Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded Review

Sure, we technically put a corded vacuum into the “cordless” category, but honestly, our team was incredibly curious to see how a well-rated corded stick vacuum would hold up against its many competitors. The Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded boasted excellent filtration and, of course, unparalleled battery power, but our team of testers found its suction performance on both hardwood and carpet to be middling, at best.

Carpet Performance

Though it was able to clear a decent amount of rice, sand, and Cheerios out of a section of carpet, our head tester found the feel of the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded to be like “vacuuming with a bucking bronco.” She noted that it was tricky to maneuver and pulled her forward a bit while she completed the timed test.

This Shark unit also sprayed a bit of the larger debris while cleaning, resulting in low pile carpet that wasn't entirely clean after the 24-second testing period. It scored a middle-of-the-pack 5.9 for carpet performance, after especially poor performance on higher pile shag. This wasn't too surprising, though, because the unit is only rated at 174 Pa, in terms of overall suction pressure.

Hardwood Performance

Our expert testers had high hopes for the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded going into the hardwood test, but, unfortunately, they found its performance to be a bit lackluster. Rather than effectively sucking up our pre-measured assortment of Cheerios, rice, and sand grains, this model dragged around a pile of debris, leaving an odd clump of differently-sized particles on the floor at the end of our test.

The Shark Rocket Pro did, however, clean up a mess of ⅛ cup of coffee grounds along the edge of a wall decently well. Overall, this machine scored a middling score in our hardwood metric.

Pet Hair

Once again, we had hoped that, because it is a corded unit, the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded would provide higher suction than its competitors and suck up pet hair easily from carpeted floors. Sadly, our team found that long hairs got stuck and wrapped around its brush roll, and smaller fur particles weren't entirely cleaned up after a timed trial. Its performance across both low and high pile carpets was only so-so.

Ease of Use

Again, due to its corded design, our lead tester did not feel that the Shark Rocket Pro DLX was the easiest-to-use unit in our overall cordless stick vacuum test, precisely because we had to be mindful at all times of pulling a cord behind her while cleaning. Our lead tester did note that its swivel head maneuvered well around furniture, but the vacuum wasn't low-profile enough to get underneath a low-seated sofa or coffee table without moving it.

Though this machine did not come with a motorized upholstery attachment, our testers found the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded to be an average performer when cleaning couches and chairs, using only its basic upholstery tool. Have furry loved ones at home? Our testers did not find this particular upholstery attachment to excel at removing pet hair and dander from fabrics.

Filtration

While it certainly wasn't our highest-performer in terms of filtration power, we were pleasantly surprised that the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded scored excellent marks in this category.

This little unit earned a decent score in our filtration metric, causing no noticeable spike in air particulate matter when sucking up tiny, dusty flour particles in our control room.

Battery

Because it was the only corded unit in our “cordless stick vacuum” testing lineup, we had to give the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded a perfect 10 out of 10 for battery life. This machine features a 25-foot cord, which might be enough for many users to clean a large living room or two smaller bedrooms without unplugging and replugging the device, but it certainly isn't as convenient as a fully-cordless design.

Should You Buy the Shark Rocket Pro DLX Corded?

While it was far from our lowest-performing stick vacuum, we wished that the Shark Rocket Pro Corded model boasted better performance on carpet and pet fur. Unfortunately, even with its 25-foot cord, this unit failed to score among top performers when it came to picking up rice, Cheerios, and sand off of both hardwood and carpet floors. That being said, it has a truly attractive price point and will never run out of battery, making it a decent pick for someone who's cost-sensitive and knows that they'll forget to charge their vacuum.

What Other Cordless Stick Vacuum Should You Consider?