REASONS TO BUY
Efficient eco setting
Nearly perfect on hard surfaces
Good carpet cleaning
REASONS TO AVOID
Brush roll can't be removed
Struggles with dirt
Shark Stratos Cordless Review
Excellent cleaning performance, along with the convenience of this stick vacuum, left us wanting to take this home for ourselves
Credit: Natalie Kafader
By Rachael Lamore ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ July 18, 2025
Contributions From: Chris Maxcer
Our Verdict
The Shark Stratos Cordless is especially impressive on hardwood floors, but performs well across most surfaces in the home. Transitions between surfaces are smooth, thanks to a single head that combines two brush types, so we never had to stop to swap out heads as we moved through the house. The Clean Sense IQ technology detects messes and boosts suction when needed, helping to clear large piles quickly while conserving battery when less power is required. Our backs were big fans of Shark's Multi-FLEX hinge, which allows you to reach under furniture easily. That feature also lets you store the vacuum without needing to mount it on the wall. Although it did clog in one of our carpet tests, it still performed well in everyday cleaning tasks. Thicker rugs aren't its strong suit, so you may need to give those areas a few extra passes.
Our Analysis and Test Results
While there are a lot of user-friendly features, we removed the Shark odor neutralizer cartridges, which smelled like cheap deodorant. It's a clever idea to plug an air freshener into the system, but we hope Shark releases more scent options in the future that smell a bit better.
We put each cordless vacuum through a series of stress tests in our lab, checking performance with multiple debris types on multiple surfaces to reveal performance differences you can expect in your own home.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Carpet Performance
In the first test run, this vacuum seemed to crush material easily; however, a pile of sand and rice fell out of the bottom when the vacuum was lifted. So, it clogged under the heavy load, but gravity was enough to free it. In these challenging tests, intermittent clogs occur, but we don't worry until it becomes a consistent pattern, which we report.
We appreciated how well this vacuum did going forward, but it tended to backplow on the reverse, which pushed the rice and Cheerios away from the suction intake and left a pile of debris.
The tall front head lets this cleaner head roll right over big debris piles on every forward pass.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
While we were impressed by this model's ability to collect large debris moving forward, we still saw sand left over in the test runs. Even on its best runs, it was missing about 10% of the material, indicating that this vacuum has less intense suction for deeper, heavier debris.
Most vacuums have a harder time with high-pile carpet versus low-pile carpet — and this one has less suction power than some of its higher-priced competitors.
Before Testing After Testing
The Stratos (left) compared to the Black+Decker (right) in our high pile test. Longer pile length is a stiff opponent to all vacuums.
This vacuum rolls right over the top of high-floating Cheerios with ease. For those who get tracked in leaves in the fall or have yard debris dropped by their kids or dogs, this DuoClean head design excels with larger, lightweight debris.
Hardwood Performance
The Stratos Cordless was a standout in our hardwood floor tests, easily outperforming all but the Dyson Gen5detect, which scored the same but costs twice as much.
The Shark Stratos DuoClean dual brush roll system powers both rolls, which helps it gobble up even large debris on hardwood.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
We're big fans of Shark's dual-powered brushrolls. The relatively large diameter soft front roll is one of the most versatile brush rolls we've ever tested. It easily overwhelms cereal while also whisking away small rice and nearly all sand.
Regardless of the household debris accumulating around potential trouble spots, the Stratos Cordless proves more than capable. Whether it's dust bunnies lurking in corners or crumbs scattered under furniture, this vacuum effortlessly tackles them all, making it easy for us to recommend to anyone with a home filled with hard floors.
Before Testing After Testing
To our delight, this vacuum cleared nearly all visible coffee grounds in our tough edge-of-wall test, leaving just a few hard-to-see bits head-on and nothing on the parallel pass.
The key to effectively using this model is to hit everything head-on and give it a little more time for heavier debris like sand. The versatile dual-purpose head design delivered outstanding results for surface cleaning, beckoning a beneficial cleaning tool for hardwood floors.
Pet Hair
The Stratos visually sucked up the majority of the hair we could see, except for a couple of lingering small clumps at either the end or beginning of our strides with the vacuum.
The percentage capture tells the story of where the hair went, getting caught around the PowerFins roller.
This cordless Stratos sucked up most of the smaller pet hair with relative ease, but longer hair can still wrap.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Filtration & Suction
Our filtration tests reveal how well you can expect your vacuum to keep tiny particles contained and out of the air you breathe.
In our rigorous clean room test, we monitored air quality with two separate Dylos air quality monitors before, during, and after vacuuming up flour. This vacuum managed to filter and contain nearly all the particles, resulting in a particulate spike of less than 75 particles counted by the meter, which Dylos considers excellent and rivals any high-end stick vacuum on the market.
Filtration Particle Count
| Shark Stratos Cordless | |
|---|---|
| Small Particle Count | 55 |
| HEPA Filter | |
| Dylos Air Quality Designation | Excellent |
What does this mean to most people? For those concerned about potentially harmful sources of indoor particulate matter or are sensitive to dust or allergens in the air, this vacuum is unlikely to increase anyone's sniffly agitations.
Ease of Use
This model glides easily across multiple surfaces with minimal effort. Transitioning between carpet and hardwood can take a bit more work due to its relatively large dual-purpose head, but overall, using this vacuum is a genuinely pleasant experience.
One feature we especially appreciated was the MultiFLEX hinge, which makes it easier to clean under furniture without needing to bend down as much. It also allows for simple, free-standing storage when you're done.
This bending feature makes reaching under furniture incredibly easy.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The front fluffy roller is easy to remove for maintenance cleaning, but the other brush roller, which is the one that tends to collect hair, cannot be taken out.
Over time, pet hair could accumulate between the two rollers, having to remove the hair when it affected the roller's ability to turn.
Credit: Jessica Riconscente
We liked the anti-allergen tool for dusting on hard surfaces like tables or window blinds. It's basically a flat wand with soft bristles. It took us more than one pass to suck up coffee grounds on a pillow during one test, but a couple of extra passes cleaned it in a jiffy!
Shark's included Anti-Allergen Brush worked well to while vacuuming up coffee grounds from upholstery.
Credit: Rachael Lamore
One thing that's missing from the tool kit is a mini motorized brush roller. We like this accessory because it works so well at agitating upholstery on couches and pet beds.
Battery
With a range from 55.1 minutes on the lowest setting to 11.4 minutes on the highest, the battery life you experience will most likely fall on the higher end, thanks to its dirt detection feature that helps conserve power.
The foldable design means you won't need to drill into the wall for a mounting system to charge it, making it a compact solution for small storage spaces.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Shark Stratos Cordless?
If your budget permits, investing in the Shark Stratos Cordless is a wise choice, as it stands out as an excellent stick vacuum for a wide variety of circumstances — with truly great hard floor performance. While it may not be considered budget-friendly for everyone, you'll acquire one of the top stick vacuums we evaluated. Moreover, it's even more affordable than some of its high-ranking competitors. Whether you're dealing with messes under your child's high chair on the kitchen or dining room floor or dirt tracked onto a carpeted area of your home, you'll be delighted with the exceptional performance of this powerful and convenient vacuum.
What Other Stick Vacuum Should You Consider?
This model offers premium features. However, consider the Dyson V15 Detect if you desire better suction performance. It delivers high-end operations but comes at a cost. The Levoit LVAC 200 is an excellent alternative for those seeking to save money while still seeking top-tier performance. Although it may not match the Stratos in performance, it is easier to clean and maintain and comes at a lower price. Within the Shark family, the Vertex performed similarly to the Stratos (actually beating it in carpet cleaning), looks very similar, and is a great alternative we highly recommend.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Shark Stratos Cordless versus top competing products:
—Rachael Lamore and Chris Maxcer
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