Shark has established itself as a prominent player in the cordless vacuum market, offering a diverse lineup of models that cater to various cleaning needs and budgets. At CNET’s dedicated vacuum testing lab in Louisville, Kentucky, more than 50 cordless vacuums and over 100 robot vacuums from multiple brands—including Dyson and Levoit—have been rigorously tested across hundreds of hours. Since 2019, every current Shark vacuum model, including robot vacuums, has undergone extensive evaluation on different floor types such as hardwood, low-pile and mid-pile carpet, with specialized testing for pet hair and battery life. This thorough approach has helped identify the best Shark vacuums for consumers seeking a balance of performance, features, and price.
**Top Performer: Shark Stratos**
Among the Shark cordless vacuums tested, the Shark Stratos stands out as the top performer and the best overall Shark vacuum available. It impressed in every category during lab testing, scoring above 90% in sand pickup on both hard flooring and carpets. The Stratos’s exceptional cleaning ability is paired with a relatively light weight, user-friendly attachments, and a generous five-year warranty, making it a compelling option for many buyers. Perhaps most notably, it is priced under $500 and often found on sale for less, which is considerably more affordable than Dyson’s comparable high-end models.
The Stratos’s strong cleaning performance is largely due to its innovative two-brushroll system, which digs deep into carpets to remove embedded dust and pet hair without tangling. It excels at pet hair pickup, and its self-cleaning brushroll minimizes maintenance hassle. The vacuum incorporates smart technology called Clean Sense IQ, which detects dirt and automatically boosts suction power for tougher cleaning, though users can also manually adjust suction modes. Battery life is impressive, with a tested runtime of 60 minutes on medium suction, placing it at the higher end for cordless vacuums.
Additional convenient features include LED headlights to illuminate dust in dim areas, an LED display showing remaining battery life, and a multi-flex wand that bends to reach under furniture and tight spaces. The Stratos folds for easy storage in small spaces, and it uses a washable anti-allergen HEPA filter along with odor-neutralizing cartridges to keep the dustbin fresh. However, the odor-neutralizing cartridges require replacement every six months at an additional cost of around $25.
While the Shark Stratos excels in many areas, it lacks a self-emptying dock and does not support mopping functions. Buyers prioritizing these features will need to look at other models or brands. Overall, the Stratos is a well-rounded, high-performance vacuum that offers excellent value for its price.
**Best Shark Robot Vacuum: PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro**
Shark’s robot vacuum lineup is less extensive compared to its cordless offerings, but the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is the standout model among the latest generation. This robot vacuum is tailored to compete with premium models from brands like iRobot, Dreame, Eufy, and Roborock. It boasts excellent hardwood floor pickup—removing nearly 96% of sand in testing—and features advanced navigation, 3D mapping, 360-degree lidar, and dirt detection sensors.
The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro also offers convenient features such as a self-emptying docking station and dual vacuuming and mopping capabilities. Its mopping pads are designed to lift automatically when encountering carpet, preventing wetting, and they self-clean and dry in the dock. The robot’s navigation is thorough, completing cleaning cycles efficiently while maneuvering around obstacles and furniture. It can climb thresholds up to 1.5 inches, making it versatile for many home layouts.
On carpets, the vacuum performs above average, with around 54% sand pickup on both low-pile and mid-pile carpets. Pet hair removal is effective on all surfaces tested. However, the robot vacuum is priced at a premium $999 full price, though it is often discounted to around $770. While this places it at the higher end of the market, its combination of advanced features and reliable cleaning make it Shark’s best robot vacuum option to date.
**Best Self-Emptying Cordless Vacuum: Shark Clean & Empty**
For users who want the power and cleaning performance of the Shark Stratos but with the convenience of a self-emptying dock, the Shark Clean & Empty is the recommended choice. It delivers strong suction across all floor types, with tested sand pickup rates