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Shark Cordless Vacuum with PowerDetect Clean & Empty System review

Let’s face it: vacuuming isn’t exactly thrilling to most people. (However, most people aren’t me.) 

It’s a chore, a necessary evil in the fight against dust bunnies and dog hair tumbleweeds. But what if your vacuum could be not just powerful, but intelligent, freeing you from the tyranny of tangled cords and overflowing dustbins? 

Enter the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean anౠd Empty System, a mouthful of a name for a machine that promises to simplify your cleaning routine. 

First Impressions

Unboxing the Shark PowerDetect Clean and Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum was a breeze. When I first opened it up, I was met with a sleek, modern-looking machine that stylishly suggested, “I’m here to clean, and I mean business!” 

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Out of the box, the setup was as straightforward, and it came charged enough🐬 to give a spin around the house if need be, but ideally, it would be fully charged be🔴fore its down-and-dirty debut.

While the vacuum itself felt sturdy and well-built, and the attachments were pretty standard fare, its auto-empty dock was the selling piece of this magnificent cleaning machine. The auto-empty dock, which promises to be my new best friend in the🅘 war against touching gross dustbins, doubles as a charging base and is compact enough to tuck into a corner without being an eyesore, which is great for those of us who don’t prefer to display our cleaning tools as art. 

Sorry – they’ll never be art.

Performance and Experience

Now, onto the nitty-gritty of using this powerhouse. The Shark PowerDetect isn’t your run-of-the-mill cordless vacuum. I unleashed it on a gauntlet of household horrors: dog hair tumbleweeds, a Cheerio catastrophe, and the aftermath of a coffee ground disaster that would make a 6 p.m. Starbucks look as sterile as a surgeon’s table. 

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Even with all that power, the noise level is pretty standard for a stick vacuum – it won’t wake the neighbors, but it will startle a napping cat. It’s got four key features that set it apart, and let me tell you, they work as advertised.

Key Features

A close up of a vacuum cleaner
Barret Wertz

First, the DuoClean Detect nozzle. This fancy attachment is the heart of the Shark’s operation. It houses a combination of soft and hard bristles to tackle both carpets and hard floors effectively. Most vacuums push debris around when you pull back, leaving you with a frustrating game of “chase the dirt.” Not this one. Thanks to its multidirectional cleaning, it picks up debris whether you’re pushing forward or pulling back. It’s basically vacuum ambidexterity, and it’s a game-changer.

Next, the MultiFLEX arm. Picture this: You’re trying to clean under the couch, and instead of you straining your back to get there, your vacuum arm does all the work – no furniture rearranging required. The flexibility of this arm is impressive. It easily gets into tight spaces that usually require a bit of awkward bending, and at over 40 years old, sometimes I can feel tomorrow (and I know I’m not the only one). 

My only gripe? The arm doesn’t lock in place, which made me feel like it was a bit wobbly. It’s a minor issue, but it’s something I noticed.

RELATED: The best vacuum cleaners for cleaning your home this year: Tested and reviewed

A close up of a vacuum cleaner
Barret Wertz

Then there’s the Dirt Detect feature. Imagine a vacuum that’s smart enough to detect how dirty your floor is and adjust its pꦆower accordingly. That’s the technology used and exactly what this feature does.💖 As soon as it hits a particularly messy spot, you can literally hear the motor kick into high gear. This not only ensures thorough cleaning but also optimizes battery life by not going full throttle all the time. 

One thing to note is that there is no trigger button should you want to control this action yourself.  However, the vacuum can be switched to boost mode if you want full po🌌wer at all times or to eco mode if you do not want to use the Detect technologies and want to preserve battery.

After that, the Floor Detect feature. This vacuum seamlessly transitions from hardwood to carpet to linoleum to tile without missing a beat. There’s no need to switch settings, fiddle with buttons, or change brush heads; it just … gets it.

Lastly🐼, the Clean and Empty System. This docking station not only charges the vacuum but also automatically empties the dustbin into a large 2L capacity base after every cleaning session. This means no more dust clouds or dealing with a full canister – pure magic.

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The noise level is pretty standard for a stick vacuum – it won’t wake the neighbors, but it will startle a napping cat. And speaking of pets, this vacuum seems to have a vendetta against pet hair. The brush rolls stayed impressively clean throughout my testing, which is more than I can say for my last vacuum that turned into a hair scarf after one use.

Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System
Shark

Pros:

  • DuoClean Detect Nozzle: The ability to clean in both directions is revolutionary. No more pushing debris back and forth; it just gets picked up, plain and simple.
  • MultiFLEX Arm: This feature makes it so much easier to reach under furniture without having to move anything. Flexibility at its finest.
  • Dirt Detect: The smart suction adjustment is a lifesaver for both efficiency and battery life. It’s like having cruise control for your vacuum.
  • Auto-Empty Dock: The auto-emptying feature is a huge plus, especially for those with allergies. No more dust clouds when you’re trying to clean the canister.
  • Long Runtime: Up to 70 minutes of cleaning on a single charge is more than enough to tackle an entire house, even if you’re going for a deep clean.

Cons:

  • MultiFLEX Arm Stability: The arm doesn’t lock into place, which can make it feel a bit unsteady and may get worse over time.
  • Learning Curve: Some features, like opening the canister, aren’t immediately intuitive. You might need to consult the manual or risk making a mess the first time.

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Final Verdict

The Shark PowerDetect Clean and Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum is a top-tier cleaning machine that delivers on its promises at a pric🐎e below some of its biggest competitors. 

It’s packed with features that make cleaning easier, faster, and more efficient. The DuoClean Detect nozzle alone is worth the investment, making sure every pass counts, forward or backward. The Dirt Detect feature is like having a vacuum that thinks for you, adjusting power based on how dirty your floor is. And let’s not forget the Auto-Empty dock, which takes the hassle out of emptying the canister. 

Sure, there are a few 🌄minor drawbacks, like the MultiFLEX arm not locking and a slight learning curve with some features, but these are far outweighed by the positives, such as the impressive performance and convenience. 

This vacuum is ideal for anyone looking to make their cleaning routine less of a chore and more of a breeze🥀. Whether you have a🗹 house full of kids, pets, or just a lot of square footage, Post Wanted considers the Shark PowerDetect up to the task.

How We Tested

Close-up view of a vacuum device
Barret Wertz

We tested the Shark PowerDetect in our New York City studio and offices. We put it through its paces in a ty🏅pic𝔉al household environment, which included a mix of carpet, hardwood, and linoleum floors. 

We tested the vacuum’s performance in both standard and high-power modes, paying close attention to how the PowerDetect system adjusted to different levels of mess. We tested it on common household messes like pet hair, Cheerios, and coffee grounds in arguably uncommonly generous amounts. 

We also evaluated the effectiveness of the Edge Detect feature by running tꦬhe vacuum along baseboards and in corners. Throughout our testing, we paid attention to factors such as noise level, ease of use, and the effectiveness of the auto-empty dock. 

The MultiFLEX arm was🌺 put to the test by cleaning under furniture of various heights and in tight spaces. We timed the battery life to verify 🌸the claimed 70-minute runtime.

While our testing period was limited, we aimed to recreate a variety of cleaning scenarios that an average household might encounter. Our goal was to provide a comprehensive, real-world assessment of this vacuum’s capabilities and limitations.

Remember, your mileage may vary depending on your specific cleaning n🔴eeds and home environment. But based on our testing, the Sharജk PowerDetect Clean and Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum proves to be a formidable cleaning ally, ready to tackle whatever messes life throws your way.

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