Let’s take a deep dive into the particular strengths and weaknesses of each model. Suction power can be hard to quantify because, although there is a way of measuring it, Shark doesn’t list the suction power of its vacuums. Shark is a respected brand for a reason, so you can expect decent suction from its vacuums, especially the higher-end models. Vacuum cleaners are one of those items for which paying more gives you a quantifiably better result — the more you spend, the more powerful a vacuum is. The first head of the vacuum stopped working completely after about a month. Got another sweeper head and it stopped completely while just vacuuming carpet.
As a corded, upright model, you won’t have to worry about running out of battery power with this pick by your side. The 25-foot cord gives plenty of reach and the lift-away canister is useful for accessing hard-to-reach areas. Our tester did find the canister was best dyson robot vacuum used from the ground. In addition, the hair easily collected in the stationary brush roll in our testing on hardwood floors, which blocked the vacuum from picking up debris very effectively. The model tended to push around heavier materials like popcorn kernels.
Shark’s latest vacuum cleaner range claims to have found a solution that actually works. Robotic vacuums are becoming more commonplace, but still remain the newest entrants to the market. They are usually controlled by a mobile app so you don’t even need to be home to turn your vacuum on.
The Shark isn’t the cheapest cordless vacuum, but it’s also not the most expensive. It competes with the best-in-market vacuums at a price point far below. Most Shark vacuums have parts you can wash or clean, so you may never have to replace them as long as you properly maintain them. Even though some models have a small dirt compartment, they’re typically bagless, which further helps cut recurring costs. At Real Homes, we know how important it is to have first-hand experience of the products that we recommend so that we can tell you our honest opinion on where they excelled, and where they might be lacking. We test vacuums at home for a number of weeks before we write our reviews, which are linked in the write-ups above.
We’re not confident enough in any of these cheaper vacuums to make one an official Wirecutter pick, but we can point you toward a couple that might work. Dyson’s top-of-the-line models all clean better than any other cordless vacuum we’ve tested. They actually work better than a bunch of the plug-in vacuums we’ve tested, too. If you want a cordless vacuum that can actually deep-clean your rugs, the cheapest Dyson V7 or V8 that you can find will come the closest to doing the job for less than $500. The thicker the rug and the clingier the debris, the bigger the advantage Dyson has over any other competitor at this price. Officially, Dyson’s lowest-cost base model is now the Dyson V8 Animal, but you might be able to find the older Dyson V7 Motorhead or some other variant for a lower price.
It’s easy to find models that clean an average home from top to bottom before they need recharging. It’s really hard to choose vacuums especially when comparing different brands and also when trying to figure out if the new and improved versions are really worth the higher price tag. I appreciate the info on the batteries because that’s so important for anything cordless. I’ve found that I can get my vacuuming done in about half the time with a cordless as I did with my old corded vacuum.
Marisa Cascianois a senior commerce editor for The Spruce, and has been in The Lab for our vacuum tests. She has firsthand knowledge of how our vacuum tests were both developed and performed, as well as where each dyson robot vacuum product excelled or fell short. Before conducting lab testing, she scoured brand and retailer websites, and considered price, verified customer reviews, features, and design when selecting the vacuums to test.
We have a mixture of hard floors, carpeted rooms and high pile rugs, so we spent a lot of time in the ‘Carpet’ setting. This had a noticeable impact on battery life, but also led to cleaner floors. Combining the brand’s well-loved technologies with exciting new features, Stratos easily tackles stubborn pet hair, tougher dirt and debris and even odour to leave your home looking spick-and-span. If you live with a cat or dog, no matter how much you clean, your floors will likely never be entirely fur-free. That said, the Shark TruePet Upright Vacuum is effective at sucking up most shedding. The 2-in-1 design allows you to remove the pod to clean hard-to-reach areas and its advanced swivel steering gets into every nook and cranny.
The Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Cordless Stick Vacuum was the clear winner in our search for the best Shark vacuum—and best vacuum in general. Although we recently tested the Shark Cordless Pro with Clean Sense IQ, the newest model in this specific line, it did not compare in suction capability or ease of use to the older PowerFins model. The Shark Vertex PowerFins Vacuum features powerful suction on all surfaces, a storage-friendly handle, and generally quiet operation. As we discovered in The Lab, it has the power you need to leave your carpets deeply clean and your hardwood floors sparkling.
Although they’re quite light, their trigger-style power switch can feel uncomfortable because you need to keep it squeezed constantly to make your vacuum run. Their battery lives are about average and, we think, ample for most uses , but they use built-in (or screw-in) battery packs, so it’s impractical to swap in a spare battery as some owners would like to be able to do. The shark pet cordless stick vacuum features deep-cleaning suction making it ideal for homes with pets. Nozzle technology includes a self-cleaning brush roll and powerfins engineered to pick up more hair with no hair wrap (vs. Shark bristle nozzles). Its ultra-lightweight design and removable handheld vacuum add to its cordless convenience for floor-to-ceiling cleaning. Shark is one of the best upright vacuum manufacturers out there, and, luckily, the brand is giving customers early discounts on some of its most sought-after models.