The Clean+Wash Hygiene is the second in Dyson's hard floor cleaner line. Like its range-mate, the Dyson WashG1, it stands out for not using suction at all, but instead harnessing a mixture of 'agitation, hydration and separation' to get your hard floors squeaky clean.
The absence of suction means this cleaner is significantly lighter than most true wet-dry vacuums, and it also means it can operate relatively quietly. On test, I couldn't see a compromise in performance, either: I was very impressed with how effectively the Clean+Wash Hygiene picked up all kinds of messes, including chunky particles like oats, using just its cleverly designed roller.
Liquid waste is separated from solid, and one USP here is that all the waste is stored in the floorhead itself. Dyson says this is good news for longevity, because there are no pipes to get grimy or blocked up. I did find the emptying process a little fiddly, and the floorhead was drippier than other hard floor cleaners I've used.
There's a self-clean cycle that runs fresh water through the system. It will likely require you to empty the dirty water tank and refill the clean one mid-cycle, but otherwise it's effective at removing dirt from the roller. Dyson has also added hot air drying here – it's noisy but again, effective. Even after the muckiest of cleaning task, my roller looked good-as-new afterwards.
Bar some minor quibbles, I was impressed with this cleaner. Whether it's worth the asking price is another thing – I've tested some of the best wet-and-dry vacuums on the market, and there's little that stands out as truly exceptional here, unfortunately.
That's the short version; read on for my full Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene review.
The Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene went on sale in the UK in December 2025, at a list price of £429.99. It's due to become available in the US and in Australia in 2026, but I don't have any specifics or pricing yet – based on UK pricing, it might be around $600 / AU$850.
That's in the premium band for a hard floor cleaner, and although the build quality is excellent and plenty of thought has clearly gone into the design, I don't think it does quite enough to justify the price tag. For that kind of money I'd expect to see the option of suction, and special features like dirt detection, automatic adjustment, and even foam / steam functions.
Value for money score: 3 out of 5
Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene specs
Cleaner size (H x L x W):
43.1 x 9.6 x 11 inches / 109.6 x 24.4 x 28cm
Dock size (H x L x W):
9.4 x 11 x 10.1 inches / 24 x 28 x 25.7cm
Weight (empty):
8.4lbs / 3.8kg
Clean water tank volume:
0.75L
Dirty water tank volume:
0.52L
Max runtime:
45 mins
Dock cable length:
5.9ft / 1.8m
Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene review: design
Streamlined and relatively lightweight, and can lie flat
Waste is stored in the floorhead, and separated into solids and liquids
Self-clean function and hot air drying on the dock
The Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene is a lightweight hard floor cleaner with a handful of interesting design features. Rather surprisingly given this brand's heritage, there's no suction here – instead, it uses hydration and agitation to remove dirt from hard flooring.
The roller spins at speed, and is continually fed with fresh water, as the dirty stuff is scraped off. It can handle mixed solid-and-liquid spills, and to a certain extent also dust and other dry debris (although it won't be as effective as a regular stick vacuum here).
(Image credit: Future)
The roller is densely packed with fibers to make it as absorbent as possible, and Dyson has added wiry bristles that stick out a bit, for extra scrubbing power. There's also an anti-tangle comb behind the roller to prevent hair wrap. On one side the roller goes right up close to the edge of the floorhead, but on the other there's a decent chunk of casing. The roller can be removed for rinsing as required.
One of the areas where Dyson tends to shine in its floorcare range is maneuverability, but I didn't find the Clean+Wash Hygiene quite as nimble as I expected. Don't get me wrong, it's far from cumbersome – it's streamlined in design and pivots smoothly, but it felt a little less agile than something like the Dyson WashG1. I was impressed that it could lie completely flat to the ground, until the whole thing is just 4.44 inches / 11.3cm tall. A small wheel on the back of the handle helps it maneuver smoothly in this mode.
(Image credit: Future)
The dirty water compartment is integrated into the floorhead itself – similar to the mopping floorhead on the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine. The thinking is that because the dirt has nowhere to really travel, there's no tubing to get clogged up. Liquid ends up in a dirty water tank, and solid waste is filtered out into a separate tray. The two compartments are removed as one, but getting them apart and then back together again is a little fiddly compared to other wet-dry vacuums I've tested... not to mention messier.
(Image credit: Future)
There are three hydration modes to choose from, and a Boost mode to add extra water for tackling dried-on dirt. Dyson proudly claims the 750ml clean water tank will cover an area of 350 sqm, leaving such a fine sheen of moisture that your floors will be dry within 60 seconds. There are no other special modes, such as automated setting adjustment.
(Image credit: Future)
One major upgrade on the Clean+Wash Hygiene compared to the WashG1 is that Dyson has introduced hot air drying on the dock. So after mopping, you run a self-clean cycle which runs fresh water over the roller. Then it's dried using wafts of warm (185F / 85C) air, saving you from having to remove it and put it out somewhere to dry.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene review: performance
Efficient, relatively quiet cleaning of liquid and solid spills
Floorhead a little drippy, and self-clean cycle uses a lot of water
Mop drying rather noisy but effective
I started by filling up the clean water and embarking on a whole-floor clean. The roller saturated fairly quickly without any pre-wetting, and left a very light, even sheen of water on my vinyl flooring. It's easy to toggle modes, and the screen spells out remaining cleaning time so you'll never unexpectedly run out of battery.
Because there's no suction, it's relatively quiet in operation, and the runtimes are long too. The Clean+Wash Hygiene can last up to 45 minutes per charge.
Cleaning
To assess its capabilities more closely, I tested how the Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene handled a range of tricky cleaning challenges. I started with soy sauce mixed with oats. It gobbled up all the oats in one forward and backward pass in Med mode – impressive, given there's no suction here.
(Image credit: Future)
Then I decided it was time to bring out the big guns. I smeared maple syrup, crunchy peanut butter and Marmite (a super-sticky, viscous spread) on a vinyl floor. This time it struggled a bit. I unleashed Boost mode, and it took about 20 seconds of back-and-forth to clear the mess. That's a decent result – this test is purposefully very tricky. Plus, there was no sticky residue left behind.
Like every wet-and-dry cleaner I'm aware of, this machine is only suitable for perfectly flat floors. It can't deal with uneven surfaces such as flagstones, and it won't get into the cracks between tiles either – although it does do a better job of this than some, thanks to those bristles in the roller.
Maintenance
After my mopping session, it was time to clean out the waste. Although I see the logic in separating liquid from solid waste, and I acknowledge the potential long-term maintenance benefits, the emptying process does feel fiddlier than usual.
Unlike on the WashG1, you can't get your hand inside the dirty water tank to clean it out. The design of the tank also makes it very difficult to see when it's filling up, although it will inform you on screen.
I also found the floorhead had a tendency to drip or leak dirty water when handled. No wet-dry vacuum is perfect in this respect, but this Dyson machine seems especially bad for it, perhaps because the waste compartments are relatively complicated in design, with lots of separate elements.
(Image credit: Future)
Next, I embarked on a self-clean cycle. This starts by flushing the system with fresh water to get rid of lingering dirt. Almost immediately, the machine paused and asked me to refill the clean water tank. After relaunching, it paused again and asked me to empty the dirty water.
I'd recommend doing both these things before launching a self-clean cycle, and again afterwards, to avoid annoying disruptions. The process uses more than half a tank of fresh water, so it'll almost certainly be required.
(Image credit: Future)
Flushing complete, the dock then begins to dry the roller with hot air. This part is surprisingly noisy too, although it only lasts around half an hour. (On other machines I've used, the drying lasts longer but is much quieter, and on some advanced models you have the option of short-and-noisy or long-and-quiet.) Afterwards, I inspected the roller and it was almost completely dry, with no dirt to speak of.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene: Scorecard
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Well-built and solid quality, but little in terms of features to justify the premium price.
3 / 5
Design
Streamlined, lightweight and can lie flat. Slightly fiddly and messy waste disposal setup.
3.5 / 5
Performance
Effective at cleaning solid and liquid spills, even without suction. Self-clean works well too.
4 / 5
How I tested the Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene
I used the Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene for a couple of weeks on my hard floors. Aside from day-to-day use, I ran a series of dedicated cleaning tests to see how it coped with different kinds of messes, including liquid-solid spills, sticky and viscous substances. I compared my findings with other hard floor cleaners, and assessed if this model offered strong value for money.
The Dyson PencilVac looks nothing like any vacuum I've seen before. All the mechanisms – the motor, filters, battery, and even the dust cup – are hidden within the handle, which measures just 1.5 inches / 3.8cm in diameter. That isn't the only unique thing about the PencilVac: the floorhead is also very quirky, with its four, fluffy, conical rollers rotating in opposite directions to lift dirt and buff your floors clean.
In use, it's the most nimble vacuum I've tested. The head appears to hover across the floor; it can be used forwards or backwards, and lie completely flat to the ground. With a bit of practice, you can make the floorhead do figure eights.
Those fluffy rollers are specifically meant for use on hard flooring – there's nothing to agitate carpet fibers to release trapped dirt. The suction power is in line with what I'd expect for a hard floor-specific vacuum, too: a relatively low 55AW of power, when most of the best Dyson vacuums have at least double that.
That power proved plenty to whisk away dog hair and dust from my hard floors, however. I could see it was doing a good job, because lasers installed in the front and back of the floorhead do a stellar job of illuminating any lingering dirt.
There are a couple more compromises for that ultra-streamlined, super-light build. The battery life is rather limited, topping out at 30 minutes per charge. The dust bin is small, too, although air compression helps maximize the amount you can fit into the physical space.
(Image credit: Future)
The only issue I think is a genuine mistake on Dyson's part is that the floorhead comes to a slight point, which means it can't sit flush to a wall. This makes it really tricky to get a thorough edge clean. It's extra-annoying here given the emphasis on maneuverability and thoroughness of coverage. This shape is dictated by the tapering rollers, which are designed to prevent hair wrap, but I've found Dyson's Motorbar and Fluffy floorheads do this perfectly well without the need for a tapering roller.
It's a relatively minor complaint in what is a genuinely impressive feat of engineering – and a useful one at that. If you have mostly hard floors and want a nimble, lightweight vacuum that will and highlight hidden dust as you clean, you'll struggle to find something better than this. Read on for my full Dyson PencilVac review.
Dyson PencilVac review: price & availability
List price: US TBC / £429.99 / AU$949
Available: US TBC / UK 10 Dec / Australia August 2025
Launched: Summer 2025
The PencilVac was announced in June 2025 and went on sale in Australia in August. A UK launch followed in December 2025. At time of writing, it isn't yet available in the US. At the list price it costs £429.99 / AU$949 (discounted to AU$798 at time of writing). That's equivalent to around $590 in the US, although actual pricing is unknown.
That puts the PencilVac in the premium price bracket for vacuums. You're paying extra for the unique design here (and a little bit for the Dyson name). In terms of specs such as suction power, runtime, and even special features and accessories, it doesn't compare favorably to other models on the market. However, if you want something ultra-light and maneuverable, there's nothing else like it (for now, at least...). The build quality is excellent, as I'd expect from Dyson.
Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5
Dyson PencilVac specs
Weight (no attachments):
2.1lbs / 0.94kg
Weight (with wand and main floorhead):
4lbs / 1.8kg
Bin size:
0.08L
Max runtime:
30 mins
Charge time:
2hrs
Size (H x W x L):
46.5 x 6.3 x 8.9in / 118 x 15.9 x 22.6cm
Max suction:
55AW
Modes:
Eco, Med, Boost
Dock size (H x W x L):
10 x 10 x 11.5in / 25.5 x 25.4 x 29.3cm
Dock cable length:
5.4ft / 1.6m
Dyson PencilVac review: design
Lightweight, compact build, with all mechanisms hidden in handle
Extremely maneuverable, can be used either way around
Small dust cup, but uses air compression to maximize space
The design here is unique. There's no visible battery, motor, filter, or dust cup section. Instead, all that is packed within the wand, which measures 1.5 inches / 3.8cm in diameter. To achieve that, Dyson has had to re-engineer its motor to one that's incredibly compact – the Hyperdymium 140k motor is just 1.1 inches / 2.8cm wide, and hidden entirely within the handle.
The PencilVac in general is very lightweight, at 4lbs / 1.8kg (by comparison, the V8 is 5.5 lbs / 2.5kg with wand and floorhead attached), and extremely nimble.
(Image credit: Future)
The battery forms the top section of the wand, and can be removed and swapped. Moving down you'll find the controls – there are just two buttons: an On/Off, and a second button to switch modes (Eco, Med and Boost; there's no auto-adjustment here). A small screen displays the mode you're using and how much time you have left on the clock.
(Image credit: Future)
Move down further and you'll find the dust cup behind a transparent casing; this allows you a view as it fills up. Rather unusually, the dust collects at the top of the bin section. Not surprisingly, the capacity is rather limited, at 0.08L (most of Dyson's stick vacuums have a 0.8L bin). However, the PencilVac apparently uses air to squish down the particles, so that they take up as little room as possible. As such, Dyson says that this cup will hold up to five times its physical volume.
To empty the bin, you remove the floorhead and slide the whole casing down. The dust and dirt then shoots out of the bottom. This process is straightforward and works well, although I did find particles got stuck in and around the bin casing.
Instead of having one or two tube-shaped rollers, the Fluffycones head has four conical ones. The tapering shape is designed specifically as a way to deal with long hair: rather than becoming tangled around the brush roll, the strands should make their way down to the small end of the cone where they drop off in a clump, and can be vacuumed up in a single pass. It's an idea that Dyson first used in its Hair screw tool.
(Image credit: Future)
However, unlike the All Floors Cones Sense head, the rollers here are entirely covered with soft, fluffy fabric. This is perfect for use on hard floors, where it can get right up close to the flat surface without risking scratches. It isn't well-suited to carpet, though, because there's nothing to agitate the fibers and release embedded dirt.
Dyson has also added a green laser to both the front and back of the Fluffycones floorhead. This is designed to highlight specks of dirt that might otherwise be missed.
The cones extend a little way past the hard plastic casing, and rotate in opposite directions, which means the PencilVac can pick up debris when pushed forwards and when pulled backwards. In fact, because it's basically symmetrical, you can use it either way around.
(Image credit: Future)
Since the "wand" contains all the inner mechanisms, the PencilVac isn't quite as versatile as a traditional stick vacuum. You can't remove the wand part and use it like a hand vacuum. However, you can swap out the floorhead for a detail tool. There was one included with my review model: a "Rotating combi-crevice tool" that can be used like a traditional Crevice tool, or with the brush section engaged to sweep up dirt (NB: it doesn't actually rotate).
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Dyson PencilVac review: performance
Excellent and very efficient pickup on hard floor, even in Eco mode
Not designed for use on carpet, and not sucky enough for ingrained dirt
Laser light is effective and useful
So how does the Dyson PencilVac perform in practice? The first thing to emphasize is how comfortable it is to use. Although it takes a moment to get used to the different grip – you hold this cleaner like a broom, rather than like a traditional stick vacuum – it's very light in the hand and maneuvers incredibly well. You can use it forwards or backwards, and the floorhead pivots with ease. With the detail tool attached, it's also super easy to clean up high or in tight spaces.
Unfortunately, the design of the floorhead isn't quite as impressive. Since it comes to a slight point at the front, it can't sit flush to a wall. This was one of my main complaints with the similarly shaped All Floors Cones Sense floorhead, and it's no less annoying here. If you can't approach an edge side-on, it's tricky to achieve a thorough clean. This kind of vacuum should be perfect for the stairs, say... except the reality is that using the PencilVac to clean along all those straight edges is a nightmare.
(Image credit: Future)
This isn't the most powerful Dyson vacuum – you're getting a maximum 55AW of suction, where most Dyson stick vacs have double that. Also, the design of the floorhead doesn't lend itself to being ultra-sucky, either. Usually, the casing around the edges would descend to the floor around all four edges, creating a "vacuum" (in the original sense of the word) underneath. That isn't the case here. And because the rollers are soft all over, there's nothing to agitate embedded dust.
None of that is an issue if you're just using the PencilVac on hard flooring, which is its intended use. You don't need a ton of suction to clean hard floors, because all the dust and dirt is sat right there on the surface. But if you're seeking something for carpet, or even a vacuum that will pull the dirt from the cracks and crevices in your floorboards, this isn't it.
(Image credit: Future)
To get a more objective view of how well the PencilVac cleans, I ran a series of tests using dry, loose tea (to represent fine particles) and a dry couscous/oat mix (to represent chunky debris) on the large tiles of my kitchen floor. The results were very impressive: the vacuum picked up everything in a single pass, even on the lowest Eco mode. There was minimal pinging of large particles, and the fact that the head cleans from both sides meant I could clear the spillage in half the time.
In general use, the PencilVac was a dream to use in my kitchen. The Fluffycones head seemed to hover across floors, moving smoothly and with minimal effort on my part, whisking away dirt and pet hair as it went. The lasers did a great job of illuminating dust in dingy areas, and I could easily direct the vacuum into tight corners – down the side of a sofa, for example. The only annoyance was that awkwardly angled floorhead.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
Although this vacuum isn't really built for carpets, I still ran my standard carpet tests to see how it would cope. It pulled up a decent amount of chunky debris in a single forward pass in Medium mode, although it did flick other bits about.
Medium mode wasn't enough to pull many of the flecks of fine dry tea from my mid-pile carpet, and even after several passes I could still see a shadow where the tea had been sprinkled.
I also decided to try the PencilVac on the canvas-style mat in my kitchen. It pulled up a good amount of debris, and there was less pinging than there had been on the carpet. It's certainly capable of pulling surface dirt from this kind of flooring, and perfectly fine for everyday cleaning.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Dyson PencilVac review: battery life
Promises 30 mins in Eco, 20 in Medium, and 5 in Boost
2 hours recharge time
Battery removable and swappable
The main compromise you're making for the lightweight, compact build is a smaller battery. Larger, heavier Dyson vacuums last over an hour in their lowest-powered mode, but the runtimes on the PencilVac are much shorter. Dyson promises 30 minutes in Eco mode, 20 in Medium and 5 in the most powerful Boost mode. The battery recharges in a relatively speedy 2 hours.
Medium mode is the one I'd typically default to, and it lasted for 18 minutes at the power (less than Dyson's listed specs). That's really quite short for a middle mode, although it did give me enough time to clean three bathrooms, a large kitchen and utility room, so maybe it isn't too much of an issue. I'd also say that for hard flooring, Eco mode will actually usually be sucky enough for most situations.
I've been testing vacuums for a while now, and with the PencilVac I missed having a dirt-detecting Auto mode, although I can see why it wasn't included here. I'm pleased to see that despite the battery taking a different format, it's still removable and replaceable, which should help with the longevity of the PencilVac overall.
Battery life score: 3.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Dyson PencilVac?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Premium bracket – mainly because of the innovative, unique design.
3.5 / 5
Design
Almost impossibly streamlined and nimble – the only real annoyance is the angled floorhead.
4.5 / 5
Performance
Not designed for carpet, but excellent pickup on hard flooring. Dirt-illuminating lasers are useful and effective.
4 / 5
Battery life
Relatively short (as required by the streamlined design). Recharge is fairly speedy.
3.5 / 5
How I tested the Dyson PencilVac
I used the Dyson PencilVac regularly for a couple of months, to get a general feel for its performance and usefulness. I also ran specific cleaning tests including chunky particles (dry couscous/oat mix) and fine particles (dry, loose tea) on my hard floor, thin mats and carpet. I compared my findings with other vacuums I've tested, and assessed if it offered strong value for money.
The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder is a simple but effective cordless vacuum with an affordable price tag. I've been testing it out for two weeks and have generally been very impressed.
On the design front it keeps things basic, with three suction modes, a removable battery, a small but easy-to-empty bin and a wall mount for out-of-the way storage. Like almost all stick vacuums these days, it can be reconfigured for use as a handheld with one of the provided detail tools. In general use I found the performance very good – it had no issues clearing particles and hair from hard floors and carpet, and only struggled when it came to tackling large debris, which tended to get caught in the floorhead casing.
Those seeking the best vacuum for pet hair might prefer a model with larger bin, as the one included here is smaller than average and will fill up quickly if you have shedding pets. They might also struggle with the shorter runtimes – if you bump up to Med mode (as you will likely want to if you're vacuuming carpet), you'll only have 20 minutes or so or cleaning time before having to stop to recharge.
I was especially impressed with the Mini motorized tool, which did a stellar job of pulling fuzz from an old cushion-turned-makeshift cat bed. Unusually, this is kitted out with headlamps to help illuminate areas you might otherwise miss.
It's not doing anything especially new, and those who prefer a more hi-tech appliance have plenty of flashier options to choose from. In its price bracket, though, it's a very strong performer – and certainly one of the best cheap vacuums I've tested. If you're after a solid cordless vacuum for an affordable price, the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder should be on your shortlist.
The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder is only available in the US, where it's very competitively priced, coming in at $229.99 (equivalent to about £180 / AU$360). That's in TechRadar's budget bracket for vacuums, and considering the excellent performance, makes this vacuum easy to recommend. Although it is all made of plastic, it feels sturdy and well-built.
If you're in the market for a new vacuum, you're probably also considering Shark or Dyson. The Shark Freestyle Max is comparable in price at $199.99 / £149 / AU$249.99 but it's an upright vacuum and can't be reconfigured for use on anything other than the floor, as you can with the Bissell. Plus the battery times are even shorter than on the Bissell.
The oldest and cheapest Dyson is the Dyson V8, which comes in at $349.99 / £329 / AU$397, though discounts do crop up on occasion. It's still a very strong option, with better battery life. But in terms of features it doesn't really add much outside of brand recognition to justify the price difference.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder specs
Weight:
3.3 kg / 7.3 lbs
Bin size:
0.4L
Max runtime:
40 mins
Charge time:
2 hrs 30 mins
Size (H x W x L):
in / cm
Max suction:
200AW
Modes:
Low, Med, High
Tools:
Main floorhead, Mini motorized brush head, Crevice tool
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: design
Cordless stick vac with three power modes and headlamps
Can stand up on its own, and transforms into a handheld
Dustbin is rather small – especially given it's meant for pet hair
While the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder cordless vacuum doesn't really redefine anything about cordless vacuums, it's a solid offering in just about every way. Although it has an all-plastic build, it feels sturdy enough and it's attractive, coming in a black and blue colorway. Rather unusually, it can stand up on its own. Its floorhead has lights, like most decent vacuums nowadays, so you can see any dirt right in front of it. It's modular so the main body of the vacuum can be removed from the telescopic tube, and the tube itself can be removed from the floorhead. And its included tools make it multifunctional, and suitable for use as a handheld vacuum.
Speaking of extras: this cordless vacuum comes not only with a 2-in-1 Crevice tool (it has a retractable brush), but a Mini motorized brush head that lights up like the floorhead, and a wall mount for easy storage. The wall mount does require a screwdriver to install, though I appreciate the inclusion of wall anchors if you have to install on nothing but drywall.
(Image credit: Future)
Getting back to the vacuum itself. The controls here are straightforward, with a power button and a mode button that cycles through low, medium and high suction. There are no screens to provide information and nothing in the way of automation here, which isn't surprising at this price point (although the similarly affordable Dreame R20does offer automatic dirt detection). I was pleased to see the battery is removable and swappable.
(Image credit: Future)
A minor complaint is that the dustbin is small. The 0.4 liter capacity will rule it out for large homes, and – perhaps ironically, given the name – it's also not ideal for households with shedding pets. It is at least easily removable, and just as easy to empty.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: performance
Pickup is good on all sorts of dust and debris, including pet hair
Motorized mini brush is ideal for clearing pet hair from upholstery
Not that quiet in operation, and struggles to pick up chunky particles
After having tested the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder on all sorts of surfaces and with different types of messes, I'm confident in its cleaning abilities. Now, it's not going to compete with a heavy duty canister or upright vacuum in terms of pure power, but it has good enough suction that I'm okay grabbing this instead of said heavy duty vacuum. (If you do want a super-sucky upright, head to TechRadar's guide to the best upright vacuums.)
Even on the low setting, it did a good job sucking up dust and debris. I used this cordless vacuum to clean up some extra flour and sugar left over from a robot vacuum test and it got all the leftover remnants in a single pass.
(Image credit: Future)
I also vacuumed baking soda, lentils, and cereal as a benchmark on hard flooring using the low suction mode and was done spot cleaning in about a minute on low suction. The only issue I came across is that the transparent cover on the floorhead doesn't allow chunky debris to pass beneath it. I experienced this specifically when I pushed forward to vacuum the Cheerios, and they piled up instead of being sucked away. But that just meant it took me two passes instead of one to clean everything up.
I repeated the same test on low-pile carpet actually using the medium suction mode to see if it would take me just one pass, but I ended up with similar results, needing an extra pass to get the Cheerios.
(Image credit: Future)
Considering that this is advertised for picking up fur, we have to consider whether it actually handles that task well. I believe that this vacuum does. I used the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder to vacuum up after two dogs and a cat (and a number of humans, a few of which have long hair), and it did a great job of sucking up stray hairs.
I found it didn't really matter which mode I used – higher modes just sucked in more. The floorhead never got in a tangle, either. My only complaint is that the bin filled up quickly, so if you have multiple shedding pets you'll find yourself emptying it more often than you perhaps would like.
(Image credit: Future)
Where cordless vacuums shine over powerful corded ones is in their versatility. I was also impressed with how effective the Mini motorized brush head was at cleaning upholstery. I had a couch cushion in the basement was covered in hair from months of being used as an impromptu cat bed and no clean up. With the Mini motorized brush head, it took one pass to completely remove all that hair, and I didn't have any issues with it getting stuck. The motorized roller helped pull up strands of hair, and the headlamps (which are rare to find on a detail tool) helped illuminate any patches I might have missed.
(Image credit: Future)
I was also able to get into corners easily with the Crevice tool. I used this for multiple tasks, including clearing lentils and Cheerios stuck between the carpet and the molding after a benchmark test, tackling the cobwebs and spiderwebs that had been overtaking the basement, and vacuuming the dirt that had build up in the footwells of my car. It made short work of all these tasks, although it wasn't ideal as a car vacuum as it was a bit too bulky to get to awkward spots like the dashboard.
It's worth noting that it's not a particularly quiet vacuum, running from 66 to 76 dB depending on the power level chosen.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: battery life
Battery life is underwhelming – 40 mins on low, 21 on Med, and 13 on high
Recharge is relatively speedy at 2 hours 30 mins
Battery is removable and swappable
Bissell states this cordless vacuum will last up to 40 minutes on Min, 21 in Med, and 13 on Max. I found this accurate – I timed it at 40 minutes and 25 seconds on a single charge in the lowest suction mode. And I find that battery life is enough for vacuuming a good 800-square-feet on a single charge. However, most people will want to use the Med mode most of the time, and 21 minutes is really not enough to get much done.
(Image credit: Future)
The 40 minutes does not measure up favorably on the wider market, either. Most of today's best cordless vacuums last around 60 minutes in Min mode, and some even longer. Recharge takes around two and a half hours, which is actually quite quick, but still rather a long time to wait if you're having to stop mid-clean.
Because the battery is removable, it is possible to pick up a backup battery to extend your cleaning times – or to replace the existing battery if it starts to eventually lose charge. The power cable plugs directly into the battery, which is good news if you want to store the vacuum somewhere that's not near an outlet.
Battery life score: 3 out of 5
Should you buy the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Budget bracket, and great value for the performance.
4.5 / 5
Design
Basic but effective, although the dustbin is smaller than I'd like.
4 / 5
Performance
Efficient pickup of dust and pet hair, although struggled with chunky particles.
4 / 5
Battery life
With a maximum of 40 mins per charge, battery life is underwhelming – most competitors manage 60 mins.
3 / 5
Buy it if...
You don't need anything fancy
This vacuum lacks fancy features but keeps all the essentials, including good pickup, three suction modes and an easy-to-empty bin.
You're on a budget
This vacuum is simple but effective, and comes in at a nice, wallet-friendly price.
You have a smaller home
This vacuum's runtimes are rather limited, but that won't be an issue if you don't have a massive area to clean.
You want a great upholstery tool
I was impressed with how efficiently this Bissell vacuum's upholstery tool pulled pet hair from an old cushion that was being used as a cat bed.
Don't buy it if...
You want something hi-tech
The Bissell PowerClean is rather simple in features. Competitor models offer things like automatic suction adjustment and info screens.
You have multiple shedding pets
As convenient as the Bissell PowerClean is, that small dustbin needs to be emptied after almost every use, and even more frequently if you have hairy pets.
You have a lot of space to cover
The battery life is the biggest weakness for this cordless vacuum. Most of the competition adds at least another 20 minutes of use before needing to be charged.
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: Alternatives
Dyson V11
The Dyson V11 is certainly still pricey, even if it's a bit older. But it still has that Dyson magic and does an excellent job cleaning up all sorts of debris, including pet hair. It also comes with a stronger battery life than the Bissell despite having come out in 2019.
The Shark Freestyle Max may not be modular but it's compact, has a large dust cup, and excellent suction power. Its battery life even worse than this Bissell's, and the fact it can't be reconfigured means you're more limited than most cordless stick vacuums, but it is very affordable.
To test the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder, I used it for a couple weeks, testing its vacuum capabilities not only on hardwood floors, but also tile, low pile carpet, and even a high pile bath mat. It was tested in a home that houses two dogs and a cat, plus a number of humans, a few of which have long hair. I used it at its various strengths and tested it by doing general cleaning and also running bench marks with baking soda, lentils, and cereal.
The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder is a simple but effective cordless vacuum with an affordable price tag. I've been testing it out for two weeks and have generally been very impressed.
On the design front it keeps things basic, with three suction modes, a removable battery, a small but easy-to-empty bin and a wall mount for out-of-the way storage. Like almost all stick vacuums these days, it can be reconfigured for use as a handheld with one of the provided detail tools. In general use I found the performance very good – it had no issues clearing particles and hair from hard floors and carpet, and only struggled when it came to tackling large debris, which tended to get caught in the floorhead casing.
Those seeking the best vacuum for pet hair might prefer a model with larger bin, as the one included here is smaller than average and will fill up quickly if you have shedding pets. They might also struggle with the shorter runtimes – if you bump up to Med mode (as you will likely want to if you're vacuuming carpet), you'll only have 20 minutes or so or cleaning time before having to stop to recharge.
I was especially impressed with the Mini motorized tool, which did a stellar job of pulling fuzz from an old cushion-turned-makeshift cat bed. Unusually, this is kitted out with headlamps to help illuminate areas you might otherwise miss.
It's not doing anything especially new, and those who prefer a more hi-tech appliance have plenty of flashier options to choose from. In its price bracket, though, it's a very strong performer – and certainly one of the best cheap vacuums I've tested. If you're after a solid cordless vacuum for an affordable price, the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder should be on your shortlist.
The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder is only available in the US, where it's very competitively priced, coming in at $229.99 (equivalent to about £180 / AU$360). That's in TechRadar's budget bracket for vacuums, and considering the excellent performance, makes this vacuum easy to recommend.
If you're in the market for a new vacuum, you're probably also considering Shark or Dyson. The Shark Freestyle Max is comparable in price at $199.99 / £149 / AU$249.99 but it's an upright vacuum and can't be reconfigured for use on anything other than the floor, as you can with the Bissell. Plus the battery times are even shorter than on the Bissell.
The oldest and cheapest Dyson is the Dyson V8, which comes in at $349.99 / £329 / AU$397, though discounts do crop up on occasion. It's still a very strong option, with better battery life. But in terms of features it doesn't really add much outside of brand recognition to justify the price difference.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder specs
Weight:
3.3 kg / 7.3 lbs
Bin size:
0.4L
Max runtime:
40 mins
Charge time:
2 hrs 30 mins
Size (H x W x L):
in / cm
Max suction:
200AW
Modes:
Low, Med, High
Tools:
Main floorhead, Mini motorized brush head, Crevice tool
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: design
Cordless stick vacuum with three power modes and headlamps
Modular design means it can be used as a handheld; comes with useful tools
Dustbin is rather small – especially given it's meant for pet hair
While the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder cordless vacuum doesn't really redefine anything about cordless vacuums, it's a solid offering in just about every way. It's attractive, coming in a black and blue colorway. Its floorhead has lights, like most decent vacuums nowadays, so you can see any dirt right in front of it. It's modular so the main body of the vacuum can be removed from the telescopic tube, and the tube itself can be removed from the floorhead. And its included tools make it multifunctional, and suitable for use as a handheld vacuum.
Speaking of extras: this cordless vacuum comes not only with a 2-in-1 Crevice tool (it has a retractable brush), but a Mini motorized brush head that lights up like the floorhead, and a wall mount for easy storage. The wall mount does require a screwdriver to install, though I appreciate the inclusion of wall anchors if you have to install on nothing but drywall.
(Image credit: Future)
Getting back to the vacuum itself. The controls here are straightforward, with a power button and a mode button that cycles through low, medium and high suction. There are no screens to provide information and nothing in the way of automation here, which isn't surprising at this price point (although the similarly affordable Dreame R20does offer automatic dirt detection). I was pleased to see the battery is removable and swappable.
(Image credit: Future)
A minor complaint is that the dustbin is small. The 0.4 liter capacity will rule it out for large homes, and – perhaps ironically, given the name – it's also not ideal for households with shedding pets. It is at least easily removable, and just as easy to empty.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: performance
Pickup is good on all sorts of dust and debris, including pet hair
Motorized mini brush is ideal for clearing pet hair from upholstery
Not that quiet in operation, and struggles to pick up chunky particles
After having tested the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder on all sorts of surfaces and with different types of messes, I'm confident in its cleaning abilities. Now, it's not going to compete with a heavy duty canister or upright vacuum in terms of pure power, but it has good enough suction that I'm okay grabbing this instead of said heavy duty vacuum. (If you do want a super-sucky upright, head to TechRadar's guide to the best upright vacuums.)
Even on the low setting, it did a good job sucking up dust and debris. I used this cordless vacuum to clean up some extra flour and sugar left over from a robot vacuum test and it got all the leftover remnants in a single pass.
(Image credit: Future)
I also vacuumed baking soda, lentils, and cereal as a benchmark on hard flooring using the low suction mode and was done spot cleaning in about a minute on low suction. The only issue I came across is that the transparent cover on the floorhead doesn't allow chunky debris to pass beneath it. I experienced this specifically when I pushed forward to vacuum the Cheerios, and they piled up instead of being sucked away. But that just meant it took me two passes instead of one to clean everything up.
I repeated the same test on low-pile carpet actually using the medium suction mode to see if it would take me just one pass, but I ended up with similar results, needing an extra pass to get the Cheerios.
(Image credit: Future)
Considering that this is advertised for picking up fur, we have to consider whether it actually handles that task well. I believe that this vacuum does. I used the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder to vacuum up after two dogs and a cat (and a number of humans, a few of which have long hair), and it did a great job of sucking up stray hairs.
I found it didn't really matter which mode I used – higher modes just sucked in more. The floorhead never got in a tangle, either. My only complaint is that the bin filled up quickly, so if you have multiple shedding pets you'll find yourself emptying it more often than you perhaps would like.
(Image credit: Future)
Where cordless vacuums shine over powerful corded ones is in their versatility. I was also impressed with how effective the Mini motorized brush head was at cleaning upholstery. I had a couch cushion in the basement was covered in hair from months of being used as an impromptu cat bed and no clean up. With the Mini motorized brush head, it took one pass to completely remove all that hair, and I didn't have any issues with it getting stuck. The motorized roller helped pull up strands of hair, and the headlamps (which are rare to find on a detail tool) helped illuminate any patches I might have missed.
(Image credit: Future)
I was also able to get into corners easily with the Crevice tool. I used this for multiple tasks, including clearing lentils and Cheerios stuck between the carpet and the molding after a benchmark test, tackling the cobwebs and spiderwebs that had been overtaking the basement, and vacuuming the dirt that had build up in the footwells of my car. It made short work of all these tasks, although it wasn't ideal as a car vacuum as it was a bit too bulky to get to awkward spots like the dashboard.
It's worth noting that it's not a particularly quiet vacuum, running from 66 to 76 dB depending on the power level chosen.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: battery life
Battery life is underwhelming – 40 mins on low, 21 on Med, and 13 on high
Recharge is relatively speedy at 2 hours 30 mins
Battery is removable and swappable
Bissell states this cordless vacuum will last up to 40 minutes on Min, 21 in Med, and 13 on Max. I found this accurate – I timed it at 40 minutes and 25 seconds on a single charge in the lowest suction mode. And I find that battery life is enough for vacuuming a good 800-square-feet on a single charge. However, most people will want to use the Med mode most of the time, and 21 minutes is really not enough to get much done.
(Image credit: Future)
The 40 minutes does not measure up favorably on the wider market, either. Most of today's best cordless vacuums last around 60 minutes in Min mode, and some even longer. Recharge takes around two and a half hours, which is actually quite quick, but still rather a long time to wait if you're having to stop mid-clean.
Because the battery is removable, it is possible to pick up a backup battery to extend your cleaning times – or to replace the existing battery if it starts to eventually lose charge. The power cable plugs directly into the battery, which is good news if you want to store the vacuum somewhere that's not near an outlet.
Battery life score: 3 out of 5
Should you buy the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Budget bracket, and great value for the performance.
4.5 / 5
Design
Basic but effective, although the dustbin is smaller than I'd like.
4 / 5
Performance
Efficient pickup of dust and pet hair, although struggled with chunky particles.
4 / 5
Battery life
With a maximum of 40 mins per charge, battery life is underwhelming – most competitors manage 60 mins.
3 / 5
Buy it if...
You don't need anything fancy
This vacuum lacks fancy features but keeps all the essentials, including good pickup, three suction modes and an easy-to-empty bin.
You're on a budget
This vacuum is simple but effective, and comes in at a nice, wallet-friendly price.
You have a smaller home
This vacuum's runtimes are rather limited, but that won't be an issue if you don't have a massive area to clean.
You want a great upholstery tool
I was impressed with how efficiently this Bissell vacuum's upholstery tool pulled pet hair from an old cushion that was being used as a cat bed.
Don't buy it if...
You want something hi-tech
The Bissell PowerClean is rather simple in features. Competitor models offer things like automatic suction adjustment and info screens.
You have multiple shedding pets
As convenient as the Bissell PowerClean is, that small dustbin needs to be emptied after almost every use, and even more frequently if you have hairy pets.
You have a lot of space to cover
The battery life is the biggest weakness for this cordless vacuum. Most of the competition adds at least another 20 minutes of use before needing to be charged.
Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: Alternatives
Dyson V11
The Dyson V11 is certainly still pricey, even if it's a bit older. But it still has that Dyson magic and does an excellent job cleaning up all sorts of debris, including pet hair. It also comes with a stronger battery life than the Bissell despite having come out in 2019.
The Shark Freestyle Max may not be modular but it's compact, has a large dust cup, and excellent suction power. Its battery life even worse than this Bissell's, and the fact it can't be reconfigured means you're more limited than most cordless stick vacuums, but it is very affordable.
To test the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder, I used it for a couple weeks, testing its vacuum capabilities not only on hardwood floors, but also tile, low pile carpet, and even a high pile bath mat. It was tested in a home that houses two dogs and a cat, plus a number of humans, a few of which have long hair. I used it at its various strengths and tested it by doing general cleaning and also running bench marks with baking soda, lentils, and cereal.
For this review, I tested the IZ380UK. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.
The Shark PowerPro Cordless is a capable, no-nonsense stick vacuum that prioritizes consistent performance and everyday value over flashy extras. It’s one of the most affordable cordless models we've tested, yet it comes with very few compromises where it matters. And while its build isn’t premium, it's not a barebones vacuum either: one of the key selling points is automatic surface detection, which adjusts power as you move from carpet to hard flooring. It's a very strong contender for TechRadar's best budget vacuums guide.
Despite the budget price, you also get hallmark Shark touches like an anti-hair wrap brushroll, a flexible wand for reaching under furniture, plus a floorhead with built-in LEDs that illuminate dust and dark corners. Taken together, these features – borrowed from pricier models in Shark’s line-up – make the PowerPro feel like a far more rounded tool than its price might suggest.
That’s not to say it’s flawless. In places, the no-frills build betrays its budget status. It all clicks together with solidity, but there are some plastic components that cheapen the experience – particularly the boost trigger.
The appeal here lies in the PowerPro’s stripped-back convenience. You’re getting a functional, reliable vacuum with a handful of well-executed features that are genuinely useful in everyday use.
The interface is foolproof: there are no modes to select. Instead, the Floor Detect head automatically chooses the right setting based on the surface you’re cleaning. All you have to think about is using the Boost trigger at your fingertips. It won't offer dirt detection or edge detection (as found on the best Shark vacuums in the lineup), but this floor-based adjustment is useful nonetheless.
In use, the PowerPro is balanced and maneuverable. The floorhead moves easily over different surfaces, while the hinged wand unlatches to give you flexible reach beneath beds and sofas. Switch to a handheld configuration and the PowerPro is impressively lightweight. It’s slightly bulky for tackling tighter spaces like car footwells, but the crevice attachments help to hit nooks and crannies.
While not as powerful as the Shark PowerDetect cordless, the PowerPro performed impressively well in my cleaning tests. Suction was strong on carpeted floors, lifting both visible debris and ingrained dust without repeated passes. It also handled fine dust and heavier particles on hard floors, though Boost mode was useful for picking up larger pieces. One caveat is that the brush bar sits inset within the floorhead, which means it can struggle to get right into edges along skirting boards.
Battery life is decent, too. Although there's no battery-maximizing Eco mode, in Auto mode I achieved a very decent 40 minute average when cleaning a combination of carpeted and hard flooring. At around 3 hours, the PowerPro is relatively quick to recharge, too. Because the power plugs directly into the removable battery, you could enlist a backup battery if you wanted to extend runtimes.
The Shark PowerPro isn’t the most stylish or advanced stick vacuum on the market, but it might be the best cordless vacuum for budget-conscious shoppers. But with consistently strong performance, good battery life and a few thoughtful features, it’s a strong choice for households who need a no-fuss solution for busting dust. Robust enough for daily use, the PowerPro offers excellent overall value.
The Shark PowerPro launched in early 2025, and is widely available from Shark and various third-party retailers. At list price, the standard model costs $329.99 in the US, £249.99 in the UK and AU$399.99 in Australia. That puts this model towards the bottom of the mid-range bracket, but at time of writing it's heavily discounted in all territories.
Based on price history, it looks like discounts are fairly common, and you shouldn't have too much trouble picking up the PowerPro for closer to $200 / £180 / AU$300 – which is firmly in TechRadar's budget price bracket, despite it offering several features found on Shark’s pricier models.
(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)
There are a few bundle options around with different tools included (for example, the 'Pet' version has a mini motorized cleaner head for furniture), as well as a more advanced 'Flex Reveal' version in some territories. For this review, I tested the IZ380UK version, which ships with crevice and upholstery tools, in addition to the standard floorhead.
Based on the current discounts, the PowerPro is one of the most affordable Shark cordless vacuums, and I think its priced well for what it delivers. As a simple, effective cordless vacuum with a streamlined but useful featureset, it offers excellent value for money in its class.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Shark PowerPro specs
Weight (handheld unit w/ no attachments):
7.6 lbs / 3.45kg
Weight (with wand and floorhead):
3.7 lbs / 1.7kg
Dimensions (H x L x W):
45 x 12.4 x 10.4in / 114.3 x 31.6 x 26.4cm
Floorhead width:
8.5in / 21.5cm
Onboard bin capacity:
0.7L
LED headlights:
Yes
Max suction:
Not stated
Max runtime:
50 mins advertised, 40 mins on test
Charge time:
3hrs 30 mins
Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum review: design
No-frills construction feels plasticky but sturdy
Flexible wand and bright floorhead LEDs
No wall mount, but locking floorhead helps it lean steady
The Shark PowerPro follows a practical design philosophy. It doesn’t pretend to be a premium vacuum, but still includes several thoughtful touches that elevate it above basic alternatives. It’s not an ugly unit either, although Shark has focused on functional choices rather than aesthetic refinement.
Out of the box, the PowerPro feels solid enough for daily use. Everything clicks together with a reassuring snap. That said, the construction leans heavily on plastics. Parts like the boost trigger and dustbin release latches feel hollow, while there’s some flex and creak in the casing, giving a clear indication of where costs have been saved. These don’t affect performance, but they do contribute to a less premium impression than pricier Shark models.
The PowerPro follows a familiar cordless stick design. There’s a tidily packaged handheld unit that attaches to a motorized floorhead at the base. Shark’s useful 'MultiFLEX / Flexology' wand is also part of the setup. A latched hinge in the middle allows it to bend, letting you reach more easily beneath furniture without crouching. It’s a feature usually found on Shark’s more expensive cordless models, so it’s a welcome presence at this price point.
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The main unit is very lightweight, and while the wand and floorhead is less so, with that attached it still sits at the lighter end of the stick vacuum market.
The simple handle design isn’t exactly ergonomic, but it’s comfortable enough to maneuver in general use, thanks in part to the lightness of the main unit. It’s slightly too bulky for very tight spaces like car footwells, but the included crevice and upholstery tools help to maximize reach. The accessory set included with the classic model is modest, but it covers most essential tasks around the house.
Controls are deliberately minimal. Because the Floor Detect head automatically adjusts suction based on whether you’re tackling carpet or hard floors, there are no settings to toggle through. There’s just a power button and the boost trigger at the tip of your index finger. Three illuminated icons on top of the handheld unit show which mode is active, while three more on the battery show the charge level. This is less accurate than a digital readout, a feature not commonly found at this price.
At ground level, built-in LEDs illuminate dust and debris on darker surfaces. In contrast to more expensive Shark models like the Shark Detect IW4621KT, these headlights aren’t reactive depending on how well-lit the area is. They’re simply on whenever the vacuum is running, which will be perfectly fine for most users.
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At 0.7L, the dustbin slightly smaller than average, although it fills less quickly than you’d expect. The design of the dustbin itself is slightly unusual. To empty it, you press a latch to remove the entire bin from the handheld unit, before releasing the bottom door via another button. This adds an extra step compared to vacuums with direct drop-bottom bins, but it does help to reduce accidental spillage.
Charging the PowerPro isn’t as neat as it could be. The position of the charging port on top of the battery pack means that the cable trails up and over the handheld unit. It would be more natural if the port were positioned beneath it, but this is a necessary compromise to make the battery removable. The pay-off is that you can disconnect the cell to charge it, unlocking the option to keep several back-up batteries ready to swap in.
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The PowerPro doesn’t include a wall mount or charging dock, which you’d expect to receive with a more expensive model. Instead, you’ll need to lean it up against a wall when you need a pause in cleaning. The unit can’t stand upright on its own at full height, but the floorhead can at least lock at 90 degrees, to stop it rolling away from the wall.
The forward-bending wand also enables you to fold the unit completely in half and lock it that way for more compact storage. These are neat practical touches for a model sold without a stand.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Shark PowerPro IZ380UK review: performance
Solid debris pick-up on carpets and hard floors
Brushroll misses edges
Automatic adjustment based on floor type works well
Performance is where the Shark PowerPro sets itself apart from other budget stick vacuums. On test, it consistently demonstrated effective debris pick-up, removing both surface-level and embedded dirt from carpet with just a single forward-and-back pass.
The Floor Detect head does much of the heavy lifting here. As you move the PowerPro from hard floor to carpet and vice versa, it automatically adjusts the power to suit the surface. The system is quick to respond to changes, with no lag to speak of. Suction is noticeably stronger on carpet, where the floorhead feels like it’s really pulling up dirt.
As a result, the PowerPro performed very well in my carpet tests. Tackling the fine, dry contents of a teabag sprinkled on a medium-pile carpet, the Shark PowerPro collected almost everything in its path with a single pass. The remnants were tidied up on the return sweep. It also dealt well with larger debris. 30g of oats were removed cleanly enough, with little in the way of snow-ploughing or scattering. This is an area where many budget cordless vacuums falter.
(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)
The PowerPro didn’t just grab visible debris, either: it also pulled up ingrained dust. After a week of regular use, the bin was still filling with fine grey dust and fluff during my tests, highlighting how effectively the PowerPro can lift deep-set dirt that other vacuums have left behind.
It’s also a strong performer on hard flooring. Fine tea disappeared cleanly from kitchen vinyl, as did drill dust. Standard suction was enough to collect heavier particles like oats, though switching to boost mode did speed things up.
Unlike some vacuums, the PowerPro generally didn’t push debris around or scatter it on hard floors. For the best performance, however, you might want to consider upgrading to a Shark PowerDetect Cordless, which has an extra flap added to the floorhead that specifically enables it to clear large particles on the reverse stroke.
(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)
The boost trigger deserves a special mention. While designed as a temporary power uplift rather than an always-on mode, it provides a genuinely significant increase in suction. I found it especially useful for tackling stubborn debris in carpet fibers and lifting heavier crumbs on hard floors. Running in Boost mode does cut battery life considerably, but for targeted use, it’s a welcome addition.
Edge performance is one area where the PowerPro shows some limitations. The brushroll is inset slightly within the floorhead, which means the suction window doesn’t reach right up to the bottom of cabinets and furniture.
When I scattered tea and oats along a skirting board, a thin strip remained even after a high-powered pass. This is a limitation of the head design rather than the power, and it means you’ll need to use the crevice tool for spotless edges.
(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)
The Floor Detect head features Shark’s anti-hair wrap head, with built-in rubber fins designed to stop strands from tangling around the brush bar. Over several weeks of running the PowerPro across carpets where longer human hair had been shed naturally, it worked very well.
The brushroll stayed broadly free from tangles and I didn’t need to cut away any wrapped strands, which is something many cheaper sticks struggle with. It’s another feature typically found on Shark’s pricier models that works just as effectively here.
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Noise is well-controlled, too. Those rubber fins produce a low rumble on carpet as they whizz around inside the floorhead, while the handheld unit generates a relatively modest whine that only becomes pronounced when Boost mode is active.
To my ears, the PowerPro is quieter than other cordless vacuums I’ve tested. It’s not exactly hushed, but it avoids the harsh, high-pitched tones common among budget sticks. This makes it a better choice for households where noise sensitivity is a factor.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Shark PowerPro review: battery
No Eco mode, average of 40 mins in Auto
Boost mode reduces battery life to <15 minutes
Battery removable, and can be charged independently
Shark quotes the PowerPro's battery life at 50 minutes. In reality, run-time varies a fair bit based on what and where you vacuum. Cleaning carpets is more power-hungry than hard floors, for example, while liberal use of the boost trigger will put a serious dent in the performance figures.
Unlike other Shark vacuums, the PowerPro doesn’t have an low-powered Eco setting. Because of this, you can’t force it to be more frugal by disabling the Floor Detect mode. Instead, it will always assess the surface it’s running over and adjust power accordingly.
As a result, you’ll get longer battery life if your home has hard floors throughout, versus one that’s clad primarily with carpet. My own home has an even balance of the two, meaning the numbers I achieved in my tests should be fairly representative of real-world performance across different surfaces.
Over several runs, I consistently netted between 35 and 45 minutes from full to flat. Taking the average as 40 minutes, that unsurprisingly comes in lower than the official number. It also puts the PowerPro a step below the best cordless vacuums when it comes to longevity – although do bear in mind that the given runtimes will almost always be for the Eco mode.
For me, 40 minutes felt like a healthy amount of time for a single stint and a competitive number for the price category. It’s certainly enough to cover a single-story home and have some charge left in the tank.
The more modest capacity also gives the PowerPro a shorter charge time than other models. Shark says it takes “approximately 3 hours” to fully charge the IZ380UK, which proved an accurate figure in my experience. While that’s hardly instantaneous, many vacuums take significantly longer.
(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)
Using Boost mode does have a considerable effect on battery life. Keeping my finger held on the trigger brought the number down to around 15 minutes. That's actually a strong runtime for a Boost mode – but it still reflects the fact that it’s intended to be used as a brief uplift for tougher debris, rather than an always-on solution for high-powered cleaning.
The PowerPro also benefits from a removable battery. The cell itself can be charged while detached from the vacuum. This means you can extend runtime by keeping a second back-up battery charged, ready to swap in when the first one runs flat.
Battery life score: 4 out of 5
Should you buy the Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
A budget vacuum that represents excellent value, given its solid performance and surface detection smarts.
4.5 / 5
Design
The no-frills build feels plasticky in places, but it’s sturdy enough. A wall-mount would make charging neater, given the vacuum can’t stand up on its own.
4 / 5
Performance
Strong pickup and surface detection works well, with Boost mode available for tackling more stubborn debris. The brushroll doesn’t get right into corners.
4 / 5
Battery
No Eco mode, but an average of 40 minutes in Auto is very decent, as is the ~15 mins in Boost. Recharge is speedy.
4 / 5
Buy it if...
You want a great-value vacuum With impressive suction, solid battery life and decent build quality at a competitive price, the Shark PowerPro ticks a lot of boxes for the money.
You prefer a simpler interface With just two modes, a power button and a Boost trigger to master, the Shark PowerPro is more straightforward than many vacuums on the market.
You want a lightweight vacuum In handheld mode the PowerPro is impressively light, and even with the (rather chunky) wand attached, it's on the lighter side for a stick vacuum.
Don't buy it if...
You need all the bells and whistles While it has a Floor Detect head with built-in lights, you don’t get the edge detection smarts or charging dock of premium Shark vacuums.
You want premium build quality The plastic body is robust enough to shake off bumps around the house, but the boost trigger and bin release latch feel cheaper than rivals.
You expect perfect pick-up The floorhead does a great job of sucking up dust, it's not as powerful as the PowerDetect, and the brushroll doesn’t get right into corners either.
How I tested the Shark PowerPro Cordless vacuum
Used as my main vacuum cleaner for a month
Tested across hard and carpeted floors at home
Conducted standardized tests for debris pick-up
I tested the Shark PowerPro IZ380UK over a period of several weeks. I used it as my main vacuum cleaner in my own home, which has a mix of both carpeted and hard surfaces. Before running any formal tests, I used the PowerPro for ordinary daily cleaning to get an understanding of its general performance, noise levels, maneuverability and battery life.
I then moved on to running the PowerPro through TechRadar’s standard vacuum testing protocol. To assess fine dust pick-up, I sprinkled the contents of a dry teabag on both carpet and hard flooring, then passed over the area with the PowerPro on its standard setting. For a trial with larger debris, I repeated the process with a bag of oats. I only switched to Boost mode if the floorhead failed to collect everything on the first pass.
To test edge performance, I distributed tea and oats along skirting boards then checked how much was left behind when I ran the floorhead flush along them. I also evaluated hair pick-up by running the anti-hair wrap brushroll over areas of carpet home to longer strands, to see whether any tangled around the brush bar.
I measured battery life first by charging the vacuum to full, then running it continuously across a mix of surfaces until it powered down. I then charged it fully again to confirm the recharge time, before repeating the process to get an accurate average of battery life. I also ran similar trials using boost mode to verify the higher-powered run-time.
Finally, In tested the included crevice and upholstery tools on furniture, stairs and inside a car footwell to evaluate how effectively they picked up dirt, as well as the balance and reach of the unit as a handheld tool. Throughout my tests, I also paid attention to functionality and ease of use, especially when it came to regular actions in real-world situations, like emptying the bin.
Shark Stratos DuoClean PowerFins Hair Pro Upright Vacuum AZ3002
Shark can be erratic with its naming, so check the product code to make sure you're buying the model you think you're buying. There are similar but slightly different models available in the UK and Australia (I tested a US vacuum).
The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is a corded upright vacuum that packs plenty of cleaning power. Although bulky and heavy compared to a stick vacuum, it has a modular design that means you can remove the bin and hold it in your hand, while you use the wand on a flexible hose to tackle cleaning tasks off the floor. In floor mode, it will propel itself forwards when switched on, making it easier to drive (although at times it did feel like it was running away from me).
I've been using this vacuum on-and-off for a little over a year, so I've had plenty of opportunity to try it out on different floor types and see how it copes with different cleaning challenges. I'd rate it amongst the best upright vacuums around. It sucks up large and fine debris with ease, and handles hair well, too. It comes with a range of tools that are useful for tackling detail work, and with the pod removed it's easy to slide the wand under furniture and clean thoroughly in tight corners and right up against baseboards.
The main floorhead is kitted out with headlamps to help you spot dirt and fluff in dark corners, as well as an odor-neutralizing puck to keep things smelling fresh. Underneath are two rollers that work in tandem to tackle different floor types – a softer roller helps polish hard floors, and a firm roller with rubber fins helps agitate carpet fibers.
It's not the most advanced Shark Upright, and lacks some of the special features of newer models like the Shark PowerDetect Upright – including an Auto mode, which I missed here. However, it's still an excellent all-rounder, and worthy of consideration if you're hunting for the best vacuum for your needs.
The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 launched several years ago, and is available to buy in the US. There are similar models in the UK and Australia, but with slightly different product codes.
At list price, this vacuum costs $529.99 on the SharkNinja website. It's also available to buy via third party retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.
That price puts it in TechRadar's mid-range bracket for vacuums in general, but is rather expensive in the context of corded uprights. It's a high-quality vacuum cleaner that works really well and comes with plenty of accessories, so I think the price is justified. There are cheaper, still capable, uprights on the market if it's out of your budget, though.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 specs
Type:
Corded upright
Weight:
22.7 lbs / 10.3kg
Bin size:
1.5 qts / 1.4 L
Size (H x W x L):
46.5 x 11 x 12.2 in / 118.1 x 27.9x 31cm
Filter:
HEPA, felt and washable foam
Max suction:
Not provided
Modes:
Hard floor, Carpet/low pile, Thick carpet/area rug
Cord length:
25 ft / 7.62m
Flexible hose length:
3 ft / 0.9m
Product code:
AZ3002
Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: design
Modular design – can remove the motor section and hold in your hand
Floorhead for any floor type, and fitted with odor-neutralizing cartridge
Three suction levels to choose from but no auto mode
The first thing I noticed when unboxing the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 is the plethora of accessories. My review model came with a Crevice tool, Upholstery tool, and HairPro self-cleaning pet power brush for detail cleaning, plus an odor-neutralizer cartridge to slot into the floorhead. I found everything relatively easy to put together without needing to consult the manual.
As is almost always the case with upright vacuums, the Stratos AZ3002 is relatively bulky and heavy – especially compared to the best cordless stick vacuums on the market. However, here you can detach the pod that contains the dust cup and hold it in your hand while you use the wand on a flexible hose, which makes things like cleaning the stairs far easier.
This model is corded, so you'll need to deal with the relative inconvenience of having to unplug and re-plug as you clean. The cord is also shorter than I'd like, at just 25 ft / 7.62m.
(Image credit: Future)
One design feature I like is the ability to choose from three suction levels: one for hard flooring, one for low-pile carpet and one for thick carpet. A lot of corded uprights just have one setting, but I appreciate that I can customize the cleaning based on floor type here.
However, it's not the most advanced of the Shark uprights – the Shark PowerDetect Upright has an Auto mode whereby it'll increase or decrease suction based on how much dirt is on the floor. This vacuum will also amp up power when the vacuum nears the edge of a room, and has a floorhead that's designed to be able to pick up chunky debris when it's pulled backwards over it. None of those features are included on the Stratos Upright.
(Image credit: Future)
The main floorhead contains two motorized brushrolls that work in harmony to clean different flooring types. In the front is the soft roller, which picks up dust and helps polish hard floors. In the back is the PowerFins roller, which has rubbery fins to agitate carpet fibers, as well as helping to scoop up chunkier debris on hard floors.
One special feature which crops up on a number of the best Shark vacuums is an odor neutralizer cartridge. Here, it sits directly in the main floorhead, and can be rotated to raise or lower the intensity. I'm sensitive to some fragrances, but fortunately, on a low setting, the scent is not overpowering. It's a mild and clean fragrance. If you don't like this feature, the cartridge can be removed and won't affect the vacuum's actual performance.
The dustbin can hold 1.5 quarts / 1.4 liters of dust and debris at a time, which is far more than you'd fit into a cordless stick vacuum, but not as generous as you'll find on some upright models. However, it's nice and easy to empty: simply press the release button on the top of the pod and then push the level on the back to open the lid.
There are two types of filters in the vacuum: the HEPA filter, and the pre-motor filters (foam and felt filters), both of which will need cleaning semi-regularly and eventually replacing.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 review: performance
Great suction on both hard floors and carpet
Cleans under low furniture (sofas and beds)
Reaches into tight spaces and above floor places
I was impressed with the powerful suction of the Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum. The company does not specifically list the suction power, but it's strong enough to easily remove debris on both hard floors and carpeted surfaces. While relatively weighty, it also propels itself forwards when turned on, which makes it easier to drive – although sometimes, when steering, it seems like the vacuum is almost going to topple over.
On hard floors, the brushroll is so strong that sometimes, during my tests with instant grits, a few specs would scatter or fly away. This did not happen on carpet, or with heavier types of debris – and I'm not deducting any points for the few scatters.
Throughout my time using the Stratos AZ3002, I never had any issues with hair getting tangled in the brushroll system. I don't have pets, but this vacuum pulled up my own short hairs with ease, and in general I think it'd make a good vacuum for pet hair – corded uprights like this one almost always have more suction than cordless stick vacuums, and I was certainly impressed with this model's cleaning power.
(Image credit: Future)
To get a more objective view of the AZ3002's performance, I ran a series of suction tests. In my first test, I opened a packet of dry apple cider tea and scattered it on the floor. I chose the hard floor mode, and the Shark Stratos easily removed it in a single pass.
In the next test, I sprinkled some instant grits on the floor. Still in hard floor mode, the vacuum also removed most of the debris in a single pass. However, in the left side of the photo above, you can see that the vacuum also scattered some of the grits on the floor.
In the third test, I poured some of the instant grits along the edge of the floor to test how closely the Shark Stratos cleans there. The vacuum cleaner removed the vast majority of the grits when vacuuming sideways and those left were picked up when I vacuumed head-on.
On carpet, I performed the same tests with dry apple cider vinegar tea and instant grits. This time, I poured the tea and grits side by side. I switched the setting to carpet/low pile cleaning. The Shark Stratos made easy work of picking up both the tea and grits – one pass is all that was needed for both types of spillage.
I must admit that I don't always remember to switch modes when vacuuming, and I missed having an Auto mode where the vacuum cleaner would adjust itself automatically when going from one type of flooring to the other.
(Image credit: Future)
One of my favorite features is the ability to remove the pod and use the vacuum cleaner almost like a stick vacuum. In this configuration, I found it easy to clean under my sideboard as well as under my sofa, and the floorhead was able to clean right up to the baseboards. Such thorough cleaning isn't always a given with an upright vacuum, and I appreciated it here. I also found the vacuum's headlights helped me spot dirt in dark spaces.
I also tried adding the Crevice tool to the end of the main wand. This setup was great for cleaning dust from the HVAC vent covers on the ceiling, as well as in tight spaces like under and on the side of the refrigerator. I found the Upholstery tool very effective for cleaning throw pillows and curtains, as well as any upholstered furniture. Finally, I used the Pet power brush to clean my carpeted stairs.
In all of these scenarios, the Shark Upright Stratos did an excellent job of removing dust and debris in just one forward motion (although I tended to go forward and backward when cleaning anyway).
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Top of the mid-range bracket, but sometimes discounted. Great features help justify the price.
4 / 5
Design
Bulky, but modular design makes it versatile and it comes with lots of detail tools. Lacks advanced features of other Shark uprights and cord is a bit short.
4 / 5
Performance
Strong suction on hard floors and carpet. Cleans under low furniture, and with attachments, it reaches into tight places and can be used on steps and upholstery.
4.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You only plan to have one vacuum
The Shark Stratos Upright is equally effective on both carpet and hard floors, unlike some vacuum cleaners that do better on one or the other type of surface. With the attachments, you can also clean stairs, as well as upholstered items, and in tight places.
You worry about your hardwood floors
The soft roller head is gentle on hard floors so you don't have to worry about the vacuum cleaner being too rough and scratching the surface. As a bonus, the soft roller head also helps to buff the floors.
You don't like emptying the dust bin
The Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 has a large dustbin so you'll likely never have to stop in the middle of a cleaning session to empty it. The push button mechanism means you don't have to touch the bin's contents, either.
Don't buy it if...
You struggle with bulky or heavy appliances
All in, this vacuum cleaner weighs 22.7 lbs / 10.3kg. Even with the self-propulsion and fact you can remove and hold the bin pod, it's rather heavy. If you struggle with heavy appliances, a stick vacuum might be a better fit.
You want low-effort cleaning
There are three suction modes here, but you'll need to toggle them manually. More advanced Shark Uprights have an Auto mode that'll do it for you.
You need to vacuum a lot of stairs
While the pod is removable, making it easier to clean stairs, the cord and hose can only stretch so far. A cordless stick vacuum is a better option for stairs.
How I tested the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002
I've had the Shark Stratos Upright AZ3002 for over a year, and used it on-and-off for months at a time in my two-bedroom home, which has a mix of carpet and hard floors.
For this review I used the Shark Stratos Upright as my primary vacuum cleaner for a couple of weeks, so I could determine cleaning effectiveness in the three modes. I also gauged how easy it was to maneuver the vacuum, and how easy it was to empty and maintain.
To measure performance more specifically, I conducted several tests on both hard floors and carpet, using dry tea and instant grits. I also tested how well the vacuum cleaner was able to clean up against baseboards, and how well it worked with the various attachments to clean stairs, upholstery, and in tight spaces.
The Roborock F25 Ultra is a premium cordless upright wet-and-dry cleaner that seeks to outshine the competition with its three USPs: a sanitizing steam function, grease-busting hot water mopping and adjustable power-assisted wheels.
And outshine the competition it does: this is the best wet-and-dry vacuum I've tested. On test, I found the steam function excelled at lifting dried grime and killing bacteria, while the hot-water mopping dissolved sticky kitchen spills with ease. Powerful suction makes it an exceedingly dab hand at sucking up liquid and debris spills like cereal, porridge, soup and wine. There's a built-in floor cleaning fluid tank for even dispensing, too.
Although rather heavy, the power-assisted wheels make the F25 Ultra super-easy to drive, and you can even hook up the companion app, lie it down and remote-control it under low-slung furniture if you desire. Once you're finished cleaning, a thorough self-cleaning mode takes care of the majority of maintenance. All the user has to do is periodically empty the contents of its dirty water tank into the toilet bowl.
While I would have preferred a full-width roller for true edge cleaning, the F25 Ultra is an excellent performer in all disciplines. Whether all this state-of-the-art tech is worth the asking price is open to debate but I'm personally very much smitten.
(Image credit: Future)
Roborock F25 Ultra review: price & availability
List price: $599.99 / AU$1,499
Launched: Fall 2025
Availability: US and Australia
The Roborock F25 Ultra was unveiled at IFA in September 2025, and is available to buy in the US and Australia. At time of writing, the Roborock F25 Ultra isn't available in the UK or Europe but I suspect it'll be launched this side of the Atlantic in due course.
At full price, it costs $799.99 / AU$1,499 – although I'm not sure it'll be sold at that price very often, because while I've been writing this review I've seen it for $599.99 and $549.99 in the US, and AU$899 in Australia. It's available to purchase direct from Roborock as well as via a range of third-party retailers, including Amazon.
That's quite a slice of cash for a hard floor cleaner given that you can find something similar without the bells and whistles for substantially less, including Roborock's base-level F25 LT which comes with the bare essentials like standard mopping and a slightly lower suction power of 20,000Pa.
Nevertheless, if you want a true state-of-the-art hard floor cleaner that covers all bases from sucking up spills to hot water mopping and hygienic steaming, the F25 Ultra is most definitely worth splashing out on.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Roborock F25 Ultra specs
Type:
Cordless wet-and-dry vacuum
Water tank volume:
Clean 1L, dirty 0.72L
Weight:
11.5 lbs / 5.2kg
Dimensions (H x W x D):
43.1 x 10.4 x 9.7 in / 109.6 x 26.5 x 24.6cm
Max runtime:
60 mins
Max suction:
22,000 Pa
Modes:
Sponge, Auto, Steam, Hot Water
Detergent dispenser:
Yes
Lie flat:
Yes (4.9in / 12.5cm tall)
Hot water cleaning temp:
187F / 86C
Steam temp:
356F / 180C
Self-clean cycle:
Yes (steam at 356F / 180C; water at 194F / 90C)
Self-dry:
Yes (5 min fast dry; 30 min quiet dry)
Roborock F25 Ultra review: design
Hot water mopping and new steam function
Power-assisted wheels and the ability to remote control via an app
LED headlamps, and can lie flat to the ground
I always get a bit excited whenever Roborock announces a new product (this brand makes some of the very best robot vacuums I've tested) and, believe me, this new addition to its F25 range of hard floor cleaners is definitely cause for a spot of childlike jumping up and down.
But it wasn't always like this. I remember Roborock's first attempt at making a hard floor cleaner. It was called the Dyad and it wasn't great, it must be said, mostly because it was cumbersome, difficult to maneuver, and it couldn't stand up on its own. I'm sure the latest range of Dyads have improved but I still can't see them holding a candle to the newer F25 range.
I've already tried out the Roborock F25 ACE, but this newer model excites me even more because it comes with a 356F / 180C steam function and hot-mopping feature. These are a godsend for blitzing ingrained stains that most hard floor cleaners' standard mopping functions may have trouble removing.
(Image credit: Future)
While it's difficult to muster up much enthusiasm about the styling of most wet-and-dry cleaners, for my money the models in the F25 range are the best lookers I've laid eyes on in a long time. Nevertheless, it's what goes on beneath the skin that matters most and in this regard the F25 Ultra trounces much of the opposition by dint of its three main USPs: the aforementioned steam function, the newly added hot mopping option and its adjustable power-assisted wheels.
But before I discuss these in detail, let's take a closer look at the design, starting with the floorhead. While the F25 Ultra's 720ml dirty water tank is housed on the main body like most wet-and-dry models, its fresh water reservoir is positioned lower down on top of the brushhead housing, and this not only lowers the weight on the handle while providing instant line-of-sight to its water level, it also reduces the body's overall profile which means it can be lowered parallel with the floor for reaching deep under low-slung furnishings like sofas and beds. In fact, there's a tiny wheel behind the handle section for this purpose, but more on that in a moment.
(Image credit: Future)
The 870ml clean water reservoir features two sealed fillers, one for fresh water and a much smaller one for adding the contents of Roborock's supplied 200ml bottle of floor cleaning solution. Both liquids are mixed automatically during cleaning and you'll be pleased to learn that the floor solution lasts for many cleaning sessions. To fill the fresh water tank, simply grab its rose-gold handle while pressing on a latch behind to lift it off its plinth.
The F25 Ultra's floorhead measures 10.5in / 26.6cm in width. However, the cloth roller itself measures 9.8in / 25cm with 0.4in / 1cm of space at one outer edge and 0.2in / 0.6cm at the other. That's par for the course for most models of this nature, but I recently reviewed a Eureka RapidWash 730 that uses a split roller that runs the full width of the housing, even protruding a couple of millimeters beyond the housing on one side. I'd like to see other manufacturers adopt this innovative approach because it allows for cleaning right to the very edge.
According to the product blurb, the F25 Ultra's brush housing is equipped with 32 outlets for heating the water to 187F / 86C as it hits the roller, and six steam outlets delivering a volume of 2,000mg/min at a whopping 356F / 180C. The roller itself exerts a force of 33 Newtons – equivalent to 7.4 lbs / 3.36kg of deep scrub-ability – while a pair of ‘jaw scrapers' behind the roller help keep the floor streak-free and the roller tangle-free. The floorhead also has a set of bright LEDs that emit a purple hue for cleaning the darker recesses of a home.
(Image credit: Future)
The F25 Ultra comes with four main cleaning modes – Sponge, Auto, Steam and Hot Water. All modes are accessed via the mode button positioned on the main handle, along with the on/off button and another button for selecting the self cleaning function when the unit is placed in the charging dock.
Although confusingly named, Sponge mode is for sucking up large liquid and debris-based spills so you don't have to get down on hands and knees with a handful of paper towels. This single suction task is one of the main reasons why these wet-and-dry machines are so popular. Spilt bowl of cereal or bowl of soup? Check. Small water leak around the sink? Check. Dog sick in the kitchen? Check. You get the gist.
(Image credit: Future)
In Auto mode, the F25 Ultra uses a sensor to detect dirt and automatically adjust cleaning intensity to clear it. This mode leaves only a thin veneer of dampness in its wake and is the best option for light day-to-day mopping duties. But when the going gets tough, you also have the option of either hot water mopping or, for deep down germ-killing cleanliness, the power of steam.
In fact, you can tell that the machine is steaming because there's a plume of the stuff wafting up from the front like some special dry ice effect at a rock concert. According to Roborock, this steam function is also suitable for use on wooden flooring and I second that because I detected no tell-tale signs of damage on my floors.
(Image credit: Future)
If you find pushing and pulling vacuum cleaners around a bit of a workout, you'll love this model's adjustable power-assisted wheels. With a brushless motor in each wheel and some AI-enhanced tech to govern it all, Roborock's SlideTech 2.0 system functions like a power-assisted electric bicycle. As soon as you push or pull the cleaner, the wheels instantly provide a level of self-propulsion that feels extremely natural while making the unit feel really light in the hand.
The adjustable power assistance also applies to the turns, giving the F25 Ultra the ability to effortlessly glide around furniture and walls with 70-degree steering. And unlike its predecessor, the F25 ACE, the motorized wheels are disengaged the moment you stand it up.
Couple this dextrous motorized ability with the wherewithal to remotely control the F25 Ultra via the excellent Roborock app and you have a hard floor cleaner that you can quite literally drive under the entire length of a super king bed by lowering the handle to the floor and steering it using the app's virtual joysticks.
Whenever you have finished a task, simply place the unit into its square tub-shaped dock and tap the self-clean button on the vac's handlebar to automatically engage the cleaning process which washes the roller and areas around it with hot water at temperatures between 194F and 356F (90C to 180C) before drying the roller with hot air at a substantial 203F / 95C. When it's finished cleaning, chuck the contents of the F25 Ultra's dirty water tank into the toilet bowl.
The Roborock F25 Ultra weighs 11.46 lbs / 5.2kg which is about average for a hard floor cleaner. While it's light enough for most able bods to haul up a flight of stairs, a carrying handle on the rear wouldn't have gone amiss.
Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Roborock F25 Ultra review: performance
Stupendous suction power sucks up solids and liquids easily
Groundbreaking steam function clears even dried stains
Very easy to push, pull and maneuver
I tested this model in a number of disciplines. Firstly, I used it as a bog-standard mop on my engineered wooden flooring and was pleasantly surprised by how little water it left behind – just a thin perfectly uniform film with no streaking or signs of missed areas.
Some models I've tested have had a habit of leaving a small pool of water around the roller when turning the unit off. But, like the Eureka SpeedWash 730, this model gave a quick blast of suction just before it switched itself and I have no pools of water to report. I'm happy with that.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
My second test was using the Sponge mode to collect a nasty spill using a variety of wet and dry ingredients, including oats, ketchup, milk, a crushed biscuit and an egg for extra grunginess. Cleaning up something as disgusting as this the conventional way involves a pile of paper towels and a pair of Marigolds. But not with this gunk swallower, which I would say performed better than any model of this nature that I've so far reviewed. It quite literally sucked up every last vestige of the mess without leaving any sign that anything was there.
(Image credit: Future)
All I had to do was unclip the dirty water tank and empty its revolting contents into the toilet. Hint: there's a recessed yellow handle on top of the firm-fitting dirty water tank that's designed to release the lid. If you try to force the lid off, there's a very good chance of spilling everything all over your legs.
For my third test I switched it to hot water mopping and it took about a minute for the roller to feel warm. While I was a bit nervous of using this mode for too long on my wooden floor (hot water seeps more easily), I was mightily impressed by the results when I tested it on some ingrained stains left behind by the dogs.
My final test used the new steam mopping feature on two patches of dried soy sauce stains on my bathroom's tiled floor, but they may as well have been wet because the combination of steam and the fast-spinning roller obliterated both stains in a single pass.
(Image credit: Future)
It's good to know that, according to Roborock, the F25 Ultra's steam function is wooden floor-friendly. My floors are made from engineered wood and I've seen no evidence of any harm after using this model's steam function. (As an aside: the act of mopping wooden floors can leave them looking tired and a bit dull, but I've started using Bona Wood Floor Gloss Finish, which works a treat to counter any dryness and leaves a beautiful sheen. Here's more on how to clean a hardwood floor, if you're looking for some general guidance).
The Roborock F25 Ultra's self-cleaning system automatically washes the roller mop in hot water followed by an efficient drying sequence using wafts of hot air to keep odors and mildew at bay.
In terms of battery usage, Roborock states a running time in Auto mode of 'up to 60 minutes'. I sadly don't have the floor space to have kept it running in Auto mode till the battery ran out or my wooden floors would have been soaked and possibly damaged. However, I did test both the hot water and steam modes which use a lot more battery power and the hot water function gave me 20 minutes of mopping while the steam function continued to operate for another five minutes. I call that a very decent set of stats and more than enough time to cover three or four average-sized rooms using a mix of all three cleaning functions.
Performance score: 5 out of 5
Should you buy the Roborock F25 Ultra?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Expensive at full price, but discounts are very common. You're getting an awful lot of practical and efficient tech for your money.
4 / 5
Design
Fully featured and looks great too. A smidge away from 5 stars due to its fractionally short roller.
4.5 / 5
Performance
Exceptional in all disciplines, whether it's mopping the kitchen, cleaning up big spills or steam-cleaning the bathroom.
5 / 5
Buy it if...
You want something for tough stains
With its mix of powerful suction, hot water mopping and steam cleaning, the F25 Ultra can handle the toughest of stains and spills.
You aren't as nimble as you used to be
The F25 Ultra's power-assisted wheels make it feel light and easy to maneuver, and you can even remote-control it into awkward spaces.
You need something to sanitize floors
The steam function here is ideal for sanitizing flooring, as well as for lifting dried dirt.
Don't buy it if...
You just need something for light cleaning
There are cheaper, less powerful wet-dry vacuums that can handle day-to-day cleaning of hard floors.
You have lots of stairs
The F25 Ultra is quite heavy to carry, and if you're going to be mopping on different levels, you might want to opt for something lighter.
Roborock F25 Ultra: alternatives to consider
Roborock F25 Ultra (reviewed)
Roborock F25 ACE
Dyson WashG1
Type:
Cordless wet-and-dry vacuum
Cordless wet-and-dry vacuum
Cordless wet cleaner
Water tank volume:
Clean 1L, dirty 0.72L
Clean 0.74L, dirty 0.72L
Clean 1L, dirty 0.8L
Weight:
11.5 lbs / 5.2kg
10.4 lbs / 4.7kg
10.8 lbs / 4.9kg
Dimensions (H x W x D):
43.1 x 10.4 x 9.7 in / 109.6 x 26.5 x 24.6cm
45.6 x 13.9 x 21.4in / 115.7 x 35.2 x 31.6cm
44.9 x 8.9 x 11.8in / 114 x 22.5 x 30cm
Max runtime:
60 mins
60 mins
35 mins
Max suction:
22,000 Pa
22,000 Pa
None
Hot water mopping:
Yes (at 187F / 86C)
No
No
Steam cleaning:
Yes (at 356F / 180C)
No
No
Self-clean cycle:
Yes (hot water, steam, hot air)
Yes (hot water, hot air)
Yes (cold water)
Detergent dispenser:
Yes
Yes
No
Roborock F25 ACE
The ACE sits lower down the F25 range. It's still an exceptional cleaner has most things the Ultra does, but lacks steam cleaning and hot water mopping.
Dyson's wet cleaning effort relies on agitation and hydration to clear spillages and lift stains – there's no suction here. The WashG1 isn't as fully featured as the F25 vacuums, but it does have a clever separation system for solid and liquid waste.
I knew what to expect with the F25 Ultra since I reviewed its stablemate, the F25 ACE, earlier this year. Hence putting it all together and setting it up was a breeze.
The first thing I did was let it charge, before taking it for a spin in the kitchen to see how well it performed at general light-duty mopping. I then tried out the hot water mopping function on some dog stains followed by my main suction test using both liquids and solids. Finally, I tried out the steam function to see how well it removed a couple of dried soy sauce stains.
This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:
US: Freestyle Max SV2002 UK: Freestyle Pro / Freestyle Max SV2000UK AU: Freestyle Max SV2000NV
For this review, I tested the US version. The UK version has also been tested by the TechRadar homes team. The only notable discrepancy between the different versions is that the US version has headlamps, and the UK and AU versions do not.
The Shark Freestyle Max is not your average upright vacuum. It's far lighter and more streamlined, and it's cordless too. After its launch in October 2025, I tested it out to see how it compares to both the best upright vacuums on the market and the best cordless vacuums.
In terms of suction power, I was very impressed. I used this vacuum in my 1600-square-foot home and it did a great job at cleaning fine materials and large debris from both hard floors and carpet-like rugs. It picked up everything in a single pass and got right up close to the edges of rooms, too.
The design is very basic but effective – you use your foot to press down on a big button on the floorhead to turn the machine on and off and switch modes. Charging happens via a dock, but this is about as compact as you can imagine – smaller than even the footprint of the vacuum itself. It's also incredibly affordable – pricing is lower than some of the best cheap vacuums on the market, but the suction power is up there with far pricier stick vacuums.
There are a couple of significant potential drawbacks. Firstly: battery life. The battery doesn't last longer than 20 minutes in hard floor mode and less than 12 minutes in carpet mode. That wasn't enough for me to clean my house in a single go without stopping to recharge (at least recharge is relatively quick at three hours). Secondly: the Freestyle Max is for use on floors only. There are no detail tools, and nor is there a flexible hose that enables you to use the vacuum to clean furniture, stairs, or up high.
If you can handle those drawbacks and are looking for a simple vacuum that packs the power of an upright but without the weight and bulk, the Freestyle Max is a great choice. Keep reading to get deeper insight into its pros and cons.
(Image credit: Future)
Shark Freestyle Max review: price & availability
List price: $199.99 / £149 / AU$249.99
Launched: October 2025
Available: US, UK, AU
The Shark Freestyle Max launched in October 2025, and at list price in the US it costs $199.99, though it's often on sale – at time of writing, it was down to $149.99.
There's an almost-identical model in the UK, minus the headlamps, which costs £149.99 but was discounted to £99 at time of writing. Shark doesn't seem to have decided whether to call it the Freestyle Pro or Freestyle Max, so look at the product code (SV2000UK) to make sure you're getting the right one. The AU model doesn't have headlamps either, and costs AU$249.99 at list price.
It's a budget buy on the wider market, and with the typical discount, it's well priced, considering the strong suction power and the shorter battery life.
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Shark Freestyle Max specs
Product code:
SV2002 (US) / SV2000UK (UK) / SV2000NV (AU)
Weight:
6.6 lbs / 3 kg
Bin size:
0.7qt / 0.7L
Max runtime:
21 mins
Charge time:
3 hrs 20
Size (H x W x L):
44.9 x 10.2 x 9.8in / 114 x 26 x 25cm
Modes:
Hard floor mode, Carpet mode
Cleaning path:
10.3in / 26.2cm
Headlamps:
Yes (US) / No (UK and AU)
Shark Freestyle Max review: design
Extremely lightweight for an upright, and cordless
Generous dust cup, foot-press button operation, and two suction modes
Basic but effective in design
Shark set out with the intent to create a more compact and lightweight upright vacuum, and it did just that with the Shark Freestyle Max. Aesthetics wise, the vacuum is white and gray with a modern sleek design.
The vacuum is very lightweight, clocking in 6.6 lbs / 3kg, which would be fairly light for a stick vacuum, let alone an upright. Unlike other vacuums, the button to change between the two suction modes is found on top of the vacuum head.
(Image credit: Future)
To shift between the two modes, you press the button with your foot, and a blue or green light indicates which mode you're in. Look extremely closely and you'll see an icon to indicate that the more powerful 'green' should be used on carpet, whereas the lower-powered 'blue' is for hard flooring.
(Image credit: Future)
The vacuum locks in place so it can stand up on its own. Although the vacuum can't lean back 180 degrees, it comes very close. If I had to guess, I'd say the vacuum leans to about 160 degrees, which is not quite as nimble as a stick vacuum, but still very decent. The US version also has a headlight on the front of the vacuum head to help users see in dim spaces. This isn't included on the UK or Australian versions.
The 0.7-quart / 0.7L dust cup can be removed from the vacuum pod and emptied with a lid release button. A debris screen and filter are located inside the dustbin. There are no additional accessories, nor a flexible tube that would allow you to break down the vacuum and use it to clean windowsills or in the corners of ceilings, à la something like the Shark Stratos Upright.
(Image credit: Future)
Rather unusually, there's a dock for charging. This is smaller than even the footprint of the vacuum, but a simple plug-in setup would probably be more convenient.
Setup took only a few minutes. I just had to click the wand into the vacuum pod, and the vacuum pod onto the floor nozzle. From there, I charged the vacuum, and it was ready to go.
Design score: 3.5 out of 5
Shark Freestyle Max review: performance
Very powerful hard floor and carpet suction, with excellent edge cleaning
Picks up fine materials in a single pass
Maneuverable for an upright but not as nimble as a stick vacuum
From the get-go, I was impressed with the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum, especially in terms of suction power. It may be a simple vacuum without smart features or app integration, but it did a great job cleaning fine material – like flour – and larger items – like crumbs and leaves. In fact, no matter if I used the bare floor or the carpet mode, it only took a single pass on rugs and hard floors for the vacuum to pick up all material, be it dirt or hair.
I tested both the front edge and edge cleaning of the vacuum and was very happy with the results. It cleans right to the edge. Unfortunately, if I tried to vacuum in reverse, larger debris like coffee grinds got stuck behind the wheels. It was better to do a forward pass over a mess for quick and efficient cleaning.
I've tested many vacuums over the years, and the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum feels a lot more powerful than others. With some vacuums, I need to use a Max or a Turbo mode to pick up large debris. The Freestyle Max isn't outfitted with those types of modes, but thankfully, you don't need them. The suction power of this vacuum outshone many cordless stick vacuums that I've tested in the past.
While not as powerful as bulkier, corded uprights, it's right up there with the priciest cordless stick vacuums when it comes to power. TechRadar's Home Editor Ruth tested the UK version side-by-side with the Dyson Gen5detect and found the cleaning power comparable with that model – all the more impressive considering that vacuum costs five times the price.
(Image credit: Future)
The compromise here is that because of the higher suction power, the battery on this vacuum doesn't last very long. I discuss more about the battery in the battery section, but for reference, I wasn't able to clean my entire house switching between bare floor and carpet modes.
I love that the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum is outfitted with a headlight, as it made it easier to see dust and dirt in low lit areas. If only the vacuum paused when locked upright. In terms of sound, the hard floor mode has a dB rating of 79. I measured an 83 dB rating during carpet mode. In my opinion, the vacuum isn't any louder than most.
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The only other thing I should note is that the vacuum felt a little stiff in terms of maneuverability. Turning the vacuum left or right was not as smooth as I would have liked. While it's nimbler than your average upright vacuum, it's not as maneuverable as most stick vacuums I've used. At least it's lightweight, the vacuum head fits in relatively tight spaces, and it can lean back to about 160 degrees, making it easy to reach under my bed and low furniture.
(Image credit: Future)
Maintenance doesn't take long to complete. When the dust cup was full, I removed it from the vacuum pod and placed it over a trash can. Then I pressed the 'lid release' catch and the dust and dirt emptied. I was able to keep my hands clean. The debris screen and the filter – both located in the dust cup – need to be occasionally removed and washed with water, before air drying for 24 hours.
Performance score: 4 out of 5
Shark Freestyle Max review: battery life
11 mins in Carpet mode; 21 mins in Hard floor mode
Takes about 3 hours and 20 mins for the battery to fully recharge
Battery not removable or replaceable
The battery life of the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum depends on which mode is being used. In higher-powered carpet mode, the battery lasted almost 11 and a half minutes, and in hard floor mode, 21 minutes.
Since I have both hard floors and rugs in my 1,600-square-foot house, I tested how long the battery lasted when switching between modes. I was able to clean my bare floors in 15 minutes. Then I switched to carpet mode to vacuum my rugs. The battery lasted only three more minutes, which was not enough time to fully vacuum one of my large rugs. The battery took about three hours and 20 minutes to fully charge. I let it charge for an hour, which gave it enough juice to finish vacuuming my rugs.
The Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum's battery life is far shorter than most cordless stick vacuums – many models can last up to a full hour in their lowest-powered mode these days, and it's rare to see a maximum runtime shorter than 40 minutes. This model won't fit the bill for those with bigger homes or lots of carpet. However, I see it as a strong choice for apartments, small homes, or anyone who just like having a vacuum to do short bursts of cleaning.
One final black mark against Shark here is that the battery isn't removable or swappable, as is the case with most good modern cordless vacuums. That means once the batteries wears out, you'll have to throw the whole machine away.
Battery life score: 2 out of 5
Should you buy the Shark Freestyle Max?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
Very affordably priced, with performance up there with far more expensive cordless models. The compromise is short battery.
4.5 / 5
Design
Very basic in terms of features, but perfectly functional and well-built. Cordless uprights are very rare, so it fills that niche.
3.5 / 5
Performance
Very lightweight and maneuverable for an upright. Picks up fine and large materials in a single pass and offers impeccable edge cleaning.
4 / 5
Battery life
The battery doesn't last longer than 20 minutes, which is very short.
2 / 5
Buy it if...
You want a powerful vacuum for quick cleanups
The suction power of this vacuum is powerful, so much so that you can pick up small and large debris in one forward pass. It's not as sucky as the bulkiest corded uprights, but packs a real punch for a cordless.
You're on a budget
This vacuum has an extremely wallet-friendly price tag, and it's often discounted further. For the cleaning power on offer, it's a steal.
You have more limited mobility
Upright vacuums are typically heavy and bulky, but the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum is far more compact, lighter and easier to maneuver, but it still stands up on its own, making it a strong choice for those with limited mobility.
Don't buy it if...
You have a medium / large house or lots of carpet
The limited battery life – which is even shorter in the higher-powered mode – makes this vacuum a poor choice for larger homes or those with lots of carpet, unless you're only planning to use it for a room or two at a time.
You want to clean stairs or furniture
There's no configuration that lets you clean anything that's not flat floor. Most uprights have a flexible hose and detail tools for cleaning above the ground, but that's not included here.
You can handle a cord or a heavier upright
If you can deal with the extra weight and the inconvenience of a cord, there are uprights that deliver even more oomph, can be used for detail cleaning, and won't run out of juice mid-clean.
How I tested the Shark Freestyle Max
I tested the Shark Freestyle Max Cordless Upright Vacuum for a week in my 1,600-square-foot home, using it to vacuum my hardwood and laminate floors and two large rugs. Everything from how well it suctioned debris to the length of battery life and ease of movement was tested and considered when writing this review.
The UK version was also tested on-team in the TechRadar offices, where it was used on hard floor, mid-pile carpet and deep-pile carpet, and the suction power was compared to that of a premium Dyson stick vacuum.
The Levoit Aero is a lightweight, nimble stick vacuum that comes with a convenient auto-empty charging base. It's one of the most lightweight vacuums I've used, and comes with a smaller-than-usual floorhead that tucks easily into tight spaces. I also appreciated the clear display, which tells you which suction level you're in and how much battery you have left.
While it's not the most outright powerful cordless vacuum I've used, it's great for everyday cleaning and especially good when it comes to edge cleaning. I found that even in the Minimum power mode it lifted most dirt from my floors, although I did need to bump up to Med or even Max mode to clear chunkier debris. The edge cleaning was outstanding, however.
Battery life is good but not great – while the Max mode lasts an impressive 15 minutes, in Min mode it only runs for 40 mins, which is short for a lowest-power option. I missed having a battery-maximizing Auto mode, where the power adjusts intelligently based on dirt levels or floor type.
The auto-empty base is a big effort-saver and works well, although there does seem to be a flaw that means the dustbin flap on the vacuum itself doesn't always close securely afterwards, which meant some cleaning sessions began rather messily.
Keep reading for a deeper dive into what the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner has to offer, and how it compares to the rest of the best cordless vacuums on the market.
(Image credit: Future)
Levoit Aero review: price & availability
List price: $499
Available: October 2025
Availability: US
The Levoit Aero Vacuum Cleaner launched in October 2025, with a list price of $499. It's available in the US on the Levoit website. This price includes the self-standing stick vacuum, charging dock that doubles as an auto-empty base, four accessories, and an extra dust bag.
In the wider market, this vacuum sits on the cusp between mid-range and premium. I'd usually expect better battery life and some smart features for this price, although the inclusion of the auto-empty dock does help justify the higher price somewhat. It's perhaps worth keeping an eye out for any deals over Black Friday.
A lightweight, streamlined stick vacuum that can stand up on its own
Display screen shows battery life and suction power
Auto-empty station that doubles as a charger
The Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner is a cordless stick vacuum that can stand on its own when the head and shaft are locked in place. At only 4.4 lbs / 2kg, it's incredibly lightweight, which makes it easy to maneuver on the floor or use to grab dust on high ceilings.
The vacuum cleaner is black and white, and looks sleek and modern. It differs from some other vacuums in that the 0.45L dust bin is positioned on the front of the vacuum, rather than the back. Above the dustbin is a small display screen and the power button.
(Image credit: Future)
Upon pressing the power button, the suction level and battery countdown timer appear on the display screen. If I want to move between the different suction level options, I have to hit the four-square button below the power button to scroll through them. My pre-launch test model had three suction modes: Min, Med and Max. Now the vacuum is on sale, there seems to have been a fourth mode added, called Turbo. The Max suction power hasn't changed, though – it's still 180AW.
(Image credit: Future)
Like pretty much every stick vacuum, the design is modular and can be reconfigured for use as a handheld by removing the main wand. Four accessories are provided, including a 2-in-1 crevice tool, 2-in-1 combination tool (for vacuuming hair and such from furniture), a mini motorized brush, and an extension hose. There's also an attachment clip that can be added to the vacuum wand for easy detail tool storage.
(Image credit: Future)
The charging station is slim with a round base and a hidden dust bag with a generous 3.5L capacity. When you dock the vacuum, the charging station pulls the dirt and debris from its dustbin into the larger dust bag, so you don't need to worry about emptying it manually.
In terms of noise, the vacuum cleaner has an average sound rating. When the Min suction level is being used, it emits a sound rating of 79 dB. On Med and Max suction level powers, the rating is 81 and 83 dB respectively.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Levoit Aero review: performance
Easy to maneuver with helpful accessories
Superb edge cleaning
Little maintenance required on a day-to-day basis
Upon powering on the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner, it automatically begins running on the Med suction level. Most of the time when vacuuming my house, I used this suction level, no matter the floor type, as it resulted in top-notch cleaning. The vacuum is very lightweight, and the vacuum head swivels easily, allowing me to vacuum around furniture without having to move it. I also noticed that the vacuum head is smaller in width than some of the other vacuums I've tested, which allows me to vacuum in tighter spaces. Better yet, the vacuum can flatten to 180 degrees, so I'm able to reach further under furniture, as long as I squat down to the ground.
(Image credit: Future)
To see just how well the vacuum works, I ran the same test on two different floor types. I sprinkled dry tea and oats on my hard floor and on one of my thickest rugs, then I turned the vacuum on the lowest suction level – Min – to see how well it picked up the different materials.
I was really impressed by how well the Levoit Aero vacuumed both the tea and the oats from the rug on the lowest power level. It only took one pass, in a forward or reverse direction, for the vacuum to pick up the dried tea. Similarly, the vacuum picked up the oats perfectly when pushing the vacuum in a forward motion. When reverse cleaning over the oats, some pieces got stuck behind the wheels. This didn't surprise me as I've seen this happen with other vacuum cleaners I've tested.
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The results were a bit different when running the same test on my hard floors. When vacuuming over the dry tea in a forward direction with Min suction power, all the tea was picked up. However, I was surprised when I vacuumed over the dried tea in reverse because a lot of tea got caught behind the wheels. I did not expect this.
Unfortunately, the Levoit Aero struggled with vacuuming the oats no matter if I was vacuuming forward or in reverse. Most of the time, the vacuum head pushed the oats away from the vacuum, unless I went very slowly over them. The Min suction level didn't seem to be powerful enough to suck up the oats, so I adjusted the power to Med and Max. It's perhaps no surprise that on the Max suction level, the oats were more easily suctioned into the vacuum.
(Image credit: Future)
To test the edge cleaning, I poured some dry tea along the edge of a wall. The vacuum only needs to rest against an edge for all the debris to be picked up in a single pass, no matter the suction level. You won't need a crevice or edge cleaning tool to clean along the bottom of walls, cabinets, or appliances.
(Image credit: Future)
Four accessories come with the purchase of this vacuum: a 2-in-1 crevice tool, 2-in-1 combination tool (for vacuuming hair from furniture), a mini motorized brush, and an extension hose.
I used the 2-in-1 crevice tool to vacuum windowsills, blinds, baseboards, and the corners of ceilings. It worked wonderfully, though I did notice that it worked best on the Med or Max suction level. My only complaint is that when I was using the tool as a brush, it would sometimes snap down to a crevice tool when I didn't want it to.
This is because the button that transforms the tool between a brush and a crevice tool is located on the top of the brush. If I barely hit the button or tapped the edge of the tool against the edge of a windowsill, it would transition to a crevice tool. I'd then have to stop cleaning and re-click the brush tool into place. This happened a lot, which makes me think the button needs to be placed along the sides of the tool instead, or that the mechanism that holds the brush in place needs to be stronger.
(Image credit: Future)
The 2-in-1 combination tool did a pretty decent job suctioning hair from my furniture. I think this had to do with the fact that there is a little rough strip of material in the middle of the brush that catches hair and helps pull it up from the fabric. That said, I found that I had the best results when using this tool with max power.
The mini motorized brush is essentially a vacuum head that is about half the size of the regular vacuum head on the Levoit Aero. I used it to clean around my toilet and between my oven and the wall, spaces where I usually can't reach with a regular vacuum head. This was definitely my favorite accessory, and it did a fantastic job cleaning those tricky areas. I wish, however, that the mini motorized brush had the ability to swivel, to make it easier to vacuum in tight spaces. (I haven't come across a mini motorized tool that can swivel, but I think vacuum makers are missing a trick here.)
(Image credit: Future)
It's unlikely that you'll use the extension hose often, except perhaps to clean your car. In that case, you'd probably connect the extension hose to the handheld portion of the Levoit Aero and then add the mini motorized brush to the end.
I tried seeing if there was any practical use for the extension hose in the cleaning of my house and didn't really find one. To be fair, I was able to connect the hose between the handheld and the shaft, which enabled me to swing the vacuum under the bed to vacuum hard to reach spots. This sort-of worked, but I didn't have much control over the direction of the vacuum head. Since the Levoit IQ can flatten to the ground, it's probably better to just squat and vacuum under furniture rather than use the extension hose in this manner.
(Image credit: Future)
After using the vacuum, I set it on the charging base and let the base automatically pull the debris and dirt from the dust bin into the dust bag. This meant that on a day-to-day basis, I wasn't really doing any maintenance. When the dust bag fills, the vacuum will inform me on the display, and I'll have to replace the dust bag. The foam, felt, and station filters need to be washed at least once a month and replaced every three months. The HEPA filter has to be washed every two months and replaced every 6 months.
My biggest gripe with the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner has to do with the dust bin. Half the time when I removed the vacuum from the base, the dust bin flap would be open. I didn't always realize this until I started to clean and noticed that the dirt and debris falling back to the floor. Sometimes, the dustbin opened when I was cleaning. I'm not sure how it opened on its own or why, but it was frustrating to have to re-clean an area twice in a row.
(Image credit: Future)
It's increasingly common for a premium vacuum to have automation features that enables it to adjust suction based on floor type or dirt detected. I have come to appreciate when a vacuum has the ability to read the cleanliness of a floor, because even though the Levoit Aero Vacuum has a headlight on the front of the vacuum head, I can't always see when there is dirt or not. At this kind of price, I'd expect some kind of automation features.
That said, the Aero is still a solid vacuum cleaner with phenomenal edge cleaning and the capability to pick up most all debris with the Min suction level (most large debris can be picked up on the Med power level). It's a good option for those who have mostly hard floors and like the convenience of an auto-empty charging base.
Performance score: 3.5 out of 5
Levoit Aero review: battery life
Lasts up to 40 mins in Min mode with main floorhead attached
A decent 15 mins in Max mode, and 30 mins in Med mode
Takes three hours to recharge on charging base
One of the great things about the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner is that it displays the battery life on the screen, so you don't have to wonder how much time you have left to vacuum your house. The battery life depends solely on the suction level you're using, so if you're using the Max suction level, you only get 15 minutes of battery life. The Med suction level results in a 30 minutes of battery life, while the battery lasts 40 minutes when using the Min mode.
15 minutes for a Max suction level is pretty decent, and 30 minutes is very acceptable in Med mode. However, most vacuums these days will last longer than 40 minutes on their lowest suction level. My house is 1,600 square feet, and I was able to vacuum everything in 40 minutes, though I had to rush slightly.
(Image credit: Future)
Couple of notes here: Levoit quotes a Max of 70 minutes' cleaning per charge, but if you read the fine print, that's with the Crevice tool attached, rather than the main floorhead. On the current version of the vacuum, Levoit also seems to have added a fourth mode – Turbo, which sits above Max. The brand promises 6 minutes of cleaning per charge in Turbo with the main floorhead attached. I wasn't able to test this mode as it didn't exist on my review model.
It takes three hours for the base to fully recharge the battery, which is fairly speedy. If you can't clean your house completely before needing to recharge, it might be helpful to know that the battery recharges to 20% after 30 minutes.
Battery life score: 3.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Levoit Aero?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
On the cusp between mid-range and premium. Decent value when you factor in the auto-empty base, although I'd usually expect auto features at that price.
3.5 / 5
Design
A super lightweight stick vacuum cleaner with four suction levels, a screen displaying the battery countdown, and an auto-empty station.
4 / 5
Performance
Smaller floorhead can tuck into tight spaces, and edge cleaning is excellent. Not the most powerful vacuum I've tested, but great for everyday light cleans.
3.5 / 5
Battery life
15 mins in Max mode is good, but 40 in Min is rather short. Recharge is speedy at 3 hours.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You want a lightweight vacuum
The Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner barely weighs more than 4 lbs, making it easy to maneuver and clean your home. Most people will be able to lift the vacuum cleaner above their head or reach far under beds without tiring.
You like vacuums with little maintenance
This vacuum comes with a charging base that doubles as an auto-empty station, meaning it automatically empties the dustbin each time you place it on the base to charge. Filters and dust bags will need to be cleaned or replaced but such tasks aren't a weekly occurrence.
You like knowing how much battery you have left
Some vacuum cleaners indicate battery life by bars or pie charts, which can be confusing. The Levoit Aero lets you know the exact amount of time left before the battery dies thanks to a countdown on the display screen.
Don't buy it if...
You have a lot of carpets
While the Levoit Aero is well-equipped to vacuum some rugs and low pile carpet, those whose houses are half or mostly covered in carpet would do better with an upright vacuum or a heavier, more powerful cordless stick vacuum – check TechRadar's best vacuum for carpet guide for our top recommendations.
You need more than 40 minutes to vacuum your house
Despite Levoit claiming that this vacuum offers up to 70 minutes of battery life, it only lasts 15-40 minutes depending on the suction level you use. If your house is particularly large or requires a lot of complicated cleaning maneuvers or use of different accessories, the battery might not last.
You want a vacuum with smart features.
This vacuum lacks any smart features. On the one hand, this makes it easier for everyone to use (not just the technologically-savvy), however, if you're looking for a vacuum that can detect dirt on the ground or provide cleaning stats, this isn't the product for you. View Deal
How I tested the Levoit Aero
I tested the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner in my 1,600-square foot home. As someone who has laminate and wood flooring – as well as some thick rugs – I was able to get a sense of how well the vacuum suctions fine and large materials through a series of tests. I also utilized the various accessories on my baseboards, windowpanes, blinds, and furniture to provide thorough insight into the value of this vacuum cleaner.
The Levoit Aero is a lightweight, nimble stick vacuum that comes with a convenient auto-empty charging base. It's one of the most lightweight vacuums I've used, and comes with a smaller-than-usual floorhead that tucks easily into tight spaces. I also appreciated the clear display, which tells you which suction level you're in and how much battery you have left.
While it's not the most outright powerful cordless vacuum I've used, it's great for everyday cleaning and especially good when it comes to edge cleaning. I found that even in the Minimum power mode it lifted most dirt from my floors, although I did need to bump up to Med or even Max mode to clear chunkier debris. The edge cleaning was outstanding, however.
Battery life is good but not great – while the Max mode lasts an impressive 15 minutes, in Min mode it only runs for 40 mins, which is short for a lowest-power option. I missed having a battery-maximizing Auto mode, where the power adjusts intelligently based on dirt levels or floor type.
The auto-empty base is a big effort-saver and works well, although there does seem to be a flaw that means the dustbin flap on the vacuum itself doesn't always close securely afterwards, which meant some cleaning sessions began rather messily.
Keep reading for a deeper dive into what the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner has to offer, and how it compares to the rest of the best cordless vacuums on the market.
(Image credit: Future)
Levoit Aero review: price & availability
List price: $499
Available: October 2025
Availability: US
The Levoit Aero Vacuum Cleaner launched in October 2025, with a list price of $499. It's available in the US on the Levoit website. This price includes the self-standing stick vacuum, charging dock that doubles as an auto-empty base, four accessories, and an extra dust bag.
In the wider market, this vacuum sits on the cusp between mid-range and premium. I'd usually expect better battery life and some smart features for this price, although the inclusion of the auto-empty dock does help justify the higher price somewhat. It's perhaps worth keeping an eye out for any deals over Black Friday.
A lightweight, streamlined stick vacuum that can stand up on its own
Display screen shows battery life and suction power
Auto-empty station that doubles as a charger
The Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner is a cordless stick vacuum that can stand on its own when the head and shaft are locked in place. At only 4.4 lbs / 2kg, it's incredibly lightweight, which makes it easy to maneuver on the floor or use to grab dust on high ceilings.
The vacuum cleaner is black and white, and looks sleek and modern. It differs from some other vacuums in that the 0.45L dust bin is positioned on the front of the vacuum, rather than the back. Above the dustbin is a small display screen and the power button.
(Image credit: Future)
Upon pressing the power button, the suction level and battery countdown timer appear on the display screen. If I want to move between the different suction level options, I have to hit the four-square button below the power button to scroll through them. My pre-launch test model had three suction modes: Min, Med and Max. Now the vacuum is on sale, there seems to have been a fourth mode added, called Turbo. The Max suction power hasn't changed, though – it's still 180AW.
(Image credit: Future)
Like pretty much every stick vacuum, the design is modular and can be reconfigured for use as a handheld by removing the main wand. Four accessories are provided, including a 2-in-1 crevice tool, 2-in-1 combination tool (for vacuuming hair and such from furniture), a mini motorized brush, and an extension hose. There's also an attachment clip that can be added to the vacuum wand for easy detail tool storage.
(Image credit: Future)
The charging station is slim with a round base and a hidden dust bag with a generous 3.5L capacity. When you dock the vacuum, the charging station pulls the dirt and debris from its dustbin into the larger dust bag, so you don't need to worry about emptying it manually.
In terms of noise, the vacuum cleaner has an average sound rating. When the Min suction level is being used, it emits a sound rating of 79 dB. On Med and Max suction level powers, the rating is 81 and 83 dB respectively.
Design score: 4 out of 5
Levoit Aero review: performance
Easy to maneuver with helpful accessories
Superb edge cleaning
Little maintenance required on a day-to-day basis
Upon powering on the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner, it automatically begins running on the Med suction level. Most of the time when vacuuming my house, I used this suction level, no matter the floor type, as it resulted in top-notch cleaning. The vacuum is very lightweight, and the vacuum head swivels easily, allowing me to vacuum around furniture without having to move it. I also noticed that the vacuum head is smaller in width than some of the other vacuums I've tested, which allows me to vacuum in tighter spaces. Better yet, the vacuum can flatten to 180 degrees, so I'm able to reach further under furniture, as long as I squat down to the ground.
(Image credit: Future)
To see just how well the vacuum works, I ran the same test on two different floor types. I sprinkled dry tea and oats on my hard floor and on one of my thickest rugs, then I turned the vacuum on the lowest suction level – Min – to see how well it picked up the different materials.
I was really impressed by how well the Levoit Aero vacuumed both the tea and the oats from the rug on the lowest power level. It only took one pass, in a forward or reverse direction, for the vacuum to pick up the dried tea. Similarly, the vacuum picked up the oats perfectly when pushing the vacuum in a forward motion. When reverse cleaning over the oats, some pieces got stuck behind the wheels. This didn't surprise me as I've seen this happen with other vacuum cleaners I've tested.
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The results were a bit different when running the same test on my hard floors. When vacuuming over the dry tea in a forward direction with Min suction power, all the tea was picked up. However, I was surprised when I vacuumed over the dried tea in reverse because a lot of tea got caught behind the wheels. I did not expect this.
Unfortunately, the Levoit Aero struggled with vacuuming the oats no matter if I was vacuuming forward or in reverse. Most of the time, the vacuum head pushed the oats away from the vacuum, unless I went very slowly over them. The Min suction level didn't seem to be powerful enough to suck up the oats, so I adjusted the power to Med and Max. It's perhaps no surprise that on the Max suction level, the oats were more easily suctioned into the vacuum.
(Image credit: Future)
To test the edge cleaning, I poured some dry tea along the edge of a wall. The vacuum only needs to rest against an edge for all the debris to be picked up in a single pass, no matter the suction level. You won't need a crevice or edge cleaning tool to clean along the bottom of walls, cabinets, or appliances.
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Four accessories come with the purchase of this vacuum: a 2-in-1 crevice tool, 2-in-1 combination tool (for vacuuming hair from furniture), a mini motorized brush, and an extension hose.
I used the 2-in-1 crevice tool to vacuum windowsills, blinds, baseboards, and the corners of ceilings. It worked wonderfully, though I did notice that it worked best on the Med or Max suction level. My only complaint is that when I was using the tool as a brush, it would sometimes snap down to a crevice tool when I didn't want it to.
This is because the button that transforms the tool between a brush and a crevice tool is located on the top of the brush. If I barely hit the button or tapped the edge of the tool against the edge of a windowsill, it would transition to a crevice tool. I'd then have to stop cleaning and re-click the brush tool into place. This happened a lot, which makes me think the button needs to be placed along the sides of the tool instead, or that the mechanism that holds the brush in place needs to be stronger.
(Image credit: Future)
The 2-in-1 combination tool did a pretty decent job suctioning hair from my furniture. I think this had to do with the fact that there is a little rough strip of material in the middle of the brush that catches hair and helps pull it up from the fabric. That said, I found that I had the best results when using this tool with max power.
The mini motorized brush is essentially a vacuum head that is about half the size of the regular vacuum head on the Levoit Aero. I used it to clean around my toilet and between my oven and the wall, spaces where I usually can't reach with a regular vacuum head. This was definitely my favorite accessory, and it did a fantastic job cleaning those tricky areas. I wish, however, that the mini motorized brush had the ability to swivel, to make it easier to vacuum in tight spaces. (I haven't come across a mini motorized tool that can swivel, but I think vacuum makers are missing a trick here.)
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It's unlikely that you'll use the extension hose often, except perhaps to clean your car. In that case, you'd probably connect the extension hose to the handheld portion of the Levoit Aero and then add the mini motorized brush to the end.
I tried seeing if there was any practical use for the extension hose in the cleaning of my house and didn't really find one. To be fair, I was able to connect the hose between the handheld and the shaft, which enabled me to swing the vacuum under the bed to vacuum hard to reach spots. This sort-of worked, but I didn't have much control over the direction of the vacuum head. Since the Levoit IQ can flatten to the ground, it's probably better to just squat and vacuum under furniture rather than use the extension hose in this manner.
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After using the vacuum, I set it on the charging base and let the base automatically pull the debris and dirt from the dust bin into the dust bag. This meant that on a day-to-day basis, I wasn't really doing any maintenance. When the dust bag fills, the vacuum will inform me on the display, and I'll have to replace the dust bag. The foam, felt, and station filters need to be washed at least once a month and replaced every three months. The HEPA filter has to be washed every two months and replaced every 6 months.
My biggest gripe with the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner has to do with the dust bin. Half the time when I removed the vacuum from the base, the dust bin flap would be open. I didn't always realize this until I started to clean and noticed that the dirt and debris falling back to the floor. Sometimes, the dustbin opened when I was cleaning. I'm not sure how it opened on its own or why, but it was frustrating to have to re-clean an area twice in a row.
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It's increasingly common for a premium vacuum to have automation features that enables it to adjust suction based on floor type or dirt detected. I have come to appreciate when a vacuum has the ability to read the cleanliness of a floor, because even though the Levoit Aero Vacuum has a headlight on the front of the vacuum head, I can't always see when there is dirt or not. At this kind of price, I'd expect some kind of automation features.
That said, the Aero is still a solid vacuum cleaner with phenomenal edge cleaning and the capability to pick up most all debris with the Min suction level (most large debris can be picked up on the Med power level). It's a good option for those who have mostly hard floors and like the convenience of an auto-empty charging base.
Performance score: 3.5 out of 5
Levoit Aero review: battery life
Lasts up to 40 mins in Min mode with main floorhead attached
A decent 15 mins in Max mode, and 30 mins in Med mode
Takes three hours to recharge on charging base
One of the great things about the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner is that it displays the battery life on the screen, so you don't have to wonder how much time you have left to vacuum your house. The battery life depends solely on the suction level you're using, so if you're using the Max suction level, you only get 15 minutes of battery life. The Med suction level results in a 30 minutes of battery life, while the battery lasts 40 minutes when using the Min mode.
15 minutes for a Max suction level is pretty decent, and 30 minutes is very acceptable in Med mode. However, most vacuums these days will last longer than 40 minutes on their lowest suction level. My house is 1,600 square feet, and I was able to vacuum everything in 40 minutes, though I had to rush slightly.
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Couple of notes here: Levoit quotes a Max of 70 minutes' cleaning per charge, but if you read the fine print, that's with the Crevice tool attached, rather than the main floorhead. On the current version of the vacuum, Levoit also seems to have added a fourth mode – Turbo, which sits above Max. The brand promises 6 minutes of cleaning per charge in Turbo with the main floorhead attached. I wasn't able to test this mode as it didn't exist on my review model.
It takes three hours for the base to fully recharge the battery, which is fairly speedy. If you can't clean your house completely before needing to recharge, it might be helpful to know that the battery recharges to 20% after 30 minutes.
Battery life score: 3.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Levoit Aero?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
On the cusp between mid-range and premium. Decent value when you factor in the auto-empty base, although I'd usually expect auto features at that price.
3.5 / 5
Design
A super lightweight stick vacuum cleaner with four suction levels, a screen displaying the battery countdown, and an auto-empty station.
4 / 5
Performance
Smaller floorhead can tuck into tight spaces, and edge cleaning is excellent. Not the most powerful vacuum I've tested, but great for everyday light cleans.
3.5 / 5
Battery life
15 mins in Max mode is good, but 40 in Min is rather short. Recharge is speedy at 3 hours.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You want a lightweight vacuum
The Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner barely weighs more than 4 lbs, making it easy to maneuver and clean your home. Most people will be able to lift the vacuum cleaner above their head or reach far under beds without tiring.
You like vacuums with little maintenance
This vacuum comes with a charging base that doubles as an auto-empty station, meaning it automatically empties the dustbin each time you place it on the base to charge. Filters and dust bags will need to be cleaned or replaced but such tasks aren't a weekly occurrence.
You like knowing how much battery you have left
Some vacuum cleaners indicate battery life by bars or pie charts, which can be confusing. The Levoit Aero lets you know the exact amount of time left before the battery dies thanks to a countdown on the display screen.
Don't buy it if...
You have a lot of carpets
While the Levoit Aero is well-equipped to vacuum some rugs and low pile carpet, those whose houses are half or mostly covered in carpet would do better with an upright vacuum or a heavier, more powerful cordless stick vacuum – check TechRadar's best vacuum for carpet guide for our top recommendations.
You need more than 40 minutes to vacuum your house
Despite Levoit claiming that this vacuum offers up to 70 minutes of battery life, it only lasts 15-40 minutes depending on the suction level you use. If your house is particularly large or requires a lot of complicated cleaning maneuvers or use of different accessories, the battery might not last.
You want a vacuum with smart features.
This vacuum lacks any smart features. On the one hand, this makes it easier for everyone to use (not just the technologically-savvy), however, if you're looking for a vacuum that can detect dirt on the ground or provide cleaning stats, this isn't the product for you. View Deal
How I tested the Levoit Aero
I tested the Levoit Aero vacuum cleaner in my 1,600-square foot home. As someone who has laminate and wood flooring – as well as some thick rugs – I was able to get a sense of how well the vacuum suctions fine and large materials through a series of tests. I also utilized the various accessories on my baseboards, windowpanes, blinds, and furniture to provide thorough insight into the value of this vacuum cleaner.
