Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give them a report card. (Check out all of our tried-and-tested faves here.)
The assignment…
See whether the Shark® Cordless Detect Pro™ actually deep cleans a whole home, has plenty of run time, and makes vacuuming more convenient with its auto-empty base.
What I tested…
The Cordless Detect Pro™ ($499) is Shark’s smartest vacuum ever, designed to detect dirt, clean every surface, and be lighter and easier to use than other vacuums. Its base also automatically empties and charges the vacuum while docked, so it’s always ready for the next clean. Sounds too good to be true.
Straight A’s in…
Maneuverability. The vacuum has great swivel-ability (it’s a word now, roll with it), so I could reach up to, under, and around just about everything. I even tried it out allll the way under my bed, and was able to get it parallel to the ground — we’re talking fully horizontal — to reach where no vacuum has gone before. Plus, it’s so lightweight I was able to clean my entire apartment during a heatwave without breaking a sweat. Incredible.
Battery life. I cleaned my whole apartment in one go multiple times, and it made it through each with charge to spare. It has 60 minutes of runtime, and since I put it in the dock whenever I finished, it was always fully charged when I needed it next.
Cleaning power. The most important part: This vacuum really did its job. I have a dog who sheds on everything, everywhere, all the time, and while it didn’t stop the shedding, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to looking like he doesn’t live with me — in a good way. It picked up his hair on all of my surfaces including tile, hardwood, and both my low pile and woven rugs. Plus, it picked up dirt, crumbs, flour, and human hair, all with no problem. I also used the handheld attachment on my window sills, couch cushions, and TV stand, and it left all of them spotless and crumb-less.
Smart features. The power on its own was impressive, but the smart cleaning features really put it over the top when it came to getting a deep clean. This vacuum has four different cleaning technologies to detect and react to hidden dirt, different floor types, edges, and low-light areas, which meant I could reach every nook and cranny — and get a more thorough clean — without having to adjust any settings.
Works best for…
Anyone who has pets, partners, kids, or visitors that track in messes of any kind.
Someone who wants to make it as easy as possible for others in their household to participate in cleaning — because it should be a team sport.
Those who are about to host for the holidays, and want to make pre- and post-hosting cleanup as easy as possible.
Busy people who want to spend less time maintaining their vacuum and dealing with dust while getting their cleaning done quicker and protecting their family. Aka all of us.
Gets extra credit for…
The auto-emptying and auto-charging base. I can’t emphasize this enough: It empties itself, which means I never had to wrestle with a dust bag, or attempt to pop out — and inevitably spill — a full dust canister. TL;DR, I didn’t feel like I needed to vacuum under my vacuum after I vacuumed, and that was a win. The fact that it's always charged and ready for the next clean was a major win, too.
The self-cleaning brush roll. This thing picked up pet hair without getting clogged or just redistributing it around the house. Plus, hair wrap is real, and if you’ve ever had to prop your vacuum up and untangle a brush tied up in seemingly endless strands, you’ll understand how helpful this feature is.
LED lights. I didn’t know I needed to see into every crack and crevice, but having these spaces automatically lit up made it easier to see where I had already cleaned, and what needed a little more attention.
AUTO mode. The battery life was a definite win for getting everything clean in one shot (if I have to stop mid-clean to charge, the rest of that clean might not be happening today), and the auto feature helps optimize battery life so it can run for longer.
How we did our homework…
I used the vacuum daily for over a week. I even baked and hosted friends to be sure there’d be plenty of mess to clean up. I took special note of how it handled different surfaces, what it picked up, how long the battery lasted, and how well the auto-charging and auto-empty worked. My floors and surfaces looked clean after use, and the vacuum didn’t seem to leave particles of any size behind. I was particularly impressed by how well it got into corners and under furniture since I’d usually have to bring out a different broom or duster for smaller, tighter spaces. I docked the vacuum after each use so it could empty and recharge, which it did without a hitch every time.
Footnotes…
Shark® Cordless Detect Pro™, $499
The auto-empty system produces 1000x less dust exposure versus traditional emptying.
The HEPA filtration and anti-allergen complete seal captures and traps over 99.97%* of dust and allergens.
An order includes the cordless stick vacuum, 2L auto-empty charging dock, odor neutralizer puck, lithium-ion battery, 8" crevice tool, and pet-multi tool.
*Based on ASTMF1977, down to .3 microns.
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