The 12 Best Shark Vacuums, Including Cordless, Upright, and Robot Models

Best Shark Vacuum Under $150

Shark Navigator Freestyle Cordless Vacuum

$160 $130 at Amazon $160 at Wayfair $130 at Home Depot

Most upright vacuums are heavy and cumbersome, but not the Shark Navigator Freestyle — a cord-free version of the regular Shark Navigator. This affordable upright vacuum has a battery-powered design, making it quick and easy to move between rooms, and it weighs less than 8 pounds. In our testing, we loved its swivel steering and easy-to-empty dustbin, and we found that it does a superior job picking up pet hair from both carpeting and hard floors. 

The Navigator Freestyle has a two-speed brushroll, and it comes with a convenient charging stand for docking when it’s not in use. We think this lightweight upright is ideal for small-to-medium-sized homes, and if you're looking for a vacuum under $200, you can’t beat its reasonable price.

Type: Cordless upright | Dimensions: 9.6 x 10.5 x 46 inches | Weight: 7.5 pounds | Runtime: Not listed, but we were able to clean for 15 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: 0.64 quarts

Most Powerful Shark Vacuum

Shark POWERDETECT Vacuum with TruePet Upgrade

$400 at Wayfair $500 at Sharkclean.com $400 at Chewy

The PowerDetect, Shark’s newest upright vacuum, offers some of the most powerful suction you’ll find — while we were cleaning, it was able to pull hair into its floorhead from several inches away! Even on thick carpeting, the vacuum only needed two or three passes to pick up debris of all sizes.

While it is hefty, we found the PowerDetect was balanced and easy to drive, especially thanks to its self-propelled design. Plus, unlike the Stratos, this model also automatically detects the floor type and amount of debris and adjusts its suction power accordingly for a deeper clean. Our only major complaint is that several long hairs did get wrapped around the brushroll and needed to be cut off.

Type: Corded upright | Dimensions: 12 x 15.12 x 46.18 inches | Weight: 17.57 pounds | Runtime: Unlimited | Dustbin Capacity: 2.02 quarts

Best Cordless Stick Shark Vacuum

Shark Vertex Cordless Stick Vacuum

$430 $338 at Amazon $362 at Walmart $430 at Sharkclean.com

Cordless stick vacuums are popular cleaning tools for smaller homes or supplemental cleaning, and while Shark offers a few different models, our favorite was the Shark Vertex DuoClean. This battery-powered vacuum excelled in our testing, picking up a wide range of debris with ease thanks to its powerful suction. Plus, we found that the vacuum was extremely easy to maneuver, practically driving itself across the floor.

This battery-powered vacuum can run for up to 50 minutes on its lowest setting, and it has a handy flexible wand that makes it easy to clean under furniture. You can remove the wand portion of the vacuum to transform it into a handheld model, and it comes with a crevice tool, pet multi-tool, and dusting brush for increased versatility.

Type: Cordless stick | Dimensions: 15.35 x 10.24 x 47.05 inches | Weight: 8.93 pounds | Runtime: 50 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: 0.34 quarts

Best Upright Shark Vacuum

Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum

$480 at Target $353 at Wayfair $480 at Best Buy

Upright vacuums are one of the most popular styles for deep cleaning, and if you don’t mind its higher price, the Shark Stratos offers powerful suction that can pick up any type of debris in just one or two passes. While this was one of the heavier vacuums we tested, it was still easy to maneuver thanks to its balanced design and swiveling floorhead.

The Stratos was able to tackle all types of debris across both hard floors and carpeting, and its self-cleaning brushroll never got tangled with long strands of hair. It also stands apart from other upright models thanks to its “Powered Lift-Away” mode, which lets you detach the canister while still operating the floorhead, making it easy to clean under low-profile furniture. 

Type: Corded upright | Dimensions: 12.2 x 11.02 x 46.46 inches | Weight: 17.2 pounds | Runtime: Unlimited | Dustbin Capacity: 1.48 quarts

Best Upright Shark Vacuum (Cheaper)

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe Vacuum

$220 $150 at Amazon $200 $190 at Target $150 at Wayfair

If you want a slightly more affordable upright option, the Shark Navigator Lift-Away was another top-performing model in our testing. As its name suggests, the body can be removed from the brush head, making it easier to carry if you need to vacuum stairs or other hard-to-reach areas.

While testing, we found that the Navigator is effective at picking up debris of all sizes on both hard floors and carpeting, and we liked that you can turn the brushroll on or off, depending on the surface you’re cleaning. However, unlike many other Shark vacuums, the Navigator doesn’t have a self-cleaning brushroll, and pet hair did get wrapped up in it during our tests.

Type: Corded upright | Dimensions: 45.5 x 11.4 x 14.9 inches | Weight: 15.9 pounds | Runtime: Unlimited | Dustbin Capacity: 0.9 quarts

Best Robot Shark Vacuum

Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop

$700 $450 at Amazon $700 at Target View on Sharkclean.com

You can embrace hands-free cleaning with the Shark 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop Robot. While it is fairly expensive, this robot vacuum is extremely effective — it creates a map of your home, allowing you to label each specific room and create no-go zones, as well. In testing, the vacuum was able to pick up all sorts of debris with no problems, and its convenient self-empty base means that there’s very little maintenance needed. 

However, this robot doesn’t just vacuum — it also has a mopping ability, which was surprisingly effective in our tests. The robot actually vacuums and mops simultaneously, and we found that after mopping, our floor looked just as clean as if we had used a steam mop. The only downside is that the vacuum must be manually emptied when using the mopping attachment — it isn’t able to self-empty into the base.

Type: Robot vacuum and mop | Dimensions: 21.4 x 14.96 x 5.69 inches | Weight: 14.5 pounds | Runtime: 120 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: 0.26 gallons

Best Handheld Shark Vacuum

Shark UltraCyclone Pro Cordless Handheld Vacuum

$80 at Amazon $102 at Walmart $80 at Wayfair

For cleaning up quick spills or vacuuming out your car, the UltraCyclone Pro was the best-performing handheld vacuum we tested from the brand. We were really impressed by this vacuum’s strong suction, which was able to pick up even large debris like raisins, and one of the best features was its extra-large dustbin, which didn’t need to be emptied as often as other handheld vacuums.

While the brand doesn’t specifically list a runtime for this vacuum, we found that it generally lasts between 12-18 minutes per charge. We particularly liked this vacuum’s crevice tool, which was ideal for cleaning out tight cracks between car seats, but the nozzle did occasionally get stuck to the fabric when we tried to clean the seat upholstery.

Type: Cordless handheld | Dimensions: 4.3 x 3.8 Inches x 20.8 inches | Weight: 2.2 pounds | Runtime: Not listed | Dustbin Capacity: 0.45 quarts

Best Shark Vacuum for Pet Hair

Shark Pet Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum

$300 at Target $179 at Walmart $350 at Wayfair

If you’re tired of dragging out a full-size vacuum to suck up pet hair every few days, the Shark Pet Pro is a great option for your home. The battery-powered model has an impressive runtime of 50 minutes, and in our testing, we found that it could often last more than an hour without losing suction. Its main cleaner head has a self-cleaning brushroll that prevents pet hair from getting tangled.

In testing, we found that this pet hair vacuum is extremely easy to maneuver around carpeting and hard floors, and its light weight makes it easy to carry around, too. The Pet Pro’s dustbin offers no-touch emptying, and the cleaner head has LED headlights to help illuminate hidden dust and debris for a more thorough clean.

Type: Cordless stick | Dimensions: 7.09 x 10.24 x 46.09 inches | Weight: 6.92 pounds | Runtime: 50 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: Not listed

Best Shark Vacuum-Mop Combo

Shark Vacmop Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum

$100 at Amazon $98 at Walmart $100 at Wayfair

If you're looking for a good wet-dry vacuum, the Shark Vacmop Pro is a versatile tool to add to your cleaning arsenal. This lightweight cordless vacuum doubles as a spray mop, allowing you to pick up debris and scrub stains at the same time.

The beauty of this vacuum is that it’s only 3 pounds, making it easy to carry around your house. You do have to hold a button to activate the vacuum’s suction, but it’s mostly designed for supplementary cleaning. When you’re finished cleaning, the mopping pads can be ejected without you having to touch the dirt and grime.

Type: Cordless wet-dry | Dimensions: 5.4 x 9.5 x 28.3 inches | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Runtime: 20 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: Not listed

Best Lightweight Shark Vacuum

Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum

$500 at Wayfair $500 at Home Depot $500 at Sharkclean.com

The Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum is packed with unique features that make it easier and more convenient to use. During testing, we loved that its “Clean Sense IQ” automatically detected dirt and adjusted the suction level accordingly, and it also has a light that lets you know when your floors are fully clean — this feature worked best on hardwood floors. 

The vacuum’s cordless design is lightweight and quiet during operation, even on its highest suction setting, and its swivel head and bending wand make it easy to clean around obstacles and under furniture. However, debris did get stuck in the dustbin, so make sure not to overfill it while you’re cleaning.

Type: Cordless stick | Dimensions: 13.78 x 10.24 x 51.18 inches | Weight: 8.9 pounds | Runtime: 60 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: 0.72 quarts

Best Self-Emptying Shark Vacuum

Shark Clean & Empty Stick Vacuum

$350 $300 at Amazon $300 at Chewy $350 $300 at Kohls.com

The new Shark Clean and Empty comes with a special docking station that automatically sucks debris out of the vacuum’s dustbin, saving you from having to empty it after use. This cordless vacuum is fairly light and comfortable to operate for long periods, and even after several minutes of cleaning, its battery was still at 100 percent. We used it to clean medium-pile carpeting, hard floors, and a pet bed, and it typically picked up the vast majority of debris in just one pass.

This cordless model offers three suction settings, and it's quiet to use on the lowest option. However, we did notice that the base’s debris collection bin isn’t very large, and you’d likely need to empty it every four or five uses.

Type: Cordless stick | Dimensions: 14.69 x 10.43 x 43.5 inches | Weight: 12.3 pounds | Runtime: 40 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: Not listed

Best Shark Vacuum for Hardwood Floors

Shark Vertex Pro Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum

$437 at Amazon $450 at Staples $450 at Sharkclean.com

Of all the Shark models we tested, the Vertex Pro was a top performer on hard flooring. It was able to pick up all the debris with just one pass, sucking up all the particles without pushing them around the floor thanks to its soft brush roller. It also performs well on thinner carpeting, and we love that the vacuum can stand upright on its own. 

The Vertex Pro offers several other features that make cleaning easy. Its wand bends in the middle to reach under low-profile furniture. It has LED headlights and multiple suction settings, but unfortunately, the brushroll got extremely tangled with long hair, so it may not be the best choice for homes with pets. 

Type: Cordless stick | Dimensions: 10.24 x 14.7 x 46.5 inches | Weight: 8.82 pounds | Runtime: 60 minutes | Dustbin Capacity: 1 quart