Do Shark make the best vacuums?
Mumsnet users love Shark vacuums for their performance, reliability, ability to blitz pet hair and - despite their often premium price tags - the fact that they offer great value for money. Reviewers and industry experts also agree, with Shark appliances regularly hitting the bestseller lists.
While the exact specifications will depend on the model, here are some of Shark’s standout features that make them stand out from the rest:
Anti-Hair Wrap: If you have long hair or a perpetually moulting pet, you will know the sheer devastation this can have on a vacuum cleaner roller. Shark’s impressive suction, combined with their Anti-Hair Wrap feature, works the hairs out of its rollers as it collects them, preventing them from getting tangled.
Lift-Away: Shark's Lift-Away feature means you can detach the canister from the wand, transforming it into a portable, handheld vacuum unit. This allows you to get to those high and hard-to-reach places and vacuum the stairs with ease.
Flexology: Flexology is a handy feature on some Shark stick vacuum cleaners. The wand bends with the click of a switch, allowing you to vacuum right under the sofa and low-level furniture without straining your back. This feature also means the vacuum can be folded up for easy storage.
Anti-allergen seals: Ideal for households with allergies or pets, these dustbins effectively seal in 99.9% of the smallest allergens, dust and particles, ensuring your home remains clean and hygienic.
Read next: Best wet and dry vacuums
Which is the best Shark vacuum cleaner?
When it comes to performance, we think you can’t beat the Shark Stratos range. For large households, the Shark Stratos XL Upright Vacuum Cleaner offers a large capacity and impressive suction power, while the Shark Stratos Cordless provides more freedom for smaller homes or everyday cleanups.
What should I consider when buying a Shark vacuum?
To choose the best Shark vacuum cleaner for your home, you should consider the following:
Bin capacity: A larger bin capacity means that you can clean for longer, but your vacuum may be heavier as a result. As a rule of thumb, cordless vacuum cleaners have a smaller bin capacity than corded models. Handheld vacuums also have a small bin capacity, which is why they're not suitable for big cleaning jobs.
Weight: Larger models may have more power and capacity than smaller ones, but they can be heavier and more difficult to move around. If you suffer from a bad back, arthritis, or mobility issues, you should consider a lightweight vacuum.
Charge and run time/cord reach: The cordless Shark Stratos on our list offers up to 60 minutes of run time after a full charge, but you're more likely to get around 30 minutes depending on what setting you use. If you don’t want to worry about battery life, a corded vacuum offers unlimited run time, though you’ll need to manage the power cable.
Price: Shark vacuum cleaners are generally cheaper than Dysons, but they can still set you back several hundred pounds. The latest models will cost more, but a mid or lower-range model can still be a good option and perform well. That said, many Mumsnetters argue that a quality vacuum cleaner is worth the investment.
How we chose the best Shark vacuums
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
Team Shark or Team Dyson? There is a lot of debate within the Mumsnet forums on the best vacuum cleaners, with many users sharing their hints and tips on the best appliances to tackle everything from pet hair to biscuit crumbs.
First, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users to get their feedback on their favourite upright and cordless Shark vacuums.
We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsnetters highlighted Shark vacuums that they felt were poor quality or didn’t offer good value for money.
Expert opinions
Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted cleaning industry experts. We want to be confident that the Shark vacuums we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning models or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those suggested by consumer champions.
Authentic consumer reviews
After that, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on major retailer sites such as Amazon, Argos, Shark and John Lewis to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.
Rigorous testing
To bring you our definitive list of the best Shark vacuum cleaners on the market, we also conducted our own hands-on testing. Mumsnet editor Poppy O'Neill and tester Tamsin put the Stratos XL and the Shark Handheld through their paces in real homes, assessing how they tackled everything from pet hair on the sofa to crumbs under the kitchen table. Each model we tested was scored on suction power, ease of use, ease of emptying and overall value for money.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in home and kitchen product reviews and buyer's guides. She has been writing parenting and consumer content for over a decade on her own site, Real Mum Reviews (founded in 2012), where she focuses on honest, practical advice for families.
At Mumsnet, Lucy draws on expert opinion, verified consumer feedback and in-depth research to create clear, reliable guides that help parents make confident purchase decisions. She has written extensively on floor care, including features on the best lightweight vacuums and best vacuums for pet hair, combining industry knowledge with insights from the Mumsnet community to highlight products that meet family needs.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust, and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.
Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents - the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.