Shark makes many of what we consider to be the best vacuum cleaners on the market today. Its innovative engineering and reasonable prices have made it a serious rival to Dyson. There are plenty of great things about this brand, but clarity within its range isn't one of them. There are a lot of models to choose from, many with very long, and very similar names, most of which just list the technology and functions found in each one, Amazon-style.
To make life easier for you, here's a quick guide to the different technologies found in Shark's vacuum cleaners, so you don't need to try and decipher those multi-line names yourself.
Anti-Allergen Complete Seal
This filter is sealed into the vacuum mechanism, so dust particles and allergens don't escape back into the air via the vacuum's vents as you clean. It's designed to capture 99.9% of dust and allergens. If you do struggle with allergies, Shark also makes a few Dusting Brush attachments, designed for tackling shelves and blinds, which might be useful to have.
- Prioritize this if: You suffer from allergies
Clean & Empty System (US) / Auto-Empty (UK)
In its newer cordless stick vacuums, including Detect Pro and PowerDetect, Shark offers an optional auto-empty base. It's essentially a dock that contains a larger dust cup. When the vacuum is slotted in, all the dirt and debris from the onboard dust cup empties into the base, via a closed system, so none will escape back into the air. The dock will also charge the vacuum.
It's a good choice for those with big houses/shedding pets who find themselves regularly having to manually empty their vacuum bins. It's also a good shout if you have allergies, because it means the dust has fewer opportunities to escape back into the air.
Note that while the dock does also provide somewhere to store your vacuum, it is possible to store both of these models freestanding without a base, by folding the wand over.
We're talking about manual vacuums here, but you'll also find that some of Shark's robot vacuums have auto-empty bases (an example is the Shark PowerDetect Robot Vacuum and Mop). This is far more common with robovacs, partly due to the fact the onboard dustbins need to be quite small, and partly because they're designed to be hands-off solutions.
Prioritize this if: you have a big house or allergies
Clean Sense IQ / DirtDetect
Called Clean Sense IQ on the Shark Stratos and DirtDetect on the Detect Pro and PowerDetect vacuums (where it's joined by other detection features), this detects how dirty the area of floor it's on is, and adjusts its suction appropriately. This means that it's not wasting power with extra suction on relatively clean areas, but patches that are dirtier get the clean they need. The idea is to minimize effort and maximize battery life, although our reviewers do note that this mode saps battery more quickly than regular eco modes, for example.
- Prioritize this if: You can afford it (it's always useful but not really essential).
DirectionDetect
A detection technology by name, but it doesn't really detect anything. It's essentially a redesigned floorhead (the DuoClean Detect) that's designed to pick up debris just as efficiently when it's being pulled backwards as when it's being pushed forwards.
On test we weren't overly impressed with this, though – head to our Shark PowerDetect Cordless stick vacuum review for more info.
- Prioritize this if: You want the most efficient clean
DuoClean / DuoClean Detect
Shark vacuums that feature DuoClean have two brushrolls within the floorhead.
On older models, it's just called 'DuoClean', and the floorhead has a soft brushroll to clean and polish hard floors, and another with bristles or PowerFins that get into the carpet fibers and pull up embedded dirt and hair. (See our Shark Vertex Pro IZ662H / Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum IZ300UK review for an example of a model with DuoClean PowerFins.) It's designed for people who have both carpet and hard floor in their homes, and want a vacuum that's optimized for both.
On newer models like the PowerDetect cordless stick vacuum, the DuoClean floorhead has been updated and become the DuoClean Detect. This time, it's optimized for pickup when the floorhead is being pulled backwards as well as when it's being pushed forwards, and it works in conjunction with DirectionDetect sensors.
There is another floorhead type called the QuadClean.
- Prioritize this if: You have carpets and hard floors (and the model you're looking at doesn't have QuadClean instead)
EdgeDetect
With this feature, the vacuum recognizes when it's close to the edge of a room, and boosts suction just along the relevant edge of the floorhead in response. It's designed to prevent dust and debris building up here. It appears on the Detect Pro and PowerDetect cordless stick vacuums, along with a range of other detection capabilities that designed to minimize the need for you to change settings manually.
- Prioritize this if: You can afford it (cool, but not essential)
FloorDetect
This figures out what kind of floor you're on – carpet or hard floor – and optimizes performance in response. That essentially means it'll amp up power on carpet, which needs more suction to pull up the dust from between the fibers, but lower it to preserve battery on hard floors. It's one of a range of 'detect technologies' that are included with Shark's newer stick vacuums.
- Prioritize this if: You live in a home with a mix of floor types
LightDetect
LightDetect senses when it's moving into a low-light area and increases how bright the LED headlamps on the floorhead are in response. It means you can see the dirt lurking beneath furniture or in dingy corners. It's one of a selection of 'detect technologies' that appear on Shark's newer stick vacuums.
- Prioritize this if: You have a home with lots of furniture or dark corners
MultiFLEX (US) / Flexology (UK)
MultiFLEX / Flexology is perhaps the feature that Shark is best known for, and one that doesn't appear in Dyson vacuums. The idea is simple: there's a hinge a little way down the floorhead wand, which can be released by pressing a button, allowing it to bend forwards to 90 degrees. That means you can clean deep under furniture without you having to get down on the floor yourself. It also allows for more compact storage and charging. Read about it in our Shark Classic Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum IZ201UK review.
- Prioritize this if: You have mobility issues. Or furniture.
Odor Neutralizer (US) / Anti-Odour technology (UK)
This is a pretty cool one, and not a feature we've not really seen elsewhere. Plug a cartridge into either your vacuum floorhead or docking station (depending on model) and it'll leave a fresh-smelling scent on your carpets as you clean. There's only one scent option, but you can twist the cartridge to release less or more of it.
Shark says it's intended to neutralize potential bad odors in the dust cup (rather than leaving its own scent per se) – something that can be an issue if you're regularly dealing with pet hair or dander, for instance. But our reviewers have noted a fresh scent after using Shark vacs with this feature, and all have all been fans of it, regardless of whether or not they have pets. (Read our Shark Stratos Corded stick HZ3002 vacuum review for an example.)
- Prioritize this if: You have pets
PowerFins
Shark's PowerFins are flexible silicone fins that snake around the brushroll and boost its cleaning powers. That might be by digging into the carpet pile to agitate the dirt there, or by engaging directly with the surface of a hard floor. It can also help grip on to hair (there are some vacuum models with 'PowerFins HairPro').
PowerFins can appear alongside a softer roller in a DuoClean floorhead, or be combined with soft and firm bristles on the single roller of a QuadClean floorhead. Read our Shark Stratos Cordless IZ862H / IZ400UK vacuum cleaner review for an example of a model with PowerFins.
- Prioritize this if: You have thick carpets or want to do some deep cleans
Powered Lift-Away
Powered Lift-Away is where the various parts of the vacuum can be lifted away from each other, while the vacuum is still in use. So in the image above (from the Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner ICZ300UK review), the canister slots on to the wand for use as an upright, or it can be removed from the wand for when you want more maneuverability. You can also take the floorhead bit off and use the top of the wand as a handheld vacuum.
- Prioritize this if: You want the power of an upright without sacrificing too much maneuverability
QuadClean
The more advanced sibling of DuoClean. Where DuoClean has two rollers, QuadClean has... just the one roller, but with multiple cleaning features. QuadClean rollers are mostly fluffy microfiber, but they also have strategically placed PowerFins, firmer bristles, and ribs. They're designed to be able to tackle different types of dirt (large debris, embedded dirt and hair, fine dust) on different kinds of floors. At time of writing, only the Detect Pro range has QuadClean floorheads.
- Prioritize this if: You want to be able to deep clean different kinds of floors
Self-cleaning brushroll (US) / Anti Hair Wrap Technology (UK)
If your household has anyone with long hair, or a shedding pet, you'll know the pain of having to cut / tear / otherwise wrestle it from your vacuum cleaner's brush roll after cleaning. Shark's Anti Hair Wrap Technology is essentially a bristle-guard and comb that separates and removes hairs from your brush roll as you vacuum, and directs it into the dust bin.
Dyson has a similar detangling technology that appears on certain cleaner heads, and our reviewers say that Shark's design works just as well. It might appear in the main Shark floorhead or a dedicated Pet Tool. In the UK, some models have an upgraded version of this, known as Anti Hair Wrap Plus.
- Prioritize this if: You have long hair / a hairy housemate
