The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is a high-end cordless stick vacuum. It sits at the top of Shark's extensive range of cordless vacuums and is equipped with almost all of the brand's stand-out features. It has the newest iteration of the brand's Duoclean self-cleaning floorhead, which itself is packed with sensors that allow the vacuum to adjust its suction power depending on what surface it's on, how much debris is on the ground, and even if it's close to a wall. Beyond that, the PowerDetect Cordless has a HEPA-rated filtration system for trapping allergens, not to mention a folding wand that makes it easier to clean under tables or couches without having to bend over. This vacuum can also be purchased with a self-emptying docking station, similar to the Shark Detect Pro, to free you from the burden of having to empty its dustbin yourself, though this docking station isn't available for purchase separately.
Our Verdict
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is good for bare floors. It's impressively effective at handling debris on this kind of surface and is easy to maneuver around and under obstacles thanks to its folding wand. It feels fairly well-built and is decently easy to maintain, though it's worth noting that emptying its dustbin can be a somewhat messy process if you don't go for the variant of this vacuum that's bundled with a self-emptying station. Battery performance is pretty good at lower suction settings, though it's worth noting that this vacuum takes quite a while to recharge.
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Great performance on bare floors.
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Folding wand helps improve maneuverability.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Long recharge time.
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Can't deal with liquid spills.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is a good option for low-pile carpeting. Performance on this surface type is decent; it has some trouble with really fine debris that's been pressed a little deeper into carpet fibers but does much better with bigger material. Its surface detection system also responds quickly whenever you maneuver from bare flooring to carpets. It can be maneuvered pretty easily on low-pile carpeting, but make sure to watch out for hazards like rug tassels, which can easily jam its floorhead.
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Folding wand helps improve maneuverability.
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Decent performance on low-pile carpet.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Long recharge time.
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No brushroll off switch.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is an alright choice for homes with a lot of high-pile carpeting. Its floorhead lacks a height adjustment system, so it's liable to get stuck on really plush carpeting. Actual performance on high-pile carpet is fair, but nothing to write home about. It'll handle larger debris within a pass or two, but its floorhead's low surface agitation and minimal suction output means that it does a poor job of dealing with more embedded debris.
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Folding wand helps improve maneuverability.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Long recharge time.
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No floorhead height adjustment.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is okay for pet owners. It does a good job of handling pet hair even on more challenging surfaces like low-pile carpeting, and its upholstery tool does well in clearing away pet hair on furniture. Its floorhead's anti-tangle system also does a good job of preventing pet hair from jamming the floorhead mechanism, which is a good thing, as its primary brushroll can't be removed without essentially disassembling the entire floorhead. Its HEPA filtration system does a good job of sealing in fine allergens, but emptying out its dustbin can be a pretty messy process. If you suffer from serious allergies and are considering this vacuum, you're better off going for the IP3251 model that's bundled with a self-empty station.
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Self-cleaning floorhead.
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Good pet hair cleaning performance.
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Minimal recurring costs.
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Manual debris disposal is messy.
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Can't deal with liquid spills.
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Main brushroll isn't removable.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is very good for vacuuming stairs. While it's a little heavier than most other cordless stick vacuums, it's also far from an anvil, and its cordless design ensures you won't trip on a power cord while traipsing up and down a staircase. It can be easily reconfigured into a handheld vacuum for cleaning tight spots too. Unfortunately, there isn't a wand clip or any other form of onboard storage for its included attachments, so you'll have to place them elsewhere.
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Great performance on bare floors.
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Good selection of tools.
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Cordless, easily-reconfigurable design
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No on-board tool storage.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is a decent option for cleaning out the inside of your car. It can be carried out to your car pretty effortlessly, and it isn't too unwieldy to use as a handheld vacuum. The included attachments are fairly well-suited for car cleaning, with a service tool for cleaning tight spots, a soft-bristle brush for cleaning delicate, easily scratched plastics, an upholstery tool for dealing with carpets and seats, and a clip-on hard-bristle brush for dealing with stuck-on dirt. Unfortunately, the vacuum lacks onboard storage for any of these attachments, so there's no way of easily swapping them out while you're on the move.
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Good selection of tools.
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Cordless, easily-reconfigurable design
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No on-board tool storage.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is poor for workshop cleaning, though that also isn't what it's designed for. Suction at its floorhead is pretty low, so it'll struggle with sucking up heavy-duty workshop debris. It isn't meant for dealing with liquid spills, either.
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Can't deal with liquid spills.
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Low suction at floorhead.
- 7.5 Bare Floor
- 7.5 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.9 High-Pile Carpet
- 6.8 Pets
- 7.9 Stairs
- 7.0 Cars
- 4.6 Workshop
- Updated Nov 29, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Oct 25, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 23, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Oct 04, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Sep 12, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are a few variants of the Shark PowerDetect Cordless, which really only differ in color and bundled equipment.
| Model Code | Colorway | Self-Empty Station |
|---|---|---|
| IP1251 | Purple/Gray | No |
| IP3251 | Purple/Gray/Nickel | Yes |
| IP1250 | Blue/Gray | No |
We tested the IP1251 model, and for those interested, here's the product label.
If you come across another variant of this vacuum, let us know in the forums below so that we can update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless is Shark's flagship cordless stick vacuum. Compared to alternatives, its folding wand and compatibility with a self-empty station are pretty unique standout features, but it isn't without its downsides. It's lacking power compared to market standouts like the Dyson Gen5detect, resulting in inferior debris pickup on carpets and in crevices and cracks. Its long recharge time can also be a pretty big nuisance in day-to-day use.
If you're looking for alternatives, check out our recommendations for the best cordless stick vacuums, the best multi-surface vacuums, and the best cordless vacuums for pet hair.
The Dyson V15 Detect is better than the Shark PowerDetect Cordless. The Dyson has a higher-capacity dustbin, a lighter construction, and a more powerful motor, resulting in better debris pickup across a wider variety of surfaces. It also recharges much faster while providing a similar battery life. While the Shark's automatic power adjustment system can respond to a wider array of factors, this doesn't actually make much of a difference in real-life use. With all that said, the Shark does feel like the more sturdily-built appliance.
The Shark Stratos Cordless and Shark PowerDetect Cordless trade blows in terms of strengths. The Stratos has a higher-capacity dustbin that's easier to empty manually, and it loses less suction to its floorhead, allowing it to clear away debris more easily in cracks and crevices. Meanwhile, the PowerDetect is compatible with a self-empty station, which can take some of the sting out of daily maintenance for an additional cost. The PowerDetect is also more maneuverable when used as a handheld vacuum.
The Dyson V11 and Shark PowerDetect Cordless each have their own advantages. While the Shark feels better built, the Dyson is noticeably lighter and easier to pick up and carry as a result. The Dyson also delivers better performance on carpeted floors, and it recharges a lot faster while providing similar battery life. Meanwhile, the Shark is a little more efficient on bare flooring, and its folding wand makes it easier to clean under furniture. Unlike the Dyson, it's also fully compatible with a self-empty base station.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless can be considered the bigger brother to the Shark Detect Pro. Both are cordless stick vacuums with automatic power adjustment systems and an optional self-emptying base station accessory. That said, the PowerDetect feels more robust, and it has a more powerful suction motor that results in better performance on carpeted floors. In comparison, the Detect Pro is smaller and lighter, which can make it a better option where space is really at a premium.
Test Results
Build quality is good overall, on a similar level to older flagship Shark vacuums like the Shark Stratos Cordless. It's made mostly from fairly dense plastic, with a mix of glossy and brushed metallic finishes. The various release latches and attachment mechanisms feel pretty robust, and the vacuum doesn't have any noticeable flex when pushing or pulling it around, though it does creak just a tad if you really shake it around. Like a lot of cordless vacuums, its clear plastic dustbin does feel a tad fragile and is likely to crack or shatter if you were to drop it.
Out-of-the-box assembly is very easy, thanks to the prevalence of easy-clip mechanisms.
This vacuum is decently easy to maintain. It takes a lot of hair to cause the floorhead mechanism to jam, and getting the secondary roller out for more thorough cleaning is pretty simple, though you will need a flathead screwdriver or a coin to unscrew it. Unfortunately, the primary brushroll isn't removable, though you can detach the rear squeegee for better access. The pre and post-motor filters are also easy to extract from the vacuum, though the entire filter assembly will need to be rinsed to actually get rid of embedded debris. Tapping the filters against a trashcan won't do much to keep them clean. The dustbin is the only real annoyance here. Its large front-opening door makes it awkward to empty when it's attached to the rest of the vacuum. If that's a serious concern, you can always go for the pricier IP3251 variant of this vacuum that's bundled with a self-empty station.
If you're interested in a step-by-step guide to maintaining this vacuum, you can refer to the manual or watch this instructional video on the manufacturer's YouTube channel.
This vacuum incurs minimal recurring costs.
- Pre-motor filters: No replacement interval is given for the foam and felt pre-motor filters, with the manual stating only that they should be cleaned regularly. If you damage these filters, a replacement kit is available on the manufacturer's website.
- Post-motor filter: As with the pre-motor filters, the manufacturer doesn't state that these filters need to be replaced, only advising that you wash them as needed. Replacements are available on the manufacturer's website.
This vacuum's dimensions are almost identical to those of the Shark Stratos Cordless, with a MultiFLEX wand that folds in half to reduce its vertical footprint. Unfortunately, there's no wand clip to keep its two included attachments within easy reach. If for some reason you'd prefer to keep the vacuum stored upright rather than fold it over, its measurements are as follows:
- Height: 46.02" (116.9 cm)
- Width: 10.20" (25.9 cm)
- Depth: 14.09" (35.8 cm)
This vacuum's dustbin is okay overall. It offers only half the capacity of the older Shark Stratos Cordless, and as a result, you'll have to empty it more regularly. That said, that won't be as much of an annoyance if you purchase the IP3251 variant that comes bundled with a self-empty station.
- Shark PowerDetect vacuum
- Main motor unit
- Dust cup
- MultiFLEX wand
- DuoClean rear squeegee
- DuoClean floor nozzle with primary brushroll
- Soft brush roller
- Pre-motor filters
- Post-motor HEPA filter
- 1x battery
- Power cable
- User Guide
- Tools and brushes
- Pet Multi-Tool Brush Attachment
- Pet Multi-Tool
- Duster Crevice Tool
Since this is a cordless vacuum, its range is limited only by the remaining battery life and room left in its dirt compartment.
This vacuum is fairly portable. At just over eight pounds, it's considerably heavier than smaller cordless vacuums on the market, like the Shark Detect Pro. While that can be felt in use, it's also far from unwieldy, with pretty good weight distribution.
Battery performance is decent overall. The 'Minimum Battery Life' result was set with the DuoClean floorhead attached and with the vacuum running in its BOOST setting. The 'Maximum Battery Life' result was achieved with only the upholstery tool fitted and the vacuum running in its most power-efficient ECO setting. This is in-line with the older Shark Stratos Cordless, which did have a slightly lower power draw. That said, the PowerDetect Cordless's battery takes considerably longer to recharge, leading to prolonged downtime in between cleaning sessions.
The Shark PowerDetect Pro has a few quality-of-life features. Like the Shark Detect Pro, its floorhead has built-in sensors for detecting dirt, floor type, the presence of walls, and ambient light. All of these sensors are enabled when the vacuum is left in its Detect power mode, allowing it to automatically boost suction when passing over an area with a lot of debris, maneuvering onto carpets, or cleaning along walls. The indicator lights on the main vacuum unit and floorhead will change color depending on debris levels:
- White: No heavy debris detected
- Purple: Debris is being cleaned
- Dark Purple: Heavy debris detected
The floorhead's headlight will also illuminate when cleaning darker areas. If you'd like to choose the vacuum's power mode yourself, you can also select the high-power BOOST mode or ECO mode to save power.
This vacuum comes with a pair of combination tools. The hard bristle brush clips onto the upholstery nozzle, while the soft bristle brush can be slid upwards on the crevice tool when it isn't needed.
You can use this vacuum as a handheld by removing its wand and floorhead.
Performance on hard floors is great with the vacuum set to its Detect mode. The PowerDetect will clear away the majority of fine, small, and large debris within a single pass, though a small amount of material can get piled up at the front of its soft roller and pushed around. On the upside, the squeegee at the rear of the floorhead prevents it from pulling debris when you drag the vacuum backward.
This vacuum delivers okay performance on high-pile carpet when left in its Detect setting. It does an alright job of handling medium-sized and large debris like cereal, but its floorhead doesn't provide enough agitation to lift away finer debris embedded within carpet fibers.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless provides decent debris pickup performance on low-pile carpet in its Detect setting. Similar to how it performs on thicker carpeting, it struggles with finer debris, but performs just fine when it comes to clearing away medium-sized and bulky debris.
Pet hair pickup performance on low-pile carpeting is good. The vacuum will clear away the majority of hair on carpeting within a single back-and-forth sweep, but you'll still probably have to go over the same spot again to get finer strands of hair that are pressed a little more deeply into carpet fibers.
While only the floorhead's secondary soft roller is removable for cleaning, the built-in fins inside the floorhead are very effective at preventing hair from jamming the main roller.
Despite having a higher-powered motor than the older Shark Stratos Cordless, the Shark PowerDetect Cordless' real-world suction performance from its floorhead is disappointingly low. Its twin-roller floorhead diffuses its suction over a larger area than most alternatives.
On the upside, its on-paper power advantage over its predecessor is reflected when measuring directly from its wand, meaning it'll have a slightly easier time dealing with debris stuck in crevices if you're cleaning hard-to-reach places in its hand vacuum configuration.
Airflow performance is decent. It's far from the most powerful cordless vacuum on the market, but still won't have much trouble lifting away large amounts of medium-weight debris.
The Shark PowerDetect Cordless isn't too loud. It's loud enough to be a nuisance if you're holding a nearby conversation at a normal volume, but it's unlikely to be too disruptive if you use it in a partially enclosed room.
This vacuum's maneuverability is impressive. Despite being bulkier and heavier than a lot of other cordless stick vacuums, it feels well-balanced and is easy to push and pull around. Its MultiFLEX wand is also a big advantage when cleaning under tables and chairs, as it saves you the effort of having to bend over when cleaning these areas. It isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Swapping attachments is awkward due to the lack of on-board storage. The floorhead's lack of a brushroll off switch or height adjustment also makes it liable to getting stuck on shag-pile rugs or rug tassels.
This vacuum does a good job of removing pet hair from fabric furniture when used with its upholstery tool. You might need to make an extra pass or two to get everything, but in the grand scheme of things, it's pretty effective. Unfortunately, a small amount of hair can get stuck at the edges of the tool, which you'll need to remove by hand later.
This vacuum is effective in trapping fine allergens. While its onboard HEPA filter and allergen-sealed construction ensure most fine particles won't escape from the dustbin while cleaning, you should be careful when emptying out the dustbin, as the large release door can create a big plume of dust. In addition, a small number of lightweight allergens can be blown forward from its floorhead due to its low suction force.
This vacuum does a poor job of cleaning cracks and crevices. Its Detect system does a poor job of spotting debris in cracks, and as a result, its suction power doesn't automatically increase when going over crevices. If you want to clean a tiled floor with especially deep grout lines or any other similar surfaces, you're better off manually selecting the BOOST mode or, better yet, simply using the crevice tool.
