I've been testing vacuum cleaners for more than two years now, and there are no brands I have more experience with than Shark and Dyson. These two somewhat similar brands produce some of the most well-known vacuums in the world.

And of their famous collections, the Stratos Cordless is one of Shark's best-selling cordless vacuums of all time. It's remained popular and well-reviewed as newer releases have succeeded it, so I was excited to finally get my hands on it.

I tested the Shark Stratos Cordless in our test center and a local pet shelter to find out if it truly is one of the best vacuums.

My One-Minute Summary

The Shark Stratos Cordless excels in many ways. Its suction is strong on both hard floors and carpets, it's a breeze to use, and it comes with smart features to make cleaning easier, notably sensors that automatically adjust the suction to match the floor type and dirt volume you're dealing with.

In many ways, this is one of the best Dyson alternatives out there – although it's more expensive than others we've tested and has a few features you won't find in any Dyson (such as the anti-odor cartridge or dual brushrolls).

It isn't perfect, though, and while its performance on pet hair is strong, a few stubborn hairs remained. It's also heavier than most cordless vacuums, and I found it a little tiring to use in handheld mode for longer than 20 minutes.

If you want better, I'd go for the Dyson V11 or Dyson V15 Detect, as they have stronger suction and more specialized floorheads. But to save money, the Levoit LVAC-300 [Amazon] performs similarly in many ways, but it isn't quite as powerful as the Stratos.

Shark Stratos Cordless: Specifications

Shark Stratos Cordless: Design and Features

The Shark Stratos Cordless is in the same genre of cordless vacuums as many of the best Dyson vacuums, notably the Dyson V15 Detect, which detects what's on your floors to automatically adjust the suction levels. Here, Shark calls it 'Clean Sense IQ'.

So, instead of having to change the settings as you pass from hard floor to carpet, the vacuum does it for you. It's a neat feature that, now I've gotten used to through testing so many cordless vacuums, I would miss otherwise.

And as cordless sticks rely on battery power, this feature helps preserve the runtime by avoiding unnecessarily high suction on easier surfaces, like when cleaning laminate flooring. You only get the boost when you need it.

There are LED headlights on the floorhead that help illuminate the floor and reveal dust and thin hairs that can easily go unnoticed.

The floorhead has two rollers: A soft one and a bristled one, making it a more seamless experience passing from soft to hard flooring.

This is a key difference when comparing Shark vs Dyson cordless vacuums, as Dysons have floorheads that you swap out. This gives Dysons more specialized cleaning, while Sharks are more convenient.

My model included all of the attachments available for this vacuum, including: A crevice tool, an anti-allergen brush, a duster, a motorized hair tool, and even a spare battery, meaning my runtime is doubled to up to 120 minutes in one session (I would recommend investing in a spare Shark battery if you have a big house).

The Stratos also has odor-neutralizing tech – a small cartridge that slots into the floorhead, releasing a fresher scent than the odor-ridden air that can sometimes exhaust out of a vacuum cleaner.

What Is the Shark Stratos Cordless Like to Use?

I'm a fan of the Stratos design. There are no floorheads to swap out, it changes its suction level by itself, and the light helps you see more clearly how dirty your floors are. That's a suite of useful additions that can help make cleaning feel easier.

The Clean Sense IQ indicator on the floorhead is a nice touch. It's similar to what I've seen when testing the best vacuum-mop combos, where the light shows how much dirt is left to clean. It means, whether you're slow vacuuming (which I highly recommend) or keeping the vacuum still to get deep into the carpet, you know when no dust is left, and you can move to the next patch.

It also automatically stops the brushroll from spinning when you stand the vacuum up or stop moving it for a few seconds. A nice battery saver.

The floorhead wheels are made of a rubber-y plastic, so the Stratos is safe to use when cleaning hardwood floors or other delicate surfaces. I found that it grips nicely to different surfaces, which I was a bit surprised by, as there's no grip adjustment for cleaning carpet.

However, while the LED headlights help to illuminate the floor, they only somewhat reveal dust that you can't normally see:

The feature pales in comparison to the Dyson V12 Detect Slim and Dyson V15 Detect, which use a green laser that actually reveals particles that the naked eye can't see. Still, the Stratos' lights are more useful than none.

At 8.91lbs, it's also heavier than most cordless vacuums I've used. I found it hard to reach above my head while holding it with one hand, which is a shame as this is one of the benefits of a cordless stick vacuum. It's powered using an on/off button, though, so at least it doesn't become cumbersome having to hold down a trigger the entire time.

And personally, I'm not a fan of the anti-odor cartridge. It smells artificial, like a cheap car air freshener. I found that the Shark Stratos was effective enough at trapping odors using its three-stage filtration, and I preferred cleaning without the cartridge, adding an unnatural scent to the room. But maybe that's just me.

Test 1: Flour and Sugar

I tested the Shark Stratos Cordless with a half cup of flour and sugar. It's one of our standardized tests to assess a vacuum's ability to pick up dust, dander, and other fine particles that are common around the house, from the pantry to common household allergens.

On hard floors, the Stratos cleared pretty much everything in one pass. The suction immediately raised and sounded much stronger than before, and it even got between the cracks in one pass. Impressive – not far off the Dyson V11's performance that costs $200 more.

Running the test again on eco mode, it cleaned most of it in two passes, and only a few bits of sugar remained that I needed to go over once to clean.

On carpet, it cleaned virtually everything in one. There was the tiniest bit of residue leftover, but this was vacuumed up instantly afterwards, and I didn't need to go slowly to pick it up. Outstanding performance for a cordless.

Test 2: Pantry

I tested the Shark Stratos Cordless using a cup of cereal and lentils. It's another standardized test to assess how well a vacuum cleaner can handle medium and large debris. The cereal poses a particular challenge, as the large pieces can easily get stuck in airways, or flung around the floor.

If a vacuum struggles with this test, it isn't necessarily a bad vacuum; we just learn how to use it more effectively when cleaning different-sized messes at home.

On hard floors, it easily vacuumed a line through the mess. The floorhead – clearly robust – crushed down the cereal pieces, and I didn’t have the frustrating task of cleaning up any flung crumbs. Only one cereal piece fell out afterwards, which is tighter performance than most. A few lentils were flung but it took a few seconds to go back and suck them up.

Again, it easily vacuumed a line through the mess, and the grip to the carpet was satisfying. It didn’t do everything in one, however, but going over the bits that were missed or pushed around took under a minute. Similar performance to the newer Shark Cordless PowerDetect.

Test 3: Pet Hair

I also tested the Shark Stratos Cordless in a local cat and dog shelter, Bristol ARC, that is consistently full of animal hair, to find out whether the Stratos could shape up to be one of the best vacuums for pet hair. It's also an excellent way to see how a vacuum can handle a busy, messy environment with a variety of floor types and furniture.

On an entrance mat – the most difficult surface to clean – the Stratos couldn’t get every hair after repeated passes, even on boost mode. It picked up pretty much all of the long hairs, but the short, stubborn ones couldn’t be vacuumed. It also didn’t have the best edge cleaning, as some straw was unable to be picked up on the left side.

I tried multiple times, and quite a lot was left behind. For a cordless stick, this isn't uncommon, as it's typically only the super-premium vacuums, such as the Miele Guard L1 Cat & Dog or the Dyson V15 Detect, that tackle this well.

Good performance on low-pile carpet. Most of the time, almost all visible hairs were gone after a couple of passes, but there would occasionally be a few tiny stubborn hairs left over. There's a firm grip when cleaning carpet – nothing that makes it hard to push around, but strong enough that you can feel consistent contact with the floor.

The performance on hard floors was strong, with every speck of dust and strand of hair picked up in one.

After a few hours' worth of vacuuming at the pet shelter, the dustbin was full of fur. Impressive, even if a few spots couldn't be completely cleaned.

Test 4: Attachments

I tested every available attachment for the Shark Stratos Cordless, on a mix of surfaces including padded upholstery, sofas, furniture, and window sills.

While every attachment proved effective when cleaning different surfaces, they were let down by the Stratos' heavier weight, and my wrist ached after cleaning just one room with four chairs and a sofa.

The motorized pet hair tool is great at pulling fur from padded fabric, and I like that it pivots at an angle to make sure you're maintaining consistent contact with the surface. It takes a bit of scrubbing back and forth, but it gets all the hair eventually. It's a great lightweight cleaner for pet owners in this regard, but similar to the Levoit LVAC-300, which costs $200 less.

I'm a big fan of the anti-allergen dust brush. I wiped it across a table as you would with a cloth, and it picked up every crumb that was on it. The other dusting brush was great at cleaning a windowsill, too, but that's standard across most vacuums. The anti-allergen dusting brush is a unique win for the Stratos.

Shark Stratos Cordless: Setup and Maintenance

The Shark Stratos, like any cordless vacuum, assembles with a few clicks. Attach the floorhead, wand, battery, and vacuum, and it's ready.

However, it's recommended to charge the battery to full before first use, as this preserves the battery's health. For me, this took almost three and a half hours, so be prepared to wait a little while until you can use it out of the box.

I was pleased to see a complete lack of pointless plastic packaging, and everything was packaged compactly using cardboard or paper molds.

In terms of maintenance, this is a bagless vacuum, so you'll need to empty it after every clean. Cleaning the filter regularly (ideally once a month), cleaning the brushrolls when dirty, and removing any internal clogs are all that's required to keep it at its best.

How Does the Shark Stratos Cordless Compare?

Although it was released years ago, the Shark Stratos Cordless remains one of Shark's most expensive cordless vacuums, priced at $499.99 at SharkNinja at full price. Surprisingly, it isn't discounted as often as the newer releases – likely because of its popularity.

It shares many features with the Dyson V15 Detect and the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, notably the floor and dirt sensors, and automatic suction. The Shark Stratos Cordless may be a little more convenient (there are no floorheads to swap out between surfaces), but the Dysons outperform the Shark when it comes to cleaning, in every way. However, they're more expensive, costing up to $350 more at Dyson, but it depends on promotions, as at the time of writing, the V12 Detect Slim is cheaper.

Or, the Levoit LVAC-300 and the Dreame R20 are more affordable alternatives, costing under $200 if you buy them at the right time. The Shark Stratos Cordless certainly performs better, especially on carpet, but they're cheaper options if your home has mostly hard floors.

Next, learn which of the best robot vacuums is best suited to your home, after spending hundreds of hours testing them in our own houses.

Cleaning up after your pets is a constant battle. More often than not, as soon as a room is clear of fur, you turn around and it's covered again.

So, it's no surprise that leading vacuum brands such as Shark continue to try to save us from this ongoing hassle, and the new Shark PowerPro Pet is no exception. It promises to solve pet hair issues at home, with strong suction and an anti-tangle roller to clear fur without hassle.

I tested it in a local pet shelter, in our dedicated test center, and in my own home for an extended period to find out if the Shark PowerPro Pet could be one of the best vacuums for pet hair.

The One-Minute Verdict

The Shark PowerPro Pet offers a strong clean for its mid-range price, seamlessly passing from carpets to hard floors with its automatic power modes. It's clearly designed to be as intuitive as possible, with smooth gliding, floor sensors to adjust suction level for you, and a flexible wand that can help you reach under furniture where pets love to snooze and leave hair behind, without straining your back.

After testing in a pet shelter, I was surprised by how much fur it pulled out of low-pile and thick carpets, and it never once wrapped with hair. It struggles a bit when it comes to bumpy surfaces or large debris, but the ease-of-use redeems it, as you can easily adjust the attachments to vacuum anything that's left behind.

It's a great vacuum for the price, but if you're happy spending a little more, I'd recommend the Shark PowerDetect Cordless or the Dyson V11 as both have higher suction and performed better all-around during our real-world tests.

Shark PowerPro Pet: Specifications

Shark PowerPro Pet: Setup

I was happy to see that the Shark PowerPro Pet had been packaged using just cardboard and paper, without any non-recyclable plastic, and in a box that's smaller than what you'd expect for a vacuum cleaner.

It took a few minutes to unbox it all and connect the vacuum's sections. It's always recommended to fully charge the battery before the first use to get the most from your vacuum, preserving the battery's health and lifespan, and this took just under two hours.

I tested the UK's version of the Shark PowerPro Pet, which is the same vacuum but with a different power cord, and one different attachment: The pet multi-tool. They're similar in design, consisting of a brush that detaches to reveal a high-friction upholstery tool. But the UK edition has rubber fins for the brush, whereas the US version has bristles.

My model also came with a handy Shark tote bag that neatly stores all the vacuum's attachments in one place, but as the US version doesn't include this, I'd recommend this Kememo Corduroy Tote Bag at Amazon – I didn't realise how handy it was until now, especially as the Shark PowerPro Pet doesn't have slots to store attachments on the vacuum itself.

Shark PowerPro Pet: Design and Features

The PowerPro Pet is part of Shark's latest cordless vacuum range (which also includes the Shark PowerPro Flex), which builds on the brand's cleaning technology that they've steadily been developing over the past few years.

It has smart floor sensors that tell whether you're vacuuming bare floors or carpets so that it automatically adjusts the suction mode. This 'Auto' feature is a common staple of modern cordless vacuums, particularly Dyson vacuums, and it's helpful to not have to make these adjustments yourself while cleaning.

The 'PowerFins' floorhead is self-cleaning to avoid hair wrap, and its roller is made of a rubbery plastic. It doesn't have bristles, which can be particularly helpful for carpet vacuums, nor does it have two brushrolls like the Shark PowerDetect Cordless, one of our on-test favorites.

Bristles and dual brushrolls can be highly effective when cleaning different surfaces, but instead, Shark designed a floorhead focused on vacuuming hair, while still being able to pass from carpet to bare floor.

Also on the floorhead are LED headlights, a feature popularized by the Dyson V15 Detect – our best cordless vacuum. But while Dyson's lights can reveal dust that your naked eyes can't see, the Shark headlights simply illuminate the floor.

The Shark's attachments – crevice tool, upholstery tool, and pet multi-tool – cover every cleaning task you'll need around the house. When you remove the pet multi-tool's brush, it reveals an upholstery tool, which I found a little odd, as Shark could've omitted the separate upholstery tool altogether, rather than having two.

Shark doesn't list the suction power for their vacuums, but from my testing, it appears as if the PowerPro is one step down from the Shark PowerDetect Cordless, which has Shark's most powerful suction in a cordless vacuum.

I tested the airflow using an anemometer, and it ranges from 9.3 to 14.7mph. For comparison, the high-powered Dyson V11 ranges from 9.8 to 19.6mph, and the affordable Levoit LVAC-300 ranges from 7.1 to 12.3mph. The Shark sits comfortably above average.

What Is the Shark PowerPro Pet Like to Use?

The Shark PowerPro Pet has clearly been designed to be effortless to use. Automatic power adjustments, no floorheads to swap out, and smooth gliding across floor types make it a seamless cleaning experience.

It takes less than a second for the vacuum to automatically change suction mode when you pass between bare floor and carpet, and there are lights on the vacuum and floorhead showing which mode it's on. It's intuitive, taking away the guesswork and making it a more natural experience.

It automatically goes into carpet mode when you lift the vacuum up from the floor. At first, I thought this demonstrated how the floor sensors work – that they only recognise bare floors, and assume anything else is carpet – but after testing, I realised this was a clever design move. It avoids crumbs spilling out of the floorhead when lifted into the air, as that slight boost in suction makes sure the debris goes up into the dustbin.

Max mode (the highest suction level) isn't automatic; instead, it's activated by an easy-to-reach toggle right on the handle, as seen above. This simple, non-strenuous design is one of the best ways I've seen to control a cordless vacuum's strongest setting – and I'm surprised it isn't more common.

The Shark PowerPro Pet only has one floorhead. Others like the Dyson V12 Detect Slim and the Levoit LVAC-300 have separate floorheads for carpets and hard floors, which can offer a more specialized clean, but it can be inconvenient to swap them out while you're vacuuming. Instead, the Shark prioritizes convenience, using a versatile floorhead that can tackle both floor types.

I go into this in more detail below, but Shark's claim of anti-hair wrap is absolutely true. After testing the vacuum in a pet shelter, there were no hairs around the brushroll.

At 7 lbs, it's a lightweight vacuum, and one that can easily be carried upstairs or held with one hand. As a general guide, cordless vacs range from 6-8lbs typically, but upright vacuums are typically 13-18 lbs. The Shark PowerPro Pet also glides along floors smoothly with soft wheels that won't scratch delicate surfaces, like when cleaning hardwood floors.

I tested the noise levels using the Decibel X app, and they range from 68.5 to 73 decibels. This is typical for a cordless vacuum (and a little quieter than upright vacuums), but I found that the Shark PowerPro Pet's sound is softer and less jarring than others I've tested, likely because of the lack of bristles hitting the floor.

One gripe I have is that it's difficult to store the vacuum. It doesn't stand up by itself, which isn't uncommon, but if you lean it against a wall, it rolls forward and falls down. This is quite inconvenient, as cordless vacuums are most easily stored by leaning against a corner, but it also means that while you're cleaning, you have to bend down to place it on the ground if you ever need to free up your hands.

I found that when opening heavy doors or moving furniture that it became frustrating having to do this every time. I couldn't quickly prop it against something, as it would instantly roll down and hit the floor. It shows how smooth the wheels are, at least, but it may be a barrier if you deal with chronic pain or have difficulty bending down.

But there isn't a wall mount included, or even available on the SharkNinja website for this model. To store it, you'll have to lie it flat somewhere, which can take up a considerable amount of floorspace – unless you're happy stashing it under some furniture.

Test 1: Flour and Sugar

I tested the Shark PowerPro Pet using a half cup of flour and sugar, to assess its ability to handle fine material like dust and dander. I ran the test three times on carpet, linoleum and wooden floors.

It took two passes on linoleum, and 2-3 passes on wood, as afterwards a small amount was left in the cracks between the wood panels, but these got picked up instantly when I used max mode. This is strong performance, but not as fast as the one-pass Dyson V15 Detect or Shark POWERDETECT Upright.

When only using max mode, everything was vacuumed in one pass.

On carpet, results were similar, taking three passes on average to clear, thanks to max mode picking up the tiny number of debris left behind after the first two passes.

Carpet mode was great, automatically adjusting the grip so that it doesn’t suction itself to carpet. It felt intuitive, and I'd certainly recommend it as one of the best vacuums for carpet if you're looking for a cordless model.

Test 2: Pantry

I tested the Shark PowerPro Pet using a cup of green lentils and cereal, as seen below, to check how well it can handle medium and large debris. The cereal is a particularly enlightening test, as it shows a vacuum's capabilities when dealing with large pieces that can either be crushed down or flung around, and as it's a high volume of mess, there's a possibility of clogging up the internal parts.

On hard floors, most of it was vacuumed in one forward pass. Some big cereal pieces were pushed forward, but there wasn’t any flinging around, blockages, or mess. It was painless, even if I had to go and vacuum the final bits that were left behind afterwards. As far as cordless cleaning goes, this is one of the best vacuums for hard floors, as many cordless sticks struggle with the larger cereal pieces and become clogged.

Unfortunately, when testing against cereal and larger debris on carpet, almost everything was pushed forward instead of being sucked up. It seems like the gap between the floor and carpet is quite slim, so when there’s this much debris, it struggles to enter.

But while this would usually be a major criticism, it was so fuss-free to remove the floorhead and vacuum the rest using the max toggle, that I’m confident in its universal use around the house.

Test 3: Pet Hair

I tested the Shark PowerPro Pet in a local cat and dog shelter, Bristol ARC, to assess its cleaning ability on real pet hair on a mix of floor types. It's also a great test for seeing how the vacuum can handle lots of mess from a big, busy building with high foot traffic. It's how we test real-world results for the best vacuums for pet hair.

On the ridged entrance mat pictured above – one of the trickiest surfaces to vacuum pet hair from – it took seven passes to achieve a decent clean. I tested it alongside the Dyson Big Ball Turbinehead, which did a similar clean in two passes. Boost mode improved performance on the Shark vacuum significantly, and honestly, this was the only way to pull a healthy amount of fur from the entrance mat.

Performance was stronger on low-pile carpet. Almost every strand of hair or speck of dirt was vacuumed in one, sometimes two or three passes if it was particularly stubborn. The light really helped illuminate what was there, and the vacuum cleaned right to the edges.

When cleaning carpet with cordless vacuums, you’re not always sure if they’re digging deep enough to get everything, but the dustbin became surprisingly full of fur. After cleaning the same amount of floorspace, it had collected more hair than the corded Dyson Big Ball Turbinehead.

When cleaning a thick rug, I could feel it getting into the fibers and agitating the rug as I moved it around. I tried the flexible wand and it was useful, sure, but it became quite hard to steer at that angle, especially on a soft surface, and I feel this feature is better suited to hard floors. Everything was vacuumed in around four passes – slower than our favorite Dysons like the Dyson V11, but faster than more affordable picks such as the Ultenic U20.

There was solid performance on hard floors, although I occasionally had to go over the same spot for big things like leaves that don’t easily fit under the floorhead opening. Unlike on carpet, it struggled when cleaning edges, and I had to try different angles to get a few strands of hair.

Overall, this is a good performance for a cordless stick, but I've tested better. Models with higher suction perform better, whether it's one of the best Miele vacuums or the Dyson V15 Detect. But considering the Shark's relatively low price, this is impressive.

And importantly, after vacuuming for two hours at a pet shelter, there wasn't a single strand of hair in the brushroll.

Test 4: Attachments

The upholstery tool works well, but only if you use repeated forward strokes, as there’s less grip on the pull-back. The hairs on the pet shelter's padded chair are stubborn, and most vacuums struggle to clean them, but with a few repeated strokes, the Shark PowerPro Pet got them all.

As I mentioned above, the pet multi-tool is different in the UK and US. It’s still a multi-tool which clips off to reveal the upholstery tool underneath (which is almost identical to the other upholstery tool, just with thinner pads). It works amazingly, though. The fins yank fur right out, faster than the upholstery tool, and I hope that the US attachment is an effective vacuum attachment for pet hair.

Shark PowerPro Pet: Care and Maintenance

The Shark PowerPro Flex should be maintained just like any cordless vacuum: Empty it after each session, check the filters, and clear the brushroll to make sure suction isn't restricted.

Emptying it is as simple as removing the wand, then pushing the latch; however, the small lip on the dustbin lid means that hair can get stuck there – it's a minor inconvenience, but it means you’ll have to get your hands dirty occasionally.

Cleaning the vacuum filter is essential maintenance to preserve the appliance's lifespan and protect the motor from overworking. The foam pre-filter is washable; however, the main HEPA filter isn't, meaning you'll have to buy replacements when it starts to wear. This is a shame, as other vacuums have washable HEPA filters, omitting recurring filter costs.

How Does the Shark PowerPro Pet Compare?

Available for $329.99 at SharkNinja (and often discounted with up to $100 off), this is a strong mid-range vacuum cleaner, and it's cheaper than similar offerings from Shark.

The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is the closest comparison. They both have floor sensors, automatic power adjustments, seamless cleaning across floor types, and a flexible wand. However, the PowerDetect has stronger suction and dual brushrolls, making it a more effective and versatile cleaner, but it costs more. At full price, it's $449.99 from SharkNinja, but it is often discounted to $299.99.

But honestly, if you're considering spending up to $300 on a vacuum, I'd recommend spending a little extra on a Dyson deal. The Dyson V11 is often on offer for $399.99 at Dyson (as it is at the time of writing), and it boasts much higher suction and a floorhead that digs deep into carpets and plucks every visible strand of hair in one or two passes.

Next, see which vacuums top our tried-and-tested guide to the best Dyson alternatives.

In the last 30 years, Shark has really made a name for itself in the home appliance space. They are now considered one of the best vacuum cleaner brands in the world, rivaling more premium brands for their array of features, but offering advanced tech at a more accessible price point. From anti-tangle brushheads, to mop-vacuum-hybrids, Shark has developed a range of models that make it much easier to tackle messes in the family home.

The Shark Upright PowerDetect, consistently tops our lists as one of the most powerful vacuums and is a great pet hair vac. Though the cordless equivalent, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect compares well for suction, you pay slightly more for the benefits of no cables.

Shark isn't just well-known for their floorcare, though. After sidestepping into the world of air treatment, they have released a number of viral fans and air purifiers. This includes the Shark Flexbreeze which made an impact as one of the first rechargeable and therefore portable fans. Beyond home appliances, they also manufacture hair styling tools.

Read on for our latest news and reviews from Shark. And keep an eye on top offers in our Shark deals hub.

Shark has introduced an upgrade to the best-selling PowerDetect 2-in-1 robot vacuum range. The new PowerDetect ThermaCharged promises cleaner floors and fewer odors than previous Shark robots, leaving homes feeling spotless without having to lift a finger.

Now with heated mop washing and drying, the robot cleans floors with a roller that's always freshly sanitized, and banishes the nasty smells that come from leaving it dirty. And for the new release, Shark has discounted the PowerDetect ThermaCharged by a huge $400.

If you've been waiting for the chance to free up hours of your precious free time, this is it. The Shark PowerDetect was already one of our best robot vacuums after testing, and this new model is an upgrade that costs $100s less.

The Shark PowerDetect ThermaCharged Robot Vaccum: Everything You Need to Know

The PowerDetect ThermaCharged upgrades from the previous PowerDetect robot vacuum with heated mop washing and drying, promising cleaner results than all other Shark robots. Washing the mop with 185°F and drying it with 175°F air, it prevents the growth of mold, bacteria, and odors that thrive in cold, wet conditions.

It also comes in a new colorway, in a sleek but subtle black and gold. As a robot vacuum and its station are on show in your home at all times, it's a nice touch to go for one with more of a lush aesthetic.

Otherwise, its specs are the same as the model we tested – and we love how low-maintenance it is. It's designed to do as much of the work as possible, emptying its own debris and navigating around obstacles effortlessly.

It can vacuum and mop your floors so thoroughly that it removes old stains from hard floors, and pulls dust and debris from carpets. It even lifts itself over small thresholds and obstacles so that it hardly ever gets stuck, so you can confidently leave it running while you sleep and wake up to spotless floors.

The Shark PowerDetect ThermaCharged Robot Vacuum and Mop is discounted to $799.99 for a limited at SharkNinja.

What to Shop

A robot vacuum handles floorcare for you, freeing up your time while revolutionizing the amount of effort required to maintain our homes. We've tested 82 of the best vacuums and robot vacuums and here a few more of our top recommendations.

All prices were correct at time of publication.

Next, see why we rate the best Dyson alternatives and the best vacuums for pet hair so highly after our test sessions.

The meteoric rise in popularity of sleek fans such as the Shark TurboBlade comes as no surprise. Taking pride in your home includes making sure your appliances add visual impact, too, while also being able to cool you down in the heat.

So, when Shark announced the TurboBlade with a brand-new and unique design, I was excited to see if it could be the next best fan. It has a feature never before seen in a fan: Multi-directional cooling thanks to vents that can be tilted in any direction to send air to all parts of a room at once.

I tested the Shark TurboBlade in my home during the hot summer months and a particularly gnarly heatwave to find out whether it's worth its $299.99 price. Here's what I learned.

One-minute review

After testing the Shark TurboBlade for three weeks in my home during a heatwave, I found that I love its powerful breeze, slick aesthetic, and the complete control I have over the airflow direction. Being able to rotate the fan horizontally or vertically, and tilt the vents up and down gives you total freedom to have two different airflows, sweep a breeze over the bed at night, or fill a large room while simulating natural wind.

However, you can find fans that can cool you down this effectively for around half the price. It's also quite loud, and similar fans can achieve the same airflow at around 10 decibels less. I recommend it if you're looking for something that will visually elevate a space, and if you specifically need multi-directional cooling, but otherwise I'd recommend a cheaper (and more effective) alternative such as the Shark FlexBreeze.

The Shark TurboBlade is available for $299.99 at Shark.

Shark TurboBlade: Specifications

Shark TurboBlade: Design

The Shark TurboBlade has a sleek and striking design – one which many of my friends and family have commented that they've never seen before. It's certainly a statement piece, perhaps explaining why it's one of the pricier ways to cool a room with fans.

The unique design feature of the TurboBlade is its multi-directional cooling. The fan vents are sat atop the main pole, and you can rotate them in a 360-degree circle to make it a vertical tower fan, a horizontal sweeping fan, or somewhere in-between for full room coverage. The horizontal setup is perfect if you enjoy sleeping with the fan at night.

Then, you can twist each vent individually so that you can direct air in different directions. It's ideal if you and your partner never seem to agree on the best fan angle, or for kids sharing a bedroom (perhaps with a bunk bed), or in a large living room where everyone wants to feel a breeze.

It also means you can angle both vents upwards so the air isn't directly hitting your skin, which many people prefer to avoid dryness. If you don't own one of the best air purifiers, this is a great way to minimize allergy symptoms.

The fan has four modes:

• Manual mode: Select the fan speed from 1 to 10.
• Sleep mode: The fan will run for eight hours while dimming lights, lowering fan speed to ambient noise, and muting the chimes from pressing buttons.
• Boost mode: The fan produces the highest airflow speed, above speed setting 10.
• Breeze mode: Air flow patterns will be varied to simulate natural wind.

You can select shut-off timers for 1-12 hours, and oscillate the fan at 45, 90 or 180 degrees. You can hold down the horizontal angle button on the remote to pivot the fan left and right from a distance. Unfortunately however, you have to adjust the vents and rotate the arms by hand.

Shark TurboBlade: Performance

The TurboBlade lives up to its promises of powerful airflow and large room coverage. I can feel the breeze from all the corners of my 172 square foot bedroom – the biggest room in my house – and it takes seconds for your body to feel cooler from any distance.

Testing in the sunny June and July, when temperatures have risen above 90°Fahrenheit, the bladeless fan has been amazing at keeping my home cool in the summer heat. Its thin vents look unassuming but release a surprisingly powerful and focused stream of air.

I've been enjoying the breeze mode as it gently simulates natural wind, fluctuating the airspeed up and down without ever getting too loud or powerful. I love having it in the background when working, feeling like I can still enjoy the outdoors from the comfort of my home.

It's handy to have a sleep mode that automatically turns off after eight hours, and that you can angle the vents horizontally and directly across the bed. The quietest fan speed produces only a gentle stream of air, so it helps that you can focus it exactly where you need to cool down the bedroom without it being noisy.

I did find however that the fan is louder than others I've tested. It can reach a maximum of around 65 decibels which isn't far off one of the best cordless vacuums, and the sound itself is an almost metallic whirring rather than spinning blades, and I found this to be a little irritating at times.

For comparison, the Shark FlexBreeze (our best-on-test fan to date) reaches a maximum of 46 decibels, and its top fan speed is more powerful than the TurboBlade's.

This and the price are the fan's biggest drawbacks. You can find this level of cooling for much cheaper and much quieter, but what you get in the TurboBlade that you won't find anywhere else is complete control over the two fan directions.

I also like that oscillation doesn't make the fan any louder, as other fans I've tested such as the Dreo Air Purifier Tower Fan MC710S have a noticeable hum when they oscillate. The TurboBlade also remembers your settings when you turn it off and on again, and has all of the modes, speeds, and settings that you'd look for in a fan.

Shark FlexBreeze: Setup and maintenance

Setting up the fan was as simple as attaching the pole to the base, then inserting the fan blades into the pole. It took about five minutes to assemble it and remove the positioning and information stickers, then it was ready to go.

The packaging contained no unnecessary plastic. This sustainable design choice is something I always look for when reviewing appliances and it's great to see Shark's commitments to minimizing waste.

I think cleaning this fan might prove difficult, as the bladeless design doesn't allow for getting into the vents, unlike bladed fans that can easily be dusted or vacuumed. This is important when making sure the fan isn't blowing dust and common household allergens around, but as the vents' openings are quite thin, it'll be hard for dust to collect. I'd recommend pointing the vents downwards when storing it to minimize any collected dust.

How does it compare?

The Shark TurboBlade has excellent features and performance, but it doesn't change how expensive it is compared to fans that achieve similar results. At the time of writing it's priced at $299.99 at Shark, which is two to three times the cost of a quality fan.

The best fan we've tested is the Shark FlexBreeze, and it only costs $179.99 at Shark. This fan has been a saving grace for me even in heatwaves – not only does it powerfully cool any room, it's cordless and can be taken outdoors, has a detachable mount to switch between pedestal and tabletop cooling, and can be hooked up to a faucet to mist outdoor spaces on swelteringly hot days. And ultimately, the FlexBreeze creates a more powerful airflow than the TurboBlade, and does so much more quietly.

It's worth shouting out Dyson's purifying fans that popularized the sleek, bladeless fan design, such as the Dyson Purifier Cool TP09 that I tested last year. Like the TurboBlade, Dyson's fans are more expensive than most, and create surprisingly powerful airflows considering the thin, discrete vents. You're paying a premium for the aesthetic and high-quality builds, as compared to regular tower fans, the bladeless Dyson and Shark fans add an elevated visual statement to a room.

Should you buy the Shark TurboBlade?

The USP of the Shark TurboBlade is in its unique design and aesthetic. You can find powerful, quiet fans with all the settings you'd want for $100+ cheaper than the TurboBlade, so I only recommend it if you specifically need horizontal or multi-directional cooling, or if you like your appliances to have a premium look.

This, in my view, is what the high cost is for. It doesn't have air purification, dehumidification or app control that makes other similarly-priced fans justify the price. Instead, you can cover large rooms with complete customization over the angles. And being able to position the fan horizontally is a huge bonus for those of us who like to sleep with a breeze.

The Shark TurboBlade is available for $299.99 from Shark.

How I tested the Shark TurboBlade

I tested the Shark TurboBlade for three weeks in my own home, during two weeks of summer heatwaves where temperatures rose above 90°F. I tested every mode for their purpose (for example, testing the sleep mode during weeks of hot nights, and testing the breeze mode during the day).

I measured noise levels using the DecibelX app when sat from 20 inches away and assessed the fan's room coverage by using it in the largest room of my house.

Next, learn the benefits of having an air purifying fan to beat allergies and summer heat, and learn how to keep a home cool during a power outage.

The rise of robot vacuums is a welcome innovation for those of us who dread the chore (and let's be real, who actually enjoys vacuuming?). One of the leading brands in the world of self-powered vacuums is Shark, who continues to release high-tech iterations of the smart robot vacuum – and considers some high-profile figures among their fans.

Kris Jenner is just one of Shark's users, having recently shared a promotional video for the Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum (available on Amazon). As Jenner jokingly states in the clip, it 'leaves no crumbs,' reaching every crevice of space for spotless floors.

With sale season in full swing, we are in luck – while this cult-favorite vacuum typically retails for $799.99, it is currently retailing for half price, at a reasonable $399.99.

Shop Kris Jenner's Vacuum Edit

Some of the main selling points include the vacuum's NeverStuck Technology, which lifts & lowers to maneuver over obstacles, as well as its DirtDetect Technology, which senses hidden debris and then boosts suction. Meanwhile, the EdgeDetect technology uses blasts of air to remove debris from corners and edges into its cleaning path.

You can also set cleaning schedules and timers while the vacuum itself holds up to 60 days worth of dust and debris. Additionally, there's a built-in odor neutralizer, ensuring that vacuumed rooms smell fresh and clean after use.

With boxing week due to wrap up in just a few days, we would make a move on this deal before it's too late. Shop the Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum below on Amazon, along with some essential accessories we have rounded up below. They're everything you need to prepare your home for a fresh start ahead of 2025.

If you have a mixture of carpet and hard floors in your home, chances are that you have to vacuum and mop on a regular basis – but what if there was a gadget that could take care of both chores for you?

Robot vacuum-mop combos have become popular in recent years, and the latest models are more self-sufficient than ever. They have self-emptying bases that can also refill, clean and dry their own mop pads. The downside, however, is that these high-tech machines are quite pricey, often costing more than $1,000. So when I saw that Shark recently released a 2-in-1 vacuum robot and mop at a more reasonable price point, I knew I wanted to try it out.

I tested the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with NeverTouch Pro Base for two weeks in my multi-pet home. Here’s how it performed in terms of vacuuming, mopping, and overall maintenance, to find out if it’s worth your money as one of the best robot vacuums.

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Specifications

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Unboxing and setup

This Shark robot vacuum-mop combo is easy to set up. Once you remove all the packaging, it’s just a matter of plugging in the base and setting the robot in place to charge. Within an hour or so, it had enough power for me to begin its mapping run, which you have to do before robot will clean.

The Shark app will prompt you to start a mapping sequence, and it tells you how best to prepare your home — make sure doors are open, power cords are tucked away, floors are relatively obstacle-free, etc. The initial mapping run uses a camera on the front of the robot, so it goes pretty quickly and creates a rough outline of your home.

Once it’s completed, you’re able to label rooms and create 'no-go' areas that the robot will avoid. For instance, I made my home office a 'no-go' area, as the floor is always a mess and I know the robot would probably get stuck in there.

Once the map is complete, the app prompts you to do a 'carpet detection' run, which allows the robot to avoid rugs while mopping. The robot actually vacuums the floors while doing this step, which I didn’t expect, so it takes a lot longer than the initial mapping run. I ended up cancelling it and having it finish another time when I was going to be home.

The final step in the setup process is to fill the base’s water tank. It has a handle that makes it easy to lift and carry to the sink and easy to fill up. One thing I did find confusing is that the robot comes with a jar of cleaning solution, but there are no directions that tell you how much to put in or if it’s supposed to go in the tank at all. I looked through the app’s FAQs and product manual but couldn’t find any guidance on how much to use.

After that’s all done, you can set up schedules for vacuuming and mopping. The app allows you to schedule up to two cleanings per day, and you can select specific rooms to clean, as well as whether you want the robot to vacuum or mop. I did find it a bit frustrating that the vacuum and mop setting is only available for whole-home cleaning. I would have liked the option to run both cleaning cycles in just one or two rooms. Ultimately, I scheduled the robot to vacuum on certain days and mop on others.

This is where more expensive vacuums such as the eufy Omni Pro S1 and X10, both of which H&G has reviewed and loved, come out on top. The AI tech in both and the accompanying app can setup a Smart cleaning schedule for you, or you can dictate which room it vacuums or mops (it auto detects carpet vs hard floors). You can also easily customize your cleaning cycles to particular rooms, whole floors or a particular zone you draw on the map. The S1 also auto-detects spills when mopping and concentrate its cleaning on that area.

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Design and features

Shark has offered previous robot vacuums with mopping abilities, but there are a few features that are new to the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop. Perhaps the biggest update is its NeverTouch Pro Base, which minimizes the amount of maintenance you have to do manually and how often you have to clean your robot vacuum.

Not only does the base hold up to 60 days worth of debris in a two-liter tank, it also has integrated clean and dirty water tanks. It’s able to automatically fill up the vacuum’s on-board mopping tank, and it also washes and dries the mopping pad after use. This means it can start a mopping run all on its own with no manual intervention required, and prevents the build-up of bacteria, mold and mildew that cause bad smells on mopping pads.

Another key feature is this robot’s PowerDetect sensors, which are able to detect dirt and stains. The robot is able to optimize cleaning in these areas, increasing suction power or going over the debris again for a deeper clean. It’s also equipped with advanced edge cleaning technology that uses a burst of air to get debris away from walls for a more thorough clean.

Finally, this vacuum-mop combo has new 'NeverStuck Technology' that helps it detect and avoid obstacles, as well as lift itself over thresholds and raise its mopping pad to avoid getting rugs wet while cleaning.

What is the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 like to use?

To test the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop, I used it to clean the downstairs level of my home for several weeks. I scheduled the robot to vacuum three days a week and mop once, and I had it run early in the morning so it wouldn’t disturb me during the day. The vacuum is quite noisy during operation, around 62-65 decibels (the volume of laughter and similar to other robot vacuums we've tested), and even more so when it’s emptying its dust bin or cleaning its mop pad. It also emits a low hum for several hours while it’s drying the mop.

While I generally let the robot clean on its pre-programmed schedule, you can also start a clean through the Shark app at any time. You’re able to choose a whole-home clean, specific rooms, or just a spot clean, and you can select whether you want the unit to vacuum or mop the floors. When it’s just vacuuming, the robot actually leaves its mopping module on the base, which I thought was an interesting touch and clever, to avoid the mop getting dusty or covered in debris.

The eufy Omni Pro S1 on the other hand leaves its mophead on the robot even when vacuuming, but lifts it up and away so no debris can get caught on it.

This Shark robot just under two hours to vacuum all the rooms in the downstairs of my home, which is a little over 600 square feet. For comparison, the eufy Omni Pro S1, which we rated 5 out of 5 stars, completed a 500 square foot vacuum (and a mop of third of the space) in 30 minutes.

Nevertheless, I was impressed that the Shark unit was able to easily climb over the thresholds between rooms, as they’re quite high and have been a problem for other robot vacuums I've tested. The robot’s NeverStuck technology also proved to be quite effective as the vacuum never got stuck on any obstacles throughout the course of testing, even when there were dog toys or stray socks on the floor.

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Vacuuming tests

In addition to using the robot for everyday cleaning, I also put it through a series of tests to see how it would fare against different types of debris.

To test the Shark’s vacuuming ability on carpeting, I spread out coffee grounds, uncooked rice, pet hair, and a few puffs of fiberfill from a stuffed toy that my dogs had recently ripped open. Using the Shark app, I directed the vacuum to clean just that room. It sucked up the vast majority of the uncooked rice and all the puffs of fiberfill, but it didn’t fare quite as well with the coffee grounds. I would estimate that it picked up around 80% of the coffee, but there was still a noticeable amount left on the low-pile rug.

Additionally, while it managed to pick up the majority of the dog hair, a lot of the strands ended up wrapped around the vacuum’s brushroll. As someone with two long-haired dogs, this was a major downside for me, as I’d likely need to clean off the brushroll at least once a week to keep the vacuum working properly. For this reason it might not be the best robot vacuum for pet hair. The eufy Pro Omni S1 on the other hand has a rubber brushroll, free from bristles, which meant over months of testing no hair got tangled in it.

I ran the same tests when cleaning hardwood floors in my home, and I also spread a few teaspoons of coffee around along the edge of the wall to test the robot’s edge-cleaning abilities. The vacuum performed better on the hard floors, picking up the majority of all the debris. There were a few stray pieces of rice and a spattering of coffee grounds, but the vacuum was able to pick up more than 95% of everything I spread around the floor.

However, I was disappointed in its edge-cleaning abilities, especially since that’s one of the key features advertised on this model. Only around 50% of the coffee grounds along the edge of the wall were vacuumed up, and the rest was just spread around the area.

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Mopping tests

I also tested out the unit’s mopping abilities on my hardwood floors. The mopping pad is made from microfiber and moves in a back-and-forth scrubbing motion to help remove dirt from the floor. It’s also able to swing out from under the vacuum to get closer along the edges of walls. However, I think it’s worth noting that, unlike more expensive robot mops, this model doesn’t suck up the dirty water as it cleans.

To assess this unit’s mopping abilities, I created a few stains on my floors. I let some mud dry into a caked-on mess, and I also spread a few tablespoons of ketchup on the floor. Using the Shark app, I directed the robot to spot-clean the area, and it went to work scrubbing at the stains.

I was impressed by the robot’s stain-detection abilities—as soon as it drove over one of the stains, it would immediately stop and go back over the area, rotating in circles to ensure every inch was scrubbed thoroughly. It made several passes over both stains, and when it was satisfied that the marks were gone, it did one final pass over the whole space. When all was said and done, there was no dirt or ketchup left on the floor. Impressive!

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Cleaning and maintenance

One of the best things about this vacuum is that there’s no daily maintenance needed. You don’t have to empty its dust bin or fill up its mop with water—the NeverTouch Pro Base takes care of all that for you.

Over the two weeks that I tested this robot, the only thing I had to do was cut hair off its brushroll, but you may not have this issue if you don’t have pets. You will eventually need to empty the base’s dust bin, empty the dirty water tank, and refill its clean water, but the brand says these chores generally only need to be done once a month. On a day-to-day basis, the robot is truly hands-off to operate.

There are a few long-term maintenance tasks that you’ll want to keep in mind, though. The instruction manual suggests cleaning the base ramp and replacing the mop pad every three months (a few replacements are included with the robot). You may also occasionally need to clean off the unit’s dirt detection sensors or the base charging contacts—all of which is explained in the manual.

How does the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 compare?

Most robot vacuum brands offer models with both vacuuming and mopping abilities, and one of our favorite options is the eufy Omni S1 Pro, which also has an all-in-one base that requires little to no maintenance. This robot vacuum-mop delivers a more thorough clean than the Shark PowerDetect, and it has a unique spinning mopping bar that’s really effective on tough stains. It also cleans the mopping bar as it works, ensuring dirt doesn’t get spread around your floors. However, the main downside of this model is its price point—it retails for $1,499 at full price, making it more than double the price of the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1.

The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ is another top-performer that we’ve tested, still with a hefty price point of $1,199. It’s highly efficient at both vacuuming and mopping—it performs particularly well on pet hair—but it's not as self-sufficient as the Shark or eufy. It’s able to fill its own on-board water tank, but it doesn’t clean or dry its mopping pad, so you’ll need to do that manually after each mopping cycle.

Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base: Verdict

If you’re in the market for a robot vacuum and mop and want one that’s low-maintenance, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with NeverTouch Pro Base is one of the more affordable options out there today. It’s fully self-sufficient, maintaining its own mopping pad and vacuum with virtually no manual intervention, and I was quite impressed by its thorough mopping abilities—it was able to completely remove tough stains from hardwood floors. Plus, it navigated around my house flawlessly, avoiding all sorts of obstacles and climbing over tall thresholds.

However, this vacuum-mop combo does have some shortcomings to note. For me, the biggest downside is that its brushroll quickly gets tangled with long hair, so it may not be the best option for households with pets. The vacuum also doesn’t do a good job cleaning along the edges of rooms, and it’s quite a bit noisier than other robot vacuums, both while cleaning and doing maintenance at its base.

Not for you? Learn how to choose a robot vacuum cleaner to find a better suited model.

The Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System is a great product that, for the most part, moves the needle forward from Shark's previous floorcare appliances. One thing that really elevates it amongst its own lineup is the fact that its telescopic tube can fold for easier access under furniture.

Of course, there are other things on offer that make it worthy of consideration among the best cordless vacuums. It comes with powerful suction, especially for a cordless stick, more powerful in fact than the Shark Cordless Detect Pro. It has a stable self-emptying base station with a place for all the attachment tools – I typically have at least one that’s just floating around – not to mention that it houses Shark’s odor neutralizer puck.

I tested the Shark Cordless PowerDetect to find out how well it performs, how useful the features are, and whether it's worth the $500 price point.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Price

The Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System is priced as high as any of the company’s other products, going for an MSRP of $499.99 directly through Shark, though it’s discounted to $449.99 at the time of writing.

Whether you get it through the company directly or an external retailer won’t make a difference price-wise as Amazon, The Home Depot, and Best Buy all offer it at the same price and with the same 10% discount.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Specifications

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Unboxing and setup

Setting up the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System is relatively easy. Like most cordless vacuums, it comes in a handful of pieces that quickly clip together to go from disassembled to assembled.

The box it comes in is fairly tall as the base station comes in one piece, with the exception of a little side stand that provides an extra attachment tool seat – there’s also one on the base station itself (there are two included attachment tools).

The cordless vacuum itself comes in three pieces: the floorhead, the telescopic tube, and the handheld vacuum that houses the dust cup and motor. It takes about a minute to clip these altogether once removed from the box.

Lastly, this unit comes with Shark’s odor neutralizer technology. The puck comes in a sealed package that takes a second to open. There’s a slot in the base station where you insert and twist the puck into place. Note that it does need to be replaced from time to time.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Design and features

The Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System, which comes in an interesting dark gray, white, purple, and clear colorway, is a stick vacuum with a self-emptying base station, two attachment tools, and an odor-neutralizer puck that slots in the base station.

The base station also acts as a dock for the stick vacuum, charging it when not in use and holding it up so you don’t have to find a place to store it. It even has a place to put one of the attachment tools and an extra base that slips underneath the side to put the other.

Its dustbin, which is supposed to hold about 45 days worth of debris (it all depends on how dirty your place is), pulls out fairly easily from the back and opens at the bottom to drop the contents in the trash. I appreciate that you don’t have to invest in replaceable bags, though some might prefer that since there’s more risk of dirt and debris escaping when being emptied.

The only real issue I have with the base station is the fact that the cradle fits the stick vacuum quite snugly so that, if you don’t gingerly place it back on there, it won’t fit properly and, therefore, won’t start charging back up or self-empty.

Moving on to the stick vacuum, it’s pretty straightforward if you’ve ever used a cordless stick vacuum with just a few twists. The floorhead has two brushrolls – one covered in a felt-type material and anti-hair-tangle-type rubber one with a line of bristles – that only starts turning when not fully upright, meaning it will disengage if you stand it fully up (maybe you have to pick something up off the floor). It also has lights that will illuminate dirt and debris on the floor that you might not see.

The telescopic tube is probably the most unique part of this vacuum since it has a foldable section near the top. You press a lever in the back and it folds back in an L-shape so that you can push the vacuum under furniture.

The handheld section holds the controls, which consists of a power button on top and a trigger button on the handle to switch between modes, and an LED panel that indicates which of the three modes you’re on. There’s an eco mode, auto mode, and max mode. The LED panel will also let you know how much battery is left, but only via four indicators so you won’t know exactly how much battery is left.

Lastly, there are two attachment tools: a crevice tool and a pet-multi tool. They clip easily onto the handheld portion so that, like most stick vacuums, you can use the vacuum to tackle jobs like upholstery, cleaning out a car, or reaching higher places.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Performance tests

The Shark Cordless PowerDetect is pretty powerful. I’ve reviewed a few other cordless models from Shark and this one seems to have the strongest suction. Just for comparison’s sake, it has 380 watts on hand, which is the amount of power that the vacuum uses during cleaning. The Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum uses 309, and the Shark Cordless Detect Pro uses 240. I’ve had personal experience with both and found them to do the job well.

As far as cordless vacuums go, it’s hard to ask for more from the Shark Cordless PowerDetect. I tested it on carpets, upholstery, and hard flooring and it had no issues sucking up debris and dust. I even used it to vacuum two rooms that had been untouched for a week, but that seemed clean, and found its 0.74qt dust cup to be a quarter full of pet hair, dust, and dirt.

I also did our go-to test for vacuums with a number of substances lined up on the ground, in this case: cereal, flour, granulated sugar, and breadcrumbs. On forward passes, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect picked everything that it could fit in its floorhead.

Now, since the cereal (specifically Cheerio's if you’re curious) was larger, not all of it was picked up on the first go. Since Shark advertises this vacuum as being able to vacuum in both forward and backward passes, this represented the perfect chance to see how it does when reversing to finish the job. Unfortunately, backwards pickup, while there, was not as good as when moving in a forward motion with cereal getting stuck behind the vacuum and requiring extra effort or turning around and vacuuming into the cereal to pick it up.

Outside of that though, the performance is quite good for a cordless vacuum. It does well on edges so I only needed to break out the crevice tool for hard-to-reach places and could cover an entire room’s floor in the vacuum’s standard setup.

Plus, with that foldable section in the telescopic tube, it’s much easier to get under furniture than I’ve experienced with any other vacuum. There are other vacuums that can get as deep, but they bend at the floorhead, so you have to adjust your posture to reach under, say, a couch. With this, you just press the lever for it to fold and go on as usual. And once you’re done, you can use a forward motion while holding it to snap it back into its regular orientation.

As far as other uses go, its handheld portion is lightweight enough that using one of the attachments on a wall for cobwebs or on upholstery is easy and not all that taxing. Bear in mind that it’s not as light as corded stick vacuums as they don’t also have a lithium battery that you also have to hold up. Its performance in those tasks were good as well, being able to easily suck up pet hair off a couch cushion, for instance.

Those with vast amounts of carpet will find that this does a good job there as well. I used this vacuum on the carpet in a room where our cat likes to spend most of her time and it pulled up a good amount of hair out of the carpet that I didn’t even see. It’s not going to be as powerful as standard upright vacuums – that’s the case for cordless vacuums in general – but it’s powerful enough.

Regardless of what surface you use the Shark Cordless PowerDetect on, it is on the louder side. The eco mode is the quietest at 68 dB while Max is about 72 dB. That’s not atypical for vacuums, but you’re not going to be able to vacuum with this model in the middle of the night (well, you shouldn’t if you share your household or walls with anyone).

Lastly, the battery life here is listed as 70 minutes. Though the LED display only shows four indicators for battery life, it took me about 15 minutes to go from four indicators lit up to three on the heavy setting. So, if you use the eco mode, you’ll get your 70 minutes (and eco mode still picks up at least most visible debris just as well). But using the more powerful settings will still net a very reasonable 60 minutes of use.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Maintenance

When it comes to maintenance, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System is pretty straightforward, like most modular vacuums. You can easily unclip the floorhead from the telescopic tube from the handheld if something is stuck. The dust cup and the dust bin are easily accessible.

And in the base station, when you remove the dust bin, not only is it easy to open but it sits on filters that can be removed and washed or replaced.

Cleaning out the floorhead is fairly easy as the felt brushroll, which is the one in front has a latch on the side that allows you to remove and clean it. While the other brushroll isn’t removable, it does have plenty of clearance if there’s a blockage or you need to get in there to cut something that’s tangled around it. That said, I have yet to see any hair wrapped in there and have been using this vacuum in a household with two dogs, two women with long hair, and three men, two of which have plenty of facial hair.

How does the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System compare?

It might be unfair to compare the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System to the Dyson Gen5detect, a cordless vacuum that is not only twice the price but one of our favorite cordless vacuums available right now. But it is instructive to see how it compares, considering that the Shark does a lot of the same things insofar that it can also get to 70 minutes of battery life, has washable filters, and can illuminate all sorts of dirt on the floor, not to mention be used on multiple surface types. Plus, it adds a twist in that foldable telescopic tube.

However, the Dyson is a little lighter, has much stronger illumination, and offers much more detail on the LED panel, specifically on the particles it picks up. It is the better vacuum, but it’s also twice the price and doesn’t come with a self-emptying base station like the Shark Cordless PowerDetect.

Since many people’s barometers are Dysons, let’s pick another to compare the Shark to: the Dyson V8 Animal cordless vacuum, which is actually cheaper but only when the Shark Cordless PowerDetect is not on sale. In this case, the main benefit of the Dyson is that it’s lighter, comes with four attachments, and has the name Dyson.

It doesn’t have a self-emptying base station, it only has 40 minutes of battery, the dust cup on the vacuum itself is smaller, and the Dyson has issues with hair wrapping around the brushroll. If you need a Dyson, it’s a great vacuum. But, if you’re willing to get away from that name – and Shark as a brand is no slouch, either – the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System has more to offer in terms of features.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System: Verdict

I have gotten my hands on a few different Shark products, most notably the Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum and the Shark Cordless Detect Pro, and can honestly say that the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean and Empty System is the company’s best cordless product to date.

The price tag is a bit high if you’re not the kind of person that’s willing to pay Dyson-type prices. But its $500 cost is worth it when you consider the fact that it can fold to get under furniture, has a long battery life, can transform into various modes the way stick vacuums can, and has a lot of power for a cordless. It’s still not going to match something like the Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum, but again, cordless stick vacuums are typically less powerful than their corded brethren precisely because their functionality is built around convenience.

Outside of price, the only real issues are that it can be tricky to put back in the self-emptying base station’s cradle and the fact that its reverse pickup isn’t as strong as advertised. But, what it has to offer really mitigates those small issues.

Gone are the days of tangled cords and cumbersome handles; robot vacuums are the new frontier when it comes to keeping our homes tidy. As evidenced in a recent clip posted to Instagram, Courteney Cox is on board with the trend. The Friends star has partnered with Shark to promote their new PowerDetect vacuum.

Better yet, it might just be one of the best vacuums of 2024. According to the video, the 2-in-1 mop/vacuum is 'built to satisfy a clean freak.' In other words, it's not just clean – it's Monica clean. A level up from its predecessor, the Shark Matrix 2-in-1, the PowerDetect Vacuum is essentially self-sufficient, from the cleaning process to docking. Its NeverTouch design ensures that we, well, never have to touch the item. After each round of cleaning, the vacuum can return to its base and empty debris, refill the water tank, and clean the mopping pad to ensure it is ready for its next use.

It's a natural collaboration for Cox, whose Friends character, Monica Geller, was quite the cleaning fanatic. 'I am often linked with cleanliness based on some of the characters I’ve played, but my dedication to tidiness extends way beyond those roles, and Shark’s new PowerDetect line is an amazing new product for people who love to have a clean home,' Cox states of the robot vacuum in a press release. 'The new Shark PowerDetect line of vacuums have quicky become two of my must-have products.'

When it comes to Shark and Cox, cleanliness is of utmost importance and choosing a vacuum cleaner is a huge part of that. 'With the launch of Shark’s new PowerDetect Robot and Cordless vacuums, we knew we needed to partner with someone that had the same standard and commitment to cleanliness, and who better than Homecourt Creator and Founder, Courteney Cox,' continues SharkNinja CMO, Adam Petrick. 'We’re looking forward to highlighting the incredibly innovative PowerDetect line and its various uses with Courteney in the coming months.'

In terms of appearance, the PowerDetect looks quite similar to the Shark AI Ultra, which Homes & Gardens' contributing reviews editor Camryn Rabideau praised for its design, saying that it's 'one of the best robot vacuums you can buy today.' In her Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop review she explains, 'While other self-emptying vacuums capture dust and debris in a vacuum bag, the Shark actually has a bagless design, saving you from having to buy replacement bags,' she explains in her review.

The PowerDetect measures at 18.8 in L x 14.33 in W, and like other iterations, comes in a sleek, black finish. Since emptying the debris from a vacuum is not the most pleasant of tasks, this one does it automatically every 60 days. Additionally, it is one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair, capturing up to 99.97% of dust, while Odor Neutralizer Technology keeps homes smelling fresh.

As far as upkeep goes, we recommend stocking up on some cleaner refill, which is available to purchase below for $11.99.

Though a single vacuum can't completely transform your cleaning routine, the Shark PowerDetect is the closest thing. It vacuums, it mops, and it even cleans yourself. If you want to be like Monica and Courteney, this is the perfect start.

The Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum proves that sometimes you just need unadulterated power. Sure, the convenience of a cordless stick vacuum or robot vacuum frees up more time and energy. But, they don’t dig quite as deep when cleaning the way best upright vacuums do.

While the price tag can be a little hard to swallow for something that can’t be run by an app or held overhead like a toy – in fact, this is a somewhat heavy unit at over 17lbs compared to other Shark vacuums that weight less than 10 – the suction power available with the Shark POWERDETECT alone makes it an easy recommendation for anyone looking for the best vacuum for a deep clean.

There are a couple of other limitations including the hose's limited reach so you won’t be unclasping it with one of the included tools to reach cobwebs, at least not easily. But, the inclusion of a few crucial attachments to reach all sorts of nooks and crannies, hose length restriction notwithstanding, as well as Shark’s odor neutralizer technology leaving floors smelling a little fresher offset any quibbles here.

If you’re looking for a vacuum to use when you really want to get every piece of hair, dander, dust, errant piece of cereal, glass, or what-have-you off the floor, then the Shark POWERDETECT is a worthy consideration, as long as you’re comfortable with the price.

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Specifications

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Price

The Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum is available at two different prices through Shark. For $399.99 you get the basic package, which includes the vacuum itself, an odor neutralizer cartridge, crevice tool, and pet multi-tool. Or, you can spend $499.80 for the TruePet upgrade, which adds in a self-cleaning pet power brush, more involved crevice tool (this one has bristles), a multi-angled dust brush, an accessory bag, and two odor neutralizer cartridges instead of one.

If you prefer to go through a big box store instead (maybe you have some credit, for instance), it retails for $499.99 through Best Buy, Amazon, and Kohl’s. The included accessories here are the same as what’s been tested in the review and fall somewhere between the two packages available directly through Shark, namely that you get the duster crevice tool, pet-multi tool, that self-cleaning pet power brush, and a single odor neutralizer cartridge.

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Setup

For such a hefty vacuum, the Shark POWERDETECT comes tightly packed in a smaller box than I would have otherwise anticipated. And, while pulling out the various pieces made me hesitant with how involved it would be to set up, most of the various pieces are those extra attachment tools and the odor neutralizer cartridge.

The actual vacuum comes in four pieces. There’s a floorhead, which attaches to a telescopic tube. There’s the main component containing the motor and dustbin that slides down onto where the floorhead tube meet. And, there’s the handle and hose attachment that clips on top. You also have to clip the hose into the dustbin.

Looking at the instructions and putting together the puzzle pieces, so to speak, takes just a few minutes. In essence, the setup is painless.

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Design & features

Being an upright vacuum, the Shark POWERDETECT is not what I would consider delicate or lightweight. Hefty is a much better term and not just because it weighs over 17.5 lbs but it's also fairly robust. While this is a mostly plastic affair tied together with some lightweight aluminum, it’s all heavy-duty, durable material.

Its eggplant aka purple colorway is an unusual design choice but it does make the Shark POWERDETECT easy to spot, not to mention its two teal brush rolls that peaks out of its transparent cover. The dustbin is also transparent, making it easy to see when your vacuum needs cleaning or emptying.

A couple things worth mentioning regarding the floorhead – not only does it have that transparent cover but it utilizes two brushrolls (one a soft roller and the other with angled fins) that manage to avoid tangled hair – a potential issue for any pet owner. It sports LED lights to illuminate any potential debris in front of it as well as houses the odor neutralizer cartridge.

One of the best things about the Shark Power Detect, at least in regards to its design, is its large dustbin. Its 0.5 gallon capacity, almost 2 liters, is more than enough. It’s also very easy to remove from its base as well as open, each with just a press of a button.

The controls are all on the handle and are pretty straightforward. Besides the power button, you can choose between three different floor types (hard floor, carpet / low pile, thick carpet / area rug) as well as an auto detect mode. Also connected to the handle is the hose, which unclasps and is just a couple feet in length at full extension. If you want to use one of the attachment tools, you would unclasp the hose and attach one of the tools to use them.

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Performance tests

The absolute best thing about the Shark POWERDETECT is its suction power. It’s able to suck everything up in its path efficiently and proficiently, no matter the debris. And, it’s equally capable regardless of the surface I used it on.

For instance, the carpeting in one room required some deep vacuuming due to being covered in a ton of cat sheddings (it’s been hot). With one pass, the Shark POWERDETECT had basically picked up every visible piece of hair (as well as litter near the litter box) from the carpet, filling the dust bin with an amount of hair equal to a second cat. The carpet itself was left spotless and smelling ever-so-slightly fresh thanks to the odor neutralizer cartridge.

The Shark POWERDETECT was just as quick at picking up dust and debris when cleaning hardwood floors and bathroom tile. Not only did it make short work of regular vacuuming duties, but I did some extra testing here including throwing separately a bunch of seasoning (lemon pepper), a combination of flour and sugar as well as a copious amount of cereal on the floor. It took just a single pass with each test for the vacuum to suck up whatever was on the floor.

More generally, it picked up any pet hair that was laying around. And, based on what I saw in the dust bin, plenty of dust and dander as well. With its 12-inch floorhead width, it covers a good amount of ground in one go. On top of that, it’s good at getting edges even without the attachment tools as the brush rolls extend almost completely to the edges of the floorhead.

Using the attachments was fairly straightforward as well. I found the crevice tool useful for getting dust, pet hair, and debris off molding, as well as when cleaning window tracks and ledges. The multi-tool allowed me to get any missed litter from around the litter box without having to move the whole thing.

While I don’t consider it a big drawback, don’t expect the Shark POWERDETECT to operate quietly. Like most upright vacuums, it’s going to be a bit noisier than less powerful cordless models, running at about 73 dB (a moderate level of noise like a running washing machine).

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Cleaning and maintenance

Overall, since the Shark POWERDETECT is modular, maintaining it is fairly easy. If something gets stuck in the telescopic tube, for instance, you can just remove the handle and/or floorhead to fish out whatever is getting in the way.

The dust bin is, as mentioned above, straightforward to remove from the vacuum. Plus, it empties from the bottom so you can just press the button near the base while holding over a trashcan and all the contents will slide right out.

The soft brushroll has a button on the side of the floorhead that allows you to pull it out if something gets tangled. However, the other brushroll is locked in so if something happens to it, you’ll probably have to get it serviced.

Learn how to clean a vacuum in more detail in our dedicated guide.

How does the Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum compare?

A lot of people’s go-to these days for upright vacuums is Dyson. And, if you’ve seen our review on the Dyson Ball Animal 2 vacuum, it’s no surprise why, as it’s pretty fantastic at vacuuming. It also has an extensive reach thanks to a longer hose. But, it has issues with hair tangling around its brushroll and doesn’t have any equivalent to Shark’s odor neutralizer tech. Still, it goes for the same price as the Shark POWERDETECT and is a very strong alternative depending on what your priorities are when deep cleaning.

As pricey as the Shark POWERDETECT is, you can certainly spend much more on one, such as the SEBO Automatic X4 Boost, which is powerful and reliable, but also heavy, clunky, dated, and very expensive, retailing for $849.00.

Shark POWERDETECT Upright Vacuum: Verdict

The Shark POWERDETECT does cost quite a bit, with its $499 price tag, but it’s more than worth it for its excellent performance on all surface types. Whether tackling finer debris or larger particles - it’s more than capable. Plus, the added tools help get into all sorts of nooks and crannies.

Of course, the limited length on the hose means you won’t be getting into high areas easily. And, like some other more robust upright vacuums, all that power comes with quite a bit of heft, meaning it’s going to require some muscle getting up and down stairs or moving it from room to room. It’s a bit on the noisier side as well, though that’s to be expected.

Overall though, between its performance and that odor neutralizer tech (which is more of a cherry on top), the Shark POWERDETECT is an easy recommendation as long as you’re comfortable with the price tag and a great Dyson alternative.

We've tested the majority of Shark's vacuum lineup over the years. Whether it's a cordless, upright, robot or carpet vacuum cleaner – we're usually pretty impressed. They often bring the cleaning power of premium vacuums but without the high price tag.

So, we've got our hands on the Shark Detect Pro Cordless to see if it could shape up to be one of the best cordless vacuums. It brings new tech for Shark, where the vacuum is able to sense what's on our floors and adjust the cleaning power accordingly.

I tested the vacuum cleaner for weeks to see what it's capable of, and whether it's worth your money. Read on to find out how the Shark Detect Pro Cordless performs on different floor types, when vacuuming hair, and for how easy it is to clean and maintain.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Specifications

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Unboxing & setup

Like all recent Shark products, the Detect Pro Cordless packaging is vibrant and free from any soft plastic. The setup is what you'd expect from every cordless vacuum: assemble the parts together and charge the battery. It took around an hour or two for the battery to fully charge, then it was ready to use.

The Detect Pro Cordless includes the vacuum, QuadClean floor head, wand, charger, removable battery and crevice tool.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Design & features

The Detect Pro Cordless is one of the nicest-looking vacuums I've seen. It's a small detail, and not at all a dealbreaker, but it's always thoughtful when vacuum brands consider how the product will look in somebody's home.

It doesn't come with as many attachments as other cordless vacuums, as the QuadClean brush-roll is said to be suitable on all floor types. Still, it's built the same as most cordless vacs, with a detachable wand allowing you to switch it to a handheld vacuum.

Detection is the new feature of the Detect Pro Cordless. It's able to sense the dust and dirt volume of your floors and adjust suction power when needed. And at the front of the brush-roll are LED lights to illuminate the dust and debris on your floors. It's Shark's first contender into the 'detect' types of vacuum cleaner that started with Dyson's V15 Detect and Gen5detect.

An LED display at the top of the vacuum will show battery life and suction mode, and it has light rings indicating whether high amounts of debris are detected. As the area is cleaned, the colors change from red to orange to blue.

What is the Shark Detect Pro Cordless like to use?

The Detect Pro Cordless maneuvers well and easily reaches under furniture and around corners, and it glides smoothly across both carpets and hard floors. Although the vacuum uses a redesigned TurboDrive motor that's said to be 30% lighter, the vacuum is still a bit weightier than others I've used from brands like Dyson and Miele. The brushroll's wheels also roll heavily making it loud on hard floors.

The LED display isn't over-complicated and just displays the basic essentials. You can reach the power and suction mode buttons with the same hand that's vacuuming, and the colored rings are a nice touch for a quick and clear visual to know how dirty the floors are. The only inconvenience here is that you have to fully turn the vacuum on to see the battery level (when charging you get a red, amber or green light).

I noticed when cleaning the floor's edges that the wand, without any attachment on the end, is built at an angle for you to easily press it against the floor without having to do so at 90 degrees. It makes the vacuuming less taxing, and means you don't need to attach the crevice tool every time you're getting into tight spaces.

The removable battery can be a big help when it comes to charging, especially in homes where the space to store a vacuum isn't near an outlet. It can also be stored completely freestanding by removing the vacuum and attaching it to the wand clip.

The LED lights on the brushroll will illuminate wherever dirt is detected. It's a neat feature, and it shows that the vacuum cleaner is actually able to detect where the debris is, but the lights don't reveal anything hidden on the floor unless you're vacuuming in the dark.

Generally, the vacuum is as easy to use as any cordless vacuum, albeit a bit heavier. It has strong detection and a helpful screen and, as you'll see below, I found it performed better on carpets than hard floors.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Flour & sugar test

Flour and sugar are accurate proxies for dust and dead skin, as well as being a mess we'd typically find at home. Flour is also a great visual test, as we can spot when it's left on the floor or stuck in any of the vacuum's parts.

Hard floors (wood & linoleum)
One of the telltale signs of a capable vacuum cleaner is how many runs it takes to clear everything. Surprisingly, the Detect Pro struggled to get everything in the first or second run, and took a few goes back-and-forth to get it all. On wooden floors the flour and sugar was getting left in the cracks between the panels, and on linoleum it was getting stuck in the surface's small grooves.

Most of the flour and sugar were picked up on the first run when tackling the edges, but it struggled with the flour that was right at the edge, so Shark's claim of full-width brush-roll cleaning might not be completely accurate. The wand was able to pick up much of the rest, but I needed the brush on the crevice tool to fully clear it all away.

Carpets
On carpets, the Detect Pro left a noticeable amount of residue after the first run, but was able to clear almost all of it by the second run. Boost mode helped here, especially when cleaning up to the edges, and was able to pull up any remaining remnants from within the carpet. The crevice tool didn't work well at all, however.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Pantry test

We use cereal and red lentils as strong examples of the type of debris we find on our floors. Cereal (we use off-brand Cheerio's) emulates many types of large debris, while lentils are smaller and have a texture that makes them stick to hard floors more easily.

Hard floors (wood & linoleum)
Getting the lentils out of the cracks between the wood panels was a challenge. Whilst almost everything else was cleared away, it took a few runs on boost mode to get those left in between. However, on linoleum floors, where there aren't any cracks, the vacuum had no problem at all. Barely anything was stuck to the roller afterward.

When cleaning the edges, the boost mode was automatically activated as soon as it neared the high-debris area. The vacuum cleared everything on the first run except for one Cheerio.

Carpets
In one run it was able to suck virtually everything minus a couple of Cheerios that were flung forward. It did struggle with lentils that were against the wall, and in the end, I had to remove the brush-roll and press the wand down on every section to clear it all.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Hair test

To simulate pet hair, we chop up hair extensions and spread them across wood, linoleum and carpet floors. With carpet, we push the strands deep into the fibers to recreate the conditions of homes with pets.

Hard floors (wood & linoleum)
When vacuuming sparse, smaller amounts of hair, the Detect Pro performed ok. But when dealing with larger amounts, it all clumped at the end of the brushroll. Nothing was wrapped around the brushroll, but these clumps then fell out when tapped on the floor, bringing flour dust with it. For this reason, I'm not sure if I can recommend the Shark Detect Pro Cordless as one of the best vacuums for pet hair.

Carpets
It performed better on carpets. Even after pushing the hair deep into the carpet's fibers, the vacuum was able to pick everything up on the second run/pull back.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Cleaning & maintenance

The dust cup and filter are completely removable, which is a big help when it comes to making sure everything is emptied out. However, I've found this to be essential, as dust gets caught really frequently in the cup and filter.

The dust can be shaken off (and high-impact shaking helps to knock the stubborn dust loose) but I still often used my hands to clear the rest of it away. Luckily, dust is the only culprit, as there's nowhere for hair to get caught in the dustbin.

Shark Detect Pro Cordless: Price & availability

The Shark Detect Pro Cordless retails at full price for $379.99, but is often on offer for under $200 (as it is now at the time of writing). You can find it direct from Shark, or from Amazon, Walmart and QVC.

In the UK, it sells for a similar £349.99 from Shark, Currys and Argos, or £286.57 from Amazon.

This is comfortably in the mid-range for a cordless vacuum. Those below $300 tend to not be amazing, and the more premium models typically cost upwards of $500.

You can also buy the Shark Detect Pro Cordless with a self-empty station for $449.99 from Shark.

How does the Shark Detect Pro Cordless compare?

The Detect Pro Cordless is Shark's entry into the new wave of detection vacuums that have become popular since Dyson first introduced the feature. The Dyson V15 Detect, the Gen5detect and the V12 Detect Slim are Dyson's offerings and, on test, all three of these performed better than the Shark Detect Pro Cordless. But they also come with a higher price tag, with the cheapest (the V12 Detect Slim) retailing for around $650 at full price and $450 in sale season at Dyson.

I tested the Detect Pro Cordless alongside the Henry Quick, the Tineco Pure One Station, the Proscenic P11 and the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. Out of these, I'd recommend the Henry Quick as a strong alternative: the suction power was great, it worked well on pet hair, and nothing got caught in the roller.

Should you buy the Shark Detect Pro Cordless?

The Shark Detect Pro is perhaps a little too expensive considering there are some clear kinks to iron out. It struggled to pick up debris caught between the floors' cracks, couldn't handle large amounts of hair, and required manual cleaning to completely empty the dust cup.

But if you were to grab it in a sale for around $200, it is an intuitively easy-to-use vacuum with decent suction power and an attractive design. It also works great on carpets.

How we test vacuums

At Homes & Gardens, we have a dedicated and thorough procedure of how we test vacuums. At our test center, we test various substances on three floor types (carpet, wood, linoleum) to recreate real-life circumstances.

Outside of this rigorous testing, I've been using the Shark Detect Pro Cordless as one of the many vacuums in my home.

If you're still looking for a reliable vacuum cleaner without a scary price tag, consider our guides to the best Dyson alternatives or the best vacuums for pet hair.

Appliance and tech brand Shark is continuing to gain a worldwide reputation for producing affordable but genuinely useful products for the home. Among all of Shark's offerings, from their best vacuums to their best air purifiers, the FlexBreeze fan is a relatively new addition, boasting a few features we don't tend to see in fans.

It's portable, can be converted between a pedestal and tabletop, and has a misting attachment for more serious cooling. It seems to be a response to many of the problems we face in high heat, like being able to take our fans outside so we can still enjoy the sunny weather.

I'm Homes & Gardens' home tech editor, and I've been testing and reviewing the best fans while the weather has been warmer. Here, I see what the Shark FlexBreeze Fan can do, how well it performs, and whether it's worth your money.

Shark FlexBreeze Fan: Specifications

Shark FlexBreeze Fan: Unboxing & setup

As I've come to expect from Shark, the fan arrived in a compact cardboard box with vibrant product packaging inside. Shark's product boxes are often quite colorful (with that distinct Shark purple) and the FlexBreeze is no different - full of text and images showing off what the fan can do.

Included in the box are: the fan head, two pedestal poles, pedestal base, charging cable, fan cover, and misting attachment. You also receive some instructions and a hex key and bolt for the assembly. It doesn't take long; all you have to do is attach the two pedestal poles to the base, screw in the bolt to secure it, attach the fan head then plug in the charging cable. Shark recommends waiting until it's fully charged to use it in cordless mode, but you can use it straight away when plugged in.

Not included with the fan is any plastic packaging, thankfully.

Shark FlexBreeze Fan: Design & features

The USP of the Shark FlexBreeze Fan (and the meaning behind the 'Flex') is its portability. You can charge up the fan to then use it as cordless, freeing it from the cable to be taken outside or to other rooms of the house. I'm surprised and genuinely impressed that I've never seen a fan achieve this to this extent.

In the same vein, you can also remove the fan head from the pedestal and convert it to a tabletop fan. It's so easy to do so that it takes a few seconds: just pull the fan out, position the tabletop legs and it's ready. There's even an additional charging port if you want to keep it in tabletop mode.

There are removable stickers all over the fan with various tips and instructions, like where to press to convert to tabletop mode, or how to make the most out of the buttons and remote. The most informative is on the top of the fan head, where it outlines what options are available and what the fan head's LED lights indicate.

At the back of the fan head there's a carry handle, as well as a magnetic slot for the remote. All of these are thoughtful design inputs to make the fan both genuinely useful and easy to use. The remote itself is pretty straightforward, too, with buttons for fan speed, oscillation, timer, and options to manually move the fan left and right.

Also included is the 'InstaCool' misting attachment that hooks up to your water supply to spray a gentle, cooling mist when using the fan outdoors. It slots right into the middle of the fan, with a long pipe that connects to your water supply, either using the faucet or your own hosepipe if it doesn't fit.

Shark FlexBreeze Fan: Performance

With such a big feature set, how well does it actually perform? I've tested many fans this summer for H&G and, without a doubt, the FlexBreeze is the most powerful and the quietest. I noticed this straight away and confirmed it over weeks of use.

At the highest setting, the FlexBreeze produces a truly powerful airflow that can be felt from at least 60 feet away. The lowest setting is virtually silent while still providing a gentle and noticeably comforting cooling.

I would say the volume only becomes distracting at fan speeds 4 and 5 - but this level of airflow is only needed in super high heat or outdoors, where the noise isn't as noticeable. Otherwise, the fan does a fantastic job of cooling me down without any notable noise which, in my view, is the most important criteria to consider when choosing a fan.

I was lucky enough to test the FlexBreeze to its full effect during a particularly warm week here in the UK. I mostly work from home, and I like to work outside whenever the sun's out to make the most of it.

I took the fan with me, pulled out the tabletop legs, and sat it on my garden table while I worked - and it was so nice. It was comforting, prevented me from getting too hot in the sun, and the quiet performance wasn't distracting or headache-inducing at all - considering I had a full-sized fan a few inches away from me for hours.

This versatility, combined with the fan's power and low noise, makes the FlexBreeze a stronger choice than any other fan I've used. It has everything you'd need with the added bonus of a misting attachment.

Unfortunately, my faucet isn't the right size for the InstaCool attachment, and I don't have a hose to use it. However, I saw it first-hand at SharkNinja's EMEA Launch Event in February 2024. It was a hot day, and the mist was as cooling as Shark claimed. It shoots out as two separate streams, and the fan disperses it to avoid soaking anybody.

Shark FlexBreeze Fan: Price

The Shark FlexBreeze currently retails for $199.99 at Shark, and retailers like Home Depot and Best Buy. In the UK, it's listed at £169.99 at Shark, Currys and John Lewis.

Pedestal fans sell for as little as $30, but more powerful models and those with misting attachments can go for upwards of $300. Considering the feature set on offer with the Shark FlexBreeze – the corded to the cordless, pedestal to tabletop, indoor to outdoor versatility – I think this is as reasonably priced as you can get.

How does the Shark FlexBreeze Fan compare?

You can find plenty of other pedestal fans online for a range of prices. The Lasko Oscillating Pedestal Fan at Home Depot sits on the lower end at $39.98, while this 30-inch Misting Outdoor Oscillating Pedestal Fan at Home Depot sells for $413.12. With that kind of price range, the Shark FlexBreeze sits comfortably in the middle, which is more-than-reasonable considering its features and performance.

Tower fans are another alternative. The Levoit 36-Inch Classic Tower Fan performed well on test, with quiet and powerful fan speeds, a sleep mode and a timer - and it sells for a modest $69.99.

There is a lack of additional features with the Shark FlexBreeze. Air purifying technology, as seen in the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 and the Dyson Purifier Cool TP09, would help to improve indoor air quality while indoors. But this often comes at an increase in noise levels and cost - and for a portable fan, it would be over-working itself outdoors.

Other fans have smart features, like the Dreo Smart Tower Fan Pilot Pro S. But, while voice and app control can be useful when you can't find the remote, it does little to add to the functionality of the fan. It will, however, add to the overall cost, which I sense Shark have tried to avoid to keep it reasonably priced.

Should you buy the Shark FlexBreeze Fan?

The Shark FlexBreeze offers everything you'd look for in a fan. It produces a powerful cooling flow of air quietly and can switch between tabletop and pedestal, with the freedom to take it outdoors. The misting attachment will likely be a savior on those really hot days, too.

It lacks any additional features like air purification, app compatibility or voice control. But, in all honesty, these aren't essential, and it's resulted in Shark being able to sell the fan for what feels like a truly reasonable price. After weeks of testing I see no faults at all, and I'd recommend this as the best fan available right now.

With allergy season in full effect, and the dust settling from a recent move, there’s always a reason to have an air purifier. And as someone with limited storage space, I appreciate multifunctional appliances that improve my quality of life, even in small ways.

That’s why I was so excited to try the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1, which works as an air purifier, heater, and fan all in one. It’s designed to capture 99.98% airborne particles like allergens, dust, and dander, making it ideal for keeping us cool or warm depending on the time of the year and helping us breathe easier year-round.

I live in a three-story townhome with lots of open space, and pollen is definitely in the air so we try to keep the air as purified as possible in our home. I also work from home so I’m frequently running between the floors, and I also tested this air purifier while dusting and before and after cooking.

Read on to get a sense of if the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 is right for you.

Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 Specifications

Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1: Price

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 retails for around $399.99 at Shark and Best Buy, but (at the time of writing), it’s available for $249.99 at Amazon and Walmart. Even at full price, this is a reasonable price (as is often the case with Shark’s home products, we’ve found), as the purifier has three functions in one., eliminating the need for a separate fan or heater.

That being said, it is still more expensive than many air purifiers on the market. You can get a reliable purifier for around $200, but that will likely have limited features and no air quality display, let alone having cooling and heating functions, too.

Unboxing and setting up the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 HC450 arrived in a large box and some cardboard inserts that were easy to recycle. It was easy to carry up the stairs and unbox, and all I needed to do was remove the filter from the sealed plastic packaging and replace the filter. This is one of the simplest home devices I’ve set up as it was ready to go in five minutes, which was much appreciated. And if you need some visual guidance, this video from Shark walks through the set-up process. The only immediate con was that the purifier doesn’t come with any handles, so it can be a little tedious to move around the home, though it’s light enough in weight that this isn’t a drawback. 

Features of the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

The air purifier comes with a control panel that also functions as a detachable remote to change the fan strength and temperature while on the go. I appreciated this feature because I could easily adjust the temperature and fan strength while in meetings or sitting on a couch nearby.  Child lock can also be enabled on the remote by holding down the timer and oscillation button for two seconds, and the same action can be used to turn it off.

The air purifier also comes with a Clean Sense IQ, which is used to monitor and display the current air quality. I appreciated that I could see the percentage visibly rising on the display while using the air purifier, which usually rose faster when the fan setting was higher.

Modes

This air purifier has three purified modes: fan, heat, and air, and all of these modes can be used with oscillation. It’s easy to switch between these modes using the dial, which can either point to the fan or heat mode or the purified air mode. Air purification will happen in all modes, but purified air offers a cleaning mode without a fan breeze. The air purifier will remove particles of three different sizes.

When eco mode is enabled, the air purifier will automatically adjust based on the current air quality, and switch to eco mode after 10 minutes of 100% purified air. The fan also has an oscillation mode as well as a timer, which can be used to turn off the filter after hour-long increments between 0 and 12.

Using the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

To use the air purifier, I started by using the top panel to power it on. Then, I used the dial to select either heat or fan/purified air mode. Air is diffused outside of the back vents when in purified air mode, and hot or cool air comes out of the front vent, which can be adjusted to point up or down, on the other modes. The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 HC450 must be kept three feet from the wall and furnishings, and the maximum run time is 12 hours. The cord can’t be run under carpeting or rugs, and it’s recommended not to place the cord in high-traffic areas. 

The display shows the temperature and air purity level as a percentage, and it’s so satisfying to see the percentage climb up in real time. You can also update the control panel display to include one of the five real-time data points: Current percentage of clean air time to clean, , room temperature, filter life,  and amount of PM1 (viruses and ultra-fine allergens), PM2.5 (smoke and bacteria), or PM10 (dust, mold, or pollen) particles being filtered. Each of the former figures reflect large, small, and micro-sized air particles that are filtered by the HEPA multi-filter. 

Depending on the air quality, the ring outside of the display will be red (poor air quality, 0 - 69%), yellow (fair air quality, 70-84%), or blue (good air quality, 85-100%). The display has three brightness settings of full brightness, partially dim, or fully dim, with fully dim being suited for use at night so it doesn’t disturb your sleep.

Performance of the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

The purified air mode was virtually silent, making it seamless to run in the background while I was on calls, cooking, or reading without feeling disturbed. The fan modes were audibly louder when at levels 3-6, though higher modes filtered the air more quickly and offered a noticeable breeze on warmer days. I typically used levels 3-6 when filtering the air while cooking or vaccuming, and used a level 2 when on meetings or in the background so the sound was less noticeable.

On particularly warm days, I appreciated the feeling of the fan setting from the air purifier, but it didn’t do much to reduce the temperature of the room. I found that the air purifier, specifically the fan setting, was ideal for airing out the kitchen after cooking. After cooking yakisoba, our air quality had dropped down to 60% clean air, but it was back up to 80% after running for five minutes with a pretty strong fan setting, and back up to 100% in 30 minutes. I noticed that the smell of food went away much faster when using a purifier versus a kitchen exhaust fan alone, which makes this a great item to use after cooking fragrant food in the oven or on the stove. The eco mode is nice if you prefer a “set it and forget it” air purifier that will adjust based on auto-detection, but my air quality was usually around 98% unless I was cooking, dusting, or had the windows open for a while, so I preferred to use it when needed. 

The heating mode was a welcome addition in rooms where I didn’t want to run my home heater but still wanted to raise the temperature. I appreciated that there was a small red light below the round display to signify when the heater was on, though I wish the indicator was more prominent so there’s a lower chance of leaving a heater unattended in a room. I used the heater to raise the temperature 5 degrees in an 80 square foot room, and the temperature went up 4 degrees in 9 minutes. The temperature change was more noticeable than typical space heaters  while purifying the air, and I could feel the heat from across the room. There’s also a “high” mode for particularly cold days.

No matter what mode I used, I often had to move this air purifier between floors of my three-story townhome to make the most of it. Although the air purifier was relatively light, it lacks handles so it can be a little awkward to carry it around. If you live in an apartment or place with an open floor plan, this may be a much better fit as you can make the most of it by keeping it in one place. 

Cleaning, storing, and maintaining the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1

Filter life can be maximized by turning the filter update down every 3 months to equalize the distribution of particles, and the interior can be cleaned to remove excess dust and debris using a vacuum or microfiber cloth. The air purifier itself can also be cleaned by being wiped with a microfiber cloth to remove excess dust.

The filter needs to be changed every six to twelve months, with the more frequent cadence being better for people with allergies. The air purifier also tracks filter life and will notify you when the filter life is at 0% and in need of a new filter. Once replaced, all you have to do is hold down the info button for three seconds.

Who is the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 good for?

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 HC450 is great for people who are looking for a multifunctional product since it functions as an air purifier, fan, and heat all in one. It’s also great for people who have or use air purifiers in smaller spaces like apartments as it can cover areas up to 500 feet. 

How does the Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 compare?

If you’re looking for an air purifier that covers a larger surface area, consider the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier Max, which is designed for spaces up to 1400 feet and saves you recurring filter replacement costs with its reusable HEPA filter. If you’re looking for a more cost-effective air purifier that will still clean your air, the Levoit Core 300 (available at Walmart) is a great option at a much lower price point, though its display is much simpler and lacks a heat setting. And if you’re looking for something quieter and lightweight, try the Morento Air Purifier.

Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1: Verdict

The Shark Air Purifier 3-in-1 does it all as a fan, heater, and air purifier, making it the perfect addition for anyone who needs a multifunctional and powerful device. If you have a home or space under 500 square feet to cover, this fits the bill.

The best air purifiers capture super-fine particles and allergens in the air, as the best cordless vacuums do for our floors. 

Shark vacuums are already some of the best-value vacuums that we've tested, so when you find one reduced by $100s, you'll feel like you've cheated the system. As a home tech editor tasked with finding these deals, this is my run down of what to look for, when and how to grab the best prices on a new appliance year-round.

Shark ranks highly in many of our best vacuum guides, for its range of thoughtful features, consistently strong performance, and easy storage. I love fishing out great Shark vacuum deals, as you get serious value for money with its wide range of robots, wet/dry vacuums, and floor cleaners to keep an effortlessly clean home.

Here, I've shared links to jump you to every live Shark sale, along with insider tips to help you find the lowest prices without having to wade through hundreds of listings. Head over to our Shark homepage if you're stuck on what model to go for.

Where to Shop For Shark Vacuum Deals

Use my quick links to see what's on offer from Shark or the major retailers right now:

• Shark: Savings up to $500
• Amazon: Save up to $150 on cordless, upright and more
• Bed Bath & Beyond: Classic models with up to $100 off
• Best Buy: Up to $120 off in one of the biggest retailer Shark collections
• Home Depot: Up to $140 off older Shark models
• Kohl's: Browse discounts with up to $150 off
• QVC: Save up to $170 on select Shark models
• Target: Up to $120 off
• Walmart: Deals on Shark vacuums, save up to $155

My Shark Vacuum Deal Tips and Tricks

As Homes & Gardens' home tech editor, I test, review, and write about vacuum cleaners daily. I've also covered every major sale event since 2021, and in that time, I've picked up great insider tips on how to secure the best Shark vacuum deals.

Shark has been in the vacuum market for a long time – since 2007, in fact – and a huge variety of models have been released since then. So, when it comes to finding a vacuum deal in the sales, it can be tricky knowing which one is best.

The main thing is to do your research first. To help, start by reading our guide on how to choose the best vacuum cleaner for your home, including the best robot vacuums, to better understand which Shark model is best suited to your home.

At Shark's own website, you'll find all of the latest models they've released, alongside their full product descriptions and every part and accessory you'd need. It's the best place to go for the full lowdown of what they offer. But they don't stock many of their older models, which can instead be found at places like Walmart, Amazon and Best Buy – so if you know which one to go for, make sure to shop around.

When it comes to finding the best price and knowing whether a deal is genuinely a good one, there are a few things to keep in mind. Online stores will occasionally bump the prices before a major sale event, so the discount looks more significant on the day.

To confirm whether a live deal is good, you can use two special price tracking websites:

Honey is a price comparison tool that works across all the major retailers and online brands. If you install the extension on your browser, whenever you're viewing a product page, you'll see how expensive it is at other sites. It'll also show you price history for the past 120 days so that you can see whether it's a good time to buy it (and if the deal is genuine).

CamelCamelCamel shows the price history of any product on Amazon. Enter the product URL or name, and you'll see every price it's had since being uploaded to Amazon, so you can see when the product is at its lowest price ever. It'll also help to show you the best time of year to buy.

It's important to remember that Shark vacuums are often released in multiple versions (for example, you can get the Shark POWERDETECT and the Shark POWERDETECT TruePet Upgrade). The versions can denote different colors, attachments, or cleaning stations, so when comparing prices, make sure you've compared every version you're interested in.

Our Favorite Shark Vacuums to Look Out For in the Sales

We've tested 14 of Shark's vacuums to find out which is worth your money. When the sales hit, these are the three I always look out for above all others.

What is a Good Price For a Shark Vacuum?

Shark's vacuums are some of the most reasonably priced on the market. They're all great vacuums with useful features and consistently reliable suction power, and Shark never seems to overprice them.

Plus, they are discounted fairly often throughout the year, so even at their low prices, I wouldn't recommend shopping for one at full price. In the past year, I've seen even their latest models reduced by $100-$500 multiple times, so if you time it right, you'll be able to save even more on a good quality vacuum.

For their cordless and upright vacuums, anything below $400 is a great price, or below $250 during sale seasons like Black Friday or Prime Day. Their floor cleaners and portable wet/dry vacuums can sometimes be found for less than $100, but retail most of the time between $100 and $300.

When is the Best Time to Get a Shark Vacuum Deal?

As with most home appliances, we tend to see the biggest discounts and the biggest selection of offers during big retailer sale events such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.

In general, the period from September to January tends to provide the best deals as it's when brands clear old stock to make way for new releases.

But Shark runs sales frequently throughout the year. This year, for example, there's been at least one sale every month. They don't always have the best selections, but if you're really after a Shark vacuum, you'll be able to find one year-round. In my opinion, you should never buy a Shark vacuum at full price.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Shark Vacuum Deals

Although you can find Shark deals throughout the year, the best ones are normally going to be found during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, always falling on the first Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving. It's also where you'll find the most choice, as retailers and Shark themselves will all launch their range of discounts.

Black Friday deals always drop at least a week (sometimes two) before the official Black Friday, so you won't have to wait long to see what's on offer.

Use the price comparison tools I mentioned above to make sure you're getting a price. Often, you'll find that Black Friday prices can be found at various points throughout the year.

Prime Day Shark Vacuum Deals

Amazon always runs two Prime Days, one in July and one in October, so you'll have to wait until 2026 for the next run. This year, I saw many of their top models discounted by $100s.

Amazon's deal selection includes newer and older Shark vacuums, so there's potential that the model you want will be on sale. But in recent years, the best deals have been in the competing sales from Walmart and Best Buy or direct from Shark.

After Christmas and New Year's Day Sales

As we near the end of the year, stockists tend to clear old appliances as the new year usually means new releases. So, while you might not get the best choice, you could potentially find older Shark vacuums at their lowest prices ever during this period. Retailers also consider that people spend less during this period, so that's reflected in the price.

Labor Day Shark Vacuum Deals

I've always been surprised by how many deals there have been on Labor Day, especially on Shark vacuums, that even rival those found in Black Friday and Prime Day. Labor Day 2025 brought plenty of Shark vacuum deals, saving $100s on some of their best models.

Sign up for their newsletter via Shark's website (it's a permanent option on the top right navigation bar) to keep up with their sale notices.

FAQs

What is the Best Shark Vacuum for the Money?

Right now, the Shark PowerDetect Cordless offers the best value for money, costing just $299.99 while being one of the best cordless vacuums we've ever tested. In our Shark PowerDetect Cordless review, we loved how well it handled different floor types, how easy it is to store the vacuum, and the fact that it comes with a five-year warranty.

Is Dyson or Shark Better?

The best Dyson vacuums are some of the best vacuum cleaners on the market. They have advanced suction, particle detection and laser illumination, and in our tests they top our best vacuums list time and time again.

But that kind of cleaning power comes at a price. Shark's vacuums are much more affordable, and still offer impressive sets of features. Plus, they often have unique, thoughtfully-designed features – particularly noticeable in their carpet cleaners and wet/dry vacuums.

Consider the best Dyson alternatives if you're looking for powerful vacuums at a fraction of the cost (unsurprisingly, many of our top picks are Shark vacuums).

If you find yourself spending a bit too much time cleaning up after your animals, you'll be happy to hear Shark vacuums make it into our list of the best vacuums for pet hair.

Shark have launchsed a fresh new sale, the Marathon of Deals, offering big discounts on a load of their ever-popular home products.

If you're an allergy sufferer like me, you'll be happy to learn that, yes, air purifiers do help with allergies. Allergens like dust, pollen and pet dander exist in the form of micro particles, and air purifiers with HEPA filters can remove more than 90% of them from the air.

The best air purifiers come with HEPA filters for this exact reason. And luckily for any allergy-prone people, Shark have got their best on offer right now. The sale is live until April 15. 

Our favorite air purifiers in the Shark sale

All of these air purifiers have HEPA filters to remove allergens like dust, pollen and pet dander from the air. 

Better yet, Shark's HEPA filters exceed HEPA standards thanks to a 'Nanoseal' that can capture 99.98% of airborne particles.

Once you've started purifying your home space, make sure you know the best place to put an air purifier to get the most out of it. Knowing how to clean an air purifier will keep it running smoothly, too.

There are some messes in life that you don’t necessarily want to clean with your regular vacuum. I’m talking muddy footprints, spilled soda, and tipped-over houseplants. Luckily, the new Shark Messmaster Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum is designed with these 'un-vacuumable' messes in mind. 

Unlike regular wet/dry vacuums, which are typically big and bulky, this portable model has a modest 1-gallon capacity and weighs just 10 pounds. It’s small enough to store in your coat closet when it’s not in use, but it’s just as capable as larger models, easily picking up even the worst messes. Plus, thanks to its 'AnyBag Technology' you can line the inside of the dustbin with a plastic bag, making it quick and easy to empty when you’re done cleaning. 

I put it to the test in my home for a few weeks. I used it for a variety of cleaning tasks, including removing spiderwebs from my basement, vacuuming the floors of our messy truck, and sucking up a kitchen spill. After all that testing, here’s why I think the Shark Messmaster is a great option for busy households. 

Product specifications

Unboxing and setting up

The Messmaster arrived in a medium-sized box, and there was a quick-start guide printed right on the inner flap. (I’m not one to read instruction manuals, so I love when brands do this.) Upon opening the box, I was greeted by a mass of plastic – every single piece was wrapped in its protective bag, and there were a lot of pieces. In addition to the main vacuum body, the box contained the 3-foot hose, three attachments, a three-piece extension wand, the attachment storage clip, and three plastic bags that you can use inside the dustbin.

With the help of the quick-start guide, I was able to put the vacuum together in just a few minutes. There’s onboard storage for two of the attachments, and you can simply leave the third attached to the hose. The power cord, which is 15 feet long, wraps around the upper handle, making it quite convenient and compact to store. The only pieces that don’t have designated storage are the extension wand sections. 

There’s a latch on the front of the vacuum that lets you swing open the lid, and inside, there are instructions on how to outfit the dustbin with a bag. It’s easy to do, and I love that you can use any size plastic bag – you don’t have to buy special ones from the brand. The dustbin also pulls out of the base so you can pour out any liquid into the sink after cleaning. 

Who would it suit?

If you want a wet/dry vacuum but don’t have the space for a full-size shop vac, the Shark Messmaster is a good alternative. Thanks to its three attachments, it can be used to clean up virtually any type of mess, from a tipped-over houseplant to a bowl of soup that hit the floor, and I found it to be particularly handy for cleaning the car. It’s versatile but still quite compact, and you can outfit it with any plastic bag to capture and easily dispose of the debris you suck up.

However, if you’re looking for a vacuum to clean up pet hair, this probably isn’t the best choice, as none of its attachments are very effective on fur that’s embedded in upholstery or rugs.

Test 1: Dry cleaning

My old farmhouse has an unfinished basement, and I frequently use our full-size shop vac to clean up dirt and spiderwebs down there. I decided to use the Messmaster for my monthly cleaning session, and I was impressed by its powerful suction. The power button is a little hard to press – you have to make sure it goes down all the way – but once it’s on, the vacuum can easily pick up large and small pieces of debris, as well as those yucky spiderwebs. Plus, the extension wand let me reach up along the edges of the ceiling without having to climb on a chair. While cleaning in the basement, I carried the vacuum along as I went. However, it was a bit heavy after a while, as it weighs around 10 pounds.  

Test 2: Cleaning wet messes

There weren’t many wet messes that needed cleaning while I was testing the Messmaster, so I manufactured one to see how it would perform. I spilled some cereal and milk on our hardwood floors, then used the wet/dry vacuum to tackle the mess. 

With the squeegee tool attached, I did have to hold it at a slight angle to pick up the pieces of cereal, which meant it didn’t do a great job on the milk. However, once the cereal was picked up, I was able to hold the squeegee flush against the floor, and wow! It did an incredible job sucking up all the moisture, even from the cracks between the floorboards. I expected I would need to mop to pick up lingering moisture, but it wasn’t necessary at all. I just sprayed a little cleaning solution over the area, wiped it down, and that was it. It was super quick and easy, and I was impressed with the vacuum’s powerful suction. 

Test 3: Cleaning a car

I also used the Messmaster to clean out my partner’s truck, and this is where the vacuum shined. Its nozzle tool is perfect for getting into all the cracks and crevices around the car, and it’s easy to either hold the vacuum as you clean it or rest it on one of the seats. The 3-foot hose was long enough to get into all the hard-to-reach areas, and the carpet/upholstery tool lifted dirt and debris off the carpeting and seats. I also loved that I was able to capture all the dirt, pebbles, and trash in a plastic bag inside the vacuum—when I was finished cleaning, I just tied it off and threw it all away. 

The only time the vacuum struggled was when it came time to clean up pet hair. Because our dogs ride in the back seat of the car, there’s quite a bit of fur that gets worked into the upholstery. Unfortunately, the vacuum isn’t effective at pulling out this fur, so I had to pull out my favorite handheld vacuum, the Black + Decker Furbuster, available at Amazon, to get this area clean.  

Cleaning and maintenance

One of my favorite things about this wet/dry vac is that it’s a breeze to clean, no matter what type of mess you’re using it on. If you’re sucking up dry debris, you can simply put a plastic bag inside the canister—it can be any brand and size between 2 and 13 gallons. The bag will collect all the dirt and dust, and when you’re done, you can just pull it out and toss the whole thing in the trash. 

This isn’t as feasible if you’re sucking up a lot of water or a messy spill, but the vacuum is still simple to clean when you use it on liquid. After you empty the canister, all you have to do is reassemble the vacuum and use it to suck up a few cups of clean water. The brand says it only requires 1 cup of water, but I got the best results using 4 or 5 cups. It effectively rinses out the attachment, hose, and inner dustbin, leaving the vacuum clean and ready for next time. The dustbin can even go in the dishwasher for a hands-off deep clean. 

How does it rate online?

The Shark Messmaster Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum is fairly new, so it doesn’t have a lot of online reviews yet. It has a 4.6-star rating from over 200 reviewers on Amazon, and 4.7 stars from over 250 reviewers on Best Buy. Many people comment that it’s easy to carry around and has powerful suction, and a lot of reviewers note that it’s perfect for cleaning out cars. Among negative reviews, one of the most common complaints is that the vacuum isn’t good at picking up pet hair, which aligns with my own experience testing the vacuum.  

How does it compare?

If you’re looking for a compact vacuum that can tackle pet hair, the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser is one of the best handheld vacuums we’ve tested. It’s a little cheaper than the Messmaster, retailing for around $80, and it comes with a special pet tool that lifts hair out of carpeting and upholstery, making it a better choice to clean pet hair out of your car. 

On the other hand, the Stanley SL18116P Wet/Dry Vacuum, available from Amazon might be a better choice if you’re looking for a more classic shop vac. It costs roughly the same as the Messmaster, but it has a large 6-gallon capacity and is mounted on wheels, making it easy to move around. However, it takes up significantly more space in storage and likely isn’t practical for those in small homes or apartments.  

Should you buy the Shark Messmaster Portable Wet/Dry Vacuum?

If you’re looking for a portable wet/dry vacuum, the Shark Messmaster is a worthwhile buy. It retails for around $100, and it’s a powerful and versatile cleaning tool that can be used all around your home. It had no problem sucking up spider webs, debris under car seats, and even spilled milk, and unlike full-size shop vac, this model is quick and easy to clean. Plus, it’s compact enough to tuck in a closet when it’s not in use, so it’s ideal for anyone who has limited storage space in their home.  

How we test wet/dry vacuums

We test all our wet/dry vacuums on a range of different debris on different surfaces. Where applicable, we test them on carpets, rugs, and different types of hard floors like wood, vinyl, and linoleum. We test them on several types of common stains and spills, and we also test them throughout every room of an entire home, as well as in cars. 

Cordless vacuums are often ideal for quick everyday cleaning, and if you have pets, these cleaning tools are perfect for sucking up clumps of hair and removing fur from furniture and other upholstery. However, many cordless vacuums are quite pricey, which is why the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum caught my eye. 

Also marketed as the Shark Rocket, this cordless vacuum has a lightweight, battery-operated design, and it’s more affordable than many other stick vacuums, retailing for around $200. By comparison, Dyson’s popular stick vacuums start at $400 and rise to more than $1000. The Shark has a large floorhead and multiple suction settings, and I wanted to see how well it would handle the surplus of pet hair in my home, and earn a place as one of the best vacuums for pet hair.

I tested this vacuum for two weeks, using it to clean up after my two long-haired dogs and rambunctious cat. While there were several things I liked about its design
– such as the lightweight form and HEPA filtration – I don’t think it’s the right vacuum for everyone. 

Product specifications

Who would it suit?

The Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum is best-suited for light-duty cleaning around the house. Its floorhead isn’t the most powerful, even on the boost setting. It can pick up dirt and spilled food, but it’s not very effective for getting deep into carpets. While it’s marketed as a pet vacuum, it’s also not the best for picking up fur – long strands of pet hair can get wrapped around the brushroll, and because there’s no pet attachment, it can’t be used to clean upholstery or furniture. 

I actually think this model works best as a hand vacuum – it was great for vacuuming the stairs in my house and cleaning in tight areas of the bathroom, thanks to its cordless design. The battery lasts long enough for most cleaning sessions, and its lightweight form is easy to carry up and down stairs. 

Unboxing

The Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum was quick and easy to unbox and put together. The pieces were packaged in cardboard and each wrapped in plastic to prevent scratching, and there were only five total items in the box—the vacuum body, tube, and floorhead, along with the charger and crevice tool. 

I was able to snap the pieces together without consulting the directions, but I quickly realized that there was no way the vacuum would stand up while assembled, as it’s very top-heavy. After looking at the diagrams on the box, I realized that the body of the vacuum can be removed and hooked onto the front of the tube. This allows it to stand upright for charging, but it is a bit inconvenient to have to take the vacuum apart before storing it. I think a wall-mounting docking station would have been a better design, instead of the plain plug-in charger. 

The main body of this vacuum is designed to be hooked onto the front of the tube while charging – this allows the vacuum to stand upright – and you do have to reassemble it before use. The body clicks into the tube easily, and the controls are right at your fingertips. There are separate suction settings for hard floors and carpeting, and the latter increases the brushroll speed. There’s also a trigger that you can pull to activate the “boost” setting, increasing the vacuum’s suction, but I typically only used it for short cleaning spurts, as you have to hold it down the whole time.

Test 1: Hard floors

The vacuum performs fairly well on hard floors, including hardwood and laminate, and it’s easy to drive around and maneuver into tight spaces thanks to its small, lightweight form.

I used it to vacuum my kitchen and bathroom, and while it’s not the most powerful in terms of suction, it was able to pick up loose pet hair, crumbs, and even cat litter without sending particles flying around. The dustbin is large enough that I only needed to empty it once per cleaning session, and I love that the vacuum has a HEPA filter and allergen seal to keep dust trapped inside.  

Test 2: Carpet

However, the vacuum didn’t do as well on carpeting. The area rug in my living room gets dirty quickly, as my two dogs lay on it constantly, so I tend to vacuum it every other day. The Shark was able to pick up visible dirt and any debris that was tracked onto the rug, but it didn’t do well pulling up dog hair. Even after using its boost setting, there was still quite a bit of fur left on the rug, and the surface didn’t look nearly as clean as when I use my full-size vacuum.  

Test 3: Handheld mode

After a few weeks of testing, I found myself mostly using the Shark as a handheld vacuum, as its lightweight size is easy to carry around the house. It comes with a crevice tool that attaches directly to the vacuum body, and it’s perfect for cleaning stairs, around baseboards, and in tight areas of my bathroom. I wish it came with other attachments, though – a dusting brush and upholstery tool would have made the vacuum even more versatile. I also don’t like that there’s nowhere to store the crevice tool on the body of the vacuum.

Cleaning and maintenance

The Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum has a fairly large 0.83-quart dustbin, and I typically only needed to empty it at the end of each cleaning session. To empty it, you remove the tube and hold the body of the vacuum over the trash can. There’s a lever on the side of the dustbin that you press down, and it opens the bottom of the bin to let debris fall out. A clump of pet fur would occasionally get stuck inside the bin and need to be fished out, but overall, it’s quite easy to empty and generally a hands-free task.  

How does it rate online?

The Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum has 120 reviews on the Shark website and an average rating of 3.6 stars. While people like the vacuum’s lightweight cordless design, many agree that the suction isn’t strong enough. Additionally, several reviewers say that the battery life decreases after several months of use. 

This vacuum also has a 3.6-star rating from around 670 reviewers on the Target website, many of whom have the same complaints about the suction power and waning battery life. However, like me, lots of people noted that the vacuum works better on hard floors than carpeting.    

How does it compare?

The best cordless vacuum we’ve tested is the Dyson Gen5, which costs around $650. It’s significantly more powerful than the Shark and can run for up to 60 minutes per charge. We particularly love that the Gen5 comes with a wide variety of attachments, including specialty heads for hard floors and carpeting, making it highly effective on both types of flooring. While it is quite an investment, it’s a worthwhile splurge if you want a cordless vacuum that performs just as well as a corded model.  

If you want a vacuum for pet hair, I can personally recommend the Shark Stratos upright. It's great on pet hair and loaded with handy pet features like anti-odor cartirdges, and lifts out of its body so that it's almost as nimble as this cordless. It's not that much more expensive, and while it's a little bulkier, I think it's much better than this vacuum. 

Should you buy the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum?

The Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum isn’t the most powerful or versatile option out there today. It’s effective for quick cleaning tasks, working well as a hand vacuum and on hard floors, but it’s not ideal if your pets have long hair or your home has a lot of carpeting. It might be a worthwhile buy for everyday tidying if you can find it on sale, but its performance doesn’t justify its regular price tag of $200. If you’re going to pay that much, you’re better off spending a little extra to get a more powerful upright vacuum.  

How we test vacuums

If you want to know how we test vacuums, there are two main methods; in our homes and in our dedicated test centre. We use the test centre for more precise evaluation, and in our homes for a sense of how these vacuums perform in the real world. 

In all of our reviews, we test a range of debris on different surfaces. We use flour and sugar as a proxy for dust and tiny dirt, which shows us if a vacuum can handle this sort of fine cleaning. We use a 'pantry test' on spilled cereal to see how well the vacuum can handle larger crumbs, and it's an especially useful test if you have young kids. Finally, we test on old hair extensions to see how the vacuums can handle hair and fur. We test vacuums marketed as 'pet hair vacuums' in homes with dogs and cats to ensure that the vacuums we include genuinely remove pet hair. 

We repeat these tests on several floor types. We test on wood to see how well a vacuum can pick up dirt between the cracks of the planks, We test on lineoleum to see if the vacuum will scratch floors, and how well it forms a seal with the floor, and on carpet to see if the brush bar can beat dirt and debris out of the fibres. We also test all of these debris types on handheld mode, where applicable. 

For more information, see how we test.

Many of the best vacuums are quite pricey, so if you don’t want to shell out $400+ for a cleaning tool, the newest upright model from Shark might be just what you’re looking for. The new Shark Rotator Pet Lift-Away Upright Vacuum is a mid-tier option from the well-known brand, and while its price is more reasonable, it still offers a variety of useful features that are ideal for households with pets. 

This upright vacuum boasts two non-tangle brushrolls that are designed to pick up debris of all sizes, as well as a HEPA filter to capture allergens like pet dander. There’s an odor-neutralizing cartridge built into the base of the vacuum, and it comes with three attachments for increased versatility when cleaning. It also has Shark’s popular 'Lift-Away' design, which allows you to remove the vacuum body from the floor piece, making it easier to carry up stairs or around your home. 

While it sounds great, we wanted to see how the Shark Rotator stacked up against the best vacuums for pet hair we’ve reviewed. I put the upright vacuum to the test in my multi-pet home for several weeks, using it for everyday cleaning, as well as a pre-holiday deep clean. Here’s everything I found while testing this vacuum and why you might want to add it to your cleaning arsenal.  

Who does it suit?

The Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum is a smaller and lighter – and slightly cheaper – option compared to the brand’s popular Shark Stratos, making it a solid option for anyone who wants a powerful vacuum in a more manageable form. Thanks to its dual brushroll design, the upright vacuum performs exceptionally well on both carpeting and hard floors, easily picking up large debris, dirt, dust, and pet hair. Plus, it comes with three attachments: a crevice tool, upholstery tool, and dusting brush, which allow you to clean virtually any space around your home. 

Overall, it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a powerful, moderately priced upright vacuum to serve as the primary cleaning tool in your home, and it’s well-suited for households both with and without pets. 

Specifications

Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum: Design

I’ve tested both the Shark Stratos and Shark Navigator—two of the brand’s best-selling models—and when I saw the Shark Rotator Pet, my first impression was that it’s basically a hybrid of these two popular vacuums. 

The Rotator is more moderately sized, weighing around 14 pounds, and it has a large floorhead with two brushrolls. The front brushroll is made from a fluffy material that captures fine particles and stops debris from shooting around on hard floors, and the back brushroll has stiff bristles that dig into carpeting to pull up hidden dirt. Similar to the Stratos, the Rotator comes with an odor-neutralizing cartridge that you insert into the floorhead, and it releases a fresh scent as you vacuum. 

However, there are a few design features that are more similar to the Shark Navigator. For one, the controls for the Rotator are located on top of the dustbin. It’s a simple toggle switch that you can set to carpet, hard floor, or off. The vacuum also has a 'Lift-Away' design, meaning th'e body can be removed from the floorhead. This is handy if you need to vacuum stairs or another hard-to-reach area, but unlike the Stratos, it’s not 'Powered Lift-Away, meaning you can’t operate the floorhead when the canister is detached.  

Unboxing the Shark Rotator Pet Upright

 It took me around five minutes to unpack and assemble the Shark Rotator vacuum. Inside the box, all the components were wrapped in a layer of plastic to prevent scratches, and they were held in place with cardboard inserts. 

After unwrapping everything, all I had to do was snap together the vacuum’s floorhead, body, and handle – assembly is really simple and intuitive, and I had no problem figuring it out without consulting the manual. The vacuum comes with three attachments, but there are only two slots for storage on the back of the unit. I opted to keep the upholstery and crevice tools on-board, but I wish it were possible to keep all three accessories on the vacuum for easy access. 

The final step in assembling the Rotator was to insert the odor-neutralizing cartridge. It comes in a metallic envelope, and the round cartridge inserts into the vacuum’s floorhead. Once installed, you can twist it left or right to release more or less scent, and I liked the light, fresh smell it gave off. 

Test 1: Carpets

I have several area rugs in my home, and they’re a magnet for dog hair and dirt. I typically vacuum them every other day, and the Shark Rotator proved to be up to the task. On its carpet mode, the vacuum has powerful suction, and its stiff brushroll pulled lots of dog hair, dirt, and dust out of the rugs in my living and dining rooms. Despite the suction, it was still easy to push around on the medium-pile carpet, and I like that you can adjust the suction further using the slider on the vacuum’s handle. 

After two passes with the Rotator, my carpeting looked clean, and there was no visible hair remaining. (The dustbin was also filled to the brim!) The vacuum left behind a light, fresh scent behind, similar to if I had used a carpet refresher, though it faded after a few hours. 

Test 2: Hard floors

While the Rotator did great on carpeting, I was even more impressed by its performance on hard floors. My dogs and partner often track small rocks, clumps of dirt, and leaves inside, and the vacuum had no problem sucking up the larger debris. I also used it to clean up cat litter that had been kicked out of the box, and the soft brushroll managed to pick up all the fine pieces without shooting them around the floor – a common problem with upright vacuums. 

However, I will say that the vacuum is too powerful to use on small rugs. When I tried to vacuum my bath mat, the vacuum sucked the fabric into the brushroll, forcing me to stop cleaning and pull it back out. 

Test 3: Hand Attachments

I tested this vacuum the week before Thanksgiving, and because I was hosting the event for my family, I used the Rotator for some deep cleaning around my home. The crevice tool proved useful for cleaning under our baseboard heaters, and I used the Lift-Away feature to clean the stairs and around the edges of the ceiling. The upholstery tool isn’t motorized, but it still did a decent job removing pet hair off my furniture – though if hair is really worked into the upholstery, this tool might not be powerful enough for the job. 

My favorite attachment was the anti-allergen dusting brush. This cool tool has a swivelling head that you can rotate around to get just the right angle, and it’s lined with fuzzy nylon bristles that trap fine dust particles. I used it on everything when I was prepping the house for the big day – it was perfect for cleaning bookcases and shelves, dusting window sills, and tidying up baseboards and trim. Plus, once the dust is sucked into the vacuum, it’s trapped by a HEPA filter, which prevents it from escaping back out into your home. 

Cleaning and Maintenance

The Rotator’s dustbin holds around 0.8 quarts, which isn’t very much, especially if you’re vacuuming up lots of pet hair. I found that I usually needed to empty the bin at least once (sometimes twice) while cleaning the downstairs area of my home, which includes four different rooms. However, it’s easy to do—the whole dustbin comes off the vacuum, and there’s a lever on the back that allows you to dump its contents into the trash. 

In my experience, the brushrolls don’t get wrapped up in pet hair, but if they do, there’s a button on the side of the floorhead that lets you pull them out for easy cleaning. You can also rinse the soft brushroll with water to get rid of any lingering dust as needed. 

In terms of maintenance, the Rotator has three filters that need to be periodically cleaned. The brand recommends rinsing out the foam and felt filters (which are located under the dustbin) once per month, and cleaning the unit’s HEPA filter once a year. 

Storage

Like any upright vacuum, the Shark Rotator isn’t the most compact to store. It’s close to 4 feet tall, so it will take up a decent amount of room in a closet if you want to tuck it away. The cord can be wrapped around the two hooks on the side of the vacuum to keep it neat and tidy, and like I mentioned above, there are two on-board storage slots where you can keep its accessories. However, there will always be one attachment that doesn’t fit on the vacuum, which can be a little annoying.  

How Does The Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum Rate Online?

The Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum is a fairly new model from the brand, so it doesn’t currently have a lot of online reviews. On the Shark website, the vacuum has just over 50 ratings and an average of 4.7 stars, and on Amazon, it has 50 reviews and a 4.4 star rating. The two biggest complaints among reviewers are that the vacuum is somewhat heavy and that it doesn’t have the same 'Powered Lift-Away' as the Stratos.  

How Does The Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum Compare?

The Rotator seems to be a mid-tier design in Shark’s lineup of upright vacuums – at $300, it’s more expensive than the Shark Navigator, which retails for around $180, but cheaper than the Shark Stratos, which is generally $400. 

If you’re looking for a lighter vacuum, the Navigator weighs just 12 pounds, but it’s not the best for homes with pets, as hair can get wrapped around the brushroll. On the other hand, the Stratos is a more versatile pick thanks to its “Powered Lift-Away” design, which allows you to operate the floorhead with the canister detached. This makes it easy to clean under low-profile furniture, but the downside is that the Stratos is quite substantial, weighing more than 17 pounds. 

Should You Buy The Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum?

If you’re in the market for a new primary vacuum, the Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum is a solid all-around pick. It offers powerful suction, and its dual-brushroll floorhead performs well on all types of flooring, making it easy to clean every area of your home. It handles pet hair like a pro, trapping allergens and preventing longer strands from getting wrapped around the brushrolls, and it comes with three attachments that you can use to clean stairs, dust, and tidy up furniture. 

While it’s not perfect, my complaints about this vacuum are minor. The controls aren’t the most conveniently located—you have to bend over to reach the toggle switch on the body of the vacuum. At 14 pounds, it is slightly heavy if you need to carry it up and down stairs, but it’s really easy to maneuver thanks to swivel steering. 

Additionally, you’ll want to keep in mind that this vacuum only has a 'Lift-Away' design – not the brand’s 'Powered Lift-Away.' It can be a bit confusing, but the key difference is that the Rotator doesn’t allow you to use the floorhead when the body is removed. That feature is reserved for the Stratos, Shark’s higher-end upright model. 

If you're looking for a vacuum with strong suction, premium features, and a reasonable price tag, consider Shark's lineup. But as they make cordless and upright vacuums in the Stratos vs. Vertex lines, which is better?

Our experts have tested the best Shark vacuums alongside 74 vacuums from 23 brands, and here, we pit Shark's Stratos and Vertex models against each other to figure out the better one for your needs.

From capacity to agility, here's everything you need to know when deciding between Shark's Stratos and Vertex vacuums.

What's the difference between Shark Stratos and Shark Vertex?

The Stratos vacuums tend to have more advanced technology for avoiding hair tangling in the rollers as well as odor neutralizing cartridges. Other differences, such as dimensions, weight, and capacity are model dependent.

Stratos Upright vs. Vertex DuoClean

Winner: Stratos Upright

The Shark Stratos was once the best upright vacuum we'd reviewed, before the newer Shark POWERDETECT was released. It has powerful suction, an agile design, and the same effective, odor-neutralizing cartridge that we love in their cordless models. Even as a vacuum for pet hair this was mess free and easy to clean.

The Shark Vertex comes close to the Stratos in power. It's excellent across a range of debris and floor types. It's also lighter than the Stratos, so easier to move around. However, when we tested the Stratos, we found the dustbin limiting. The Vertex's dustbin is another 0.5 quarts smaller, making it a little frustrating to do thorough cleans with.

Both the Stratos and the Vertex have LED lights on the nozzle and DuoClean PowerFins, but the Stratos is wins for two key reasons: it has the HairPro Power brush and odor neutralizer cartridges.

Even though this takes longer to assemble, if you're often vacuuming pet hair and the smells that come with it, the Stratos is unmatched.

The Vertex boasts a 12" cleaning path, which is wider than other vacuums and 1.4 inches wider than the Stratos. If you have a big home, this kind of distance adds up. It makes for an effortless clean, especially considering the Vertex is half a pound lighter.

Bottom line: The Stratos is best for pets, deep cleans, and those who suffer from allergies. The Vertex is best if you want a (slightly) lighter vacuum and you don't mind often emptying it.

Cordless: Stratos vs Vertex

Winner: Shark Vertex Pro

In terms of sheer power, the Shark Vertex Lightweight Cordless is better. It was close to faultless across our tests, with our only complaint being that the dustbin is small.

And, the newer and more advanced Shark Vertex Pro has topped our guide of the best Dyson alternatives for months now. It has higher suction power, a larger dustbin and a digital display for when you're cleaning. Out of the two, the Vertex Pro wins.

The Stratos has great suction, too. We haven't managed to test this ourselves, but some reviews suggest that this is better than the Vertex on low-pile carpets. The Vertex, on the other hand, is said to be better as one of the best vacuums for hardwood floors. This could be a deciding factor depending on the floor types in your home.

If you have pets and need that extra something, the Stratos is consistently reviewed online to have strong anti-tangle technology, one of the reasons why pet hair is so hard to vacuum, reducing how often you'll have to cut hair out yourself.

A key difference is the Stratos' ability to sense what's on your floor and adjust the power setting itself, similar to the best Dyson vacuums. With both Vertex models, you have to do this manually, but it only takes the push of a button.

Bottom line: The Vertex Pro is the best for cleaning power, but the Stratos' floor sensors make it more user-friendly. The Vertex Lightweight is best if you're on a budget.

FAQs

What is better, Shark Stratos or Shark Vertex?

The Shark Stratos (cheapest at Amazon) wins if you're looking for an upright vacuum, perhaps if you want the best vacuum for carpets. But the Shark Vertex Pro takes the top spot when looking at the best cordless vacuums.

How we test vacuums

At Homes & Gardens we have a thorough process for how we test vacuums. We test each of them in our dedicated test center on carpet, linoleum and hardwood to see how they clean different surfaces. We vacuum standardized amounts of flour, sugar, cereal and lentils to see how they fare against everything from fine powders to large debris.

To distinguish between pet vacuums vs regular vacuums, we test pet vacuums in a local cat and dog shelter. It's a busy environment that's full of fur and general mess, so it's a great opportunity to see what the vacuum can handle.

In the incredibly rare event that we can't test a vacuum or are waiting on a review, we will do diligent research into a model. Our experts spend hours reading through user and professional reviews so that they know everything they need to about a vacuum.

Next, browse our tried-and-tested guides of the best vacuums for hardwood floors and the best lightweight vacuums.

Shark have steadily been growing their standing in the vacuum market for years, and have now become one of the most popular vacuum brands worldwide. This is for good reason too, as the best Shark vacuums consistently perform well in our vacuum tests, topping many of our guides.

I'm Homes & Gardens' home tech editor, and a team of product testers and I have reviewed 50 of the world's best vacuums, including 13 of Shark's best. Personally, I'm a big fan of Shark vacuums. Strong cleaning performance, useful features, and smooth aesthetics – all for a reasonable cost. What more could you need?

Below are the three best Shark vacuums from our tests. These are the only ones you really need to consider, but if you're looking for something more specific, I've included alternatives further down the page.

The Quick List

These are the best Shark vacuums at a glance. For more info, scroll further or click the navigation links to take you to each product.

The best Shark vacuum cleaners in 2024

We've tested 13 of Shark's vacuum lineup with more on the way. Right now, these are the only three you need to consider, with alternative options below if you're after something more specific.

Best cordless Shark vacuum

It might not be a surprise that Shark's most recent release is their best, but on test the Cordless PowerDetect performed better than any Shark cordless vacuum we've tested – and it's still priced reasonably. It features Shark's latest detection tech, where the vacuum can sense floor type and dust volume to automatically adjust suction power to the optimal level.

Tester James Holland has reviewed previous cordless Shark vacuums (like the Shark Stratos Cordless and the Shark Detect Pro Cordless), and the Cordless PowerDetect had the strongest suction. 'I tested it on carpets, upholstery, and hard flooring and it had no issues sucking up debris and dust,' James wrote in our review.

'I even used it to vacuum two rooms that had been untouched for a week, but that seemed clean, and found its 0.74qt dust cup to be a quarter full of pet hair, dust, and dirt,' he added. Cordless vacuums are traditionally not the best option for carpet floors, but the PowerDetect is able to handle it with ease, even when it comes to pet hair.

The Cordless PowerDetect can also bend at the wand, helping you to reach under furniture without straining your back. Not having to bend down as much saves a great amount of physical effort over the course of your home cleaning, and returning it to a straight tube is as simple as snapping it back into place.

The only downside was that the vacuum didn't perform quite as well when pulling it backwards. This shouldn't be a dealbreaker, but it does affect how efficiently you clean when half of your passes aren't as effective. The vacuum does, however, perform excellently on edges, and James found he rarely needed to use the crevice tool.

Previously, our favorite cordless Shark vacuum was the Shark Vertex Pro, and it still has incredible cleaning performance years after its release. It's a worthy alternative if the PowerDetect doesn't sound up your street.

Read more in our full Shark Cordless PowerDetect review.

Best upright Shark vacuum

Not only is the Shark POWERDETECT the best upright Shark vacuum, it's the best upright vacuum we've ever tested. It's truly a powerful machine, and as the name suggests, it shares many of the same smart features as our best cordless pick.

It can sense floor type and dust volume to automatically maintain the ideal suction power. This is particularly useful for homes with delicate hard floors (like tile or hardwood) as the POWERDETECT will adjust as soon as it senses a change, and help prevent the brushroll from causing any damage at full speed.

The POWERDETECT excels on all types of flooring. 'It’s able to suck everything up in its path efficiently and proficiently, no matter the debris,' James noted after testing. 'And, it’s equally capable regardless of the surface I used it on.'

It's also incredibly reliable when vacuuming pet hair, and James found this out after a period of heavy shedding from his cat: 'With one pass, the Shark POWERDETECT had basically picked up every visible piece of hair (as well as litter near the litter box) from the carpet, filling the dust bin with an amount of hair equal to a second cat.'

After being able to leave floors 'spotless,' the vacuum leaves the room smelling fresher thanks to an odor-neutralizing cartridge that's become a staple of Shark's upright vacuums. It also has Shark's 'Lift-Away' feature which allows you to remove the pod from the main, heavy compartment, providing more mobility when vacuuming areas like stairs or car seats.

Its hose was found to be a little limited in length at only two feet long, especially when compared to the Dyson Ball Animal 3's 15-foot hose. Aside from that, it comes with a crevice tool and pet multi-tool, or you can buy the Shark POWERDETECT TruePet Upgrade

The Shark POWERDETECT is a relatively new release, and our top spot for the best upright Shark vacuum was previously awarded to the Shark Stratos. If you're looking for something slightly cheaper, but still a powerful, capable upright cleaner, it's a great alternative.

Read more in our full Shark POWERDETECT review.

Best budget Shark vacuum

Considering it was released some time ago and is often priced at just $200, the Shark Rotator is still an impressive upright vacuum and shares a lot of the advantages of the POWERDETECT and Stratos.

It still has a HEPA filter, an odor-neutralizer and a lift-away function, although the only difference is the lift-away isn't powered, so demands more effort in comparison. It also has similar attachments like the crevice tool and dusting brush. And, most importantly, it cleans well.

'On its carpet mode, the vacuum has powerful suction, and its stiff brushroll pulled lots of dog hair, dirt, and dust out of the rugs in my living and dining rooms,' wrote tester Camyn Rabideau, also noting that it was easy to push around the medium-pile carpet despite its strong suction.

'I was even more impressed by its performance on hard floors. My dogs and partner often track small rocks, clumps of dirt, and leaves inside, and the vacuum had no problem sucking up the larger debris,' she added.

The vacuum has inconveniently placed controls, forcing you to bend town to reach the toggle switch, and it falls short on its ability to handle small rugs. While others like the POWERDETECT can adjust power depending on the surface, the Rotator will maintain its strong suction throughout your cleaning.

That being said, the upright vacuum uses dual brushrolls, and aside from small rugs, it can effectively pass between carpets and hard floors. It's also lighter than your average upright vacuum, weighing just 14 lbs compared to the average 16-17 lbs.

Read more in our full Shark Rotator Pet Upright Vacuum review.

Other Shark vacuums to consider

These are the three main Shark vacuums to consider after testing 13 of the brand's bests. But if they're not quite what you're looking for, Shark's range includes something for everyone.

If you already own a primary vacuum, it might be worth getting a budget cordless pick for spot cleaning. The Shark WANDVAC or the Shark Pet Cordless are great options; we've tested both, and while they don't offer deep cleaning or long battery lives, they're perfect for those in-between cleans.

If your home is mostly carpeted, consider a carpet cleaner on top of your vacuum. We've tested the Shark CarpetXpert and, while it won't handle solid messes, it will deep-clean your carpets unlike any vacuum cleaner could – and we awarded it a rare five stars because of how well it does so.

If you live in a busy home, it could be smart to invest in one of the best robot vacuums to take some work off your hands, and for regular, light cleans throughout the week to keep things fresher. The best Shark robot we've tested is the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 (available at Walmart) but it's an old model now. The current best in Shark's range is the Shark PowerDetect Robot which we're still in the process of testing.

If you find yourself regularly cleaning wet messes, then you need the Shark MessMaster. It's a portable wet/dry vacuum that can suck up solids and liquid spills (like a bowl of cereal thrown across the floor, for example) and you can even insert bags to keep it mess-free when you empty. On test, we loved how it was thoughtfully designed with features that are genuinely useful.

How to choose a Shark vacuum

Choosing a Shark vacuum is much like knowing how to choose a vacuum cleaner in general. Once you know your home's cleaning needs, then you browse the Shark range to see what fits.

For busy homes with kids and/or pets, and if there's a lot of carpeted flooring, you'll benefit from an upright vacuum. The POWERDETECT and Stratos (mentioned above) are the best upright vacuums we've ever tested and can easily handle large amounts of messes. Not being limited by battery life means upright vacuums can utilize more power.

Shark's range of cordless sticks are perfect for small homes and light cleaning. Typically, cordless models don't offer the same power as uprights, but the new Cordless PowerDetect comes the closest we've seen yet from Shark. If your home has mostly hard floors, then you don't really need the power of an upright, so a cordless stick is a great choice to save storage space and have more versatility when cleaning.

It's worth noting that Shark are known for their names of vacuum parts and features, and it might not always be clear. For example, 'DuoClean PowerFins' refers to a specific type of floorhead that uses two brushrolls for multi-surface cleaning. For more info on this, consult our vacuum jargon buster.

Meet the team

FAQs

Is Shark better than Dyson?

It depends on what you're looking for. We cover this in further detail in our Dyson vs Shark head to head, but essentially, Dyson produces vacuums with stronger suction power. They're the market leader for a reason, and they often boast unique features that set them apart from the rest, like a green laser that illuminates invisible dust.

If you're looking for the best cordless vacuum, Dyson's the one – if you can afford it. No Shark vacuums can match the cleaning power from the Dyson Gen5detect, V15 Detect or V12 Detect Slim.

But Shark shines when it comes to value for money. The best Dyson vacuums can cost upwards of $1,000, and people don't tend to spend that much on a vacuum. Instead, Shark produces thoughtfully-designed vacuum cleaners with useful features, and sells them at a reasonable price, without overcharging. They might not clean quite as well as a Dyson, but they'll still do a great job.

Also, Shark dominates the upright vacuum market. While Dyson have focused more on their cordless range, Shark have led the way with the POWERDETECT, Stratos and others to take that space. They also offer better features than Dyson's uprights, like odor-neutralization and lift-away pods.

For these reasons, it's no surprise that Shark vacuums make up a lot of our best Dyson alternatives guide.

When's the best time to buy a Shark vacuum?

We have a dedicated page for the best Shark vacuum deals – exactly for this reason. You'll find the biggest discounts around Black Friday and Prime Day, as retailers compete to drop their prices the furthest. But, in my years of covering deals and sale events, I've learned that Shark tend to launch deals year-round. You'll never have to wait long for a deal on the vacuum you're looking for, so remember to never settle for full price.

Not found what you're looking for? Instead, consider the best vacuums for pet hair.

There’s no shortage of robot vacuums available today, and that bar is continuously being raised in terms of technology and cleaning performance. If you’re going to shell out several hundred dollars on an autonomous cleaning machine, most people want high-tech features like smart home mapping, obstacle detection, and self-emptying dustbins, and the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum with Auto Empty XL delivers all that – and more!

Sharks AI robot vacuum is decked out with all the features you could ask for, including an extra-large self-emptying dustbin, improved navigation, and even mopping abilities. Despite this impressive list of skills, the robot vacuum is reasonably priced, so we wanted to see if it’s actually as good as it seems. 

We put the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop to the test over the course of several weeks, seeing how well it could handle everyday dust and dirt, pet hair, and more. In the end, we were really impressed with the robot’s performance and low maintenance requirements, which make it one of the best robot vacuums you can buy today.  

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum Product Specifications

• Model: #RV2610WA
• Dust capacity: 0.26 gal
• Run time: 120 minutes
• Vacuum Dimensions: 12.9 x 12.6 x 3.5 inches
• Weight: 14.5 pounds
• Filter: HEPA
• Warranty: 1 year
• RRP: $699

Who will the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum best suit?

If you’re looking for a robot vacuum that needs minimal intervention, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 is a great choice. Its extra-large self-emptying base can hold up to 60 days worth of debris, saving you from having to manually empty the dustbin after every run, and it has better obstacle detection than other vacuums, allowing it to avoid items like toys and clothing that might be on your floor. It rarely gets stuck or needs assistance while vacuuming, and overall, it’s one of the more self-sufficient options among today’s robot vacuums. 

The Shark AI Ultra can also be used as a robotic mop, which makes it a worthwhile choice for those with a lot of hard floors in their home. Unlike other 2-in-1 units, which simply drag a wet mopping pad across the floor, the Shark actually scrubs with its reusable mop pad, and it includes a bottle of cleaning solution for a deeper clean. 

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1: Key features

Self-Emptying
Like many of today’s best robot vacuums, the Shark AI Ultra comes with a self-emptying base. If the vacuum’s onboard dustbin fills up during cleaning, it will navigate back to its base, empty out the debris, and then continue cleaning. It also self-empties after each clean cycle. The base can hold up to 60 days of dirt and debris, and it’s equipped with a HEPA filter that captures 99.97% of dust and allergens as small as 0.3 microns.

Precision Mapping
The Shark AI Ultra uses 360° LiDAR vision to create a detailed map of your home. Before you can start using the vacuum, the Shark app prompts you to send the robot on a preliminary run, during which it maps its surroundings. Once the map is complete, you can label individual rooms and set up No-Go and high-traffic zones for future use. 

Sonic Mopping
This 2-in-1 robot vacuum also features sonic mopping abilities. To mop and vacuum your floors at the same time, you can swap in the mopping attachment, which has a water tank built-in. The robot uses its mopping pad to scrub hard floors 100 times per minute, and for extra deep cleaning, there’s an Ultra Mop setting in the app that offers better stain cleaning in targeted zones.

Improved Edge Cleaning
To help the Shark AI Ultra Vacuum clean around room edges and corners more efficiently, the robot is equipped with CleanEdge Technology, which uses blasts of air to loosen dirt and push it into the path of the vacuum. 

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1: Design

The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum has a similar design to other self-emptying models. The vacuum itself is a roughly 13.5-inch circle, and it has a raised area on the top where the LiDAR operates. The Shark doesn’t have any onboard cameras, which may be appealing for those who are concerned about privacy in their home. 

The robot’s base is around 14 inches tall, and it has a port in the middle where it sucks debris out of the vacuum’s onboard dustbin. The base is plain in appearance with a matte black finish, and it has a see-through panel that lets you monitor when it needs to be emptied. While other self-emptying vacuums capture dust and debris in a vacuum bag, the Shark actually has a bagless design, saving you from having to buy replacement bags. 

As mentioned, the Shark AI Ultra also comes with a secondary attachment designed for mopping. Its dustbin cannot be emptied into the robot’s base—it must be emptied manually—and it has a small flap that opens, allowing you to fill the tank with water and cleaning solution. The vacuum also comes with two reusable mopping pads that you can clean in the washing machine between cycles. 

What is the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 like to use?

Getting started
After unpacking the Shark AI Ultra, it only took me a few minutes to set up the base and get the vacuum in place to charge. The vacuum comes with a secondary dustbin for mopping, and I did have to find somewhere to store this extra component, as there’s no place to mount it on the base. 

The vacuum needed to charge for several hours before getting started. Once its battery was fully charged, the app prompted me to start a “mapping run,” which took the robot around an hour. It didn’t clean at all—instead, it simply drove around the second floor of my home, figuring out where walls and obstacles were located. 

The app then instructed me to edit the map, label specific rooms, create no-go zones, and indicate the locations of carpets to avoid when mopping. It was tricky to accurately mark carpets on the map, but the nice thing is that there’s a verification feature that has the robot drive around the edges you’ve marked. From there, you can adjust accordingly.

First runs
The first time I ran the Shark vacuum, I was worried it would drive down the stairs at the end of the hallway, but it avoided them without any issues, cleaning right up to the edge before turning around. It also did an impressive job crossing the higher-than-average thresholds in my house—something that other robot vacuums have struggled with. 

The vacuum was able to clean the upstairs of my home, which is roughly 500 square feet, in around 1.5 hours on its regular setting. I did notice that sometimes it pushes lightweight obstacles around—both the bathroom floor mat and a guitar stand were displaced after it finished cleaning. 

Overall, I was really impressed after the vacuum’s first run. It managed to pick up lots of dog hair from the hallway and corners of my bedroom, and the sound level was low enough that it didn’t disrupt me while I was watching TV downstairs. 

Cleaning Performance

I continued to use the Shark AI Ultra Vacuum over the course of a few weeks, and in that time, I experimented with its various settings. It offers Regular, Eco, and Max suction modes, and I found that Max is ideal for cleaning carpets. It’s definitely louder than the regular mode and tends to move little area rugs around a bit, but it’s able to pick up virtually all the debris from the floor. During one test, I spread some uncooked rice over the carpet to see how the robot would fare, and I couldn’t find a single grain left on the rug when it was finished! 

Another way to get a deeper clean is to use the vacuum’s Ultra mode, which is available for room or zone cleaning. On this setting, the vacuum increases its suction power and goes over the floor twice using a crosshatch pattern. I used this setting to clean up some potting soil, and the extra pass made sure that little dirt was left behind. 

The Shark vacuum also did a great job picking up pet hair. There are often clumps of hair from my two Golden Retrievers in the corners of the bedroom and hallway, and the Shark did a surprisingly good job picking them up. It gets close along the edges of walls, and it’s cool to watch it use the CleanEdge air bursts to blow debris out of corners. 

I will say that the Shark app itself can be a little confusing. It took me several tries to figure out how to select just one room for cleaning, and the difference between things like “Zone Cleaning” and “Room Cleaning” or Max suction and Ultra mode isn’t immediately clear. Overall, I think the app could use a little more finessing so it’s more streamlined and easier to navigate. 

Mopping Performance
When you want to mop with the Shark robot, you have to swap out the regular dustbin for the secondary mopping dustbin, which has a tank for water and cleaning solution. It was easy to fill up the tank, as there are marks on the side that make it easy to see how much water and soap to add. From there, I simply had to attach one of the reusable mopping pads, and it was ready to go. 

Because my robot’s dock was located fairly close to an area rug, I had to manually move the vacuum to the hallway before starting it – otherwise, it would have likely gotten water on the rug. 

The robot does a surprisingly good job mopping, as the pad moves back and forth with a scrubbing action. There was a stain on the hardwoods from someone’s snowy, salty winter boots, and the mop was able to completely scrub it off. It also did a good job getting along the edges of the walls and into corners. 

However, this setting definitely requires more maintenance than regular vacuuming. While the robot is able to vacuum and mop at the same time, it can’t self-empty the mopping dustbin, so you have to do it manually after each clean. The robot also had trouble returning to its dock after this cleaning cycle, likely because it didn’t want to drive over the rug in my bedroom. I ended up having to put it back manually. 

Obstacle detection
Many of the robot vacuums I’ve tested in the past, including the Neato D10 (link goes to our review), do a poor job avoiding everyday obstacles like power cords, dog toys, and stray socks—all of which are plentiful in my house. The Shark AI Ultra, however, had no problem working around unexpected obstacles, thanks to its 360° LiDAR vision, which uses lasers to detect and avoid unexpected objects.

The vacuum managed to avoid clothing, blankets, and toys that were left in its cleaning path, and the one time it did get tangled on a phone charging cable, it managed to extract itself without damaging the cord. In fact, the robot never once needed mid-cycle assistance throughout the whole testing process. 

Maintenance
If you’re just using the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 to vacuum, it’s truly a hands-off process. I tested the vacuum for two weeks, and it never needed any assistance from me. When it’s finished cleaning, it empties the onboard dust bin into the base, which can hold up to 60-days worth of dirt and dust. Plus, because it has superior obstacle detection, the robot is able to avoid objects that get left on the floor, so you don’t have to worry about picking up before it cleans. 

There’s a clear panel on the front of the vacuum’s base that lets you see when the debris bin is full, and to empty it, you push the button on top of the base to release the bin, which slides out to the right. From there, you can just hold it over a trash can and press the orange button to empty it. 

Keep in mind that more maintenance is required during mopping mode. When equipped with its mopping attachment, the robot can’t self-empty its dustbin, and it can’t drive over rugs, which means you may need to move it around your house manually. You’ll also need to empty out the water tank after each use to prevent mold from growing.

How does the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 compare to other robot vacuums?

The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum is sold in a number of configurations. I tried the model with Self Empty, but it's also available on its own without the base. If the mopping technology isn't something you think you'll use, they also offer the Shark AI Ultra in a smart vacuum format. 

The Shark AI Ultra series appears to be the only Shark robot models being advertised directly on Shark, but other Shark robot models found at other mass market retailers include the Shark IQ, Shark EZ, and the Shark Ion. The Shark IQ is one of Shark's predecessors, and one of the original designs to feature the automatic dustbin but the technology, cleaning power, and navigation in the Shark AI Ultra are a big step up from this older design. The EZ series is another economical choice with the auto-empty feature that uses row-by-row cleaning but does not have smart mapping, while the ION is Shark's most basic model and does not utilize smart mapping. 

Shark AI Ultra vs iRobot j7+
The Shark AI Ultra offers several similar features to the iRobot Roomba j7+ (link goes to our review), one of our top-rated robot vacuums. The j7+ also offers advanced obstacle detection—it’s specifically programmed to avoid running over animal waste—but unlike the Shark, the Roomba actually sends you notifications when it identifies potential hazards. The Shark merely does its best to work around them. The j7+ also has a self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris.

One of the big differences between these two robot vacuums is that the Roomba doesn’t have mopping abilities. This added feature makes the Shark stand out, especially since the Shark is the less expensive of the two models—the j7+ retails for around $800, while the Shark is $700. Both can also be found on sale at times throughout the year. 

The other competition
Other popular vacuum and mop options include a variety of models from Roborock, which dedicates a large portion of its product line up to robotic models that both vacuum and mop. We quite like the S7 series, which also uses sonic mopping, but can differentiate between carpets and floors as well as lift the mopping pad to keep carpets dry. It can also re-dock if you're not home to empty out the water tank right away.  The base S7 is comparably priced, but the addition of an automatic-empty container significantly brings the price into premium territory, but it's said to be able to hold up to 120 days on dirt. 

The Ecovacs Deebot N7 (link goes to our review) also uses Lidar navigation and we like that we can monitor the robot's path in real-time, but the app doesn't feel super polished. It also doesn't have a self-empty option and only mops with water, but it is significantly more affordable, usually costing under $350. 

We've also tried the Proscenic M8 (link goes to our review), which has decent cleaning performance when vacuuming, its mopping feature felt very basic and its obstacle detection needs improvement. 

How does it rate online?

The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop currently has just over 200 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Many reviewers note that the vacuum navigates and avoids obstacles better than other robot vacuums, and there are lots of pet owners who use it to pick up hair around their homes. 

However, several people do note that the vacuum’s base fills up more quickly than advertised. Shark says that it can hold up to 60 days worth of debris, but users note they need to empty it every few weeks. Other common complaints include the less-than-intuitive app design and mediocre performance on thick carpeting.

Should you buy the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum? 

If you’re looking for a high-tech robot vacuum, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 is definitely a worthwhile option. We loved that this vacuum is almost completely self-sufficient, emptying its own dustbin and rarely getting stuck on obstacles. It offers a wide range of cleaning settings, including multiple levels of suction and the ability to target different areas of your home, and as an added bonus, it can even be used as a mop to scrub stains off your hard floors. 

The Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 is on the more expensive side, retailing for around $700 at full price, but it’s still less expensive than the comparable iRobot Roomba j7+ (link goes to our review), which offers a similar set of skills. Overall, we don’t think you can go wrong with either model.

Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1: Where to buy

The V15 Detect and Stratos are two of the best-selling cordless sticks from vacuum titans Dyson and Shark. They share some features while boasting others that are unique to each, but which one is better, and which is right for your home?

I'm Homes & Gardens' home tech editor, and my team of product testers and I have reviewed 60 of the world's greatest vacuums. Our full review of the Shark Stratos is on the way, but I've personally tested the Dyson V15 Detect and found it to be one of the best cordless vacuums we've ever got our hands on.

Find out how these two vacuums from two of our favorite vacuum brands compare, assessing each on their cleaning performance, features, design and price.

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: What's the difference?

Both vacuums can sense how dirty your floors are and adjust their suction power to the best level. This is a super useful feature in a cordless vacuum as it gives you extra power when it's needed but preserves the battery life when it isn't. It also saves you from having to change the settings every time you pass from hard floors to vacuuming carpet or a rug.

A difference between them is how they're each designed to be a multi-surface vacuum. The Dyson has two brushrolls, the Motorbar and Fluffy Optic, that are best suited to carpets and hard floors respectively. The Motorbar has anti-tangle vanes and bristles to dig dirt from carpet while the Fluffy Optic has a soft brushroll for safe and thorough hard floor cleaning.

The Shark Stratos instead has one floorhead with two brushrolls, one bristled and one soft, called the DuoClean PowerFins HairPro. The Dyson's separate floorheads offer more focused cleaning, while the Shark's avoids you having to swap them out as you vacuum around the house.

What makes the Dyson stand out is its built-in laser that illuminates invisible dust to make it easier to identify areas you might have missed. You'd be surprised how much dust it actually reveals that the naked eye otherwise can't see. The Shark Stratos has LED headlights but they only really help in dark areas, like cleaning under furniture.

But a big win for the Shark Stratos is its flexible wand. It can bend allowing you to reach those trickier areas without having to strain your back. It's a feature that they've kept in their latest model, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect – one of our favorite cordless vacuums at the moment.

The Stratos is a bulkier vacuum, weighing 8.90 lbs. The Dyson V15 Detect is much nimbler, with a sleeker design and weighing in at just 6.79 lbs.

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Suction

This is where the Dyson V15 Detect shines, as it boasts 240 air watts which is similar to what you'd find in the best upright vacuums (find out more about air watts and watts in our vacuum jargon buster). Usually cordless vacuums sacrifice suction power in exchange for a more lightweight build, more versatility and taking up less space when storing the vacuum.

But the V15 Detect is just as powerful as the big machines, which is why it's consistently been one of our favorite and best-performing vacuums we've tested. Shark doesn't list the Stratos' air watts, but from our tests, nothing has come close to the V15's cleaning performance.

WINNER: Dyson V15 Detect

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Pet hair

The Dyson V15 Detect is our best vacuum for pet hair as it's strong enough to (seemingly effortlessly) pull hair and fur out of carpets, furniture and pet beds. I tested it at a local pet shelter and it vacuumed even the toughest fabrics, like a high-friction entrance mat, better than some of the bigger and more expensive best Miele vacuums.

From the hours I've spent vacuuming pet hair from carpets, there's never been any hair stuck in the Dyson's brushroll.

WINNER: Dyson V15 Detect

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Smart features

On paper, the Shark Stratos and the Dyson V15 Detect share a lot of the same features. The Dyson claims to "intelligently optimize suction and run time" in its Auto mode, and the Shark's Sense IQ mode also automatically adjusts the power level depending on the level of dirt on your floors.

In testing, we found that the Shark had a more sensitive auto-adjust mode, and that it could ramp up to clean piles of rice or cereal with no real difficulty. The Dyson's auto-adjust setting is still very sensitive, but we found that it was a lot more effective on hard floors than carpets.

But the Dyson's green laser really is in a league of its own, and the Dyson laser vacuums are absolutely worth it. They also count each individual particle, which isn't at all an essential feature, but it does help show you which areas in your home are dirtiest and when you know you've finished vacuuming mattresses and furniture.

Winner: Dyson V15 Detect

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Battery life

The Shark Stratos has a removable battery that has a runtime of up to 60 minutes. If you opt for a model that comes with two batteries or spend a little more on an extra battery, this can be extended even further.

The Dyson also has a removable battery pack, and also runs up to 60 minutes. In our test we found that this held true, even on high-powered mode. However, backup batteries are less readily available than for the Shark.

Both vacuums have a maximum 60-minute runtime. But as both vacuums have automatic, responsive suction power, it'll never really be 60 minutes. It's more like 30 to 40 if you're on auto mode, as they can only run for 60 minutes on the lowest setting and without any motorized attachments.

You can buy a spare battery for both vacuums that will double your runtime between charges. The Shark replacement battery costs $83.99 but the Dyson replacement battery costs a whopping $149.99 – almost double for the same runtime.

Winner: Shark Stratos, for the more affordable second battery

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Hard floors

The Dyson V15 Detect is one of the best vacuums for hardwood floors with its built-in green laser that reveals invisible dust. It shows if you've missed even the tiniest specks of dust and has no problem vacuuming messes of all sizes in a single pass.

The floorhead also uses a soft brushroll that's completely safe on delicate surfaces like wood and tile, and the floorhead itself has smooth edges to prevent damage. The Shark Stratos' floorhead is said to be multi-surface, but any vacuum with a bristled brushroll has the potential to damage gentle floors, and as you only get one floorhead, it's always being used.

Winner: Dyson V15 Detect

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Carpet

Cordless vacuums aren't often the best on carpets, but both the Dyson and Shark perform well. The Dyson still takes the lead on this one though – its Motorbar floorhead is the best we've ever tested on carpet from a cordless.

The vanes do an excellent job of pulling all sorts of dirt and dust out of the carpet fibers. Thin combs are built into the floorhead that remove all hair and dust to keep it clean.

By contrast, the Stratos also has an anti-hair-wrap feature on its singular brush head. It also has an odor neutralizer which will help to eliminate the odors that can get trapped within carpet fibers, leaving a fresher scent as you clean.

Also, its dual brushrolls mean that the super-fine particles that are brushed up by one brushroll will be captured by the other, potentially leaving less behind. But still, the Dyson's suction and floorhead design cleans more effectively.

WINNER: Dyson V15 Detect, one of our best vacuums for carpet

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Price

Now for the big one: price. The Dyson V15 Detect retails for a huge $750 while the Shark Stratos goes for $499.99. They're both two of the most expensive cordless vacuums in their range. The Dyson is essenitally a 50% price increase compared to the Shark, so consider whether the Dyson's improved cleaning power is worth that extra spend.

From years of checking the best vacuum deals during every sale season, I don't think you should ever be paying full price for either of these vacuums. Dyson and Shark both run frequent sales throughout the year and I've seen discounts of $100s on these models, so if you time it right, you could be paying almost half what they're listed at.

WINNER: Shark Stratos

Dyson V15 Detect vs Shark Stratos: Which should you buy?

If you're a self-professed clean freak, or your home has lots of carpets and/or pets, the Dyson V15 Detect is absolutely worth every penny. It really is one of the most powerful vacuum cleaners in the world with smart features that will transform how clean your home can be, and should be treated as an investment.

But the Shark Stratos is still a highly capable vacuum cleaner, with reliable suction, less admin and some useful features like a flexible wand and odor neutralization that make it a joy to use. Personally, I recommend the Dyson, but you're still winning if you save money and opt for the Shark.

Next, consider one of the best Dyson alternatives to see how else you could save money on a trusty new vacuum.

As someone who tests and reviews vacuum cleaners for a living, I've seen all sorts of innovative cleaning technologies that transform our home lives. But when it comes down to it, Shark and Dyson pave the way in the world of floorcare.

Dyson's high-performing vacuums have led the market for years, but there's no denying the wide range of incredible, great-value cleaners that Shark continue to develop.

There's a world of difference between the best best Dyson vacuums and the best Shark vacuums. We've racked up hundreds of hours testing both brands' offerings in our homes and testing facility, so we know exactly which comes out on top.

Shark vs Dyson: Which is best?

Bottom line: Dyson vacuums perform better, whilst Shark vacuums offer better value.

Dyson is widely known to be the market leader. We've tested almost their entire lineup, and for years, their innovative vacuums top our best vacuums lists time and time again. Their range is now almost exclusively cordless vacuums that boast similar suction power to larger, corded machines.

But Shark vacuums still excel in our tests. The Shark vacuum range includes cordless and upright vacuums, robots, wet/dry vacuums, and carpet cleaners, so there's much more choice on offer. They're also more reasonably priced – although they're not usually quite as powerful as the Dysons, they do a thorough job of cleaning your floors without the eye-watering price tag.

Buy a Shark vacuum if you:

• Are looking for great value
• Want powerful suction
• Prefer upright vacuums or floor washers
• Don't want to swap floorheads when cleaning different surfaces
• Prefer a longer, five-year warranty

Buy a Dyson vacuum if you:

• Want the most powerful suction in a lightweight, cordless stick
• Enjoy innovations like a dust-revealing laser or particle sensor
• Need top-level, whole-machine HEPA filtration
• Prefer dedicated floorheads for different surfaces
• Want a vacuum with washable filters
• Have more money to spare

Shark vs Dyson: Which cordless is best?

WINNER: Dyson V15 Detect

The Dyson V15 Detect is our favorite vacuum cleaner in the world. It has amazing suction, stops pet hair from getting stuck, and we love the laser and piezo sensor, which lets you know exactly what you're removing from your floors and adjusts suction power as it detects floor type and dust volume.

The Dyson V15 Detect scored a perfect 100% vs the nearly-but-not-quite 90% of the Shark Cordless PowerDetect, but that's not to say the Dyson is necessarily best for your home. They're two very different vacuums, and while the Dyson has better cleaning performance, the Shark is sold for around half the price, and still has strong suction power and floor detection tech, as well as a set of features you won't find in a Dyson.

It can bend at the wand, allowing you to reach under furniture without straining your back. You also get the option for a Clean & Empty System which stores, charges, empties and cleans your vacuum for you, while storing any collected dust for up to 60 days, minimizing how often you have to do it yourself.

You might also prefer Shark's multi-surface floorhead. It uses two brushrolls so you can pass over carpets and hard floors without having to swap it out, while the Dyson Detect vacuums have separate floorheads for these tasks. It means they're better suited to each surface type, but it does require some effort each time.

The Dyson Gen5detect has the same features as the V15 Detect and performs even better, but costs $200 more. There's also the Dyson V12 Detect Slim, the smaller, more affordable sister to these two vacuums, but while it shares all the same features, its suction power doesn't quite match (150 air watts compared to the V15 Detect's 230 and the Gen5detect's 262). These are great alternatives if you're looking to either save money or want the absolute best in the world.

Shark vs Dyson: Which is the best upright?

WINNER: Shark POWERDETECT

While Dyson have held back on the release of upright vacuums to focus on the development of their cordless Detect range, Shark have dominated that corner of the market with unique, user-friendly upright vacuums with relentless suction power.

The Shark POWERDETECT is the best upright vacuum on the market. It overcomes the usual limits of an upright with a handy lift-away body that makes it easy to use on stairs. The odor-neutralizing cartridge is no gimmick, genuinely improving the usual smells of pet hair, and it has good anti-hair wrap, so you won't have to pick hair out of the brush roll.

It also detects floor type, dust volumes, and whether you're vacuuming edges to automatically adjust to the optimal suction power. This is why it's our best vacuum for carpet, as well as being an incredible multi-surface vacuum, passing from carpets to hard floors without having to adjust the brushroll.

The Dyson Ball Animal 3 is another good choice, annihilating pet hair from carpets and rugs with its powerful suction. However, this power is one of its weaknesses – it's so strong that it can be difficult to push on carpet. It's also missing those features that we love about Shark's upright vacuums.

Shark vs Dyson: Which is the best robot vacuum?

WINNER: Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1

Shark's latest vacuum, the PowerDetect Robot Vacuum and Mop, is a reasonably-priced and high-performing robot that vacuums, mops and self-cleans. And from our experience with Shark's older robots (the Shark AI Ultra and Shark IQ), we've loved how effectively they clean without costing the earth.

Dyson's only robot vacuum, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav, costs a whopping $1,199.99, and while we were fans of how well it cleans, it's already been outperformed in our tests by many others like the eufy S1 Pro Omni and the eufy X10 Pro Omni.

The Shark PowerDetect Robot Vacuum and Mop costs $200-300 less than the Dyson 360 Vis Nav and it comes with a mopping function, a more comprehensive cleaning base, and a more user-friendly app.

Robot vacuums continue to be one of Dyson's few weaknesses. Our head of eCommerce Alex tested their previous model, the Dyson Heirust, and said that it had 'weak pickup and poor room mapping.'

Shark vs Dyson: Which is best for pet hair?

WINNER: Dyson V15 Detect

Our tests found that the Dyson V15 Detect is not only the best vacuum and cordless vacuum, but also the best vacuum for pet hair. We found that it worked spectacularly on every surface, but that performance didn't stop when it came to pet hair. It managed to pick up all the hair from an old dog bed without tangling, while also restoring the bed's color in the process. That type of detangling is second-to-none.

But if the price tag puts you off, our runner-up in our tests is the Shark POWERDETECT Upright. This vacuum also excelled when we put it to the test against cat fur, and has amazing odor neutralizer technology that banishes pet smells before they start.

'With one pass, the Shark POWERDETECT had picked up every visible piece of hair (as well as litter near the litter box) from the carpet, filling the dustbin with an amount of hair equal to a second cat,' expert tester James wrote in his review. If you don't want to stretch to $700, the POWERDETECT is a smart alternative.

Shark vs Dyson: Which is better value?

WINNER: Shark

This one's an easy decision. Shark's latest cordless vacuum costs $400, their latest upright costs $300, and their latest robot costs between $600 and $1,000. They also typically come with a five-year warranty, compared to the 1-2 years of Dyson's warranties.

In comparison, Dyson's latest cordless vacuum costs $1,050, their latest upright costs $300 (same as Shark), and their latest robot costs $1,200.

Sure, these prices are justified by market-leading engineering and suction power, but in real terms, Shark's vacuums can achieve very similar results for a fraction of the price, while often having unique features not found in Dyson's vacuums. Whether it's a flexible wand to clean under furniture, an odor-neutralizing cartridge to fight unwanted smells, or a self-empty cleaning station – Shark's vacuums are designed to make life easier.

Shark deals are more frequent and can offer up to 50% off, while the biggest Dyson deals are usually around $200-300 off, and it tends to only be the major sale events where we see these discounts.

Shark vs Dyson: Which is more powerful?

WINNER: Dyson

When it comes to sheer air watts and therefore suction power on the floor, Dyson offer the most powerful around. Their vacuums use patented cyclone engineering that sets them apart from virtually all competitors.

The Dyson Gen5detect and V15 Detect are the only cordless vacuums that can match the suction power of an upright. And their upright vacuum, the Dyson Ball Animal 3, was so powerful that it occasionally got stuck to the carpet.

Dyson's laser vacuums paved the way with automatic suction power, where they'd sense the floor type and how much dirt there is to maintain the right suction. But Shark has since followed in their footsteps, so now you'll find this same feature across Dyson and Shark's best vacuums.

On test, Dyson easily wins this one, as seen in the video above. We've never experienced such effective cleaning as when using Dyson's latest cordless vacuums. They clean up all dust, small debris, large debris and even hair in a single pass. Shark's vacuums are great, but they're not quite that powerful.

Dyson makes different floorheads for different surfaces. The FluffyOptic floorhead is optimized for hard floors with softer fibers to rid floors of dust and a green laser to reveal invisible dust, while the detangling Motorbar floorhead digs deep into carpets, though still effective on hard floors if the fluffy floorhead is not included.

Shark doesn't do this, instead opting for multi-surface floorheads with versatile dual brushrolls to work seamlessly across different floors. This makes cleaning easier, but means they're not getting the specific treatment you'll find in Dyson's specialized floorheads.

Shark vs Dyson: Which has the best filtration?

WINNER: Dyson

All of Dyson's products carry advanced whole-machine HEPA filtration, emphasizing its five-layer filtration and cyclone technology that is the heart of Dyson's technology to keep dust and dirt trapped inside.

The dustbin is only the first stage in separating the particles visible to the naked eye. Dyson’s multi-cyclone technology, with up to 18 cyclones, depending on the model, maintains the velocity required to remove fine dust from the airflow. Pre- and post-motor filters are responsible for filtering the smallest particles, capable of removing 99.97 percent of particles invisible to the human eye as small as 0.3 microns.

It's easy to clean a Dyson vacuum filter as they're easily washable and help prevent the build-up of allergens or dander.

Most Shark machines feature their Anti-Allergen Complete Seal, which traps dust, allergens, and irritants and seals them inside, keeping them out of the air you breathe. Particles filter through the washable foam and felt filters. Some more of the premium models will also feature HEPA, but it will drive up the price.

Shark vs Dyson: Which has the bigger dustbin?

WINNER: Shark

Dyson was actually the first to engineer bagless dustbins, using the clear dustbin design to be able to keep track of how much dirt has been collected and a system that will never lose suction because the bin is full. At this point, however, both Shark and Dyson use bagless dustbins, making it easy to avoid overfilling your vacuum.

Both dustbins use an easy, one-touch propeller system designed to be hassle-free and hygienic. Dyson's dustbin opens and pushes the dirt forward, while Shark vacuums actually release the dustbin, making it much easier to clean your vacuum.

We've personally found a better emptying experience from Shark as we're not having to reach in to take out stuck clumps of debris, as has been our experience with Dyson. The bins can also easily be rinsed with water. Dyson's dustbins can typically only be wiped with a damp cloth, as they are connected to electrical components.

Within the dustbin, hair wraps around the filters inside on both the Shark and Dyson. Hair is easier to pull out of the Shark, but it's more difficult to place your hand up in the shaft of the bin. Dyson's dustbin utilizes a rubber stopper to push the dirt down and keep it going in one direction.

Plus, models like the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System come with a self-cleaning charging base that automatically stores the vacuum's dust for up to two months before having to empty it yourself.

Shark vs Dyson: Which has better battery life?

WINNER: Shark and Dyson

Both Dyson and Shark offer comparable battery life. Both offer up to 70 minutes runtime for their best cordless vacuums the Dyson Gen5detect and the Shark Cordless PowerDetect, but typically all of their cordless vacuums have 60 minute runtimes.

For some models, you can buy replacement batteries at Shark and Dyson to give you double the runtime between charges.

Next, consider the best Dyson alternatives for impressive vacuums on a smaller budget.

If you share your home with a dog or cat – or multiple pets – a high-quality vacuum is an absolute must. The best vacuums for pet hair have powerful suction that can handle hair, dirt, and dander, and you may also want to look for things like HEPA filtration and tangle-free brushrolls, especially if your pets have long hair.

The Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum boasts all these features, as well as odor neutralization and multiple attachments. The Stratos also stands out among the best vacuums thanks to its versatile design, which has a unique LiftAway mode that makes it easier to tackle hard-to-navigate areas, like stairs and underneath furniture. There are even LED lights on the brushroll that make it easy to spot dirt and hair on your floors and in dim corners, delivering a more thorough clean.

While the Shark Stratos sounds like a great choice for multi-pet households, we wanted to see if it lives up to the hype. I tested the vacuum for two weeks, using it to clean up after my two long-haired dogs, and I was thoroughly impressed by its suction power and ability to handle tough messes.

Who will love the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum?

The Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum is best for busy households with one or more pets, as it offers powerful suction and filtration, and it’s equally effective on both long and short pet hair.

It’s designed to be used as a primary vacuum for deep cleaning carpeting and hard floors. But because it’s a corded model and fairly bulky, it isn’t the most convenient option for picking up small messes or cleaning out your car.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Specifications

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Price

The Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum currently retails for around $399 at Shark. There are more affordable upright vacuums out there, but there are plenty of more expensive ones too. For the suction power, performance and warranty, $399 seems a reasonable price.

There's also the Shark Stratos Upright TruePet Upgrade, retailing for around $499. It's more available across other retailers, like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Best Buy.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Setup

When the Shark Stratos arrived on my doorstep, the packaging wasn’t in the best condition. It had gotten banged up quite a bit during shipping, and the top was partially ripped off. However, the good news is that everything inside the box was still in perfect condition. All of the different components were wrapped in Styrofoam padding and plastic, and while this made for a lot of waste, it did keep the pieces from being broken or scratched during transport.

The vacuum was quick and easy to assemble. All the pieces clicked into place, and assembly was very intuitive, only taking me around five minutes to complete. The only time I had to consult the manual was when inserting the “odor neutralizer cartridge,” which gets installed in the top of the floorhead. It simply twists into place, and you’re able to adjust it to give off more or less scent.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Design

My first impressions of the Shark Stratos were that it’s fairly heavy but easy to maneuver. It weighs a substantial 17.2 pounds, which makes it quite bulky to carry around, but its swivel steering allows you to get into corners and around obstacles. Still, I think the size and weight of this vacuum will make it hard for some people to use.

I love that this vacuum has two brushrolls on the floorhead – the PowerFins HairPro brushroll has stiff fins that dig deep into the carpeting to pull up hair and dust, while the soft brush roll does a great job picking up dust and fine particles from hard floors. Plus, if one of the brushrolls ever gets stuck, the LED lights on the front of the floorhead turn red, letting you know that you need to stop and fix the problem. I only ever had an issue with this when I was using the wrong suction setting.

The other thing I noticed right away is that the vacuum gives off a fresh odor when you’re cleaning, thanks to the “odor-neutralizing cartridge.” I can’t say whether it actually gets rid of pet odors or just covers them up, but it does leave behind a light, fresh scent that makes the room feel cleaner.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Performance

On Carpets
While my house has mostly hardwood floors, there are area rugs in almost every room, and they collect lots of dirt, dust, and pet hair throughout the day. There’s a slider on the vacuum’s handle that adjusts the suction for different types of flooring, and I typically used it on the medium setting, as my rugs are low-pile.

I was honestly shocked at the pure suction power that the Shark Stratos delivers, and it excelled at removing pet hair and dirt from my carpets, quickly filling up the dustbin. Even just vacuuming the 9-by-6-foot area rug in my dining room, the dustbin was full of hair and dirt and needed to be emptied before I moved on to another room. It also managed to pick up ⅛ cup of uncooked rice in a single pass, leaving the floor spotless.

On Hard Floors
Upright vacuums don’t always work well on hard floors, as their powerful brushrolls can scatter debris around, but the Stratos had no problem picking up pet hair and dust from my hardwood floors. Its soft brushroll helped to capture those fine particles, and it was also able to pick up larger debris, like leaves and fuzz from dog toys, with no issues. I even spilled ⅛ cups of uncooked rice, and the vacuum picked up the pieces with no problems, pulling the rice out from between the cracks easily.

The only issue I ran into when vacuuming the hard floors in my kitchen was that the vacuum sucked up the small kitchen mat. I had the vacuum on its highest suction setting, which is meant for hard floors, and it ended up pulling the mat up into the brushroll.

On Stairs
The main staircase in my house often has little piles of dog hair in the corners of each step from my pets running up and down all day, and I typically use a cordless vacuum to suck them up. However, I found it to be almost as easy to use the Shark for this task thanks to its LiftAway mode. When you press the LiftAway button on top of the canister, the whole thing lifts off the base, making it much more compact and lightweight. I could easily rest the canister on the stairs as I cleaned with the crevice tool, and the suction power is much stronger than my cordless vacuum, meaning it picked up more dust and hair with each pass.

My only complaint about this mode is that the hose itself is quite short—probably around 2.5 or 3 feet. It’s supposed to be able to stretch out, but because the suction is so strong, it ends up shrinking back on itself when you turn the vacuum on.

On Furniture
If you opt for the Shark Stratos TruePet Upgrade (a slightly more expensive model), you’ll also get the HairPro Self-Cleaning Pet Power Brush, a motorized tool for furniture. I used the tool to clean off one of our dog beds, as well as the sofa where my dogs like to nap, and I wasn’t really wowed with its performance.

The vacuum needed to be on its lowest suction setting, otherwise, the tool just sucked onto the fabric too hard. It did pick up most of the dirt and debris on the furniture, but it wasn’t able to pull out embedded hairs.

Storage
The Shark Stratos isn’t the most convenient vacuum to store. It has a fairly large footprint and is quite tall, meaning it will take up quite a bit of space in a closet or other storage space. The power cord can be wound around the cord wrap on the side of the machine, but unfortunately, there’s nowhere to store the accessories on the vacuum itself.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Cleaning & maintenance

When I first looked at the Stratos vacuum, I thought it had a large dustbin—ideal for picking up lots of pet hair. However, once I started using it, I noticed that the “Max Fill” line is only about ⅓ of the way up the side of the bin, which was really disappointing. When I vacuumed my kitchen and dining room, I ended up having to stop and empty the bin two times, and even then, I usually ended up filling the bin more than I should have between empties. This is definitely one of the major downsides of this vacuum.

There are a few other maintenance tasks you’ll need to complete to keep the Stratos running in peak condition. It has a washable foam filter that needs to be rinsed once a month. Honestly, after two weeks of fairly heavy use, this filter was already starting to look quite dirty and could likely be cleaned. You’ll also need to periodically replace the odor-neutralizing cartridge—the brand recommends installing a new one every six months.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: How does it compare?

You may notice that there are two versions: the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum and the TruePet Upgrade—and the main difference between the two is the included accessories. Normally, you only get a crevice tool and a non-motorized upholstery tool. However, if you upgrade, you’ll receive the motorized HairPro Pet Power Brush, a duster-crevice combination tool, a multi-angle dust brush, an anti-allergen dust brush, an accessory bag, and two extra odor cartridges. However, this model has a higher price tag.

Also within the Shark lineup is the Shark Vertex Upright, which has many similar features, except it does not have the new Odor Neutralizer Technology. The Vertex has a slightly smaller dust cup, but it also weighs marginally less, while also having a larger cleaning path and a longer hose. The two are pretty comparable in terms of suction power, pick up, and maneuverability. At it's base, the Shark Vertex comes with more accessories, but the extra Pet attachments are available with the upgraded version.

In terms of price and size, the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum is quite similar to the Dyson Ball Animal 3, which we also tested. The two offer similar suction power and weigh around the same, but the Dyson does have a larger dustbin capacity and on-board accessory storage.

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum: Should you buy it?

This is on the higher end as upright vacuums go, but the pure suction power of this machine makes it worth it. The vacuum performs excellently on virtually all surfaces, and its detachable canister makes it more convenient to clean stairs and other hard-to-reach areas. Plus, it handles pet hair like a pro and leaves a fresh scent behind as you clean.

The main reason you might not want to buy this vacuum is its weight. At more than 17 pounds, the Stratos is quite bulky and can be somewhat hard to move around, which may not be practical for some households.

Shark is a massive player in the world of vacuum cleaning. Their range includes some of the best cordless vacuums and best upright vacuums available, often offered at a reasonable price.

And if you're a pet owner, it might be worth scoping out the best vacuums for pet hair.

For homes with ample carpets, and even pets, we've found a reason to stay with the traditional upright vacuum styles as so many are starting to consider lighter stick and cordless models. 

Take a very close look with us at the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum with Powered Lift-Away and Self-Cleaning Brushroll. It's a big name, but it references many of the reasons why you'd want to bring this vacuum into our home It's loaded with premium features — like a self-cleaning brush roll that resists hair tangles, LED headlights for better visibility and powered lift away for versatility – and looks, replete with rose gold accents for added appeal.

This juggernaut of a vacuum will keep your floors, and other surfaces spic and span, and refuses to express forgiveness on dust, crumbs, and yes, hair.  It's also top-rated for pet owners, which is why it's made the list of our best vacuums and best vacuums for pet hair.

In our review, we'll get into what we loved about the Shark Vertex Upright vacuum and the few shortcomings that you'll want to consider when determining if this is the best vacuum for you and your cleaning needs. 

After over a year of sporadic use (I test a lot of vacuums), it's become the vacuum I reach for when it comes time to deep clean the carpets and want a thorough clean. Due to its size and the cumbersome task of carrying it between floors, my family has typically let it become the "upstairs" vacuum, which is fortunately where most of the carpets are. However, the dust bin has proved ample at keeping me from having to empty the dust bin before passing through three bedrooms and the hallway. 

Who will love the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum?

• Plug in and upright devotees who are after a powerful clean: You'll never run out of charge with a 30-foot long cord and plenty of upright stability that delivers over 1300 watts of power. 
• Homes with plenty of carpets and area rugs: While the Shark Vertex is great for all floor types, it's quite exceptional at collecting all the little nasties deposited into carpets, with two modes for cleaning low- or high-pile rugs. 
• Homes with pets (and humans) who shed: in addition to unbelievable performance in general, hair won't tangle or clog the brush roll, and instead gathers near the filters to easily remove.
• Those looking for versatility: The Powered-LiftAway design expands where and how you can clean your home, which is especially useful for cleaning stairs or even turning your vacuum into a canister style. 
• Those who suffer from allergies: Clean easy knowing your appliance shouldn't trigger sniffles, itchy throats or watery eyes with Shark's Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology and HEPA filtration.

Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum: Specifications

• Maximum power: 1344W
• Cord length: 30ft.
• Hose length: 5.5ft. 
• Cleaning path width: 12in.
• Dimensions: 12" L X 15.09" W X 46.25" H
• Weight: 16.38lb. 
• Filter: Washable HEPA + Foam and Felt Filters
• Warranty: 5 years
• Attachments: pet crevice tool, dusting brush, self-cleaning power brush
• RRP: $499.99

Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum: design

The Shark Vertex Upright has a striking exterior design that makes use of silver and rose gold elements to create a sophisticated look. It follows the construction of a traditional upright, implementing one of Shark's most beloved features: Powered Lift-Away Technology, which enables you to detach the power unit of the machine as a pod for above-floor cleaning or to extend your reach in general. 

The floorhead incorporates Shark's DuoClean PowerFins technology into its brush rolls a dual cleaning design where together a  soft roller picks up small debris and dust while the silicone PowerFins dig deep into carpets and directly engage floors for better pet hair pickup, as opposed to vacuums with standard bristles. The brush roll is also self-cleaning and is an anti-hair wrap to keep hair from tangling. The floorhead is finished off with a set of LED headlights that can guide the way. 

Hovering at close to 17lbs. it's not quite Shark's heaviest upright, but it's very close to it. It has a mid-size 1 qt. dust bin and a 30-foot cord which should cover the length of most rooms, or hallways.

From a performance perspective, the Shark Vertex offers incredible suction and utilizes what it refers to as Hypervelocity Accelerated Suction which delivers a direct airflow path for deep-cleaning performance.

Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum: features and functions

Cleaner Head with DuoClean PowerFins and Self-Cleaning Brushroll
For us, a core selling point of the Vertex, beyond its incredible suction and prowess at collecting pet hair, is its sophisticated cleaner head, featuring DuoClean PowerFins. As opposed to vacuums with standard bristles, the brushrolls incorporate two rollers to maximize floor contact for continuous cleaning and pick up more in every pass.  The soft roller picks up small debris and dust while the silicone PowerFins dig deep into carpets and directly engage floors for better pet hair pickup. Special Self-cleaning technology keeps strands of hair from tangling around the brush roll and resolves any pieces that wrap themselves, so you won't have to get the scissors out later. 

The cleaner head also has an indicator light that shines green when the brush roll is working as it should. If it's solid red, something may be jammed, or if it's blinking, the vacuum is overheating.

Modes
The Shark Vertex can be used in three ways: as an upright vacuum, above-floor vacuum, or with the Powered Lift-Away. You also have the ability to toggle among three surfaces: Thick Carpet & Area Rug Cleaning,  Carpet & Low Pile Cleaning, which increases the speed of the brush rolls, or hard floor cleaning, which stops the silicone brush roll. 

Accessories
The Shark Vertex includes a crevice tool, a soft dusting tool, and a self-cleaning pet power brush. Two knobs on the vacuum indicate space to store, but that still leaves you with nowhere to put the third.  The accessories can fit on both the handle and the wand if you want an extended reach. They fit pretty snuggly and we struggled a bit to swap them out. They break free with a firm twisting movement, so don't panic when you can't simply pull it off.

Filtration
The Shark Vertex is equipped with HEPA filtration and features Shark's Anti-Allergen Complete Seal that promises that it captures 99.9% of dust and allergens. The Washable HEPA + Foam and Felt Filters are located at the bottom of the machine, below the dust bin.

What is the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum like to use?

On Carpets
This is where the Shark Vertex truly shines, or should I say glides across carpets. Despite being a heavier vacuum, you won't feel much resistance as you try to traverse carpets. It has two modes to toggle through

On Hard Floors 
As it has little trouble roaming over carpets, the same can be said about cleaning wood, vinyl or tile flooring. Be sure to keep the vacuum on hard floor mode to keep both DuoClean rollers activated 

Other Surfaces
The elasticky hose and wand create ample opportunities for above-ground cleaning. I found that I liked to use the mini-power brush to spot-treat the stairs, while it's convenient to have the crevice tool for those tight spaces and the dusting brush for more sensitive surfaces. 

Using LiftAway
To remove the LiftAway Motor from the upright, there is a button at the top of the dust bin that you press and then lift up. Here you can use the vacuum like a canister, or unlatch the wand from the cleaner head or handle from the wand, depending on how you want to handle it. Though you'll most likely want to keep the unit in your hand, as opposed to setting it on the floor, as your reach will not be very generous, and it can topple. 

Emptying the Dust Bin
There are technically two ways to empty the dustbin. However, first press the dust bin release button at the top of the LiftAway Unit, which does provide direct access to the washable filters as well. At the base, there is a push button that will spring open the bottom of the dust bin, or you can access the top end to clean out any hair that spirals around the lint screen, instead of accumulating in the dust bin.

Cleaning and Maintenance
Shark recommends monthly maintenance on its vacuum products to safeguard the vacuum's suction power, which simply entails removing and rinsing the washable pre-motor filters with water. You'll want to make sure these parts are completely dry before putting them back in the machine. The HEPA filter, located at the bottom of the unit and accessible with a button that says 'Filter Door Release' should be cleaned annually. Shark recommends that pre-motor filters should be replaced every 2.5 years. The post-motor filter should be replaced every 3 years. The parts are available via the Shark website. 

The soft brush roller can also be removed from the floorhead and rinsed with water, and the dust bin can be rinsed.  In the event of any blockages, Shark advises you to unplug the unit, and check any openings, including the hose, wand, handle, and nozzles with a flashlight.  

How does the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum rate online?

On Shark's website, the Vertex holds a 4.3 gathered from over 1,700 reviews and ratings. Users compliment its suction power, but some mention that they weren't impressed with the build quality of attachments like the mini-motorized brush and miss the addition of a light on the handle from previous models they used. 

Meanwhile, on Best Buy, the Shark Vertex has a high 4.7 rating across nearly 1,000 reviews, with many complimenting its power, maneuverability, and cleaning results. 

How does the Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum compare to other models?

The Shark Vertex range also encompasses cordless models and a lightweight corded stick. We've tried them, and the common link among the various models is the DuoClean PowerFins and self-cleaning brush roll, but they vary tremendously in terms of size, power, and performance, with the upright model easily being the largest.  

At launch, the Shark Vertex was Shark's most premium upright model. It was not until recently that it has been succeeded by the Shark Stratos, a review is pending on our end as well. The Stratos is marginally more powerful and has a shorter hose and a less wide cleaning path.

The two are quite similar, except the new Stratos introduces new features like PowerFins Hair Pro dual-brush roll, which is said to give better pick up, and Odor Neutralizer Technology, which guards against bad odors inside your vacuum. It also has a 1.48qt. dust cup compared to the 1 qt. of the Vertex, but it is also slightly heavier.

Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum: Final Thoughts

If you're after a reliable vacuum with good versatility and powerful suction, you will love the Shark Vertex. From visible debris to ground in dust, the Shark Vertex quickly suctions it all up. I'm continuously impressed with the amount of hair it seems to capture, with nary a tangled brush roll in sight. 

However, due to its size and weight, I tend to find myself reaching for one of the best cordless vacuums for its sheer ease and quick pick-ups (I particularly like the space-saving, yet powerful Shark Vertex Pro with LCD displays )but there is no denying that the Shark Vertex's cleaning performance is top-tier. It does have some quirks that I've found myself looking past, like the breezy external airflow in exchange for HEPA filtration and the hiccups I'd noticed when switching among attachments. Perhaps it's me, but it's also my job to be picky.  

Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFin Upright Vacuum: where to buy

About this review and the reviewer

Jaclyn is the US eCommerce editor and she specializes in a variety of topics ranging from vacuums to mattresses. She spends her days tracking the latest buzzworthy releases and testing a variety of products to determine whether they are worth bringing into your home. 

As with all our reviews, the Shark Vertex has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying.  Jaclyn's home features a mix of hardwood floors, carpets, and area rugs. A small non-shedding dog lives in the house but still manages to track in his fair share of dirt. She's been using the vacuum for over a year. 

The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before forming our reviews. In this particular case, we are able to keep the vacuum, which will enable us to continue to use the product and gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.

Robot vacuums have revolutionized cleaning our homes, and as the technology is getting more and more advanced, so are the options available to us. Now, we got our hands on the Shark IQ Robot XL vacuum, and we're here to help you determine if this the best robot vacuum that will transform your cleaning routine. 

Release any prejudices that robot vacuums go in crazy paths, get caught on the tiniest obstruction, have too short battery life, or simply just don't clean. The Shark IQ Robot is working to prove just how easy it is to incorporate a robot into your daily life with smart mapping technology, remote scheduling, and a self-emptying base so you can do less and your home will be cleaner. 

Read on for our review of how the Shark IQ Robot XL vacuum fared in our at-home trials.  

Shark IQ Robot XL vacuum: specifications 

• Maximum power: 35 watts
• Dust capacity: 30 days (1.95qt. for the base, .17qt. on robot)
• Runtime: Up to 120 minutes
• Charge time: Approx. 6 hours
• Vacuum Dimensions: 12.9"L X 12.6"W X 3.5" H
• Base Dimensions:  12.5″W x 8.5"L X 15"H
• Cleaning Path Width: 5.6 inches
• Weight: 5.9lb.
• Filter: Yes
• Warranty: 1 year
• Accessories: BotBoundary Strips, self-emptying base

Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum: features

Smart Mapping Technology
The Shark robot has multiple sensors that help to map out your space, as well as cliff and boundary sensors to keep your vacuum from taking a vacuum. Once your home is mapped, you can control which rooms you want to be cleaned. Some users said it took many runs of the robot vacuum to get a complete reading, but mine was ready after the second cleaning cycle. 

No-Go Zones
The Shark Robot includes a roll of BotBoundary Strips that can be cut to size around furniture, power cords, high thresholds, pet areas, or wherever you don't want your robot to go. You should keep the strips there until you have a final and accurate mapping of your home. There's also the option to create no-go zones within the Shark App, but that requires a full-map to already exist. 

Self-Emptying Base
Perhaps the strongest feature is the self-emptying base, which Shark claims only needs to be emptied once every 30 days.  However,  the size of your home, how often you run a cycle, and how dirty your floors are, all affect how quickly the external base will fill up.  Luckily, there is little guesswork involved as to when the base is full, as the machine alerts you to when the base needs to be emptied, and there's a fill window that lets you see how much dirt has gathered. The robot methodically inserts itself back onto the dock to align itself with the debris intake channel, before creating a whirling engine sound. It's brief but loud. 

The Shark App and Voice Control
During set up, you'll download the Shark app, create a Shark account, and connect the robot to Wifi. Here is where you name your robot (mine is Sharky Shark), remotely activate and schedule your robot, see cleaning history, view any error notifications. Once the map is complete, you can set additional no-go zones manually and create rooms. This is beneficial when you want to clean a single area and not the whole house. 

Within the app, you can set the schedule for each day and time you want the vacuum to run, and it can vary. 

When the robot is running, you can also select the vacuum's mode Eco, Normal, or Max, which made no visible difference in cleaning prowess, except it shortened or extended battery life and was louder or quiet based on the mode. We usually kept it on normal, which was about 60 decibels on floors and 55 decibels on carpet. 

It also connects to Amazon Alexa, so you can control your vacuum with your voice. 

Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum: design

The Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL is comprised of two main parts: The vacuum itself and its self-emptying base.

The vacuum is sleekly designed in appearance. The main driving wheels that flank each side and front castor wheel helps it effortlessly transition from carpet to hard floors. A rubber bumper protects furniture and walls as it cleans an obstacle, but the plastic black strip that gives it a glossy edge was prone to scratching as it hit up against metal table legs. It features various sensors including an optical flow sensor, cliff and boundary sensors, and a vision module. An on-board camera maps the ceiling as it cleans. 

The Shark Robot features Shark's signature self-cleaning brushroll and promises powerful suction. I found that hair wrap did occur and I manually needed to clean it out, but that didn't bother me. Two side brushes work to feel around and bring debris inward toward the machine, as the cleaning path is just over 5-inches wide. 

The vacuum cleans in a neat row as it maps your home, and goes back and forth a few times.  However, if an area was not cleaned to your liking, there's also no option to direct it back to a certain spot to give the area another pass over. 

If you don't plan to use the app, though you should, the top-side of the robot vacuum features a clean and a dock button to operate manually. Here, you can also see the wifi or error indicator lights in case anything is off.  

The base is the permanent hub for the robot vacuum. It requires a 3-foot clearance on either side and approximately 5 feet in front, so you do need a considerably sized area to house the base. If you choose to house your base on carpet, you'll also place the included SharkMat for a smooth transition onto the base.  It also can not be removed in between or during cleanings, as it will cause the robot to have to remap your home, losing all mapping progress and no-go zones. This also means that you can not map the vacuum on different floors or in rooms that are not consecutively part of the map. Shark however says that it can be manually placed on other floors and skip the in-app features. 

The base charges the robot, houses the external dust bin, and features a filtration system as well. Once the vacuum backs onto the base, the debris intake channel sucks the dust and debris from the robot's chamber into the base dust bin. A dust bin release button makes it easy to pop out the dust bin to empty it into a garbage can. The dust bin also has a fill window, and the machine will also alert you to when either the robot or the dust chamber needs to be manually emptied. 

The vacuum runs relatively quiet that will not disrupt activities at home, and can't be heard from other rooms. Though, the vacuum makes a loud, whirling engine noise when emptying into the dust bin. 

Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum: set up and operation

The setup of the vacuuming itself is pretty simple, but you do need to take the time to clear out any obstacles, cords, shoes that you don't want potentially damaged. 

The perfect time to do this is of course during its first charge, which takes approximately six hours. When the robot is charging, the indicator on the base will turn from green to blue.

The main part of the setup is deciding on where you want to house the base. As mentioned earlier, it needs a considerable amount of space for clearance. It also can not be removed in between or during cleanings, as it will cause the robot to have to remap your home, losing all mapping progress and no-go zones. 

I also noticed that on the first run, when my floors were probably the dirtiest, it collected the most amount of dust and debris, and that with routine cleaning, the dust build-up should stabilize. On subsequent cycles, the collected debris was significantly less.

Due to the self-cleaning brush roll feature, the Shark robot is rated as a great choice for pet-owners. Within the app, if you select that you have pets, every 30 minutes of runtime, the robot will automatically return to the dock to unload collected debris before resuming where it left off. 

The vacuum operated in a motion going back in forth facing the base. It had few issues identifying obstacles, and easily went back and forth between the hardwoods and area rugs. It did however try to vacuum on the base of pedastal-style ottoman and a c-shaped end table, which made a bit of a grating sound. Nothing was harmed, and I figured the vacuum just saw it as another floor surface. Next time, I would create no-go strips for those pieces. The vacuum did do a good job, however, of getting under low-profile furniture that had not seen some cleaning action in quite some time. 

Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum: The Pantry Test

In some of the other reviews, you've might have clicked upon, we've shown what I call the Pantry Test, where we use common pantry staples–sugar, rice, and cereal–to test the suction capabilities of our vacuums. 

Here, I must report, it failed, but there's a reason. Robot vacuums aren't meant to pick up large pieces. They're much better for routine cleaning, not cleaning up active spills. 

The Pantry Test was the only time I received an error message due to cleaning.   

On the carpet, the cereal and rice were essentially pushed all around the room. The impact with a clump of cereal actually caused the vacuum to clog right away, and prompted an error.  They were mostly eventually cleaned up, but it wasn't pretty, and I had to come back through with another vacuum. The sugar, was more promising, as it was quickly swept up, but as the robot vacuum doesn't go over the same area repeatedly like you can with ground-in messes with a traditional stick or upright, sugar residue was also left. 

It also caused the robot's dust vacuum to clog with cereal and rice so that the brush roll couldn't even spin. 

Similarly, on the hard floors, the cereal and rice were pushed across the floor in all directions (even under the sofa), but the sugar for the most part was suctioned on the first go.   

The food pieces also clogged the vacuum's ability to properly filter into the self-emptying base, creating a mess that required manually removing the dust bin from the robot. 

How does the Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum rate online?

Reviews are a mixed bag across the internet. In March 2021, the Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum rated a 4.4 on Amazon, a 4.3 on Best Buy and a  3.6 on Shark. For instance, most of the negative comments I came across on Amazon or Shark mention the vacuum taking many many cycles to generate an accurate map. Mine only took two cycles on the first day of use, so I can only imagine a software update has been made that has remedied the delayed readings. 

How does the Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum compare to other vacuums?

Main competitors to the Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum would be the iRobot Roomba, which also offers a similar self-emptying base in a number of its collections namely the i7+ ($599), and top of the line i9+ (1,099), but at a much steeper price point. The i7+ and i9+ both offer customized cleaning routines, let's you see where you cleaned,  while the lesser-priced i3+ at $399, also with a self-emptying bin, does not offer the ability to select different rooms to clean or no-go zones. 

In comparison, other users of the Roombas have noted more powerful suction, faster mapping technology, and more efficient navigation. After all, iRobot has been at robot vacuums for far longer than Shark's robot products, but it's still a decent product at a very competitive price point.  The Roombas also featured bagged dust bins, which have to be purchased, whereas Shark's dust bin is bagless.  

Meanwhile, we recently tested the Proscenic M7 Pro, which also features a self-cleaning base that requires bags, is slightly less in price than the Shark, and has a mopping feature.

Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum: final thoughts

Is the Shark IQ Robot the absolute best robot vacuum out there? No. But, it does have all the bells and whistles that many higher-end robot vacuums have like smart-mapping, personalized cleaning schedules and the self-emptying base that make it a safe choice for those thinking about getting their first robot vacuum. 

The self-emptying base is one of my favorite features of the Shark robot. If the robot's onboard dust bin fills, it knows to go back to the dock to unload debris into the base before resuming cleaning, ensuring that I don't have to stop what I'm doing to empty the bin.  The 30-day capacity is affected by how often you clean and how large the space is, but I got in the habit of emptying the bin weekly. 

The robot itself seemed to transition easily from hardwoods to carpets and area rugs and had no trouble moving throughout my home. Its short height also enabled it to get under most of my low-profile furniture. However, it did not do well at picking up debris where the hard floor meets an area rug or large pieces. 

The robot itself runs extremely independently, enabling you to operate on a set it and forget it mentality when you use the scheduling features. It seems like almost everything was thought out from the recharge and resume to its ability to follow no-go guidelines. 

Now, the technology is limited in its inability to be used in other rooms that are not consecutively joined together or across different floors of a home. For instance, a baby-gate in my kitchen (to keep my dog confined to the kitchen and living room) meant I couldn't use the vacuum in other areas of my house. 

If this is your first time with a robot vacuum, I think you will be pleased at just how hands-off the experience can be when you use the Shark IQ robot. However, you will still need to have another vacuum on hand to get the areas that the Shark IQ missed or for larger clean ups. But hey, the value of being able to delegate the heavy work to the robot vac? Absolutely priceless. 

Where to buy the Shark IQ Robot XL Vacuum with self-emptying base

About this review and our reviewer

Jaclyn is the US eCommerce editor across the homes titles at Future, including Homes & Gardens, where she specializes in a variety of topics ranging from vacuums to mattresses. She spends her days tracking the latest buzzworthy releases and testing a variety of products to determine whether they are worth bringing into your home. All reviews are based on real-life experience of using these products at home.

The Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL was tested between the family room and kitchen with hardwood floors and area rugs, Covering an area of about 500 sq ft., it represented the largest area in the home that could be vacuumed on the same map. Due to the fact that the vacuum can only have one map at a time, it was not tested near stairs or fully carpeted rooms. A small non-shedding dog lives in the house, but still manages to track in his fair share of dirt.  

As with all our reviews the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand, unless we are able to keep it as we are with this cordless vacuum. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.