I can't say they are terrible, but they are very clearly inferior, and not only. My Shark has lost a lot of suction power, but it still works. I'd rather pay for genuine Shark replacement parts than lose the suction power I have. But they work and are true to size. I think it all comes down to personal choice and how often you use it and what you use it for. Between 2 dogs, 4 cats and 4 teenagers mine gets used quite a bit so the suction power makes a big difference in the end.