Shark Cordless PowerDetect Pro Auto-Empty: full in-home review

If you’re going to make a vacuum, it’s got to have a few tricks these days to stand out… with the new Shark Cordless PowerDetect Pro, it’s got a few… It can bend in half to reach awkward places, and it’s got eyes… kinda. With Detect in the name Shark says it’s able to sense dirt on the floors. So can it? It also empties itself so you never need to get your hands dirty and it’s both a full size cordless stick that also doubles as a handheld. And it’s got one more trick up its sleeve that helps it clean twice as thoroughly as any other vacuum… I’ll save that feature as a surprise coming up.

I’m putting it to the test here in my home. I’ll try it out on day to day vacuuming and put it through a range of special cleaning tests, including the toughest test I’ve ever devised… One that even the most powerful Dyson has failed. I’ll show you what it is about this vacuum kit that makes it special and then I’ll wrap things up with both the pros and cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this cordless stick vacuum to you.

I would like to say thank you to Shark for sending me this vacuum so I could try it out here in my home. Though the company has sent me the vacuum at no charge, it has not asked for or received permission to have any input into this review, and I got to test it out as I wanted to, so you can consider these thoughts my own.

Watch my full video review & shocking cleaning tests

Shark doesn’t come out and say it, but I believe this vacuum is meant to take on high end vacuum competitor Dyson. With a list of both helpful and interesting features, Shark is trying pretty hard, but Dyson has set the bar for cordless vacuums really, really high. So will this vacuum be able to take it on? We’ll find out in my tests.

Last October, I reviewed the Shark Cordless Detect Pro – an ambitious vacuum by one of Dyson’s fiercest competitors and it did its job in making short work of messes on hardwood floors and carpets. Dirt detection was a bit hit-or-miss for me though and in a world where most vacuums have some form of dirt sensing, Shark really needed to up their game. Shark’s new Cordless PowerDetect is a surprise return to form that maybe should have competitors worried.

About the Shark Cordless PowerDetect

The version I’m reviewing is cordless, not to be confused with its upright plug-in PowerDetect counterpart.

What’s in the Box

Unboxing the Shark Cordless PowerDetect is probably the most time-consuming aspect of this vacuum because it comes with several parts you need to assemble along with a few accessories. While it may look like a lot of confusing pieces, everything actually goes together easily.

Vacuum Components: Stick or handheld

The stick vacuum comes with three main components: the handheld vacuum component containing the motor and controls, Shark’s unique MultiFLEX Wand, and the main cleaner head. Even without getting into the accessories, you can already get a feel for Shark’s modular approach to its components.

You can attach the floor nozzle or any accessories directly to the handheld vacuum, effectively transforming the Cordless PowerDetect into a portable handheld vac, great for upholstery, the car or stairs.

Fully assembled, you can even stand the Shark Cordless PowerDetect up by itself and it won’t fall over.

Vacuum Accessories

Like most stick/handheld vacuum hybrids, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect comes with a 2-in-1 crevice and brush tool. Switching from crevice to brush mode is as simple as sliding the brush to the crevice edge until it clicks into place.

You also get a pet multi-tool for hand vacuuming upholstery. The pet brush is semi-stiff and actually pretty genius and does a really good job of combing pet hair from upholstered fabrics so the vacuum can suck it up. Already this is one of my favourite attachments.

Charging Dock Components

The vacuum’s charging dock requires a bit of easy assembly: just slide the charging post into the opening until you hear that satisfying click.

Then twist in the odour neutralizer which also comes free with every Shark Cordless PowerDetect purchase. You may optionally attach the included accessory storage section on either side of the base so you have a spot to place all your accessories. Setting up the charging dock involves sliding the charging post into the exposed tube until you hear that satisfying click.

Features

Sensors Galore!

Shark Cordless PowerDetect boasts numerous sensors that automatically trigger certain vacuum actions. Some of these you’ll notice at work while others do their job in the background.

Shark refined the dirt detection feature to work far better in sensing highly dirty areas and properly responding by increasing the suction power. The Cordless PowerDetect also features sensors on each side of the floor nozzle to detect edges so the vacuum can pull in and suck up dirt in those narrower spots.

The neat thing about these sensors is how the vacuum’s built-in lights respond in real time. Powering on the vacuum feels like starting a car where the lights on your dashboard switch on as well as the taillights and the Shark Cordless PowerDetect has a similar feel.

Let’s take a look at how this works on one of my dedicated cleaning tests. I always run vacuums through the same paces; I spill different things like cornmeal, oats, and cracker pieces on both carpet and hard floors to see how much the vacuum can pick up.

The cleaning power and suction on this vacuum is wildly impressive. It picked up absolutely anything and everything I could throw at it, from finer flour to bigger bits and even rollier things like rice. Its performance was equally outstanding on both hard floors and carpets and rugs.

This is the type of vacuum that leaves a noticeable line of clean where it has been compared to where it’s going.

With the Shark Cordless PowerDetect, whenever the sensor detects dirt, not only does the info screen show a dark purple indicator, but the back lights on the floor nozzle turn dark purple too giving a satisfying visual of what the sensors are seeing. Even the edge detect feature intelligently lights up the side of the vacuum close to the edge.

Unlike some other vacuums I have tried which say they have dirt detection but all you’re really getting is a bit of a light show, the dirt detection of the Shark Cordless PowerDetect seems to actually work and work well, and I was constantly seeing purple on dirtier areas and then return to normal on tidier spaces.

Carpet boost & floor identification

The sensor near the roller brush can also distinguish hardwood floors from carpet which not only causes the vacuum to augment suction power, but brush roller speed as well! This is quite remarkable and also works incredibly well. Particularly on plusher rugs you can both hear and feel the suction kick in. Even on flatter rugs like Ruggables, the machine appears able to detect the surface and really power dust and dirt from it.

I will also give one more shout out here to Shark: I’ve been finding with more and more stick vacuums that they are unable to vacuum neither plusher nor flatter rugs without getting the rug fibres tangled in their rollers and shutting the whole thing down.

But this device, there was no catching or pulling, and I was able to vacuum all of my rugs, very deeply, without any problems.

Lastly, the Cordless PowerDetect comes equipped with light sensors which automatically illuminate the area when you approach a dimmer area. I’m quite shocked Shark didn’t jump on the bandwagon and straight up call this AI like every other manufacturer seems to be doing even when it’s not really AI, but the sensors truly add to the intelligence aspect here in a non-gimmicky way.

Cleans in TWO Directions : DuoClean Detect Nozzle

Earlier I talked about this vacuum having a feature that helps it clean twice as effectively. Shark calls this ‘DuoClean’. To explain what it does, you have to understand how most vacuums work. They really only are able to pick up dirt with the roller brush when pushed forward. That’s because the brush spins in just one direction to push debris into the cleaner head where the suction brings it up.

But if you look underneath the floor nozzle of the Shark Cordless PowerDetect, you’ll find a fancy black and teal striped removable roller brush and a second fixed solid teal brush. Both rollers allow the Shark Cordless PowerDetect to collect dirt while vacuuming BOTH forward and reverse which essentially means twice the cleaning power in every pass which has the further effect of cutting your total cleaning time.

You aren’t necessarily going to see this in action, and that’s because the vacuum already does a pretty amazing job at inhaling everything on its first forward pass, but it should mean fewer wayward crumbs that mean you have to go over an area repeatedly.

The floor nozzle also features integrated combs for each roller brush to prevent hair from ever tangling them.

Customizable Modes

The “trigger” button on the vacuum is responsible for changing vacuum modes. For starters, I would leave the Detect Mode on as it enables the use of all sensors. But if for some reason you want to maximize battery life or go all out with its suction capabilities, you may switch to the Eco or Boost modes.

Agile With Some Flexing

Despite the vacuum’s bionic and potentially bulky appearance, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect is surprisingly agile and turning and pivoting feel smooth.

But for vacuuming underneath furniture, the Shark vacuum can perform a secret flexing trick. Just press the button on the vacuum’s joint to allow the bottom part of the wand to bend allowing you to push the floor nozzle under a tight spot, without you needing to bend over.

This feature is incredibly effective and works really well. And saves you having to lean or bend and stoop.

There is one thing I noticed with this vacuum and that’s if you accidentally lock the main cleaner head into its 90° storage position while you’re using it, it will automatically shut the vacuum off. During my testing I was constantly doing this accidentally and having to unlock and restart it again.

Powerful Auto-Empty Charging Dock

The included charging dock has tricks of its own and you can try them out as soon as you finish vacuuming.

Think of this dock as a vacuum of its own, suctioning the dirt from the cordless stick’s onboard dustbin, and sealing it away in a larger bagless dustbin protected by a HEPA filter to ensure dust won’t leach out.

When the bigger bin on the dock is full, just press the release button to remove it and then hold it over a trash can and release the lower door to dump it.

I have to say after using this vacuum for a few days, I was pretty shocked at the volume of overall dirt and dog hair it had inhaled from our house.

If you installed the odour neutralizer, every time the auto empty sequence happens, you may get a whiff of pleasant scent. The odour neutralizer isn’t overwhelmingly scented, but it does have the effect of making the air around the charging and emptying dock smell a little less musty and dusty every time you go through the emptying process.

Shark sells odour neutralizer refills separately in case you need a replacement.

The vacuum auto empties itself each time you return it to the docking station, but if you don’t want it to happen that often or you need to keep the noise down, you can switch the dock to “Quiet Mode” and it’ll just shut off the auto emptying until you reenable it.

Class Leading Runtime

If you thought all the sensors in this vacuum were all about the dirt detection, it turns out they also have a hand in helping it run longer. The sensors help manage the PowerDetect’s suction power more efficiently by not working too hard on a clean area or, keeping the lights off in a brighter area.

Intelligently maxing the suction power on tougher messes also helps with efficiency as the vacuum will finish the job faster and dial back the speed when finished.

With this unique combination of sensors, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect ends up lasting far longer than most other vacuums. With 70 minutes of average runtime, you might get days or even weeks of cleaning without needing a full recharge depending on how frequently you want to vacuum.

Of course because the vacuum is meant to stay on its charging and emptying base, it should always be ready for you with a full charge.

Maintenance

All the convenience the Shark Cordless PowerDirect brings to the table comes with occasional maintenance responsibilities to ensure the vacuum remains at peak performance even after its impressive 5-year limited warranty.

The handheld vacuum houses its own HEPA filter and foam filters which you should wash from time to time to avoid ever needing a replacement. Since accessing these parts requires removing the dust canister, you might as well give that a good rinse too. The charging station’s HEPA filter is hidden beneath a door behind the dock while the exhaust foam filters are located underneath the dustbin. Shark also recommends you clean each of the sensors with a microfiber cloth for optimal Detect Mode performance.

Overall Thoughts: Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System

Overall, I have to say I’ve been blown away by not just the features of this vacuum but it’s effectiveness. I’m going to come right out and say this vacuum could definitely be the Dyson killer Shark is hoping it would be. Let’s go over the pros and cons so you can see why this might be my new favourite cordless vacuum.

On the pro side, you’re getting a lot with this package including the auto emptying and charging base, a very versatile vacuum that doubles as both a stick and a handheld, and some incredibly advanced technology.

With duo direction cleaning it picks up more dirt in a single pass, and I absolutely love how it bends in half to make vacuuming under furniture and beds incredibly easy. The carpet boost works wonders too.

When it does its emptying, I appreciate the odour reducing puck that adds a touch of gentle freshness to each empty, and I’ve been incredibly shocked at the sheer amount of dirt this vacuum has been picking up each time I dump the bin. Plus with a bagless design, there’s no need to purchase any extra accessories.

I’m also a huge fan of the fact I can use this on any type of rugs and it’s not going to jam the rollers and stall the vacuum.

It goes without saying the cleaning power of this vacuum is top-notch and I would put it up against the most powerful and expensive vacuums on the market today and say this one can beat them all.

What are the downsides?

It’s really hard to find any major faults with this device. There’s nothing that came out in my testing that seems like a misstep or an error.

I suppose the things that might be a concern for people are the large size of the base station which is quite tall.

I also kept accidentally locking the cleaner head into its storage position and inadvertently shutting the vacuum down as a result. The more I used the vacuum the less this happened so perhaps this is not so much a con as it is just something to get used to.

In short I think this is one of the best cordless stick vacuums I’ve tried in years and if you’re trying to decide between this one and a Dyson, I can confidently say save the money on the Dyson and get this one. You won’t be disappointed at all.

The Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty System sells for about $499 USD / $628 CAD and you can save about $70 USD by getting the vacuum without the dock, but you do miss out on the convenience.