Shark SharkFlex Corded Ultra-Light Stick Vacuum: Review

There is something so satisfying about buying a new vacuum. I’ve gone through a couple of different styles over the last few years, and I’m loving the stick style vacuums that are getting increasingly popular. Shark has added the Shark SharkFlex DuoClean Corded Ultra-Light Bagless Stick Vacuum to their Shark vacuum family, and after using it in my home for the past two weeks, here are my thoughts on it.

Appearance and features of the SharkFlex

The Shark SharkFlex DuoClean Corded Ultra-Light Bagless Stick Vacuum comes in a box approximately three feet tall by one foot wide and the first thing I noticed was how lightweight it was. The vacuum itself weighs less than 10 pounds. In the box you’ll find:

• handheld vacuum head with power button and dirt/dust canister
• extendable stick
• main vacuum head with bristle head and a softbrush roll
• deep cleaning motorized pet tool
• duster crevice tool
• pet multi tool
• accessory bag
• “Getting to know your SharkFlex” instruction manual

The handheld vacuum piece has the power/selector switch with one setting for cleaning bare floors and area rugs and another setting for cleaning higher pile carpets as well as the dust/dirt container. This vacuum piece can be used on its own for shorter reach cleaning by attaching your chosen accessory piece, or it can attach to the MultiFlex Wand for longer reach cleaning. The MultiFlex Wand has a release button for the wand itself as well as a lock release to use the flex function. This function is going to allow you to easily vacuum those hard to reach places. The tools included with the vacuum will take care of all your cleaning needs from your car, the stairs, hard to reach corners and even your furniture.

The dirt/dust container has Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology which traps 99.9% of dust and allergens making this vacuum the right one for pet owners and people with allergies.

Testing out the SharkFlex

My 12 year old son loves a new vacuum as much as I do, and he had the SharkFlex unboxed and put together in no time. We started by inserting the handheld vacuum piece into the MultiFlex wand and pressing down until we heard a click sound, then we inserted the bottom end of the MultiFlex wand into the motorized floor piece and again pressed down until we heard a click. Once the three pieces are put together it’s as simple as plugging in the cord and turning the vacuum on. The first thing I noticed was how quiet the vacuum is compared to my current one, and once my son let me have a turn I was amazed at the suction. I started out vacuuming my area rug in the family room that my cats think is their personal rug to lounge on. I have a ragdoll cat which means there’s a lot of fluff and hair left behind when he leaves his spot, and I find I have to vacuum over the area multiple times and in different directions to suck it all up. Just with one pass over the hairy spot with the SharkFlex and his hair was gone.

In our hurry to open the SharkFlex and test it out I didn’t initially realize that it folded in half for easy storage, so in my search of the release button I accidentally pressed the dust/dirt container release and out came the container contents back all over the floor. Lesson learned to read over the “Getting to know your SharkFlex Corded Ultra-Light.” Although this mishap did allow me to really test out the suction which impressed me. I also noticed the suction is powerful enough to reach into the corners of the room without having to switch the attachment to the crevice tool.

Maintaining your SharkFlex

To completely remove the dust/dirt container from the vacuum you squeeze the two release buttons on both sides of the base at the same time and pull out the container. To empty it out, hold it over a garbage can and press the Empty button on the front of the container which will release the bottom lid and the dirt and dust will fall out. Inside the dirt/dust container there’s both a felt and foam filter that can be rinsed with water. There’s also a Post-Motor filter under the handle that can be removed and rinsed as well.

You want to first tap out any loose dust or dirt and then gently rinse them under running water without using any soap, and then let them air dry before reinserting them back into the container and under the handle.

To maintain the brush and foam roll you need to remove the brushroll garage which the clear cover you see on top of the vacuum piece. Simply slide both release buttons and lift off the lid. You can now pull out any hair or debris that has wrapped itself around the rollers. The Soft Roller can be completely removed by the tab on the right side and rinsed as needed with water. This roller needs to be completely air dried before being put back into the brushroll garage.

Final thoughts of the SharkFlex

There are a few things that I love about the Shark SharkFlex DuoClean Corded Ultra-Light Bagless Stick Vacuum starting with how quiet and lightweight it is. It’s quiet enough that it can be used without having to yell over the sound of it to talk to someone while you’re vacuuming. The Active-Glide technology ensures smooth manoeuverability and versatility and is incredible. It gets in and out of any spot with ease and can reach under furniture either by running the vacuum parallel to the floor or using the Flex function of the wand. This makes vacuuming an easy and quick job. Many stick style vacuums come cordless, and while this is a great option it can be a pain when your vacuum dies mid clean. The SharkFlex is not cordless, but the long cord length meant I could plug it in to my upstairs landing and vacuum my entire top floor without having to unplug and move to a closer outlet.

Last of all I have to mention how much I love a stick vacuum that includes a motorized mini size roller for easy stair vacuuming. Stairs are a high traffic area and I have carpeted stairs in my home and they are the first area that gets noticeably dirty. The motorized roller gives a deep clean and keeps my stairs looking clean for longer.

Overall I was impressed with the versatility, suction and how easy and quick the Shark SharkFlex DuoClean Corded Ultra-Light Bagless Stick Vacuum is to use.

You can find the a huge selection of vacuums at bestbuy.ca.