This is the most innovative vacuum of the decade - I can’t keep it secret any more

I sat down with Shark’s design team to hear all about their latest vacuum. It’s an incredible feat of design and will make your vacuuming easier, quicker, and more thorough than ever before. Here are the details.

Shark’s models are hailed as some of the best vacuums on the market. Plenty are even trading in their beloved Dysons for the less expensive Shark alternatives . With the launch of the PowerDetect Vacuum Cleaner , I’m more than tempted to make the switch myself.

I had the pleasure of testing this before it was officially launched and keeping it secret has been a tough two weeks. Every time I pick up my vacuum at home, I find myself daydreaming of the clever features built into the Shark's new model.

So, how are they disrupting the vacuum market? Where can you buy one, and how much will they cost? I have the answers to all of your questions — and more.

What have Shark launched?

Shark have released more than just one PowerDetect Vacuum, in fact, they've released over twenty new products across the Shark Clean, Shark Beauty, Ninja Kitchen, and Ninja Outdoor range as part of IFA Berlin 2024. There's a lot of innovation that's gone into all of the products, but the one that I'm most excited about (and the one you won't regret welcoming into your home is the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum.

More information about the most innovative vacuum of the decade

Vacuums are getting smarter, smaller, and slicker by the week, so to cause a stir in the market takes more than just some pretty colours. On paper, it’s easy to see that Shark has more than achieved the desired stir in the market. They’ve packed the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum with innovative features and functions.

“We wanted a cordless vacuum that could really be a rival for upright vacuums, so we set to work designing this,” says the Shark design team. “What we’ve ended up making is a cordless vacuum that’s not only better than an upright vacuum, it’s better than cordless vacuums and all other models on the market too.” It sounds like a bold claim to make, but I have to agree. I’ve tested over forty vacuums, from the SEBO ones used by professional carpet cleaners to the ever-famous Dyson. After taking the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum for a spin, I'm excited to vacuum, which isn't something that I say lightly. Here are the main features that I think you’ll want to know about:

1. You can vacuum in any direction

Admittedly, I haven’t been dragging my vacuum in all directions when I clean the house, but I always notice little lines and bits of build-up, especially for a spill like flour. This is because, technically, vacuums can only work when you’re pushing them forward. Or, at least, they used to only work when you pushed them forward.

Shark’s design team have built a special flexible fin layer that they're calling DirectionDetect. It lets you push and pull the vacuum in all directions and it’ll pick up all the dirt off your floor. This means you can half your vacuuming time (Shark says that you'll get 40% faster debris pick up), because every time you pull the vacuum back towards you, it’ll be doing work.

2. It always deep cleans corners

Cleaning the corners and edges of your floor is often a task for a hand tool and some sweat. However, Shark have decided that you shouldn't need to be on your hands and knees for jobs like that. Their floor head detects contact with edges and increases the vacuuming strength on the side that is close to the crevices at the side of your floor head, so you don’t get any debris left in the corners. You’ll see the floor head light up on the side that’s working hardest. It’s very clever.

Talking of lighting up, the floor head lights can tell you some other things about your vacuuming too. They will change colour depending on how clean your floor is, automatically detecting dust particles and cleaning them up. You get a visual indication that your floor is clean and good to go. It might sound like one of those gimmicks that don’t end up working, but I tested this out and it’s actually really impressive and very satisfying too. I wish all vacuums were like this.

If you're wondering what part of the name this is, it falls under Shark's DuoClean Detect name. You get two brush rolls with multiple sensors. They're really neat.

3. It's the best at emptying dust and dirt

Emptying the vacuum is my least favourite task, not least because it’s when dust gets kicked up into the air, undoing all my hard work. Shark has seen to that issue with two smart features.

First, the vacuum compacts dirt into a more dense block. “This means that things don’t fly around when this empties, which is great for people who suffer from allergies,” says the Shark team. According to their research, it captures and traps 99.9% of dust and allergens, which they call the anti-allergen complete seal. The dense block even self-empties into the bin, so you really don’t need to lift a finger. Who knew vacuuming could get glam?

4. The floorhead is much smaller

I struggle to store all my floorheads neatly away, but Shark have come up with a solution. The team said that “lots of people put the motor in the floorhead, but they don’t think about positioning. We decided to incorporate it into other parts, meaning that this is almost half the size, but the same, impressive power.” It’s no lighter than the bigger floorhead, which I actually think is a good sign. It shows that all the same technology really has been packed into one accessory.

5. There's even a toddler mode

Shark wanted this vacuum to cover all of your home needs, so they’ve created a mode where this looks like a toy, toddler vacuum. The best use for this is cleaning your car, but it’s also great for cupboards and tight spaces. “When we were testing this out with customers, we didn’t expect them to have their kids do the vacuuming, but little ones love doing things like that. The Shark looks like a toy, but works like a real vacuum, so, whilst we’re not encouraging you to get the kids and grandchildren to do chores around the home, if they enjoy it, you both win.” It’s a piece of marketing genius.

There are plenty of subtle, signature Shark features, such as the main wand, which has a flexible middle for vacuuming under sofas. You can use this to subtly stand the vacuum in a corner when it’s charging, or for stowing it away in a cupboard. I’ve put the specifications below, so you can check out the numbers, if that’s your kind of language.

What else is out there?

Given that Shark aren’t asking a huge amount of money, I can’t think of a more desirable vacuum on the market right now. Normally, I would give you some alternative suggestions — and I will — but there isn’t anything that comes close to the features of this.

Shark PowerDetect Powered Lift-Away Upright Pet Vacuum Cleaner

This is also part of the smart range. If you love a corded, upright vacuum, this is a great option. It's reasonably priced and just as effective too.

Shark ICZ300UKT Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

If you liked the look of the upright, this is an older, cheaper model. Don't let that mislead you though, our expert tester, Molly said "this is still as good as the day it was released." The fact that it's cordless is hard to believe, It's so powerful.

Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum

Another release from Shark's new smart range, this robot vacuum will become your cleaner. It's an independent entity in and of itself.

Dyson V15 Detect

While I've said that the Shark is tempting me away from Dyson, it never hurts to dabble. The V15 offers some impressive features, including some smart laser technology. Now, they've even added a mop attachment.

Hoover H-Upright 300 Pets

The best vacuums for pet hair are hard to come by, but this is a trusty model. It's less than £150, lightweight, and didn't struggle on dog or pet hair. It's a little basic, but it does a brilliant job of cleaning pet mess.

Vax Evolve Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner

All of that looks and sounds great, but if you're looking for a budget option, you can't go wrong here. It's got an impressive capacity and, whilst you might not get all the frills, you'll get a bargain of a vacuum.

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I've had a little play around with the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum, but I'm set to test it as soon as it's available. When I do, I'll update you with a proper review of it. Expect me to be very smug with my cleaning efforts.