Need to know
- Alongside names such as Dyson, LG and Samsung, Shark is a popular brand of cordless stick vacuums, with a range of products at different prices
- The Shark brand was launched in 2007 but only started selling vacuums in Australia in the mid-2010s
- Stick vacuums can be expensive, but a good stick vac can be a huge help for day-to-day cleaning. CHOICE experts rigorously test stick vacuums in our labs – our reviews are available to CHOICE members
If you're in the market for a stick vacuum, you're likely considering whether to splash out on a Dyson. After all, they've long held the crown as one of the leading brands in the market, but they come with a hefty price tag to match.
With prices ranging from around $600 to over $1500, a Dyson stick vacuum is out of reach for many budgets.
In recent years, Shark has been circling the market with sleek, cordless machines that promise big suction, smart features, and a friendlier price tag.
So, is Shark worth considering in your quest for a new stick vac? CHOICE experts have put seven Shark stick vacuums to the test in our labs to see how they compete on performance and price against other leading brands.
Our full detailed vacuum cleaner reviews and product comparisons are available exclusively to CHOICE members. However, our experts share some key insights here to give you a head start in your hunt for the best stick vac.
How well do Shark vacuums clean?
CHOICE expert Adrian Lini has put plenty of Shark models through their paces in CHOICE's test labs and says: "When it comes to stick vacuums, we usually see many of the top performers come from brands such as Dyson, LG and Samsung. But you're paying top dollar for that performance, with many of these models coming in over $1000 or more. "Based on our testing, we've found Shark vacuums offer mid-range performance for a mid-range budget, so they perform pretty well for the price you pay," says Adrian.
"They all perform fairly well in our tests on hard floors and are, on the whole, quite easy to use, but they generally do not perform as well as premium brands like Dyson on carpet, for example"
"Several of the Shark models achieved a score high enough to be recommended in our latest stick vacuum review."
Product range, price and features
Shark currently sells about 10 products cordless stick vacuums, ranging in price from $400 to $1000. This is a slightly smaller range than other leading brands. Dyson currently has about 12 models in its range and LG about 15 models on the market.
Some features of the Shark stick vacs are definitely appealing, with different models flaunting auto-emptying charging docks (read more below), wet and dry functionality or flexible wands designed to be easier to manoeuvre, as well as models with HEPA filtration for allergies and those designed specifically for pet hair.
The most expensive Shark stick vacuum is the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System ($999) which comes with a dock that charges and empties your vacuum after every clean and a flexible wand. According to Adrian, the wand can be helpful for vacuuming harder-to-reach places such as under a bed or sofa, but it can feel quite flimsy and awkward to use.
A self-emptying dock is a feature you'll also find on some Samsung and LG models. However, there is currently no Dyson stick vacuum that has a self-emptying function or a flexible wand similar to the Shark accessory (although Dyson stick vacuums do usually come with a broader range of other accessories, such as hand-held and crevice tools).
Some Shark models come with a self-emptying and charging dock.
Battery life and warranties
Much like Dyson vacuums, Shark vacuum cleaners offer multiple cleaning modes, such as Eco and Boost, which increase and decrease the suction power depending on the amount of dirt you want to clean up. The mode that you're using, or sometimes the attachment, can drastically affect the maximum time you can run the vacuum for before the battery runs out. As part of our testing of each stick vac, we measure how long the vacuum's battery lasted when used at full power on carpet.
In our current review of over 60 stick vacuums, the average running time is just over 12 minutes. This is generally much shorter than the running times promised by manufacturers, who usually use lower, less powerful settings to make these claims.
When we compared running times on Shark vacuums in our test on maximum power, the average running time was about 10 minutes 30 seconds, which was only slightly less than the average running times on the latest models we've tested from LG and Dyson.
"Battery life is just one of the aspects you should take into account when assessing a vacuum's performance," says Adrian.
"You don't always need to use the maximum setting on a vacuum to get the job done - that depends on how dirty your floor is - but you should think about the cleaning times and how long you need the vacuum to run. If you have a large house, you may not be able to get the whole job done in one go."
Most Shark stick vacuums come with a two-year warranty, which is standard for high-priced stick vacuums from brands such as Dyson and LG. All of the high-end stick vacuums also have replaceable batteries, and some models will come with a spare battery.
How do Shark vacs handle pet hair?
Some Shark models are marketed specifically at pet owners, spruiking that they have the most powerful suction and ability to pick up hair. Indeed, the Shark Stratos Cordless Pet Pro Vacuum with Clean Sense received a perfect score of 100% when we tested it on pet hair in our labs. It comes with a separate attachment – called the Motorised Pet Tool – that can be used for drawing hair out of upholstery or carpeted stairs.
These same models also boast 'odour neutraliser technology' to further assist pet owners. It sounds impressive, but it's really just a fragranced cartridge (Shark call them a Puk) that sits inside your vacuum or receptacle. Replacement Puks are around $30 and need to be changed around every six months so this is an ongoing cost to take into account.
There are no Dyson stick vacuums specifically marketed at pet owners. However, all the Dyson vacuums in our current review have performed excellently in our pet hair test. Read the full performance results.
If you have a lot of pet hair in your home, ensure you buy a vac that's up to the task.
Auto-emptying and charging dock features
Four of the current Shark stick vacuum models include auto-emptying docks, including the Shark Clean + Empty ($600) and the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System ($999).
This means the stick vacuum comes with a charging base that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin into a larger, sealed container once you're done with cleaning. There are no Dyson stick vacuums that come with a self-emptying function, but a few of the LG models do, including the LG CordZero ($1599).
If you have dexterity issues and find it difficult to open and empty your vacuum after each use, you might find a self-emptying function handy. Or maybe you have allergies to dust and don't like to regularly empty a cloud of dirt into a bin yourself.
The stick vacuum comes with a charging base that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin into a larger, sealed container once you're done with cleaning
However, keep in mind that they can be quite bulky units and aren't as easy to stow away in a cupboard or a corner as a regular stick vacuum.
CHOICE has also had reports of some issues with the design of a particular Shark vacuum – the Shark Clean and Empty – which has a triangular chamber within the dust receptacle/bin that can become congested with dirt and debris, but is unable to be removed for cleaning.
"The Shark stick vacuums that come with a self-emptying dock and bin differ from the LG self-emptying docks because they do not use bags – the dust and debris empties straight into a bin," says Adrain. "While this is easier in some ways – you don't have to buy and use bin bags like you do with the LG model – this means that you'll have to take care to keep the actual bin clean and be wary of things like the smell if you're vacuuming food particles into the bin and letting it sit for a long time."
Overall brand vs individual model
It's important to bear in mind that in CHOICE testing, performance of specific models from the same brand may vary quite significantly, so don't assume that one brand's products are always the best choice in terms of the many different features, functions and price points.
The best thing to do is focus on individual models by checking CHOICE's detailed stick vacuum reviews before you buy.
Vacuum technology
In the CHOICE labs, we test stick vacuums on many aspects of their performance, including how well they pick up dirt from hard floors, carpets, how well they remove pet hair and how good they are at cleaning corners and edges.
Adrian says that how effective a vacuum performs across this broad range of tests depends a lot on the vacuum head. The heads that work best for carpet are different to the ones that are best for hard floors, which is why many of the high-priced stick vacuums come with multiple cleaning heads.
Brands such as Shark, LG, Samsung and others are starting to make 'double heads', which are a combined hard floor and brush head
"Models that come with 'brush heads' perform well on carpet not only because they can agitate the carpet but they also have a very tight seal that pulls them into the carpet. This same seal makes them terrible on hard floors because there is no opening in the front to allow larger dirt in," he says.
That's why the hard floor heads are fluffy and have a big opening in the front. The fluffy hard floor head also doesn't allow dirt to be shot out like the brush heads do. Brands such as Shark, LG, Samsung and others are starting to make "double heads", which are a combined hard floor and brush head. However, our testing shows these are not as effective as specific heads for carpet.
"For example, The Shark Cordless Detect Pro only scored 70% for carpet cleaning and I would blame that on their head design, which attempts to combine the hard floor and brush head into a single roller which made it slightly worse on carpet but much better on hard floors," says Adrian.
Which stick vacuum should you buy?
Before you commit to any stick vacuum, think about how and where you'll use it. Larger homes with a mix of carpet and hard floors may benefit from the extra suction and battery capacity of a premium model (in our reviews you can see how each vacuum performs on both flooring types). Smaller spaces or quick daily clean-ups might not need the top-tier price tag.
The best stick vac for you will also depend on the storage space you have available, whether you have pets, the attachments you will use, and whether you'll be using it on carpet or a hard floor.
While the top-tier stick vacuums often offer superior performance, their price tags can be a little tough to stomach, so Shark can be a good-value brand worth considering. There are quite a few different models, however, so CHOICE reviews can help you choose one you can rely on. Keep in mind that the popularity of stick vacuums, and the large size of their ranges, means there are often sales at key times of year where you might be able to grab a bargain on a pricier vac and it can really pay to shop around.
We're on your side
For more than 60 years, we've been making a difference for Australian consumers. In that time, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family.
And you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
Learn more about CHOICE membership today
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
