We appreciated how all we needed to do was flick a switch to change the suction power and transition from hard floor to carpet. We did find it more effective on tile or concrete floor—it can scratch vinyl, so keep that in mind if you have vinyl flooring in your home. If you have pets at home, chances are their hair is all over your floor and couch.
After vacuuming, we emptied the dust canisters, noting how much each was able to contain and how easy or difficult it was to empty. We also took into consideration shark handheld vacuum any hair that was trapped on the brush roll. For models with washable filters, we took into consideration any challenges while cleaning those.
This Dyson model was a star in our recent test of 22 cordless stick vacuums. It aced all of our cleaning tests with its powerful suction and great brush action, removing virtually all of the pet hair we spread across our test carpets in just one pass. We applaud Dyson for switching from its trigger on/off switch (something many users complained about) shark pet vacuum to a traditional on/off button for this model. The laser light on the fluffy floor head is a game changer when it comes to cleaning in dark corners and other places where dirt is difficult to see. It’s lightweight and easy to maneuver and the only hiccup we found is that it doesn’t stand up on its own unless you put it into its wall-mounted caddy.
Where the Shark IW3511 falters, though, is in its short battery life when used at maximum power, according to some reviewers. But for quick jobs and smaller spaces, as well for those with dust sensitivities, this particular Shark excels due to its slim build, power and auto-emptying base. One thing we noticed is that the hose isn’t very long, so when you’re cleaning furniture or windowsills, you have to continue to move the vacuum so it’s close to you. We also wish there was a lever or button to push with your hand to lower the handle and engage the vacuum.
The ball made it easy to maneuver, though a bit clunky to carry around and store. Like Shark, this vacuum has an easy-to-remove and clean dust bin. The Animal 3 is similar to the previous Animal 2 we tested and included in this story, but has a new de-tangling technology that works to remove hair from the brush as you vacuum. Currently, our top-recommended cordless vacuum overall, the Tineco Pure One S11, offers 130 air watts of suction power. Meanwhile, our top performance pick with the best overall suction is the Dyson V15 Detect, which offers an advertised 230 air watts of suction power.
In our tests, this Shark stick vacuum had great run time and was comfortable to hold, easy to use and very maneuverable. The battery can be charged separately, though we wish it had a light to alert you when charging is complete. Nice extras that we didn’t see on other stick vacuums included a capsule to neutralize odors and a wand that shark pet vacuum flexes in the center to reach under low furniture. The flex wand also allows you to fold the vacuum in half for more compact storage or to stand it on its own without the need for wall mounting. Its cleaning performance on bare floors was very good, but this Shark model struggled with our carpet edge cleaning and pet hair pickup tests.