an injury or accident. Additionally, the 35-foot long cord allows you to clean large areas of your home without worrying about unplugging it again and again. The handle of the unit makes it easy to maneuver.
In addition, you can also turn the head off while transitioning from carpets to floors, so you do not damage your wooden floors. The unit can lay flat, allowing you to get it under your furniture to clean it. Moreover, the fragrance dispensing feature is really good, as well. The combination of less weight with power makes cleaning easy and fun and cleaning, no more tends to be a tiresome activity. In the context of price, it is more on the expensive side, but I would say it is worth it.
6. SharkNinja DuoClean Ultra-Light Corded Vacuum
Ratings: 4.4/5 | Best Results
Another top-rated lightweight option for shag carpets is the SharksNinja Rocket DuoClean bagless vacuum cleaner. The unit features a brush, the bristles of which are perfectly made for cleaning high pile carpets. Moreover, while using the cleaner, if you feel that the cleaner is not light enough, you can change it into a hand vacuum option, which is easy to get into the hard to reach areas very easily.
Furthermore, the Rocket DuoClean vacuum cleaner possesses a high suction power that is made to enhance the performance of the unit, especially when it comes to shag carpets. The machine has the bristle brush roller and the duster attachment that enable you to draw back off of the harder suction.
Additionally, the unit also features LED lights that are really useful to light up the path and enable the operator to see the path clearly and capture every single dirt particle and debris on the way. The handheld unit weighs only 4.5 pounds that makes maneuverability really easy and comfortable as well as makes it a perfect vacuum for stairs cleaning.
7. Dyson DC65 Animal Complete Vacuum Cleaner
Ratings: 4.3/5 | Best Results
Dyson Animal cleaners are also really highly raved and well-trusted names in the cleaners industry. This vacuum cleaner is made to deal with all types of floors, whether it is tile floors, carpeted floors, hardwood, pet hair, or shag carpets. Without any doubt, Dyson cleaners are really expensive, yet they perform such that you do not mind paying the price for these cleaners.
The unit has a head that is self-adjusting so that you can clean with ease and comfort. You just need to turn it on and leave the rest of the machine. The brush bar provides enough power that you can disengage the brush bar and avoid getting any problem with the shag carpet. The unit is designed such that it can tackle the pet mess and cope with twisted and long shaggy carpets.
Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner comes with a wide range of accessories and attachments that are featured to add ease and convenience to your cleaning regime. Overall, it is an excellent machine that forms the best option for cleaning shag carpets.
8. Miele Turbo C1 Canister Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.2/5 | Best Results
The vacuum cleaner by Miele (see ‘Best Canister Vacuum‘, too) is designed to vacuum all types of carpet thickness. There is a rotary dial on the canister system that is made to enable you to adjust the suction power in the brush head. This allows you to acclimate to different flooring types and carpets.
Moreover, the airflow inside of the brush head can also be adjusted for highly piled carpets with the help of a foot lever situated on the head. The Miele turbo team vacuum cleaner also has a HEPA filter and a self-sealing debris bag. These ensure that the air that the machine produces is clean and filtered as compared to the surrounding environment.
The power cord of the unit covers a distance of 30 feet, and it is coupled with the hose of standard length, and the wand provides you with plenty of distance range while cleaning floors and carpets. The build of the vacuum cleaner is easy and comfortable in maneuverability, and you can easily reach under your furniture, even with a very low profile.
Moreover, the brush head while cleaning can produce a whine with a high pitch, which can be annoying; however, the unit is quieter than counterparts. Furthermore, the machine has edges that may scar baseboards and paint, and if you have varying heights of shag carpets and need to clean the solid surface as well, this unit can make your vacuuming life a lot easier and more comfortable.
9. Miele Complete C3 Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.1/5 | Best Results
The complete C3 model by Miele is made specifically for vacuum cleaning plush carpets. The unit is designed with five different head levels, which enable you to set it right on the level of surface you are cleaning. Moreover, the head is motorized, allowing you to deep clean the carpet without depending upon very high suction, which can be damaging to the delicate pieces.
One of the important aspects is that the canister system has a handle that is really easy to carry and move around. The combination of the telescoping wand with the long hose makes it an excellent choice for people who have a problem with moving heavy upright cleaners. Moreover, the cleaner features a basic toolset that includes a dusting brush, a crevice nozzle, and an upholstery tool. These attachments add to the versatility and convenience of the cleaning unit. Additionally, the onboard tool storage solves the problem of dedicating separate space for the whole unit (see also ‘Best Vacuums for Apartment‘ for small spaces).
One of the hard parts of the vacuum cleaners for soft carpets is that they are really on the pricey side, and they rarely have a sale on these items. Overall, the Miele C3 forms the best option for shag rugs and soft carpets, and this is an all-rounder so you do not need a separate vacuum cleaner for separate tasks, Miele would assist you everywhere at your home.
10. Electrolux Corded UltraFlex Canister Vacuum
Ratings: 4.1/5 | Best Results
The canister systems can prove to be on the expensive side; however, these systems are easy to move and also feature good suction for high piled carpets, and they do not scatter off the dirt everywhere. This model is not noisy, even when you are using the high suction mode. The unit features three levels of height so that you can set the vacuum at any level you want.
The brush roll can be turned on and off, adding more of the freedom of use. The brush roll is designed so that it is self-clean, and you do not have to pull any of the tangled pet hair and fibers manually using hands or a scissor. The larger rear wheels make the radius of the unit relatively small.
The most important feature of the cleaner is that it can adjust the suction automatically depending upon the surface it is cleaning. This enables you to use the same unit on carpets, curtains, and upholstery as well. The eight-foot wand marks the unit a great option for high steps of stairs to drape cleaning.
Additionally, you can store the unit either vertically or horizontally, which makes storage easy and comfortable if you have limited storage space. The unit has no bags, and the filters are washable. Overall, the Electrolux Ultraflex canister vacuum is a great cleaning option.
11. iRobot Roomba i7+ Auto Carpet Vacuum
Ratings: 4.0/5 | Best Results
This robot vacuum cleaner by Roomba forms a great tool that is designed to keep your shag carpets clean in between deep cleaning sessions. The Roomba i7+ transitions easily between varying floor surfaces, including the shag carpets.
Moreover, the air filtration system is not the HEPA, but it claims to remove 99 percent of the allergens during its run. The vacuum cleaner is built with a technology that, whenever the unit needs to be charged, or its dirtbag is full of dirt, it returns to its base home, and there it empties its base dirtbag automatically. How incredible is that you do not have to worry and keep supervising the unit and it just runs automatically.
Moreover, you can also control the mapping where you need the unit to clean and with what frequency. This means that you do not have to run over the shag in places where it gets dirty more often than the areas that accumulate the dirt less often. The performance is great in terms of suction. People highly rave about the dirt detection feature with which the unit detects and senses the area needing some extra cleaning. Overall, it is a great cleaner that adds convenience and comfort to your life.
12. Kenmore 10701 Bagless Compact Canister Vacuum
Ratings: 3.9/5 | Best Results
Kenmore is another very well known name. This is a bagless canister vacuum cleaner that makes cleaning, fun, and enjoyable. The canister systems are not supposed to be moved on the shag carpets, so you would not be compressing the fibers of the carpet while cleaning them. The unit is good, especially for the shag carpets and those that have a high pile. The telescoping wand also has a dusting brush, and the attachment adds up to make the machine an all-rounder for cleaning of the shag carpets.
Moreover, the HEPA filters are designed to trap all of the debris, dirt, and dust. The unit features three on-board accessories that include a bare floor tool, a crevice tool, and a dusting brush. The turbine brush has rotating agitator bristles that work to loosen the deeply embedded dirt. The bare floor brush is designed so that you can easily clean and sweep the bare floors without scratching the wood.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN BEST SHAG CARPET VACUUM
HEIGHT
You are always suggested to choose a vacuum cleaner that is suited to your height. If you do not choose the right height you may put undue strain on your body So a vacuum cleaner that features adjustable height is always preferred.
WEIGHT
The weight of the vacuum cleaner is really important. You should always opt for a lightweight cleaner making it portable and easy to use (see also ‘Best Portable Carpet Cleaners‘). The weight of the cleaner ideally should be around 7 pounds. This weight is really convenient to carry and clean alongside.
SUCTION POWER
The wheeled smaller units provide a robust suction which proves to be great for shag and high piled carpets – even the best vacuums under 50 dollars won’t be good for those. You should look for a cleaner that has adjustable power and also has a concentrated sealed suction that does not prove to be damaging.
CLEANING MECHANISM
Cleaning mechanism is also a very important feature when it comes to vacuuming rugs and high piled carpets. If it is too high it would not be able to pull off all the dirt and if it is really low it may damage the surface of your carpet. This can harm the appearance of your carpet.
FAQs
1. How often should you vacuum shag carpet?
Carpet should be vacuumed at least twice a week, and more frequently in high-traffic areas, to keep it in good condition. However, other than cleaning frequency, there are no significant differences between vacuuming shag carpet and ordinary carpet.
2. Can you vacuum a shag carpet with a beater bar?
Dirt can collect between the fibers of these types of carpeting due to their luxurious, deep pile. Fortunately, you can clean your shag carpets with a regular vacuum. To avoid premature aging of your shag rugs and flooring, avoid using a beater brush on the strands.
2. How do you make a shaggy carpet fluffy again?
This is easiest accomplished by removing a damp towel from the washing machine. Apply a warm (not hot) iron to the region that has been flattened. Repeat this process until the carpet fibers reappear. You'll be able to get a wonderful, fluffy carpet again thanks to the combination of heat and wetness.
