What's in the Box and First Setup
There's next to nothing to set up. You get the machine, a handle that slides in until it clicks, a sample bottle of solution, and a 20-foot three-prong cord. No hose, no tools, no attachments — that's the trade for the size and the price. One nice touch is that the handle comes off, so if your closet won't take a tall machine you can store it short. There's also a proper cord wrap on the back that undoes easily.
How It Cleans — the Trigger and the Two Settings
There's no water pump on this machine. The solution only comes down when you press the trigger, and that's the biggest thing to understand before you buy: there's no auto solution here, so you're the one controlling it the whole time. The switch up top has three positions — off, Express, and Deep Clean (max). Express lets less solution out when you press the trigger; Deep Clean lets more, which is what you want for a real stain. My rhythm is to press the trigger on the way forward and let off on the way back, so the back stroke is pure suction pulling the water out. You have suction the entire time either way, so if you want to run it as suction only, just never touch the trigger.
Cleaning Performance: What It Actually Picks Up
Everyday Messes
It cleans well and the suction is good. On a bad stain you just work back and forth over it a bunch of times and it comes up. For the solution, you fill the clean water tank to the water line — hot tap water is fine, just don't go over 140 degrees Fahrenheit — then add formula from the water line to the concentrate line. You're not stuck with the sample it comes with either; four of Shark's formulas work in it. I think the Deep Clean Pet works the best.
Long Hair and Pet Hair
This is the one area where it scored lowest, and it's straightforward why: this machine only has suction out the front. There's nothing going on underneath — no valve, no mechanical switch redirecting suction to the brush roller. Now, here's the honest part. Shark makes a HairPro version, the EX551, that does have that valve, and it still didn't work the way it should — not all the hair ended up in the chamber where it's supposed to go. So if pet hair is your main problem, neither of these is the answer; the heavier CarpetXpert EX304 does a really good job with it. And if pet hair isn't your main problem, save the money and get this one.
Ease of Use
This is where the machine earns its keep. It's very lightweight and it maneuvers beautifully — it was an absolute joy to use, and light enough that doing my entire home with it wouldn't be a chore. The carrying handle is big and well balanced, which is exactly what you want in a two-story house. Kick it over with your foot and it turns on. The one honest caveat: it's light empty, but with the clean water tank full it does get pretty heavy, so fill it after you've carried it upstairs.
The Two Solutions (and the One Catch)
There are two bottles up top. The big one is the one you dilute: fill it to the water line, add formula to the concentrate line, and you can use hot water. You're not locked into the pet formula either — Shark sells several dilutable varieties and any of them work in that tank. The second bottle is the Oxy Multiplier, and it says do not dilute, so it goes in full strength. Here's the catch, and it's the one thing I'd change: the Oxy Multiplier only mixes in when you're spraying through the hand wand. It does not get mixed into what comes out of the floor head. So for a really stubborn stain, the move is to stop, grab the wand, and hit it with the Oxy. I wish the floor head got that too.
Ease of Use
It's about as simple as a carpet cleaner gets — a power button and a mode button, and the machine handles the rest. The trade-off is size. It's big and it's on the heavy side, and the first time you kick it over into floor mode you have to plant a foot on it and pull the handle back. There's no twisting or steering to it either; it goes back and forth. If you're planning on carrying this up and down stairs all day, know that going in. Fill the tanks after you've moved it, not before.
Maintenance Reality
Easy across the board. The dirty water tank releases with a button on the back, rotates out, and the top comes off to empty it. I like that the opening is square — you can actually get a brush down in there to scrub it. Inside there's a removable hair chamber for the long hair, plus a float that cuts off suction when the tank hits max (you'll hear the motor get loud when that happens), and a little foam filter you pinch out to rinse now and then. Up front, two tabs release the nozzle assembly so you can take it to the sink and clean the suction port, and the brush roller pulls right out for cleaning or replacing. The clean water tank sits flush and is right up front where you can see it.
What I'd Change About the Shark CarpetForce EX500
- Nozzle reassembly is trickier than it should be — you have to line up the tabs, insert at an angle, then push down and over simultaneously to get it flush. Wish that part were better.
- An automatic solution feature would be nice, though that's likely part of what keeps the price where it is.
How It Compares to the Competition
Shark CarpetForce EX500 vs the Shark CarpetForce HairPro (EX551)
Same machine, but the EX551 adds a mechanical switch and valve underneath that's supposed to route suction to the brush roller and send pet hair into a special chamber. It sounds great and it didn't quite work that way in my testing — not all the hair got there. So I'd buy this one over the pet pro version and put the difference in your pocket.
Shark CarpetForce EX500 vs the Shark CarpetXpert (EX304)
Different class of machine. The EX304 is the top of Shark's line: onboard hose, a stack of tools, and it genuinely does a good job with pet hair. It's also super heavy, and that weight is real if you're carrying it up stairs. If pet hair is your reason for buying, that's the one to get. If light and simple is your reason, this is.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, for the right buyer. If you're on a budget, you've got multiple stories, and you want something easy to use and easy to store, this is a really nice machine — it cleans well, it's simple to mix and simple to clean up, and it's genuinely a pleasure to push. It doesn't feel like the most premium thing Shark has ever built, but it does feel light and well thought out, and it does the job. A nice refreshing release from Shark, and Just A Dad Approved.