Shark Detect Pro Review: A Convenient Cordless Stick Vacuum With Strong Cleaning Performance

Introduction

The Shark Detect Pro is a new auto-emptying cordless stick vacuum designed for everyday cleaning. It combines a well-balanced weight, exceptional maneuverability, auto-detect power suction modes, and a self-cleaning base station, making it an ideal option for quick and convenient tidying. There are a few drawbacks to keep in mind, including a bit too much flex on the extension wand and a fairly small debris collection bin. Despite these minor issues, if you are looking for a vacuum with enhanced visibility and great performance, this is a strong choice.

Who the Shark Detect Pro Is For

The Shark Detect Pro is best suited for people who want a cordless stick vacuum that handles routine cleaning without much fuss. Its lightweight and well-balanced design offers a wide range of motion, and at no point during testing did it feel restricted in handling. The auto-detect feature optimizes cleaning performance by delivering powerful suction and high roller speed when needed across multiple surfaces, while lowering suction power when it is not necessary. This makes it a practical pick for homes with a mix of hardwood, low pile carpet, and high pile carpet.

The base station also reduces the time spent emptying the dust bin manually. With its auto-emptying feature and mountable charging station, the vacuum docks and empties itself, so you can forget about handling the collection bin after each use. This convenience makes it especially appealing for busy households that prefer a low-maintenance cleaning routine.

Main Strengths

The Shark Detect Pro delivers excellent cleaning performance across most floor types. In debris testing, it removed 95.8% of all debris by weight, which is only 0.6% less than the average of 96.4% based on all debris tests. On hardwood, the vacuum showcased fantastic performance, effortlessly collecting 99.1% of all debris by weight. Low pile carpet was not an issue either, with the vacuum removing 94.9% of debris by weight. High pile carpet also performed well, with the boost suction mode pulling a majority of the debris out within two passes.

The vacuum also excelled in pet hair removal, removing 100% of pet hair by weight in testing, which is 1.0% more than the average of 99.0%. No pet hair was found tangled in the roller. Edge cleaning was strong as well, with the vacuum removing 92.9% of debris by weight when pushed against the wall. The sealed system test showed the Shark Detect Pro was completely sealed, ensuring dust and debris stay inside the vacuum rather than spreading around the home.

Cleaning Performance Across Floor Types

The Shark Detect Pro had exceptional cleaning performance across all floor types in testing. It was able to capture virtually all debris on the forward pass and then collected the remaining debris and hair on a backward pass. On hardwood, the powerful suction and cleaning head effortlessly collected 99.1% of all debris by weight. The only minor issue observed was with cereal, where the head broke it into smaller pieces, which may require a second or third pass to fully remove.

Low pile carpet was not an issue for the Detect Pro. During testing, the vacuum traversed the testing area with exceptional performance in debris collection, removing 94.9% of debris by weight. This is 2.2% less than the average of 97.1% based on all tests to date. High pile carpet was again not an issue, with the boost suction mode pulling a majority of the debris out of the carpet within two passes. The debris that caused the most difficulty was sugar, with 0.1 ounces remaining out of the half ounce initially poured into the testing area. This is likely due to the small sugar grains falling too deep into the carpet for the vacuum to remove.

Usability and Maintenance

The Shark Detect Pro received exceptional scoring in usability, thanks to its self-emptying feature, maneuverability, odor neutralizer, and convenient auto-detect feature. The self-emptying feature is by far the most convenient aspect of the vacuum. It allows the user to dock and forget about emptying the collection bin. The base station held all the debris used in testing, plus additional debris from general use around the office and studio.

The vacuum also comes with an odor neutralizer on the base station. This odor pod helps keep unwanted odors at a minimum. The auto-detect feature optimizes cleaning performance by giving powerful suction and high roller speed when needed across multiple surfaces, but otherwise lowering suction power when it is not needed. The estimated yearly maintenance cost is $30, and daily maintenance has been significantly reduced with the addition of the base station.

Things to Consider Before Buying

There are a few trade-offs to keep in mind with the Shark Detect Pro. Long hair tends to tangle easily around the roller. In testing, 47.0% of hair strands were tangled by weight, which is 32.8% more than the average of 14.2% based on all long hair tests to date. This could be a concern for households with longer hair.

The vacuum also comes with a fairly small debris collection bin. During testing, this may require frequent trips to the base station to empty it. The extension wand also wobbles and flexes when pushing the vacuum back and forth, especially on carpet. This is likely caused by thin plastic connection points, and after repeated use, this could become an issue if the plastic wears out and flexes too much. The build quality is not the absolute highest seen in cordless vacuums, but it is not bad by any stretch.

Buying Advice

The Shark Detect Pro is a great option if you are looking for a moderately priced vacuum with improved usability and excellent cleaning performance. It offers exceptional usability and low maintenance as a cordless stick vacuum, thanks to the base station that automatically empties debris, provides a place to store the vacuum, and handles charging. Cleaning performance is excellent across most tests, with the vacuum removing the majority of debris and all of the pet hair.

However, the runtime is worth noting. In testing, the vacuum had a run time of 29 minutes on the lowest power mode, which is 30 minutes less than the average 59-minute runtime based on all runtime tests to date. The vacuum also generated 83.3 dB of noise on max suction power, which is louder than the average of 74.8 dB. For best performance and noise levels, using the auto-detect feature is recommended, as it allows the vacuum to reduce noise and suction when the level of performance is not necessarily needed.

Conclusion

The Shark Detect Pro is a well-rounded cordless stick vacuum that excels at everyday cleaning. Its self-emptying base station, auto-detect suction, and strong debris pickup make it a convenient and effective choice for most homes. The main drawbacks, including the flexible extension wand, small debris bin, and shorter runtime, are minor when weighed against the overall performance and usability. If you value convenience and strong cleaning results, the Shark Detect Pro is a solid investment.