Shark Carpet Cleaners

Comparison Table

*All of the rest of this data = our test results. These are NOT manufacturer specifications.

Shark EX151 vs EX201

Should you buy the cheaper EX151 or opt for the more expensive EX201?

The EX151 is about $50 cheaper than the EX201 but features an almost identical design to the EX201, except that it doesn’t have a “StainStriker” reservoir.

The StainStriker reservoir is an extra small blue reservoir that you fill with Shark Oxy Multiplier solution. Note that the StainStriker reservoir only releases solution when you use a connected hose and spot cleaning tool. It doesn’t release the Oxy Multiplier solution during upright cleaning.

In any case, the Oxy Multiplier solution really didn’t make much of a difference in our spot cleaning tests, so the EX151 not having a reservoir for this solution is not a disadvantage for it.

In most other aspects the EX151 has a very similar design to the EX201. It has an identical cleaner head and brushroll, and it has very similar measured suction – at the hose and at the nozzle.

In our upright stain test the EX151 garnered very similar results to the EX201. Both models were above average performers cleaning the chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup stains, but below average performers cleaning the grape juice, tomato sauce, and peanut butter stains.

The EX151 also left carpet just as dry as the EX201 after cleaning.

Both models also have an almost identical clean water tank and dirty water tank. These tanks are very small compared to average and so both models have a very limited area of coverage before you need to refill and empty these tanks.

The only real difference between the EX151 and 201 involves spot cleaning. The EX201 does spot clean slightly better than the EX151.

What’s confusing is that it does NOT perform any better with the Shark oxy multiplier solution. It does, however, with the standard mix of water and soap we use for our spot cleaning test. So if you use exactly the same cleaning solution with both Sharks, the EX201 spot cleans slightly better (at least according to our testing).

Is this enough of a reason to buy the EX201 over the EX151, despite its higher price?

It depends.

If you plan on spot cleaning frequently (cleaning with the attached hose and spot cleaning tool) then we would recommend getting the EX201 over the EX151.

Otherwise, if you plan on primarily using either model as an upright carpet cleaner (pushing it back and forth over carpet) we would recommend saving some money and buying the EX151 over the EX201.

 Shark EX201 vs EX301

Should you buy the cheaper EX201 or opt for the more expensive EX301?

The EX301 has a slightly different cleaner head than the EX201 (and EX151). Marketing materials describe it as
1 being more resistant to hair wrap
2 being more resistant to clogging (from pet hair), and
3 being able to pickup pet hair better

“HairPro Technology” refers to this redesigned cleaner head.

We didn’t really test with pet hair. Most carpet cleaner manufacturers recommend that you vacuum extensively before washing carpet, and so, that’s what we did for testing.

That being said, the cleaner head on the EX301 is definitely different than the cleaner head on the EX201 and it should be better optimized for cleaning up pet hair according to the manufacturer.

In our upright stain test, the EX301 also performed slightly better than EX201 cleaning up pet urine, caramel syrup, and chocolate syrup.

It also left carpet slightly drier (by 1%) after cleaning.

So you do get certain benefits with the EX301’s redesigned cleaner head, even according to our upright testing, which doesn’t involve any pet hair.

The EX201 did perform slightly better than the EX301 in our spot cleaning test though. It left a slightly lighter tomato sauce and chocolate ice cream stain after testing.

Otherwise, the EX301 does include a few extra spot cleaning tools, specifically for cleaning pet messes, that you don’t get with the EX201.

The EX301 also has a basket in its dirty water tank to catch pet hair – the EX201 tank doesn’t have this basket.

Which model do we recommend?

Get the EX301 if you have the budget for it and you’ll be cleaning in upright mode (pushing the cleaner back and forth over carpet) more than you’ll be cleaning in spot cleaning mode (with the spot cleaning tool).

Get the EX201 if you plan on cleaning in spot cleaning mode more than you plan on cleaning in upright mode.

Other Sharks

Shark EX121BRN – the EX121 is basically an EX151 without a hose or any spot cleaning tools. Otherwise, we expect it to have very similar performance to the EX151.

If you have a very limited budget and you only want to clean in upright mode, it may be a good option for you.

Shark EX251BRN – a variation of the 201 that doesn’t have a StrainStriker reservoir. A recommendation on this model requires further research and testing.

Shark EX221BRN – a variation of the EX201 that doesn’t have a StainStriker reservoir. It also appears to have a basket in its dirty water tank to catch pet hair like the EX301. A full recommendation on this model requires further research and testing.

Shark EX304 – a variation of the EX301. The only difference between the EX304 and EX301 appears to be that they are a slightly different color. The EX304 is Navy and the EX301 is Copper.