This cordless stick vac costs less than the Shark, a fact that’s hard to overlook. When we evaluate a stick or any vacuum, we base our tests on ASTM International standard test methods. A major part of Good Housekeeping’s role on this committee is to make sure these standards are relevant to how everyday consumers actually use vacuum cleaners and their experiences with them. We did find the Vactidy easy to use and maneuver, and the dust cup was easy to remove, clean and replace. All of the filters, including its HEPA filter, are washable which is convenient and saves you from having to buy replacements. The battery is removable for charging, and a small wall dock holds the vacuum but not the attachments, so you’ll have to store them separately.
It impressed us with how easily it maneuvers around obstacles like table legs and how it fits perfectly on a stair tread for speedy side-to-side cleaning. It has powerful suction and whole-machine filtration to trap at least 99.7% of dust and allergens. It’s got tons of upscale extras like two power nozzles, an extending crevice tool and a pedal that you press to snip hair wrapped around the roller brush to prevent tangles in your vacuum. You have the option to store the tools on the vacuum or the stand.
If having a clean home fills you with joy, the Shark stratos will make you euphoric. It’s constantly working out what power levels you need to pick up the most mess. All you have to do is steer while it uses clean sense IQ technology to automatically sense the mess you can’t see and adjust cleaning power for up to 50 per cent more dirt pick-up. Most of the vacuums on our list feature a runtime of 40 minutes before needing another charge, although a growing number of models are starting to offer higher-capacity batteries with runtimes of 60 minutes per charge. 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.
Now’s the time to dust off your garden furniture and freshen up your home. In our tests, the Dreametech T30 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner emitted a high-pitched whine and struggled to pick up medium and large debris. Its uncharacteristically long wand may make it awkward to use for shorter people.
As I mentioned above, in order to engage the wet mopping function on a Crosswave, you need to keep your finger on a trigger. And if you just want a decent vacuum that can suck up wet and dry messes and also occasionally work as a mop, or if you prefer to do a vacuum-only pass before mopping, this might shark stick vacuum not be an issue. But if you want something that will continuously mop and vacuum, you may find the trigger annoying. Another selling point of the Crosswave is that unlike the other devices, which are marketed as “hard floor cleaners,” the Crosswave’s mop vac function is indicated for area rugs, too.
Some Shark vacuums are equipped with a detachable canister that adds “lift-away” functionality to the machine. This is useful if you want to do a lot of above-floor cleaning, such as removing dust or debris from stairs, ceilings, and upholstery. Our best overall pick, the Shark NV360 Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Upright Vacuum, has a detachable canister that shark handheld vacuum makes quick work of cleaning stairs and upholstery. To make use of this feature, just remove the detachable pod, and carry it with you (or set it on the floor, like when you’re working up or down stairs). You can also find a motorized brush with some Shark models (like our pick for best upright, the Shark AZ1002 Apex Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum).
It comes with attachments (stored separately) so you can customize it when needed for cleaning crevices and dusting surfaces. Wet and dry vacuums are a relatively new thing, but if anyone knows how to do it right it’s carpet-cleaning experts Bissell. The first thing you notice is that the business end of the lightweight HF3 looks like a paint roller. Its foam brush-head is fed a constant stream of diluted cleaning fluid while it spins around, collecting dirt and grime from your floor before depositing it in the (small-ish) dirty water tank. From there we can calculate the percentage of dirt and debris pickup for every run and the average amount of soil a vacuum manages to remove. Additionally, we run anecdotal (visual) pet hair tests for each vacuum, on all three floor types to help us select the best cordless vacuum.