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I usually dread the weekend after New Years Eve as I know I have a weekend of heavy cleaning.
This year was a little different, as we decided to change our old cordless vacuum with a new one.
We had been considering buying a new vacuum for a while. We have had the Dyson V11 cordless which cost around £300 in the sale about six years ago and costs around £429 at the moment.
Newer Dyson’s, like the V16 Piston Animal, will set you back over £700, while some of Samsung’s latest vacuums, such as the Bespoke Jet AI Ultra, can cost even more still.
I felt we needed a cordless (we have 3 floors) with a stronger suction, with the dog hair and human hair becoming a bit of an issue.
I have been following the influencer Mrs Hinch for a while and she has always raved about her Shark vacuum and she also has a dog. I was sold, as she doesn’t plug anything she hasn’t tried a thousand times.
The Shark Stratos made cleaning up after the Christmas festivities a real breeze
Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Pet Pro cordless vacuum
What we love
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DesignLots of accessories, lightweight
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PerformancePowerful suction that cleans brilliantly
Verdict
After being an avid Dyson user for nearly six years, I am now #teamshark. The design and the suction of the Shark Stratos won me over. There was nothing that didn’t come up spotlessly clean. I definitely think the vacuum suction is better than my now old Dyson and the light helps my ageing eyes enormously.
The attachments are all so easy to use and switch in an out without any trouble at all. Two batteries was also a game changer as one is charging while the other is being used – I’d definitely recommend getting this version over the single battery model.
There is nothing I didn’t like and even the batteries clip in and out so easily. If I’m honest, I never changed the battery on the Dyson once as I always got it wrong so my husband ended up doing.
If you’re considering a Shark vacuum but aren’t sure if the Stratos is quite right for you, our team of tests has also reviewed the Shark PowerPro Cordless and the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Upright corded, both of which received rave reviews.
How we test
When testing vacuums, I use every setting and clean every type of surface with the different attachments. I have also used on the stairs and got a really deep clean, which doesn’t normally happen with the Dyson.
The wooden floors, carpets and rugs were all vacuumed within an inch of their lives. I especially love the booster programme and would happily keep it on that setting the whole time.
I tested every attachment and setting on the Shark Stratos
I also tested the noise levels. Usually the dog walks out of the room when I am using the vacuum but she didn’t move and stayed sleeping in her bed, so that was a really good sign that should live with regular sound of the vacuum.
Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Pet Pro cordless vacuum review
First impressions
I got the Shark Stratos Pet Pro cordless vacuum just before Christmas. There is always so much mess and foot traffic at this time of year, so I wanted to be prepared for a tough cleaner.
As well as dog hair, we also have a human hair issue as both my daughter and I have extremely think hair which seems to clog up every vacuum we have bought , so as this was also Anti Hair wrap so felt like it had been designed especially for our family.
I had also requested the Shark StainForce Cordless Spot Cleaner for one of my Christmas presents, it was £169.99 when my husband purchased. This product has also changed our lives – you can read more about it in our full Shark StainForce review.
The Shark Stratos Pet model comes with plenty of attachments for cleaning the whole home
We have a dog who has recently started to have accidents in the house due to her age and after watching another cleaning influencer’s page when she was using it to clean her stained sofas and I was sold. It comes with a spray and a really neat caddy to store everything away neatly. This gets 5 stars from me.
Our carpets and rugs are now stain free so worth every penny and is such a great gadget, as I also cleaned the stairs and my daughter’s bedroom carpet and every single mark vanished straight away. It was so impressive and is in a handy caddy holder, so the spray and the cleaner are all kept together in one little unit.
Design
The Shark Stratos vacuum arrived and was very well packaged and to the joy of my husband came with two batteries, so one can be charging while the other one is being used, and are interchangeable. He pointed out that the Dyson only came with one battery.
The vacuum itself doesn’t take up much room and when not being used folds done to half the size which would be great for people with very little storage. This wins me over even before I have used it.
The whole design is really well thought out and has attachments for every form of cleaning and it’s not too heavy either, which is always a good sign.
Performance
The dreaded day loomed but I started by cleaning down the backs of the sofas where stray food always seems to land, plus all the cushions with the perfect small attachment for upholstery – and it worked brilliantly. Nothing escaped as the suction was really powerful and nothing was left behind.
I removed all the decorations off the tree and then before putting away vacuumed the inside of the tree bag, plus the tree itself, which if you think about it must get quite dusty.
Vacuuming my Christmas storage boxes was a breeze
I stupidly broke a few broken baubles and felt like it was going to put the Shark Stratos to the test but it handled it brilliantly and didn’t struggle at all which really surprised me.
We moved the sofa, which had a few surprises that were quickly dealt with and vacuumed the rugs, the light REALLY helps to see where needs cleaning, especially under one of our sofas, which has a gap and seemed to have collected so much dust and dirt – I’ll blame that on the dog. I don’t know why every vacuum doesn’t have a light, it’s life-changing!
My sofa is now spotless
The rug under the dining room table can get really dirty with food and drink being spilt but between the Shark Stratos and the Shark Stainforce, they all came up as good as new.
After the decorations came down and the room was cleaned within in an inch of its life, it actually felt as if we had had professional cleaners in. The carpets and rugs were spotless as were the sofas. The decorations were put away cleaner than when they came down and everything sparkled.
It felt like I’d had professional cleaners in after testing the Stratos
We had managed to FILL the clear cannister by just deep cleaning the living room and if I had to give it a number out of 10 it would be 10.
I would say the same for the Shark Stainforce cleaner, which I believe no house should be without either.
Value for money
We vacuum most days, I am not happy unless my house is spotless to the point where it looks as if no one lives there, so spending £479.99 (£299.99 on sale) for peace of mind is definitely worth every penny.
It feels like it should cost a lot more than it does.
Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Pet Pro cordless vacuum
How does it rate online
On Shark’s website, the Stratos Pet model with dual batteries gets a solid 4.4/5. It is generally well reviewed with customers saying they like how easy it is to use and that it folds down to be quite small when not in use. Negative reviews seem to focus on battery life, with some saying it doesn’t last that long on more powerful modes.
Why trust us
Our team of expert reviewers have been testing products for decades. Whether it’s home and garden appliances (like vacuums) or fashion, beauty and tech, our collective experiences means we’re able to bring real world testing and comparisons to all our reviews. All of this ensures we’re able to help our readers make informed buying decisions.
FAQS
How does the Shark Stratos compare to Dyson?
The Shark felt a little heavier but felt like it was doing a more robust job which is what I really need with three different floor types in my house. The Dyson is now in the garage and I’ve happily moved over to Shark in the house.
Read more about how well Dyson shapes up against Shark in our dedicated Shark vs Dyson piece.
