Shark Stratos Cordless Pet Pro Vacuum With Clean Sense IQ IZ400

I was so hopeful that this vacuum would be as good as my old Dyson stick vac, but it is not. It is heavy and bulky, and cannot stand up on its own without having to be folded in half (annoying if you just want to stand it for a few seconds before resuming). I have a dog and a daughter with long hair, so was excited by the advertisement of hair… Read more

not looping around the rollers. It is true, the hair doesn't loop, but it has to go somewhere and gets clogged in the tube as a huge hair snake.

This vacuum is not great if you have stairs. You can't easily use it on the stairs due to it being heavy, and as soon as the foot locks into a straight position, the suction turns off. You need to use the handheld head to do stairs, so a bit of mucking around changing attachments there.

The batteries have become extremely hard to get off the machine. My very strong husband has to use all his strength to push the release button in.

The filter gets clogged very easily. We cleaned it as per the Shark recommendations but it now has a loud high pitched noise. I took it back to Harvey Norman and was told that the motor is not getting enough air flow because I vacuum up pet hair! The whole reason I bought this model was because it is promoted as being great for pet hair. Even has 'Pet Pro' in the name.

Great design turns out flawed – I was initially very pleased with this vacuum for quick floor clean-ups. It worked well at first, but then it started displaying an overheating symbol and would stop, reducing its performance. Upon inspection, I discovered a design flaw: the flexi PVC at the bend near the head creates a choke point, which easily clogs with fine dust and short pet… Read more

hair. While trying to clean it, I found the PVC to be quite delicate, and it ended up with a hole.

This is quite disappointing, as I really liked this vacuum. I'll be purchasing a different brand as a replacement.

Fantastic – I just bought a shark detect pro cordless stick vacuum. It is amazing, best stick vacuum I have had. Easy to use , light weight, easy to empty dust container. The technology is beyond excellent, it detects dirt tells you it’s cleaning and when the area is clean with red orange and blue lighting. Brush head has LED lighting, the wand folds to… Read more

easily get under furniture. I highly recommend this product. I would have given 5 stares but there is one minor negative which is short battery life but having said that I have a 3 bedroom house and can vacuum my entire house on a fully charged battery before losing charge.

Best vacuum I've ever used! – Since my last vacuum stopped working after several years, I'd been on the hunt for a cordless vacuum with supreme sucking power to clean up after my two shedding whippets. I read several reviews and was tossing up between the Shark Pet Pro or a Dyson and I am so happy with my choice. It sucks up so much more dirt and pet fur than my last vacuum… Read more

and is incredibly light weight! It has a little light at the front so you can see the dirt. It also detects when to increase the sucking power when you alternate flooring! I live in a moderately sized home and the vacuum lasts through the charge. I'm very impressed and would highly recommend!

Love the LED Headlights and Self standing design – The Shark Stratos Cordless Pet Pro Vacuum with Clean Sense IQ IZ400 is a true marvel when it comes to cleaning efficiency and convenience. This vacuum cleaner effortlessly tackles both floorboards and carpets, making it a versatile companion for maintaining a spotless home. One standout feature that truly caught my attention is the addition of… Read more

LED headlights on the floorhead. These headlights have proven to be an unexpectedly invaluable asset, revealing hidden dust and debris on both floorboards and carpets. It's remarkable how such a seemingly small feature can lead to such noticeable results, setting the Shark Stratos apart from conventional vacuum cleaners.

One of the aspects I greatly appreciate is the vacuum cleaner's battery flexibility. The ability to charge it anywhere and its self-standing design, distinct from the Dyson vacuum cleaner's wall attachment, adds to its practicality. Its compact form when stored enhances its user-friendly design, making it a seamless addition to any living space.

The Shark Stratos' user-friendly design is further underscored by its operation. Unlike the Dyson vacuum cleaner's continuous trigger button usage, the Shark Stratos simplifies this process. A single press of the ON button activates the vacuum cleaner, allowing it to remain operational until intentionally turned off. This feature significantly reduces the strain of extended cleaning sessions.

The Shark Stratos offers various modes, although the auto mode is my preferred choice. Its automatic dirt detection and suction adjustment showcase its intelligent technology, optimizing cleaning performance for different scenarios.

One unique feature, the Odour Neutraliser Technology Dial paired with the included Fragrance Puk, presents a mixed experience. While I appreciate the concept, the standard fragrance didn't resonate with my preferences, leading to discomfort. Offering a range of simple, widely available fragrances could enhance this feature's appeal to a broader audience.

While the dust bin's emptying process is swift and hassle-free, I do find myself wishing for a trombone-style mechanism similar to the Dyson V11 Absolute vacuum. Additionally, the motorised pet tool attachment's inflexibility disappointed me, particularly for car cleaning. Making this attachment more adaptable for tight spots, like car floors, would significantly improve its usability.

Innovations like the Multiflex Wand and DuoClean floorhead highlight Shark's commitment to improving the cleaning experience. The Multiflex Wand's bendable design has transformed my cleaning routine, especially under low furniture, making it a boon for those with back problems. I can vividly recall how I used to pull my TV unit out with caution, fearing for my TV's safety, and then gingerly pushing the unit back into place after vacuuming. The Multiflex Wand's flexibility has eliminated this hassle, making cleaning under furniture a breeze.

In conclusion, the Shark Stratos Cordless Pet Pro Vacuum with Clean Sense IQ IZ400 delivers a blend of modern design and innovative features that have redefined my expectations for a vacuum cleaner. Its thoughtful design, versatile cleaning modes, and ergonomic solutions make it a powerful tool for maintaining a clean living environment. Shark's commitment to meeting contemporary cleaning needs is evident, making the Stratos a notable contender in the world of vacuum cleaners.

This is a Dyson beater – When I was asked to review this vacuum I nearly turned it down as I have had a Dyson stick vac for a few years now and love it but as I love testing new product I accepted the offer and I’m so glad I did. I now have 2 long haired Border Collies that shed hair along with my long haired wife and we live in a loosely sealed country house, this means… Read more ·  1

dust and dirt everywhere so before the Dyson. Well we have found a new favourite. The Shark performs even better and it’s biggest advantage is hair and fur don’t seem to get caught around the rollers. Some sticks to the first soft roller and can be easily pulled off but most makes it’s way to the dust container but we have had none caught in the rollers. It’s magic! The Dyson requires dismantling of the sickroom heads regularly to unwrap the hair, it’s great they can be completely dismantled but still a pain.

There’s a few other difference to note. Firstly the Shark is heavier but my 5ft wife says it’s just as easy to manoeuvre. What is great is ot folds in half and can sit on a cupboard floor, i find this easier than storing the Dyson. Other neat things are the fragrance pod, it really does smell nice and the small head attachment has a neat telescopic bristle arrangement that I find works well. The Shark has an auto sensing function which adjusts power to how dirty the floor is. I find this works well on hard floors but on carpet i turn it on full. The battery doesn’t last as long, we get around 2 days of full 4br house with 60% hard floors. Just asked the wife for her verdict, she says she prefers it to the Dyson, she thinks it cleans better and is gentler on the hard floors and she loves the smell from the deodoriser. We love the Dyson but it’s been outclassed by the Shark!

I had taken some video but can’t seem to upload to this site so grabbed a few shots off the video of first use.

Lets talk functions – Ambassador review. 3.5 stars really coz it all comes down to pet or no pet. Weight Quite well distributed towards both handle and head. Practically though it means quite a bit of weight is at the suction area and it is mostly quite hard for someone who are not doing weights regularly to lift it up the vacuum with one hand. It can be a bit… Read more

inconvenient. Though looking at the make of the brush head, it is understandable. A lot of well thought out parts goes into it.

Bendy under furniture feature

It is a fun addition to the functionality. The difference from this to a fixed straight vacuum is that this can go better under tighter space. The handle for most cordless vacuum is quite big as the motor is at the handle. What it means is that when the space is tighter, you cant vacuum deep far enough due to the weird angle. With this though, it goes low enough to do a good clean. It is really cool to not have to go low to vacuum low. It is a very welcomed feature and I clean under bed and sofa more often now.

Suction brush head

The greatest feature they have in this vacuum is of course the some sort of self cleaning brush function. They do this by having a comb structure right next to the brush and just combing out hair as the brush rolls. The hair then get sucked up likely from another textured roller next to it. We have 2 ladies in the home with med and long hair. To date I never have to clean the rollers for stucked hair, which is a huge plus. Now, it is not without issues but in terms of cordless vacuum this much is considered a learning curve. As with most cordless vacuum, there are rollers that push the dirt and dust to the barrel of the vacuum. Between the roller and vacuum is usually not a lot of space. So larger harder objects like a candy wrapper or some larger nut shells which will usually get sucked into corded vacuum will usually not go into cordless ones. Some cordless vacuum would just somehow spit it out of the other side of the brush head, so you just pick it up now or later. This vacuum though, leads the object into the roller and get stuck inside, rendering the vacuum pretty useless until you get it out. You either roll the roller till you get it out, or you use a coin to open up a small panel to get it out. Now, now I know how big a thing it can manage but the first week of using is a bit of a pain. After that first week everything is good though. You know the size of things it can’t handle, as with normal corded vacuum there is a size too, just that cordless are usually smaller.

The light at the front of the brush thingy. In all honesty, it sounds like a good idea but tell me, would you usually look constantly at the front of the vacuum and follow it while vacuuming, or do you actually look all over the place in general while cleaning. Whether or not this function is useful at all really varies for different people.

Air

I say air because as with most vacuum without a Hepa filter, it usually smells like heated dust during use. The hepa filter in this vacuum works as promised. No dusty smell whatsoever. Now, that makes me wonder why they added the next feature, Scent. With the fragrance puk, not needed in my opinion since clean air regardless, it gives the room some fragrance which makes me feel “hhmm not bad”. Still personally I do not like the smell of car air fresher in my home. It would be nice if it had other smell available for purchase which I failed to find in their website. I saw that they used the word “fragrancec puk” for it, but nothing comes back with a search on their site.

Hardware connection

The hardware feels firm and solid, does not feel cheap. The connection got my attention as I owned other cordless vacuum before, and snapping things in and out to use the vacuum is not new. Sometimes when the vacuum is worned, the connection is wobbly and the electrical component do not connect well anymore. Now when I had this happened to another vacuum, I do noticed out of the box it is already ever so slightly wobbly. Shark though, is extremely fitting the snap is hard and firm and any dragging around won’t make you feel like you are handling different parts. It feels a whole. Of course I have only been using for 6 weeks, I cannot attest if it will last very well but so far it feels like it will.

Collection bin

A bit of a disappointment here as at this price point, there is no self cleaning function where something pushes out the dirt and dust as/after you loosen the lid. Sure most things fall out but general hair and fibres will get stuck inside especially household with people with long hair. We have to dig it out using our hand. Now, I do not own a dog, yet. I do imagine long animal fur getting stuck in the bin too. Call it my pet’s peeve I do NOT like digging dirt.

Motorized pet tool.

It works, it sucks well and all, I not have to clean it yet, but to be fair, I did not use this very much. The angle of where the head can shift is extremely limited to a point I wonder why even put it there. Say I got hair etc, stuck between the walls of two seating cushion of a sofa. I can get whatever falls in between at the bottom, but nothing at the side where the velvet fabric grabs long hairs, unless I bend and push down to the cushion really hard to angle it the right way myself. With the seats being quite firm it is not easy. If the angle shift on the motorized head can be much wider, it would have been great. Not a deal breaker, as obviously I do not have so many odd places like this. Just frustrated as the angle function is there but not there. I tried to use the crevice tool for that, but that tool does not grab hair out of velvet texture like the motorized pet tool would. The general use of this tool to grab hair is still top notch.

Upholstery tool.

Similar issues as above. It sucks well, nothing wrong with suction power at all. The neck swivels around all the way but now, the head is fixed with no angle shift at all. So there is a specific angle you need to vacuum with, it is just odd. It is that angle, up, down, left or right, but it is that angle. It is almost funny.

Floor rugs

Maybe I am using cheap polyester low pile 100 dollar floor rugs, but I see my fibres get pulled out by this vacuum. It still stays with the rug, but some parts become longer. Not stretched, I am sure the other end of the fibre sticks out shorter in the pile now.

Battery, I can clean a 35 sqm home fully a few times within one charge.

All in all I like this vacuum as it works well on both hard floor and carpet. I did not have to change the brush head for different type of floorings other than odd places. People with arthritis might need to see and hold the physical vacuum instead of buying online. Now, if I don’t have a cordless vacuum yet, and have a shedding pet or family member. I will likely pay the price to get this vacuum as the anti hair tangling brush head is a great function for both the main brush and the mini tool. I own a golden retriever before and if only I had this then. As a shedding pet owner, we all know cleaning the hair IS largely part of our everyday cleaning.

If I do not own a pet. I will definitely go for other options as the cons of mini tools will stand out and frustrate me a quite a bit for everyday cleaning.

Another great quality product from shark – Very excited to use the Shark stick vacuum as I have only used their upright vacuum before. As with the upright, the shark stick vacuum is all quality. Built with strength and would be able to take knocks about while cleaning. I had been using the Electrolux stick prior to using the Shark and I would say the Shark stick has better features but in… Read more

my opinion they both roughly do the same job. I haven’t used the Shark long enough but with several stick vacuum’s I have owned, they always lose their battery within 15 months. We will see how the longevity of the Shark goes. So here is my overview: PROS 1. Excellent swivel head. Very easy to use and glides across carpet and floorboards with ease. This would be good for someone with wrist arthritis. The head width is shorter than other sticks I’ve owned but makes up for it in its depth because the head is like a square. This has pros and cons depending on what spaces you are cleaning. 2. It’s ability to lie flat to the floor and clean under stairs, beds or couches is a big plus. Big selling point of this vacuum I think so you don’t have to keep moving furniture. 3. It’s is relatively quiet except when in power mode. Atm the dirt sensor does not impress me tbh. It constantly changes from gentle to high constantly depending on the amount of dirt or your surface. You can over ride this but then it just goes back to constantly changing. This change in vacuum volume drives my dog nuts lol. 4. Picks up dog hair and all the twigs and grass my dog brings in the house with ease. Even picks up very well from the stairs as seen in photo and it was only on eco. 5. Slightly better on carpet than other brands I’ve used 6. Has indicator for how much battery life left. This is fantastic!!! 7. The fold in half for storage is great. CONS 1. Cannot stand alone unless you fold it in half for storage and then it stands alone. This isn’t a deal breaker but annoying when you’re cleaning and have to pick up your kids close and want to just let go of it for a minute or so. 2. Battery life is ok. Ran for about 45 mins on mostly eco mode. I would have liked it to be able to last this long on top power. Maybe an unfair expectation but I would like a stick vacuum capable of cleaning the whole house on one charge. I would pay more for a better battery. 3. Feels shorter than my previous branded sticks. So being tall means I have to bend over more. 4. Not as powerful as a shark upright but in all fairness I don’t think any sticks are stronger than an upright vacuum SAME AS WITH OTHER BRANDS 1. Same weight - not too heavy or light which is great. 2. Dirt canister good size and easy to clean. 3. Not too much footprint when storing.

Competitively priced. Performs well. Genuinely good if you measure your expectations – All in all. We must say that we are impressed by the Shark Vac and, for the price, it seems a lot more competitive than other more known names on the market. Currently available online from Shark at $699.00 as opposed to the $999.00 RRP. Firstly, the reality of a stick vac is that it can’t really replace a traditional vacuum. Especially in a busy… Read more

house with pets, people and mess everywhere. If you try and do a whole house with this device you’ll be disappointed but not as disappointed as trying to do it with other stick vacs on the market. Great for a quick whirl or to deal with a spillage but I’d argue that you still need a traditional device to get things completely dust free. Sticks really don’t have the grunt that a corded vacuum has.

I generally prefer to have the vacuum on full blast and if you do this with the Shark you’ll get 20 minutes absolute tops. This is significantly longer than the other big name stick device we were using: especially after a few years of the battery getting weaker. If you run it on the sensor mode, the time increases significantly but the sensor determining the motor strength can be a bit slow to kick in. The reality of these machines is that they need to come with two batteries in the box and we will need to buy a second: around $150.00. The Shark has many things going for it: competitive pricing (on promotion), the flexible wand, self-cleaning brush, foldable compact frame and the fact that at full speed it really does pick stuff up. The negatives are the battery life when used on maximum, the four-hour charge time for new juice and the fact that the head can be cumbersome to say the least.

Would we buy it? Yes. Absolutely. Great for quick clean ups. The self-cleaning brush is great and the compact storage aspect is a winner. The flexible wand is terrific: you can get it under the couch and bed with ease. Unsure about the ongoing costs associated with the scented cartridge (where, specifically, can you buy these other than online via Shark and how long will they be available for?) or the fact that the Australian site doesn’t currently offer replacement batteries for this model (I based my aforementioned pricing on their UK site). Also, some concerns that Shark are kind of new in the appliance space. I traditionally associated them with TV shopping channels (Ninja etc.) but they appear to be branching out. Their product quality does seem good though. Time will tell but, for now, we are ditching the old stick and welcoming the Shark.

Amazing dealing with hair – We vacuum A LOT of hair in this house, both dogs and humans. Our barrel vacuum and old stick vac both had issues with hair wrapping around the rollers which would then need to be snipped out. The Shark works some magic which means hair goes straight into the dust canister with no tangling. I have uploaded a video where you can see the vacuum in… Read more

action.

Now, all the nitty gritty:

BATTERY

The stated one hour battery life is for lower power without the floor tool. You won’t often use it under these conditions so you won’t usually get one hour out of one charge. I found I could vacuum all the hard floors in our 4x2 home with one charge. Our deep-pile carpets used more juice, running at max power (boost) we could vacuum a few rooms - about 10 minutes. A full charge takes 3.5 hours. If you want to use it as your main vacuum I would suggest picking up a second battery, particularly if you have carpet. I found the battery life much better than my old stick vacuum.

SUCTION AND DIRT REMOVAL

There are 3 power modes. Clean Sense IQ (auto), Eco (low) and Boost (Max). Clean Sense detects the type of floor and amount of dirt. It has an indicator bar that shows how dirty the floor is (demonstrated in the video). Clean Sense works brilliantly on hard floors. It works quite well on carpets but I find on deep pile carpet I sometimes need to put it on boost to get really good suction and a deeper clean which drains the battery more quickly. I don’t feel the Eco setting is strong enough for carpet. The vacuum handles big debris, fine dust and hair very well. I almost never have to go over the same spot twice to remove dirt.

EASE OF USE

A lot of thought has gone into making this vacuum easy to use. You don’t have to hold down a trigger, just press the power button once and it stays on. The big, clear digital display tells you how much battery you have left so you don’t have that exciting game of “when will my battery die” that you get with other cordless vacuums. The wand can flex in the middle to get under low furniture. The head swivels and moves easily around obstacles. It has “headlights” to illuminate the floor as you vacuum. Because it is so easy to use I find I use it more often than my old cordless vac.

EMPTYING

One of my favourite things about the vac (next to the anti hair wrap) is how easy it is to empty the dust cup. Flick it open and the dirt and debris fall right out. You can also remove and wash the canister.

MAINTENANCE

The manual clearly describes how to clean the dust cup, filters, rollers and sensor. All very easy and the filters can be rinsed in water.

STORAGE

You don’t need to install a wall bracket. The top half folds down and it is easy to store in a corner or a cupboard (also shown in the video). The vacuum will not stand upright on its own as the top is too heavy. You have to fold it down but it is one button press and an easy action to do so.

WEIGHT

I didn’t notice any issues with weight but it might be considered heavy by people with reduced strength in their hands or arms.

EXTRA ACCESSORIES

The vacuum came with a brush tool, small roller head and crevice tool. I used the small roller head on the stairs. It did a good job but you do have to hold it at a particular angle to maintain suction and it was a bit awkward. There is no on-board storage for these tools.

ANTI-ODOUR

Some vacuums do emit rather foul air while using, particularly if you have pets. The Shark has an anti-odour cartridge which appears to release a pleasant perfume during use. If you have sensitivities to fragrance I recommend removing the fragrance cartridge from the odour dial (the dial needs to be inserted to use the vacuum but the cartridge is optional).

WHAT I LOVE:

-Anti-hair wrap feature -Ease of use and emptying -Can store without a bracket -Good cleaning performance

THINGS THAT COULD IMPROVE:

-Would be nice if you could store it upright without folding -Wheels were a little squeaky -Anti-odour fragrance was a bit strong (but can be easily removed) -Clean sense (auto cleaning) seems to choose low power on carpets but high power is really needed on deeper pile. Clean Sense has a few seconds delay before kicking in on dirty areas.

SUMMARY

I absolutely love this cordless vacuum. It won’t completely replace my main corded vac for big cleans but it is brilliant for daily clean ups and freshening of traffic areas. I avoided my old stick vacuum as I seemed to spend more time trying to empty it and cutting out the tangled hair than I did actually vacuuming. I pull the Shark out multiple times per day because it’s so quick and easy and as a result the floors look clean all the time. I’m planning on buying a second battery.

Best cordless vacuum – The Shark has been an excellent upgrade from our Dyson stick vacuum. It has several advantages in comparison to other cordless vacuums: - Folding shaft allows vacuuming under couches, dressers, any furniture with around 8-10cm of clearance. This is not physically possible with any other product I've used. - Digital display gives battery usage… Read more

information so that you know how much more cleaning you can do before recharging. -Super suction, comparable to cord vacuum cleaners. It also varies the suction power depending on how much debris it senses getting sucked up: more debris = more suction - Bigger storage canister for debris than other stick vacuums -Useful attachments for cleaning the car, furniture, or curtains

The only downside I've found so far is the lack of a storage caddy for the 3 extra head attachments. It is a superior machine; after vacuuming our living room with our old vacuum, I repeated the process with the new shark, and it sucked up a full canister of dirt and pet hair that was left behind.

Highly recommend this product; its far better than our Dyson, at the same price point.

Great suction, Great Build Quality but not perfect! – Pros - 1) Awesome suction power on max mode and rather quiet on the IQ and Eco modes 2) IQ auto power setting is pretty good too 3) Battery life is great on IQ setting and eco mode 4) Easy to empty 5) Goes under things quiet well and I like how you can easily do this by unlocking the main shaft at its halfway point. 6) I love how pet hair and long… Read more

human hair dont get stuck in the brush as it is removed automatically! 7) I love the digital display! 8) Well priced at $699 in my opinion for what you get. 9) Has a nice smelling canister that makes the room smell nice as you vacuum (wife loved this part the most haha). 10) Doesn't flick dirt etc around like my Dyson. 11) I love how it folds up in half and can be put away in a cupboard 12) Removing the battery from the vacuum is easy and the abilty to charge it in a small cupboard on its own is also great. 13) 2 yr warranty is pretty good!

Cons - 1) It's apparently lightweight but I found it a bit heavy and my wrist was a tad sore after I vacuumed the whole house. 2) No car cleaning kit at the time of writing this review or accessories 3) The main head doesn't move as freely as say a Dyson handled vacuum 4) When vacuuming small tight spaces, and when the main shaft reaches about an 80 degree angle, it annoyingly locks the main head into a 90 degree position and turns off the motorised head. 5) Doesn't do a great job close to the edges, but hey not many vacuums do to be honest.

Overall, for the price it works well and I would reccommend it to friends and family.

***Update June 2024*** after nearly years worth of use. Battery will only charge to 70%. Bit frustrating as its hard to buy batteries online. Cant find any on the Sharks Website even.

***Update Feb 2025*** motor made a horrible noise and seized. Believe a bearing failed somewhere in the unit. Contacted Shark, and about a month later they replaced the whole unit. So was happy with that. Bit if a shame it failed though after a year and halfs worth of use. Keep in mind, this wasn't used daily either.