Ever wondered how major vacuum brands accurately compare themselves to their competitors? Well, you are about to find out.
What are ASTM Standards?
According to the IHS website, ASTM International is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of products and services. They're currently 12,000 ASTM standards available for purchase around the world. Manufacturers adhere to these standards so they can build and maintain consumer confidence.Shark NV752 vs. Dyson DC65 Animal Upright
The ASTM standards come to play when we analyze the rivalry between Shark and Dyson. For example, Shark's website published the image displayed to the right. In this image, they compare the Dyson DC65 with the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away NV752 TruePet. They first claim that the Shark NV752 has a higher cleaning capacity than the Dyson DC65. This claim can be validated with just a quick check of each brands website, and noting that the Dyson only holds 0.55 gallons of debris while the Shark NV732 doubles that amount with a dirt capacity of 1.1 gallons.
Next, Shark claims that its NV752 model gives carpet a deeper clean in comparison to the Dyson DC65. However, when you consult the fine print, you see that they came up with this specification after reading the ASTM F608. This standard, recently updated in the 2013 ASTM Book of Standards, reveals the test method for the evaluation of "carpet embedded dirt removal effectiveness of household/commercial vacuum cleaners." It is applicable to uprights, canisters and combination cleaners. The full document is available for purchase for $50.00 in PDF format and $55.00 in print.
Next, Shark claims that its NV752 model gives carpet a deeper clean in comparison to the Dyson DC65. However, when you consult the fine print, you see that they came up with this specification after reading the ASTM F608. This standard, recently updated in the 2013 ASTM Book of Standards, reveals the test method for the evaluation of "carpet embedded dirt removal effectiveness of household/commercial vacuum cleaners." It is applicable to uprights, canisters and combination cleaners. The full document is available for purchase for $50.00 in PDF format and $55.00 in print.
Similarly, they deduced that the Shark NV752 provides more suction power after consulting the ASTM F558 and doing their own independent tests. This standard, recently updated in the 2013 ASTM Book of Standards, reveals the test method for "measuring air performance characteristics of vacuum cleaners." It is applicable to uprights, canisters, sticks, hand-held, utility, and combination type vacuums. Manufacturers use this standard to determine suction power, air flow, minimum/maximum air power, and input power under typical operating conditions. Moreover, when the vacuum is in carpet cleaning mode, this standard can also be applied. The full document is available for purchase for $50.00 in PDF format and $55.00 in print.
On the flip side, Dyson bounces back by stating that their upright vacuum, more specifically the Dyson Ball Multi Floor Upright, has a better overall performance than any other vacuum when it comes to picking up debris from carpet, bare floor surfaces, and corners. This was deduced via an independent test.
Shark Rocket HV300 vs. Dyson Digital Slim DC44
Similar to the previous example, Shark has also used ASTM standards in their comparison of the Shark Rocket HV300 and the Dyson Digital Slim DC44. For example, ASTM F608 cleanability testing was consulted to deduce that the Shark Rocket HV300 gives carpet a deeper clean than the Dyson DC44. The same ASTM report was also used to prove that the Shark Rocket HV300 cleans carpets better than a traditional upright vacuum cleaner.
What does the public think?
Good question! Manufacturers are not the only ones weighing in. Consumers are weighing in as well.Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away NV501 VS Dyson DC41
"I bought the Dyson DC41 to compare. I bought the Dyson the same day, opened it up and literally used it right next to the Shark. I went around the entire house and did parallel sweeps of all the large areas to get equal samples. I spent the same amount of time and went the same amount of distance with each. I then emptied each bin onto separate paper towels to see which vac picked up the most." - DA
"The Shark picked up at least twice as much fuzz and dirt as the Dyson." - DA
