The Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum is a great lightweight cleaning companion that won't break the bank

A trusted stalwart of the vacuum cleaner market with a reputation for producing some great vacuum cleaners, Shark is one of the leading names in floor care. It’s known for its innovative take on appliances, and the Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum is no different.

This cordless, bagless vacuum offers a different design to most of the best cordless vacuums around today. Instead of the usual handheld unit with a wand and floorhead attached, this model concentrates all of the weight lower down, so there’s less stress on your arms.

The main part of the vacuum sits just above the floorhead with a hose that connects it to the handle and wand, in a design that’s more akin to a plug-in upright vacuum. It retains all the versatility of a cordless vacuum, though, and this setup works well for overhead cleaning, too.

To bring you this thorough review, we put it through its paces in a real-life home environment. We tried it on hard floors, carpet, upholstery, and all around the home to see how well it picks up dust, hair, and dirt. We also checked out the battery life and how easy it is to use in all sorts of everyday scenarios. So read on for our take on whether this reasonably priced cordless vacuum will suit you and your home, and head to our guide to the best vacuum cleaners for more.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: Design

We wouldn’t say this is one of Shark’s best-looking vacuums; it lacks the streamlined sleek style that we see in some other designs. And though it’s a tad bulkier than we’ve come to expect from a cordless vacuum, we admit, that functionality is far more important than form so we can forgive the somewhat clunky appearance.

The handle features a display panel, and all the controls are conveniently placed here too. But we did find that when using it for longer periods of time, we had to keep repositioning our hands for comfort. If, like us, you’ve got small hands, you may find it uncomfortable if your grip is too close to the control panel for extended periods of time.

Shark hasn’t scrimped on the floorhead, which features its DuoClean PowerFins setup. It contains two brushrolls for deeper cleans, and the self-clean function stops hairs from tangling around the brush. Additionally, you’ll find LED lights on the front of the floorhead to illuminate poorly lit areas. 

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: Features and accessories

The Shark Vertex Pro comes with the following accessories: 

• Crevice tool
• Pet multi-tool
• Anti-allergen dusting brush

These accessories, unfortunately aren't stored on board the vacuum, which is a slight frustration. Nevertheless, the crevice tool is useful for reaching into narrow gaps, and the dusting brush means you can utilize the vacuum to rid hard surfaces of dust. The pet multi-tool is handy for upholstery as well as pet beds. 

The vacuum offers two main settings, carpet mode, and hard floor mode, and the control panel on the handle makes it quick and easy to switch between the two. What's more, you can choose between three suction levels: eco, deep clean, and boost. The display also shows the battery level percentage so you can see at a glance when it's running low.

It's a versatile cleaner that can be operated in one of several configurations, depending on what surface you're cleaning. Floors are cleaned easily in the upright vacuum cleaner mode. From here, you can detach the wand or just the handle for a speedy transition to overhead or above-floor cleaning while the vacuum pod remains attached to the floorhead. 

The main vacuum pod becomes portable in what Shark calls "powered lift-away mode." This allows you to carry the pod in one hand while using any combination of the tools, wand, or even the main floorhead. It means that for overhead cleaning, you don't have to hold the bulk of the vacuum above your head while you clean. And when cleaning other surfaces, such as sofas, you can rest it on the seat while you vacuum, making it a much easier task.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: Setup and assembly

We love that Shark vacuums come in completely recyclable cardboard and paper packaging. And while the vacuum does come disassembled, clipping all the various parts together is straightforward and logical. We didn’t really need to refer to the instruction manual, but should you need to, it does clearly indicate how to put the vacuum together.

The battery has to be charged before the first use, and this takes around 3.5 hours. It lifts straight out of the vacuum and charges in a cradle, or you can plug the cable directly into the battery. Either way, it means that, unlike some cordless vacuums, you won’t need to store the whole vacuum near a power outlet.

Getting to grips with how the vacuum works, the different configuration options, as well as the control panel didn’t take us long at all, as the process is very intuitive. The vacuum also comes with great instructions that include clear diagrams to help you out.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: Performance

When cleaning floors, the bottom-heavy design means the vacuum feels lightweight and maneuvers well around tight corners. That does mean that it’s bulky at the base, which stops it from reaching very far under low furniture. But by lifting the pod from the wand and holding it in one hand, you remove the bulk, and in this mode, it has excellent reach under low furniture.

We were impressed with the pick-up: the vacuum collected fine dust, larger debris, and pet hair from all surfaces. It was effective at collecting dirt alongside the baseboards and transitioned smoothly between floor types. What’s more, having the controls on the handle means adjusting the suction level is quick and easy. The self-cleaning brush roll worked a treat and stopped hairs from becoming tangled around it.

We measured the sound on different surfaces, and it was loudest on boost mode when cleaning the carpet, where it hit 78dB, which is similar to the noise level in a busy restaurant. But it’s only for short bursts so we didn’t find it offensive. Naturally, the lower the power, the quieter the vacuum.

Disassembling the vacuum to use it in the powered lift-away mode is really simple, though we’d have preferred if the small tools were stored on board the vacuum for easy access. Nevertheless, the ability to use it in so many different configurations is very convenient.

Having the pod in one hand while cleaning overhead with the other makes it far more comfortable than we’ve experienced with many other cordless vacuums. However when we used it for very high cleaning, the wand did start to feel heavy after prolonged use. Having said that, you can use it without the wand for areas that are easier to reach.

When vacuuming exclusively in boost mode, that battery lasted for just 11.5 minutes, so it’s best to utilize all the suction levels to prolong the battery during use. And though the selection of tools is useful, we’d have preferred if the US model was supplied with the mini motorized pet tool that comes with this vacuum if you buy it in the UK.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: Care and maintenance

The vacuum is freestanding, so you can store it either fully assembled in a closet or, if you need to squeeze it into a smaller space, you can store it disassembled. The easy-access removable battery has a handle on top so it can be removed before the vacuum is stored away, and you can charge it wherever you please. And although it’s only supplied with one battery, you can buy a second direct from Shark so that you always have a fully charged backup available.

The dustbin is compact, and it’ll need emptying regularly. During testing, we frequently had to manually pull out the dirt that got trapped inside due to tangled hair, making it quite a messy job.

The washable pre-motor filter needs rinsing monthly, whereas the post-motor HEPA only needs rinsing once a year. Both filters will need replacing after 2.5-3 years of use. All the filters are easy to access for cleaning and replacement.

Several replacement parts for the vacuum are available to buy from Shark, enabling you to prolong the life if anything breaks. Furthermore, the lengthy 5-year warranty covers manufacturing faults if you buy it from an authorized retailer.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: Price and availability

• $399.99 / £429.99 

Shark offers a range of cordless vacuums, and this one sits somewhere in the middle. It’s $100 cheaper than the most expensive. It’s the only cordless model from Shark that’s configured with the vacuum pod at the base rather than the handle, and as such, the various configuration options on offer with the powered lift-away function are unique.

The vacuum is available directly from Shark and Amazon as well as other large retailers such as Bed Bath & Beyond.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: User reviews

Its rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon illustrates that this vacuum is well-regarded by users. They love that “the weight is where it should be” at the base of the vacuum. One reviewer praises it for being “great for pet hair and long hair pickup no tangling noted,” and many comments on its good dust pick up.

While most people comment that “the battery lasts a long time,” some would prefer if it was supplied with a second battery. Many people also note the frustration that the tools aren’t stored on the vacuum and some wish it came with a better selection of tools.

Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum: What the experts say

Mallory Micetich, Home Expert at Angi, told us that “cordless vacuums are a great option for daily maintenance and have become popular thanks to their ease of use, distance range, and more modern designs. Most are upright, making them easy to store, and newer models have multi-functional configurations so you can easily switch from surface to surface.”

Mallory also thinks cordless vacuums are useful when it comes to cleaning “trouble areas, like stairs, but they might not do as thorough of a job as a plug-in vacuum cleaner would. Since they’re made to be compact, cordless vacuum cleaners usually have less suction power and limited battery life.”

Should you buy the Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum?

If you struggle to clean overhead with heavy cordless vacuums, the Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum is a good option thanks to the powered-lift away function, which means you don’t need to hold the main part of the vacuum up high.

This vacuum's dust collection is decent, and it’s reasonably priced with a lengthy warranty, so it’ll suit lots of people. Plus, the removable battery means you don’t need to find a spot next to a power outlet to store it. It won’t win any prizes for sleek looks and streamlined design, though, and emptying the dustbin can be messy.

How does the Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum compare to competitors?

The Shark Vertex Pro Cordless Vacuum is not as sleek or cool as something like the Dyson V15 Detect, it lacks the array of smart features such as the dust sensor and laser, but having said that, at under $400 it’s also nearly half the price. Plus, it’s not as weighty as the Dyson; additionally, adding a hose gives it added flexibility.

When compared to a budget vacuum like the Aspiron Cordless Vacuum, the Shark starts to look like an expensive option. However, it comes with the Shark vacuum pedigree, and it offers more accessories as well as better design and functionality.

But it’s only supplied with three small tools, and if you’re looking for a vacuum with a tool for every task, the Tineco Pure One S12 Pro EX is a good alternative. It’s a versatile cordless vacuum with an array of tools, but at closer to $700, it’s in a completely different price range.