It runs like a dream – incredibly lightweight (the top half is the heaviest section as it contains the battery) and easy to manoeuvre. The main stick attachment is very flat and can glide under cabinets, bookcases, sofas and tricky-to-reach places. Vacuuming isn’t something I enjoy (I doubt many people do) but it’s a necessity – especially when you have a toddler and a pair of particularly hairy cats running amok, as I do. Upgrade your cleaning routine with the Shark Rocket Cordless Stick Vacuum. Experience the convenience of cordless cleaning without compromising on performance. Enjoy a clean and tidy home with the power and versatility of Shark technology.
When comparing their stick vacuums to Dyson’s offerings, Shark vacuums feel better built and sturdier. However, they also tend to have a similar but slightly worse performance on carpet. Their upright vacuums usually perform better on all surface types than BISSELL vacuums. Fans of Shark swear by this DuoClean technology because it provides powerful suction and makes switching between hardwood floors and carpets as easy as the press of a button. That’s because there are two different types of motorized brushrolls, so you don’t need to change the floorhead when going from carpet to hardwood. DuoClean also makes it easy to clean up large and small particles — even fine dust.
The Shark app leads you through a series of programming settings and the robot maps out your home. You can also tweak the map to get it exactly how you want and establish no-go zones and carpeted zones and name different rooms. This part was the most tedious of using this vacuum as you can go into as much or as little detail as you want.
This vacuum’s anti-allergen seal and HEPA filter effectively trap dust—a major win for families with pets and allergies. You’ll also enjoy the clear dust bin that allows you to see what you’re capturing in real time, and it releases very easily with the help of built-in latches. At this price point, you can’t beat the performance and easy-to-use design that makes this vacuum a favorite among our team. As you can see, the Dyson V15 Detect is our top overall cleaner in these sand tests, but note that the Samsung Jet 90 actually outperformed it by a considerable margin on thick, plushy mid-pile carpet.
The Shark® Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum features deep-cleaning suction, powered by HyperVelocity, that makes it ideal for homes with pets. Nozzle technology includes a self-cleaning brushroll 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. With 40 minutes of runtime, you can take on your whole home, and an XL dust cup makes sure you can tackle the biggest messes.
Despite its inexpensive price tag, it also picks up pet hair very well. 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. Even our most economical option, the Navigator, receives rave reviews for its ability to pick up pet hair.
The LED headlights illuminate hidden debris, making it easy to spot and clean even in low-light areas. Prior to writing for Pocket-Lint, Luke had a long history in the PC gaming industry working on everything dyson robot vacuum from marketing and PR to events and esports tournaments. These days he mainly uses these skills to make YouTube videos and can often be found strapping GoPros to racing drones in his spare time.
You can also notify the robot for spot cleanings, which is great if a sudden mess occurs or if you have a high-traffic area in your home that you’d like to pay special attention to. Capture dry debris and spiff up your hard floors with a multi-purpose vacuum like the Shark VACMOP—one of our favorite cheap vacuum cleaners. It is designed for use on sealed hardwood, tile, or laminate floors, and glides effortlessly on them all. A tank for Shark cleaning solution, which is included in your purchase, is built into its body.
You can also use many Shark vacuums as handhelds, which is nice if you need to clean hard-to-reach places. If you want an easily portable model, Shark sells some cordless vacuums. However, they tend to have a few maintenance needs, and some models can be a little more tricky to clean. We’ve tried and tested almost every vacuum cleaner on this list and used them to clean all surfaces including hardwood floors, linoleum and carpet. Many of the options that you’ll find on this list are seeing continued use, too, so we can vouch for their performance in the long-term. The ION F80’s DuoClean technology provides rigorous deep cleaning, which makes switching between hardwood and carpet seamless.
You can see a more detailed comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of each brand’s offerings in this comparison article. Right now, based on our tests, the cordless vacuum with the best suction power is the Dyson V15 Detect, which offers 230 air watts of suction. The Rocket Pet Pro can, like the rest of the vacuums listed here, transition from hardwood to carpet seamlessly. It can effectively clean both low and medium pile carpet, and its battery can last for up to 40 minutes. However, like some of the other irobot vacuum cleaner vacuums on our list, the battery life decreases when using higher-power modes. Our team of CNET experts, editors and lab technicians has been testing vacuums in a smart home and testing warehouse located in Louisville for over 10 years.