Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5002 Review

Our Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5002 Experience

While we love a powerful upright, we also enjoy a good stick and handheld vacuum to tackle nooks and crannies. The Shark PowerDetect Transformer LX5002 takes the “why not have all three?” approach, and it does it with grace. We were impressed with how well each of the styles performed.

With its stick option (simply remove the dustbin), it reaches under furniture far better than any other upright in its class. We were able to get dust bunnies and our golden retriever's hair hiding deep under our sofa. This was a feat no other upright could manage. It has a secondary dustbin on the handle, so you can ditch the larger one entirely, and when you attach it back, the smaller one automatically empties into the larger. However, the brushroller stops in stick mode, so it is best to do this only on hard floors or when navigating tight spaces.

The standard upright function does well on both carpet and hardwood flooring. In both cases, it cleaned our messes with little fuss. The vacuum's PowerDetect function ramps up or lowers suction strength and brushroll speed based on the flooring. No need to switch it yourself; it'll automatically take care of this. We liked this feature and noticed it changing power as we moved through our home.

The handheld configuration was also a win for us. We particularly loved this option on stairs. No more hauling a heavy vacuum up and down and nearly getting knocked down along the way.

We also love that it isn't a workout to use this vacuum. It pushes easily on carpet and turns with ease. Switching between the various modes is quick and simple. Our biggest gripe with this vacuum was when we dumped the debris from the dustbin. Debris mostly made its way in, but often finer debris was left within a secondary chamber within the dustbin. It required us to empty both chambers every time, since dirt could be hiding in one.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Carpet Performance

The Transformer effectively cleaned both low- and high-pile carpet. After making a huge mess on our low-pile carpet, it picked up 95%. Our carpets appeared clean, with only a few Cheerio pieces and some rice left behind under closer inspection.

On shag carpet, we also had good results, with 62% of our mess cleaned. While that doesn't sound great, most vacuums struggle with shag, and the average vacuum only picked up about 50% of the debris. The superficial mess on top of the carpet was mostly cleaned, and our carpets had a nice look. Upon closer inspection, we found rice and sand deeper within the weave that would take a few more passes to clean.

Here is our low pile carpet after running the Transformer over it. Just a few Cheerios were left.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

Our shag carpet looked fairly clean after the PowerDetect was finished.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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Hardwood Performance

Hardwood is where the stick feature shone brightest. The upright configuration did well, cleaning an average of 92% of our large mess. However, debris would get stuck somewhere between the brushroll and the large dustbin. We either had to shake out the debris or let it suck up for a few extra seconds.

When you click off the large dustbin, the brushroll stops. The stick vacuum setup becomes great on hard floors, as debris is less susceptible to being sprayed all over. Moving around our kitchen table was a breeze because we could leave the bulky dustbin behind. Plus, the bright light reveals debris we might otherwise miss.

Along baseboards and edges, the PowerDetect Transformer did a great job. No matter what direction we approached the coffee ground mess, it picked up nearly everything - no snowplowing it deeper into the crease.

Pet Hair

Overall the Transformer did a nice job picking up pet hair. Occasionally it missed a clump here and there, which would be quickly remedied by an extra pass. On low-pile, it cleaned 78% of our dog hair. On high-pile, it cleaned 76%. It is worth noting that our tests are timed based on the average time spent on sections. With just a few more seconds, we were able to clean up most of the pet hair.

However, many of the longer strands of hair were wrapped around the brushroller. We needed to cut the long hair off the brushroll when we were finished. The larger dustbin is only 1.0 liter, so you will need to make semi-frequent trips to the trash can depending on how much pet hair you need to clean.

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Ease of Use

Pushing the vacuum on carpet is easy. We had no major resistance, and it wasn't a workout like other uprights, even though it was on the heavy side (16.9 lbs). The brushhead propels the vacuum forward, and you end up more of a guide rather than a wrangler. When in upright mode, it is bulky and taking tight turns can be tricky. However, this is immediately remedied by putting it in stick mode.

The Transformer has four settings: PowerDetect, bare floor, low carpet, and high pile carpet. Our favorite mode was the PowerDetect feature. As we moved from floor type to floor type, the vacuum took care of the changes. We could get in a groove without thinking too much about our chore.

Our model came with a duster crevice tool, a pet-multi tool, and a hairpro self-cleaning pet power brush. These made smaller jobs around the house, like dusting window sills, much easier. Even our upholstery was left clean after spilling coffee grounds all over.

It isn't tricky to “transform” this vacuum between its various modes. The dustbin quickly pops off and can be left behind. Likewise, the handheld portion easily clicks off the main stick. When you reattach the large dustbin, the smaller one automatically dumps into it.

Filtration

The Shark PowerDetect Transformer did excellently in our filtration tests. This vacuum utilizes a HEPA filter and an effective seal to keep allergens and fine particles in. In addition, it can be used with an odor neutralizer, though we didn't notice any benefit from this during testing.

The dustbin system is worth noting, as it could reintroduce dust and allergens if emptied improperly. The dustbin has two chambers, and you can open it from the top or bottom. However, debris often doesn't make it all the way into the dustbin and instead gathers on the filter or accumulates in the intake pipe. When you empty the dustbin, debris sometimes falls onto the floor. Likewise, you sometimes have to empty both chambers because both have dirt inside. Keep an eye on this when emptying the dustbin, especially if you want to keep allergens out of the air.