With so many types of vacuum on the market, from cordless and cylinder to upright and handheld, it can be tricky to figure out which one is right for your home. And getting it wrong can prove a costly mistake. Here’s what you need to know before you hand over your cash …
The pet-friendly house
If you’re a pet owner, it’s particularly important to keep on top of the cleaning since pet hair can trigger allergies (allergens from the pet’s saliva are deposited in the hair from grooming). And those thick black hairs on the sofa aren’t too visually appealing either no matter how much you love your pet.
Investing in a powerful vacuum cleaner with serious suction is a must for pet owners. The Shark Stratos upright range and cordless versions boast Shark’slatest hair pickup, with an Anti Hair Wrap Plus floorhead that helps remove hair from the vac’s rollers, meaning you don’t need to untangle afterwards.
The specialist pet model also comes with dedicated tools designed to remove embedded hair from upholstery and what’s called Anti-Odour technology, to protect against bad odours inside the vacuum. You just insert the cartridge system and rotate to select an intensity setting, tackling those familiar dog and cat smells from hair, dust and dander (dead skin).
The busy household
Always on the go? If your front door feels like a revolving one, a cordless vac could be the saviour you didn’t know your family needed. Research shows we spend on average two years of our life cleaning our homes but in busy homes, a quick vacuum as and when it’s needed is usually more realistic than the prospect of deep-cleaning for hours on end.
The sensors in the Shark Stratos cordless automatically detect dirt that’s difficult to see (the kind teenagers might wilfully ignore on chore day …) and adjust cleaning power to suit, to collect up to 50%* more dirt. It’s perfect for ensuring everyone does their bit and bedrooms stay clean – just make sure they charge the battery afterwards.
Small, cosy homes
Getting into small spaces and awkward nooks can be tough with large, bulky vacuum cleaners and it’s easy to get impatient when you’ve knocked into a table leg one too many times. The key is finding a vacuum specially designed to reach those tricky spots. Shark’s Stratos cordless range is packed with smart technologies to make deep cleaning easier, such as the flexible wand that bends to reach and clean underneath low-lying furniture at the touch of a button. It’s great for grabbing dirt and hair you’d ordinarily have to move large furniture to reach. A vacuum that doesn’t take up too much room is another blessing – this version neatly folds down for compact storage and charging, instead of becoming just another thing to trip over.
Generous spaces
If you’d describe your home as “generously sized”, keeping it spick and span might feel like a never-ending task. Large homes with different floor types (a mix of carpets, wood floors and tiles, for example) need a vacuum that can work its magic on each and every surface without too much fuss. The Stratos upright vacuums and the cordless options allow you to glide from carpets to hard floors seamlessly, thanks to their DuoClean floorheads (switch between floor settings in the upright version via the LCD display – there’s no changing of heads).
Two motorised brushes work together in one floorhead – one cleaning deep into carpets, with the other drawing in debris and dust from hard floors. The upright model’s eight-metre power cord means shifting between rooms while plugged in is easy and the double battery cordless option delivers up to an impressive 120 minutes of run-time**, meaning you’re unlikely to run out of charge halfway through and give up (just me?).
The Stratos upright vacuum, meanwhile, can be transformed into a portable vacuum, thanks to its detachable pod. Use it on stairs with ease – or to quickly blitz crumbs from car interiors.
*Versus Shark IZ400 in Eco mode.
**When using two batteries consecutively in Eco power mode, with non-motorised tool.
Find out more about the Shark Stratos range and see Shark’s advanced new technologies in action
