Shark PowerDetect AZ4002 Review

With a 1.9-liter dustbin capacity, this vacuum is best for large homes where you don't want to empty the bin after every cleaning cycle.

Carpet Performance

The DuoClean brush roller is one of our favorites because its soft front roller, with a tall head gate, easily rolls over large debris. Plowing isn't an issue with this floor head, unlike many others that tend to push debris around.

While this machine performed a truly excellent job, we noticed an odd issue: some sand had built up on the foam filter. Filters regularly collect dust and must be cleaned, but larger sand particles don't usually accumulate on these filters, even during our stress tests.

The DuoClean brush roller's bristle and fin design doesn't seem to provide enough force to agitate long, thick carpet fibers, and the wider two-roller system may make it harder to form a strong suction seal to lift deeply embedded sand.

Hardwood Performance

While its performance on low-pile carpet and hardwood floors is truly excellent, we want to highlight how nice it is to have this vacuum auto-detect the flooring type and adjust suction and brush roller speed automatically.

The PowerDetect collected 95% of our test debris on a hardwood floor, another outstanding performance, just barely lower than the Stratos.

When we ran this machine over the material, it performed flawlessly and required only a single pass to collect it all. It was so easy, with no plowing at all. However, not all of the material made it into the dustbin. There was a clump of material in the hose that attached to the dustbin, and we discovered sand in the filter again.

Before Testing After Testing

This model cleans along baseboards and corners very well, picking up everything, whether we're pushing it into stairs or running it along the perimeter of each room we're tackling.

Pet Hair

Visually, it appeared that this model was able to completely clean the carpet, but upon closer inspection and weighing the results, we could see that some of the long hair wrapped around the brush roller, pinning some pet hair to it.

While it does a good job of keeping floors clean, you'll need to check the roller occasionally to ensure hair isn't building up and affecting performance or causing damage.

Before Testing After Testing

Filtration

During testing, we did not notice any notable spike from the room's baseline, indicating excellent filtration performance and a suction path that effectively lifts particles into the tube without spraying.

Ease of Use

The large floor nozzle was not easy to wind between tight areas, but it swivels well. We experienced a bit of a hiccup getting it up onto higher thresholds around the house like doorways, but it transitioned smoothly from hard floors to most low-profile rugs.

This vacuum tends to pull away from you due to its strong suction and powerful brush roller. It's nice as it almost does the pushing for you. It's an odd feeling at first, but once you tame the wild beast, it's helpful for working around the house.

Typical Reach Powered Lift-Away Reach

We especially appreciated the large 1.9-liter dustbin, which noticeably reduced the frequency of emptying it compared to others. The only major head-scratcher we encountered with this machine is its tendency to collect sand on the foam filter beneath the dustbin.

Shark has started including odor cartridges at the base of some of its newer models. While the idea is promising, the scent reminds us more of a cheap deodorant and can be overpowering. Most team members ended up removing it altogether. Still, we're curious to see if Shark will release alternative scent options that are a bit more pleasant and widely liked.

Lastly, we tackled other areas of the house, using the most appropriate attachments for each task. Time and again, we found ourselves reaching for the suction-powered HairPro Self-Cleaning Pet Power Brush. This mighty little tool impressed us with how powerfully it lifted stubborn strands of fur and embedded dirt—we couldn't believe how much it picked up.

Should You Buy the Shark PowerDetect?

The Shark PowerDetect is a strong choice for those with hardwood floors, low-pile carpet, and pets, thanks to its excellent debris pickup and ability to handle matted hair. The Lift-Away feature makes it easy to clean under furniture and in tight spots, including cars. It's a bit heavy, and the foam filter under the dustbin can trap sand, which adds to maintenance. However, overall, it's well-suited for homes that require powerful cleaning in challenging areas.

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