Battery life is so-so, coming in at just around 11 minutes, and the noise level is pretty average. Despite those drawbacks, we chose the Dustbuster as our Best Overall Car Vacuum for its successful blend of price, performance, and household versatility. The Max comes with a charging stand that you can set on a counter top or mount on a wall and charges in under four hours. The irobot vacuum cleaner large 15-ounce bowl empties easily and both the bowl and filter can be washed in the sink. We don’t know how long this customer-loved vacuum will be on sale, so pick up the Shark Wandvac Ultra-Lightweight Cordless Vacuum while it’s $60 off. If you have asthma or severe allergies, and indoor air quality is crucial to your health, a high-quality bagged vacuum is a safe bet.
However, the Navigator’s lower price point does mean that it might not last as long as other options from Shark and will likely have to be replaced over time. Shark provides different limited warranties ranging from one year to lifetime. However, Shark doesn’t share their testing protocols, so it’s hard to say how much rigorous testing Shark vacuums undergo before heading to market. Overall, we found Shark vacuums to be well within the normal volume range for a vacuum cleaner. In fact, if any of these vacuums is making an excessive amount of noise, it probably means that you should get it looked at.
Puisis also conducted an interview with Danielle Lessing, VP of Global Product Development at SharkNinja, to learn more about the features of Shark vacuums. Detach the lightweight hand vacuum in seconds and take on dust, pet hair, and more above the floor. It weighs well under 10 pounds and features a 60-minute runtime, and there are two battery packs included so you can keep cleaning for up to 2 hours (whew!). Its products tend to be pretty quiet, which is a huge plus if you need to clean up something but want to keep the noise level down. This one comes with a wall-mounted dock for easy storage, and the filter easily pops in and out for simple swapping. Weighing under 9 pounds, the Shark vacuum’s lightweight frame makes it easy to carry and clean throughout your space.
Add to that accelerated suction (what Shark calls “HyperVelocity”), LED “headlights,” and a self-cleaning brushroll that picks up pet hair without getting tangled. A removable battery delivers up to 40 minutes of runtime, and can be charged anywhere in the house. To translate that for everyone, it basically means that you get 40 minutes in low power mode, which is only really suitable for hard floors with little dirt on. Shark is a good household manufacturer that produces items like mops and irons alongside vacuums at different price points and styles. You can also use many Shark vacuums as handhelds, which is nice if you need to clean hard-to-reach places.
However, when it came to hard floors, we did find the wheels on the back of the cleaner head flicked some of the oats around the floor, rather than collecting them. This meant we had to make several passes to ensure the mess was cleared. In truth, it’s a rare occasion that one would need more than 40 minutes of runtime for a single vacuuming session, and the prevalence of charging docks makes it easy to recharge in between cleaning runs. Because of this, battery life was not weighted as heavily as other features. To get started, we hauled in 15 of the latest models from leading vacuum brands with high user ratings and reviews, and ran them through a series of tests designed to measure overall proficiency.
For a mix of bare floors and rugs, the surest bet is to get a vacuum that lets you turn the brush roll on or off. An aggressive brush can scatter certain kinds of debris on bare floors, or even scratch certain types of flooring, so it’s helpful to be able to switch it off. Most plug-in vacuums (including the upright and canister models we recommend) have this option, though it’s less common among cordless vacuums. The best cordless stick vacuums are lightweight and maneuverable without sacrificing the cleaning power of a corded model (and without costing too much, either). We experimented with the three attachments when cleaning stairs and found the crevice tool to be the most helpful, as the other two attachments are really designed with upholstery and drapes in mind. While cleaning the stairs was a bit time-consuming, since we opted to use the extension hose, rather than the motor head, the vacuum’s suction was still plenty powerful through this alternative mode.
Since it’s cordless, you won’t have to drag a cord up and down your steps, making it easy to maneuver. The CH951 also features cyclonic suction for powerful cleaning and its filter is washable. At just 1.4 pounds, this Shark vacuum is one of the lightest cordless handheld models money can buy, and it looks pretty distinctive, as well. Despite its narrow silhouette, it does a bissell crosswave cordless surprisingly good job cleaning difficult debris like pet hair and is easy to empty with the press of a button. Plus, it won’t pose an eyesore if you’re limited on space and have to store it on your counter; the base holds the Wandvac’s accessories, as well. In both the cases of Miele canister vacs and Dyson cordless sticks, you’re going to get excellent cleaning performance.
PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. The brush bar on the vacuum has 2 parts to it; bissell crosswave cordless a traditional brush bar and a fur roller. The bristles of the brush work with the roller to dislodge dirt from both the ground that is being cleaned but also from itself. Without the brush bar the roller would become full of dirty, and without the roller the brush bar would get tangled.