Shark WandVac System WS642 / WV361UK review

Shark WandVac System: two-minute review

The Shark WandVac System (called the Lightweight 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum in the UK) is a lightweight handheld vacuum that converts in to a very lightweight and maneuverable stick vacuum. It packs a punch when it comes to power, offering impressive suction. I found it performed better on carpet than hard floors, although it's good at both. Because it's so lightweight, it's great for tricky areas, and the included attachments make it nice and versatile, too. In fact, we rate it the best lightweight Shark vacuum you can buy. 

However, the small bin and short battery life mean it's really only for small cleanup jobs – if you want something to tackle your whole home, look elsewhere in our list of the best cordless vacuums. It’s best to think of the Shark WandVac as something you’d grab if you’ve just spilled flour all over the floor and needed to quickly clean it up, and if that's all you need, this is the best cheap vacuum for you..

If you don't need the floor head, then it is possible to buy this model as just a handheld. In the US it's the Shark WandVac Cordless Handheld Vacuum WV201, in the UK it's the Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum WV200UK, and in Australia it's the Shark Wandvac Handheld Vacuum WV203.

Shark WandVac System review: price & availability

• List price: $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$499.99

The Shark Wandvac System is available in the US, UK and Australia, and at list price it'll set you back $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$499.99. That puts it into TechRadar's budget price bracket for cordless vacuums. It's decent value for money, and an especially good choice if you need something lightweight. 

If you're primarily wanting to use it as a handheld, you can save by opting for the version without the stick and floorhead – that one costs $129.99 / £129.99 / $249.99 – or check out TechRadar's guide to the best car vacuums for some alternatives. If you need that versatility, though, you'd arguably be better off opting for something like the Shark Detect Pro. It's currently only a little more expensive than the WandVac System, and offers much more power.

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

Shark WandVac System specs

Shark WandVac System review: design

• Very lightweight, and can be used as a handheld or a stick vacuum 
• Anti-hair wrap cleaner head
• Small, easy-empty dust bin

The Shark WandVac has been designed for those times when you need to clean up a mess and you need to do it fast, and it can be used as a handheld cleaner with various attachments, or in stick mode with the 11.2-inch / 28cm-wide floor head to clean larger areas.

It weighs under 1kg in handheld mode, and is easy to maneuver in stick mode – in this mode, according to Shark, the US model weighs 5.9lbs, while the UK model is 3kg – that makes the US model a little lighter, which may be down to the slightly different head design. 

Putting the vacuum together is simple, and you can add attachments by slotting them in until they click into place. If you're using the Shark WandVac as a stick vacuum, the anti-hair-wrap floor head has self-cleaning silicone 'Powerfins', rather than conventional bristles, which prevent pet or human hair from getting stuck. 

To convert the WandVac to a handheld vacuum, all you have to do is remove the wand and floor head and you’re good to go. If you're cleaning your car or other awkward spaces, a crevice tool is included, and with the UK version I tested, there's also a fluffy brush head that's ideal for cleaning blinds or delicate surfaces. In the US and AU, that's replaced by a Pet Multi Tool. 

The dust canister capacity on this Shark vacuum is just 0.25qts / 0.13 liters, which is more in line with what you'd expect on a handheld than a general cordless model (i.e. small). It means this vacuum is better suited to small spills rather than full-house  cleaning. 

Emptying the bin is simple – you just push down a lever with one hand and the dust cup cap opens at an angle to let the contents fall into your bin. It took me a few attempts to make sure the opening of the dust cup was right over my bin, but because the action is quite fast the dust cloud is minimal.

There are two ways to charge the Shark WandVac. The first is by simply plugging the handheld part of the vacuum into the charger. The second method is by using the charging dock, which comes as standard – this way you can simply finish cleaning and place the vacuum on the dock, and it’ll start charging.  

Shark WandVac System review: performance

• Noticeably loud in use 
• Good suction; performs better on carpets than hard floors
• Lightweight and good to awkward jobs
• Bin fills up quickly – not for cleaning a whole house

The first thing I noticed is just how loud this vacuum cleaner is. In its standard cleaning mode with the floor head on it hit 82 decibels – the average vacuum cleaner is around 75 decibels. And when you use the Boost mode the volume increases even more, so this is worth bearing in mind if you prefer a quieter model. 

I tested the WandVac on hard floors with a flour mixture that resembled fine dust and dirt, and the vacuum sucked up everything in its path with ease, although it did cause some small crumbs to scatter further away. On carpet, the cleaner also coped very well with the mixture, and I didn’t need to use the Boost mode. 

Next, I tested the Shark with larger debris on hard floors and found that the machine again did a good job, although it did take a few sweeps back and forth to scoop up all of the mess. I also noticed at this point that the dust cup filled up very quickly, which may have been impacting its ability to pick up.

I found the WandVac actually performed better on carpets – in standard mode it was able to pick up large pieces of debris, but it was even better in Boost mode, as you’d expect. I did notice that after cleaning up just one pile of larger debris (I used oats) the dust cup was pretty much full. This machine is designed primarily for cleaning up spills and other smaller cleaning jobs, so as long as you’re not expecting to be able to clean your whole home without a trip to the bin this shouldn’t be an issue.

I found the Shark WandVac was very light and easy to use with the crevice tool attached, and the suction was strong enough to provide a thorough clean, making it ideal for awkward jobs like cleaning your car or stairs. 

Shark WandVac System review: battery life

• 16 minutes run time
• Choice of charging options
• Full charge takes approx 3.5 hours  

Shark claims the WandVac can run for 16 minutes as a handheld vacuum cleaner, which is definitely on the short side as vacuums go, but should be long enough if you just need to clean up a spill of crumbs or give your car a quick spruce-up. 

When you attach the floor head the cleaning time is reduced, which Shark does state, and I found that the battery only lasted 12.5 minutes, without using the Boost mode. For most people (myself included), that's not long enough to clean the entire home from top to bottom; however, that’s not what the WandVac is designed for. 

The battery takes around three and a half hours to fully charge – you can either plug the charger into the handheld section, or use the charging dock that comes with the machine as standard. LED lights on the WandVac’s handle tell you how much battery you have remaining: three lights are illuminated when the cleaner is fully charged, and I found in my tests that one light signaled roughly five minutes of cleaning time left. 

Should I buy the Shark WandVac System?

Buy it if… 

Don’t buy it if… 

How I tested the Shark WandVac System

I tested the Shark WandVac thoroughly, in each mode, on different floor types, and with all the supplied attachments. I ran the standard TechRadar tests to see how it performed across a variety of tasks, including cleaning up food debris and also finer dirt and dust. I also used the vacuum around the house as a general cleaner to see how it fared, and I was impressed with the amount of dust it picked up. Finally, I put the battery to the test to see if it lived up to the promised run time. 

First reviewed: June 2021