Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum with Clean Sense IQ and Odor Neutralizer, MultiFlex Wand, Includes Crevice Tool & Anti-Allergen Brush, Up To 60 Minute Runtime, Ash Purple, IZ862H

This vac is pretty awesome. It is lighter than I expected. Some said that it was heavy at the top, which is because the battery is mounted there. Instead of trying to hold it up, I let it rest on my hand and move it around. The vac does a great job on hard floors, as it has two types of rollers - one is with the "blades" and the other is a microfiber material, which means it not only picks up debris, it also sweeps and cleans the dust that has settled on the floor. It also will pick up when moving forward and reverse. Some cordless vacs only pick up when moving forward. It passes the Cheerios test, and picks up crunchy cat food on the floor with ease. This vac has 3 settings - high and low, and then the Clean Sense, which allows the vac to determine which speed and power is needed. On hard floors, I let the Clean Sense do its job and by doing so, the battery lasts longer. I also will start with the auto feature in the rooms with carpet, but sometimes I will notch it up to "high" to get a little deeper into the carpet. Initially, I was concerned that the battery would not last throughout the house, but it does for the most part. Once I have run through the house, I dump the collection bin, fold up the vac for storage and then I plug in the battery charger to top it back off. I never put it up without charging it fully again. After it fully recharges, I unplug the charger from the vac. The folding feature of the vac is a great way to store the vac, though I worry about the plastic tubing being bent up 180 degrees. Based on some reviews about the folding feature breaking something in that area, I am very careful when folding it up. It also is still confusing which button I press to fold up versus opening the bin to dump out the contents. So far, I have not accidentally dumped the container by pushing the wrong button. I'm still learning a month into it. I like the odor neutralizer, as it leaves behind a pleasant smell. I am very sensitive to fragrances and the little cartridge that comes with the vac smells really good. My house has a fresh smell after vacuuming. You can dial in the amount of fragrance to be released, and I have it on low. It will also last longer the lower the setting used. I also note that there are replacement cartridges from other sellers for this vac, so I will not worry about using this one up without replacing it. This does not replace my Rainbow vacuum, but it sure is a heck of an easier way to keep the floors tidy. I also have the robot vac by the same manufacturer and sadly it is not getting used as much now that I have this cordless stick. With this stick, I can spontaneously decide to clean up the floors, but the robot requires me to go all around the house picking up everything small enough to get the robot stuck. I also have a handheld cordless vac by another company and I occasionally use it instead of the hand vac on this vac. This vac comes with two attachments - one for dusting and one is a crevice tool. I so far I have not utilized either one, but the dusting tool has microfiber all around it, so I am excited to try dusting next. So, overall I am pleased with this purchase. I will need to use this over time to report back on the durability and quality of the build to fully conclude the value. If this vac dies on me, you can be sure I will immediately revise my rating, since this was a luxury purchase for me and I expect it to hold up. But, for now this is a welcome addition to my home.

I didn't realize how bad my last vacuum was until I say the dirt it left behind. The vacuum is not as strong as my 20 yr old Kirby plug-in but it serves a different function. The Kirby weighs 30 lbs, big, bulky, and awkward center of gravity (I have stairs). The Kirby is also tethered to an electrical outlet by a cord that is always in the path and has to be coiled. The Shark is lightweight and easily used and put away and fits my stairs perfectly. I use the Shark 80% of the time. The battery does not last 60 minutes it is more like 35-40 minutes but that is 2-3 times longer than my current battery operated. It has a detachable battery so you can buy additional batteries to fit any home size. I still rated it 5 stars because from Consumer Report 35-40 minutes is normal and what i expected. It appears to be sturdy and well built but, I don't know about its durability and longevity over time yet. My opinion may change in the future but for now I am satisfied with my purchase and pleasantly surprised by the product. My sister has a Dyson and in comparison I like the Shark better.

Final note: Vacuum folding hinge broke today, same one I complained about previously, rendering it completely useless and broken. Lasted barely 2 years. New New note: I have recently discovered that the front roller continually collects hair between it and the vacuum head, picture attached of the clump found. New note: Critical design flaw in dirt sensing system, see pictures, when running the vacuum will randomly go full power and stay there. This is caused by hair getting stuck on the sensor as pictured. Due to the design of the sensor this happens consistently multiple times a battery. It doesn't have to be a lot of hair like in the picture either a single strand will break the vacuum sensing system. If you have this issue make sure this spot is clean, it's the very top connection before the canister. Original review: After using this vacuum *a lot* (having a medium coat Malamute, I have to vacuum near daily due to the shedding) I can say that I mostly like it but there is one very glaring issue that I see becoming a problem long term. The middle joint where the vacuum folds in half, or where it bends to be used to get under furniture (a feature that is *extremely* useful), is very weak and needs to be redesigned. The joint wobbles a ton and does not feel strong at all, it has significant play and has had it since brand new. This joint is under quite a bit of stress especially when using it unlocked to get under furniture and should *not* have been made of plastic, but it is.

First, my thoughts on the "Multiflex" feature: Pros: - It is easy enough to control with the hinge unlocked and can get under furniture that most vacuums cant without needing to bend over. This works very well. - It folds to be quite small and can be stowed easily. Cons: - It cannot stand upright on its own unless it is folded. This can be a minor nuisance if you want to pause mid-clean. In summary: It's not a gimmick. I find myself using this feature regularly and it works as advertised. Next, the battery: Pros: - Nothing in particular Cons: - Battery life leaves something to be desired, but it does vary on usage type. - Spare batteries are not readily available, and are very expensive. - No charging dock, just a lame wall wart. - Recharge time is 3 hours. In summary: With 60 minutes of runtime (at best, often less), 3 hours of charge time, and no convenient or affordable way to keep a fresh battery or two to swap to, this is a big downside that makes this vacuum poorly suited for whole house cleaning. Now for the "Clean Sense IQ": Pros: - Seems to do a good job of detecting and adjusting the power level - Display is useful for telling how much dirt remains embedded in rugs. Cons: - Only two modes of manual control, Eco of Full Power, but I haven't found myself needing to use the manual modes much. In summary: Not a gimmick either. More manual control wouldn't hurt, but it gets the job done. The "Duo Clean" rollers: Pros: - Seamlessly switching between hard floor and carpet/rug cleaning with no adjustments or parts swapping. - Does a good job of avoiding tangles, although I don't need to deal with very long hair. I mainly need to deal with endless pet hair and dirt/dust from a large dog. It handles both easily. - Slightly buffs hard floors. It won't replace mopping, but maybe you'll get away with doing it a little less often? Cons: - None so far In summary: Not a gimmick. Not much more to say. The Odor Neutralizer: Pros: - None Cons: - Another unnecessary consumable item In summary: A gimmick. Does it work... Maybe? But what problem is this actually solving? This is a lazy attempt to get people to buy $15 cartridge refills for a pointless feature. That said, you can safely ignore it I guess. Noise and Suction: Pros: - Suction is very strong. - Eco is pretty quiet. Cons: - Full power is pretty loud. In summary: Were it not for the short battery life, this vacuum could be strong enough to replace most upright wired vacuums. The dustbin: Pros: - Seals properly and holds the dust. What more can we expect? - Empties easily (also a con though, see below). Cons: - Projectile launches dust and debris, which can leave a cloud of dust. Only open it directly into your trash can, and perhaps consider doing so outside. - Very small, but that is perhaps to be expected of this type of vacuum. In summary: Not the strongest feature of the unit, but its par for the course. Attachments: Haven't used them yet, but the under appliance wand and dust brush seem nifty. Otherwise it looks standard fare. Does not include any way to store and organize these accessories though. Other thoughts: My unit had minor cosmetic flaws like some chipped/rubbed off paint. The unit softly locks in the upright position, which disables the rollers. This happens often when using the unit, and you need to pop it back into the unlocked position to continue cleaning. This is meant for when the unit is folded and stored to keep it from falling over, but it interferes with use and is a minor nuisance. TLDR: It is not perfect, but seems very good where it counts based on initial experiences. The biggest flaw is the battery life, but for smaller tasks it is a powerhouse. With a bit more polish and refinement this could be a perfect product, but it is still a solid option for it's category.

This vacuum has exceeded my expectations and is the easiest to use of all the ones I’ve ever had in my lifetime. It’s lightweight, easy to change out attachments, I love the light for sweeping under beds or tables or the sofa, and it’s super easy to empty and keep clean. From hardwoods to carpet, it’s the best for all surfaces. I am super impressed with how it senses dirt level and automatically increases suction, or that I can increase it when cleaning in crevices, drawers, light fixtures, or along baseboards. I especially love being able to vacuum stairs without cords or bulky machines. I’ve had many different types of vacuums in my lifetime and this is the best. Our adult children laugh at me because I keep repeating how much I like cleaning now.

This Shark vacuum leaves my older Shark in the dust. We get a lot of spruce needles tracked in. The older, bigger, heavier Shark is having trouble picking them up from our wood floors. The Stratos makes short work of them. It is amazingly powerful, much lighter and more maneuverable than the old one. It weighs only about eight pounds so is easy to carry up the stairs. I have been using it on both floors, and cannot believe how much dust and dirt came out of the rugs that had been swept with the older vacuum. The flex capability makes it easy to store. Although the battery needs to be charged frequently, I find this a minor inconvenience compared to dealing with an electrical cord. Stratos is definitely an upgrade.

I've waited several months to really form my opinion about this vacuum because I genuinely wanted to like it. I previously had a cordless Dyson that was pretty old and the battery life on it just couldn't last anymore than 30m on the lowest suction setting. With new Dysons being $700+ at the cheapest that was a hard pass. I thought this one would be a fantastic alternative.... WELL I was wrong. As a mom of littles the vacuum gets A LOT of use. I find the thing so annoying.. like who designed this?! The folding feature to prevent you from putting holes in the wall has just become another barrier to vacuuming.. I bend down and have to unfold the vacuum before use every time. The suction? Meh. It's great if you have a light load for it to vacuum up but with the amount of crumbs, dirt, leaves, etc. that are coming into the house the auto-adjust suction sucks. If you have to put it up to high suction the battery drains QUICKLY. Oh and charging the dang thing? You're options are to either store it near a wall outlet so it can stay plugged in when not in use or somehow remember to pull the battery out after each use and plug it in on the kitchen counter to charge. And the attachments? Yeah stored in a separate place because there's no central storage area near the vacuum so I have to go find the attachments in a separate cabinet and go through the clunkiness of changing them. Overall, it's a fine vacuum and it gets the job done but if you're a busy mom or just a frequent vacuumer in general the extra time spent with all these awkward, non-ergonomic "features" all in the name of being proud not to put a hole in the wall are just annoying. Oh and the scented air-freshner added to the vacuum is gross. We rarely use scented products (kids eczema) and out the gate that thing is super strong smelling. One month into using it and it just smells like you're intentionally trying to cover a bad smell. The vacuum doesn't work if remove it so that's fun. I find myself reaching for my giant chunky corded old school vacuum far more frequently because it's no slower than this cordless vacuum and at least I'm not on a time crunch for the battery dying. Really wishing I had just spent the mortgage on a Dyson instead of wasting the money on this thing.

My girlfriend looked over at me one day and said "baby, for Christmas I want a Dyson." I blinked twice and immediately started googling reviews and pricing, marveling at how ridiculously expensive they are. This Shark, however, kept cropping up in the reviews, and was consistently as good or better than the Dyson flagship model, but for less than half the price (I bought it on sale here for $300 and that's a steal). It has all the features, all the functions, and all the doodads. I figured, hey, it's Amazon so if it sucks (or I should say if it doesn't suck) I can send it back. I received it, set it up, and vacuumed my house. Wow. What a difference good suction makes in your life. I've never experienced anything like it - it literally changes how much suction to apply based on a whole series of sensors that tell it exactly what you need. It goes from gentle suction to gloc gloc 5000 instantly with its smart function, all you have to do is lean back and enjoy. Another neat feature of the bendy arm. You reach around easily and go right under furniture without really having to bend over or lean over uncomfortably. It's a feature I didn't know I needed until I tried it. Really really functional. It also detaches from the long portion to provide compact suction for hard to reach places, or your car, for example. It only comes with a couple of attachments but honestly that's ok - they're both useful attachments and there's nothing I haven't been able to clean with this unit. It's very light, very handy, and a phenomenal bargain. I highly recommend it!!!

Works like they say

Heavier than Dyson Stick. Need repetitive passes to pick up crumbs from kitchen floor. When debris detected, the motor kicks into high gear. Dust container easy to open and clean out. Very solid appliance.