According to Shark, this 16.5-inch stick is drawing 10.6 amps. This specific model, the WV201, is the second most powerful of Shark’s five handhelds. The Shark’s thin profile and gray color give it a futuristic edge much like the original Dustbuster. “Shark vacuums never disappoint us,” wrote one loyal fan. Small and lightweight, these vacuums are ideal for taking care of small spills and hard-to-reach, tricky, or high-up areas, whether that’s your kitchen drawers, the stars or even your car.
Those looking for equally impressive performance without the bells and whistles should snag the Shark Vertex instead, which offers similar features and price without the additional attachments. Shark Wandvacs have around 10 volts (nearly 11 volts) of power. The Shark UltraCyclone’s power is actually measured in watts (80 watts). We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that’s designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections. The Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit (which includes the battery and charger) is sold only through Home Depot and has gone out of stock at times, sometimes for several days or weeks.
In order to find the top performers, our expert Product Testing Team put five of their most popular models to the test. Two models didn’t make the cut, but the three that did offer show-stopping performance and dust busting abilities that wowed. In the car, on the stairs, under the couch — the number of places you can use a handheld vacuum goes on and on. These miniature versions of an upright vacuum are light enough for single-handed use but with the suction to get rid of messes in a flash.
Check your vacuum’s owner manual for specific instructions on cleaning the filter, and do this task as often as the manual recommends (PDF). In all of our picks, the filters (PDF) are washable (PDF). “Remember that the motor is trying to draw air to breathe through the filter. Clean the filters often, like at least every other use,” said Tom Gasko, vacuum-cleaner collector and repair specialist and owner of Mid Missouri Vacuum. We also had difficulties opening the dustbin during our testing and ended up showered with glitter. This vacuum does not come with a purpose-built pet-hair tool, but in our tests, its wiry brush tool did the job just fine.
The Shark Wandvac Cordless Handheld Vacuum and the Shark Wandvac Power Pet look snazzy and have decent suction, but we found their tiny bins frustrating. And the positioning of each model’s power button right below the bin-emptying button led to more than one instance of our testers accidentally emptying the bin. What the Ryobi 18V One+ Performance Hand Vacuum Kit lacks in appearance it makes up for in suction power, bin size, and versatility. Its three-year warranty is one of the strongest among the vacuums we tested. Keeping her multi-pet home clean is one of her more acceptable obsessions. Its relatively flat suction nozzle lets it seal pretty tightly against the ground.
It’s also better built, more effective on carpeted surfaces, and superior when capturing fine allergens, which is a handy addition for pet owners. Meanwhile, the BISSELL is superior when cleaning large areas of bare floor, as its corded design gives you an effectively unlimited runtime. Price is important too, but since most units are fairly shark stick vacuum affordable, the real talents of each vacuum are what matter. Under the spice cabinet was that beige, battery-powered wedge of a vacuum that everyone in America bought starting in 1979. Black & Decker made the cordless handheld vacuum a commodity, and in turn, made cleaning up small messes and hard-to-reach areas that much easier.