Shark Stratos Corded stick vacuum review

Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum: two-minute review

I was excited to put the Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum (known as the Shark Stratos Corded Stick Pet Pro in the UK) to the test, and was impressed with what I found. The fact that it's not cordless might put some off, but what you lose in roaming freedom, you gain in suction. It's far more powerful than I was expecting, and performed equally well on hard floor and carpet. Shark is fast cementing its name as one of the best vacuum cleaner brands around, and the Stratos Corded Stick doesn't disappoint; in fact we rate it as the best cheap vacuum. 

While you don't quite have the same freedom you'd find with one of the best cordless vacuums, the super-long cable means you won't feel tethered to the wall, the supplied attachments are useful for a range of cleaning scenarios, and the modular design is versatile. (If corded is a deal-breaker for you, there are plenty of alternatives in TechRadar's best Shark vacuum guide, most notably the cordless model in the same range, which you can read about if our Shark Stratos Cordless review.)

An anti hair wrap floor head minimizes the chance of things getting clogged up with hair, and LED headlights ensure you won't miss any spots in poorly lit areas, too. The odor-neutralizer cartridge might seem gimmicky, but I was quickly sold on this addition – it leaves carpets smelling lovely and fresh.   

My main complaint was that the dust canister is too small – I had to make six trips to the bin when clearing two weeks' of dog hair from my bedroom; all the more annoying because the canister is a little fiddly to empty. That's the short version – read on for my full Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum review.

Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum specs

Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum review: price & availability

• List price: $299.99 / £249.99
• Availability: US and UK 

At list price, the Shark Stratos Corded will set you back $299.99 in the US, while the UK's equivalent Shark Stratos Corded Stick Pet Pro is £249.99. For both that's in TechRadar's mid-range price bracket for vacuum cleaners. (Although at time of checking, the UK version was discounted to £199.99, which is right at the top of the budget bracket). 

That might seem quite steep, but, when it comes to vacuums, you get what you pay for – and with the Shark Stratos Corded, you're getting good value for the price. Shark does offer cheaper stick vacuums, but you'll have to make sacrifices in terms of suction and features. 

Seasonal shopping events like the Black Friday sales are often a good time to buy a new vacuum, and it's worth keeping an eye out for Shark promo codes to take the price down, too. 

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum review: design

• Lightweight, modular design with anti hair wrap floorhead
• Cord is plenty long enough to reach across rooms
• LED headlights to illuminate dark areas

Available in a dark blue and silver colorway, the Shark Stratos Corded definitely looks striking once set up, even if it can't stand up on its own. Take a closer look, and you’ll see that all the parts are attractive and well thought out.

The floor head utilizes a dual-brush roll system – one fabric, one bristled – that can be seen in all its black and red glory through the transparent top. Plus, the self-cleaning brush rolls ensure that no hair becomes wrapped or tangled around the barrels to slow down cleaning. The front of the floor head is also home to a strip of LED lights to illuminate the path in front so you don’t miss any dirt and debris, as well as the nozzle that houses the odor-neutralizer cartridge.

What I mistook as the lever to adjust the angle of the floor head turned out to be the locking mechanism for the telescopic tube. The telescopic tube easily clips into place, while the handheld vacuum clips into the top of it.

The handheld vacuum is essentially the brains of the operation. The two buttons that control the vacuum sit on its base right below an LED panel that indicates whether the vacuum is in carpet or hard floor mode. It’s here that you’ll also find the dust canister, whose 0.79qt / 0.13L capacity is fairly small. For example, it had to be emptied six times when vacuuming up two weeks' of dog hair in the master bedroom.

There’s a button on the front of the dust canister to pop it out of the handheld, and then two buttons on either side of the canister to open it on top. While I found it easy to empty, some might prefer a dust canister that opens from the bottom, allowing for quick emptying into the trash without any chance of any dust escaping.

Weighing in at just under 9lbs – or 3lbs, using the handheld on its own – the Shark Stratos corded is pretty lightweight (note that the UK version is heavier at 4.55kg). It's not quite as nifty as the WandVac range though (read our Shark WandVac System review for more on that one). 

You might at first think that the fact that it’s corded could hold you back, the cord offers more than enough length, 30ft to be exact (10m in the UK), to reach across rooms. If you would prefer cordless, this brand makes some excellent options – read TechRadar's Shark Detect Pro Cordless review for our favorite – although don't expect the same suction power. 

The Shark Stratos’ modular design means that removing the handheld or the tube from the base and attaching one of the three included attachments is hassle-free. In addition, I found that the included crevice tool, upholstery tool, and pet power brush were sufficient to cover just about all my cleaning needs. Note that there are several other attachments available for purchase.

To those who might be wondering about how to keep the vacuum upright if it can’t stand on its own; simply unclip the handheld from the telescopic and clip it on the front of the floorhead stand. Then, it will happily stand unsupported all day long.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum review: performance

• Excellent suction, regardless of use case
• Dust canister and floor head a little sticky
• Odor neutralizer makes everything smell fresh

When it comes to performance, I wasn’t expecting the Stratos Corded Stick Vacuum to be quite as powerful as it is. It takes just one or two passes over an area of mess to achieve a spotless floor, whether that’s on hard flooring or carpet. It proved just as adept at cleaning the edges and into corners of rooms with its wide brush rolls and floorhead. And, using the handheld portion with any supplied attachment delivered similarly stellar results when pulling pet hair off upholstery and sucking cobwebs from the ceiling.

The Shark Stratos Corded handled dust and small particles, pet hair, and large-ish bits of debris with aplomb. It even sucked up a piece of plastic that was a couple of inches in diameter in an instant. Of course, the LED light on the front helped ensure I didn’t miss anything.

As mentioned, unclipping the handheld and clipping on attachments is super easy. The only issues I’ve encountered when using this vacuum are when trying to pull out the dust canister, which can stick a little, and adjusting the floor head, which doesn’t tilt smoothly – although, when it does, it goes far enough to easily reach under furniture.

I thought the odor-neutralizer technology, which is essentially an air freshener in cartridge form, was a gimmick, but after testing, I'm a convert. There’s only one scent available but you can adjust the strength of the scent by turning the cartridge in place, and it leaves floors feeling and smelling fresh. I’m definitely a fan.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

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How I tested the Shark Stratos Corded

To test the Shark Stratos Corded, I used it for a week to vacuum both carpets and hardwood floors in my house as well as the stairs, upholstery, ceilings, and under furniture. I tested the odor neutralizer to gauge whether it actually brings any benefit, and paid particular attention to how the vacuum performed along edges and into the corners of rooms, as well as its handling of debris of all sizes.

I’ve tested a lot of gear over the years from laptops and audio equipment to vacuum cleaners and air fryers, and so have been able to use my expertise to give an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023