Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum System review

In recent years, the best vacuums have debuted features like automatic dirt detection, non-tangle brushrolls, and even wet-dry cleaning, all of which make it easier and more convenient to tidy up your home. Now, the latest innovation in the vacuuming world is self-emptying cordless models like the new Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum System, which are perfect for anyone who hates touching dirty, dusty debris collection bins.

This new cordless vacuum from Shark is packed with all the brand’s latest and greatest features, and thanks to its auto-emptying design, you’ll never have to worry about manually dealing with its dust bin. The same vacuum is available without the self-emptying base for $70 less, and is called the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum IP1251, but I was keen to get my hands on the self-emptying version. When you’re finished cleaning, you just put the vacuum back on its dock, and it will automatically empty into a large debris collection container in the base—similar to a self-emptying robot vacuum. This cordless model also has the brand’s PowerDetect technology, which uses sensors in the floorhead to sense dirt, flooring type, and more to optimize its cleaning performance. 

To see if this high-tech new cordless vacuum is worth the splurge, I tested it out for several weeks in my multi-pet home. It’s definitely a great cordless vacuum in terms of cleaning performance and overall convenience, but there are a few caveats you should know about before you buy. 

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Price and availability

The new Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum has an MSRP of $499, which is comparable to the brand’s other high-end cordless models like the Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum. This new model is available through the Shark website and is also $499 on Amazon. 

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Design

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The Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum comes with two main components: the vacuum itself and the self-emptying base. The vacuum has a fairly standard design for a cordless stick model, but after setting it up, I did notice that the top portion of the vacuum is quite substantial and a bit heavy to wield. The vacuum also can’t stand up on its own, so you have to lean it against something if you pause in the middle of cleaning. 

The vacuum has a power button on its display, but there’s also a trigger that lets you cycle through its three cleaning modes. The eco setting has the lowest suction and will maximize battery life, and the boost setting offers the highest suction and will drain the power more quickly. The default setting, however, is the unit’s signature PowerDetect, which uses the vacuum’s sensors to sense how much dirt is present and adjust the suction power to suit the task. 

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There are a few other design features worth noting on the Shark Cordless PowerDetect vacuum. There’s a button on the vacuum’s wand that unlocks a hinge in the middle, allowing the wand to bend and reach under low-profile furniture. Additionally, the floorhead has two brushrolls—one that’s fluffy and soft to capture fine debris, and another with stiff bristles to clean deep in carpeting. The vacuum also comes with two attachments—a crevice tool and multi-purpose dusting brush.

The vacuum’s self-emptying base has a fairly simple design. There’s a docking station where you place the vacuum for storage, and when you put the vacuum on it, it automatically sucks debris from the vacuum’s dust bin into the larger collection bin at the bottom of the base. The base’s dust collection chamber can hold up to 2 liters of debris, and it’s easy to remove and empty as needed. There’s also a toggle switch on the side of the base that lets you turn off self-emptying—useful if, for instance, you’re cleaning early in the morning and don’t want to disturb your family—and there’s also a spot for one of the brand’s odor-neutralizing cartridges, which helps cover up any unpleasant odors. 

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Performance

To see how the new Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum performs in different scenarios, I tested it for around two weeks before its release. I used it for a variety of tasks, from everyday cleaning in my multi-pet house to tackling different types of spilled debris. Here’s how it fared. 

Cleaning Hard Floors 

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I have a variety of flooring types in my home, from old hardwoods to linoleum tile, and I vacuum them several times a week to keep up with pet hair. When using the Cordless PowerDetect to clean, it automatically detects the type of flooring and sets the suction level accordingly—lower for hard floors and higher for carpeting. Despite using a lower level of power on hard floors, the vacuum still did a great job cleaning. It was able to suck up pet hair, dust, dirt, and cat litter with no problem, and its fluffy brushroll captured fine debris to keep it from scattering around the floor. 

That’s not the only sensor that the vacuum has, either. I quickly noticed that it also can tell when you’re cleaning along a wall, and there’s a light that turns on next to the edge. The vacuum can also tell when there’s a surplus of dirt or debris on the floor and will automatically boost the suction to make sure everything gets picked up. The brand also notes that the vacuum picks up debris while moving forward and reverse, but I didn’t notice any major difference from other vacuums I’ve tested. 

These sensors can be quite handy, as they automatically make power adjustments to optimize your cleaning. While using the vacuum, I rarely needed to adjust the suction manually, and it left my floors nice and clean after use. However, it’s worth noting that there’s one big downside to having all these sensors on the vacuum: You’re going to have to keep them clean. If the sensors get caked in dust, they won’t work properly, so the unit’s manual says to clean them off regularly. So while the technology is cool, it does create a little extra work for you in the long run.  

While cleaning around the house, I also found the smaller size of the vacuum’s floorhead to be convenient, as it was able to maneuver into hard-to-reach areas. It fit behind the tub in my bathroom and navigated easily around obstacles like houseplants, saving me from having to move things as often as I usually do with the full-size vacuum. 

 Cleaning Carpet 

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No matter how often I vacuum, it seems like there’s always dog and cat hair on my area rugs, and I wanted to see if this cordless vacuum could handle cleaning up my living room. When it turned it on, the vacuum automatically detected the rug and boosted its suction accordingly, and it did a good job picking up pet hair from the low-pile surface. It wasn’t quite as effective as my full-size vacuum, but after a few minutes of cleaning, the vacuum’s on-board dustbin was still filled up with clumps of hair. I was also impressed that none of the long strands ended up wrapped around the brushroll—a major plus for anyone who has long-haired pets. 

While cleaning my living room, I also tested out the vacuum’s flexible wand, which the brand calls its “MultiFLEX technology.” To engage it, you have to press a little button on the back of the wand, and you can then bend it to clean under low-profile furniture without bending over. It worked great for vacuuming underneath the sofas and media console, though it is a bit awkward to use at first. I was particularly impressed by its low clearance—it could reach underneath furniture that sits just a few inches off the floor. I’ve never had a vacuum that was able to clean in such tight areas. 

To test the vacuum on different types of debris, I also scattered some shelled peanuts, uncooked rice, and cat litter around the living room, including on the carpet and hardwoods. The vacuum was able to pick up debris of all sizes in just a single pass, and it never sent pieces flying across the floor. 

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Battery life

The brand claims that the Cordless PowerDetect can run for up to 70 minutes on eco mode per charge, and in my testing, I never ran out of battery power before I finished cleaning. I was able to tackle multiple rooms on PowerDetect mode, and I usually had at least 50% battery life left at the end of my cleaning sessions, which last about 30 minutes.

The battery does drain quite quickly on “Boost” mode—after just 5 minutes of cleaning on this setting, the battery was at 40%—so it should be used sparingly. In my experience, you generally don’t need to use it often, as the PowerDetect delivers plenty of suction for most everyday cleaning tasks.  

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Auto-Empty Base

The final aspect of the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum that’s worth discussing is its auto-emptying base. When you’re done cleaning, all you have to do is place the vacuum back on its dock, and the base uses strong suction power to pull all the debris out of the on-board dust bin. It’s loud when it empties, but it was (almost) always able to pull out all the debris, even when there were big clumps of pet hair. 

The only time I ran into issues was when I vacuumed up some debris from behind my washing machine that was slightly wet—it ended up drying on the inside of the dust bin, so I had to open it up manually and wipe everything out. It was slightly complicated to get the dust bin open, but I do like that the whole front comes off, making it easy to thoroughly clean the interior. 

It’s worth noting that the auto-empty feature only works when the vacuum’s wand and floorhead are attached. One time, I docked the vacuum with just the crevice tool attached, and it wasn’t heavy enough to trigger the self-empty cycle. 

When it’s time to empty the base, there’s a release button and handle that make it easy to lift up. It has a bagless design, so you simply hold it over the trash can and press a lever to flip open the bottom and dump out the debris. Just be sure to put it fairly deep into your trash to prevent dust from puffing out the sides—I typically empty it outside just to be safe. 

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Comparison

There are a number of other self-emptying cordless vacuums that you may want to consider as an alternative to the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum. The brand also has its Shark Cordless Detect Pro Auto-Empty System, which is slightly cheaper at $449.99 and offers the same dirt detection abilities. This model has less suction power, but it’s lighter in weight and has a HEPA filtration system.

The Samsung Bespoke Jet Cordless Stick Vacuum with Clean Station is another self-emptying model at a similar price point, retailing for $549.99. It offers a telescoping wand and washable dustbin, and its base has a sleek design that’s a bit more attractive for your home. It also uses bags to collect debris inside the base, making it quicker and cleaner to empty. However, it doesn’t have any dirt-detection sensors.  

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum review: Verdict

If you’re in the market for a powerful cordless vacuum that will make cleaning your home quicker and easier, the Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty Vacuum is a worthwhile option to consider. It boasts all the brand’s latest technology, including advanced dirt detection, a bending wand, and auto-empty base, and despite being packed to the brim with high-tech features, it’s reasonably priced at around $500. We were also impressed with the vacuum’s performance across different floor types, as well as the fact that it picks up debris both on the forward and backward pass. 

That said, there are a few caveats to keep in mind before you buy. The top-heavy design can become tiring during long cleaning sessions. Additionally, more sensors means more maintenance is needed—if you don’t take proper care of the high-tech unit, its features may stop working.