Shark - Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum & Auto-Empty System, Self Cleaning Brushroll, HEPA Filtration - White

Shark’s newest vacuum, the Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum & Auto-Empty System, Self Cleaning Brushroll, HEPA Filtration is in my opinion a great budget stick vacuum with some features only available in more expensive vacuums. Lets start from the beginning, this particular stick vacuum comes with three attachments a duster crevice tool, a pet multi tool and the self cleaning brushroll. Also included is the auto empty charging dock and one battery. Let’s start with the auto empty charging dock, it’s basically a device where you can sit down your vacuum and it does two things. One it charges your vacuum and two, it empties out the vacuum, basically hands-free, you don’t get your hands dirty, and you don’t breathe the dust that always comes up when you try to empty a conventional vacuum into the garbage. The cordless stick vacuum cleaner itself is the real star here, lightweight and surprisingly powerful, with three power settings, I found this vacuum to be very capable of cleaning just about everything with its powerful suction, and when I say powerful, I really mean it. For size it’s quite a powerhouse.

This little thing is nifty. I have two robotic vacuums that are brand new, but I feel I was lacking the chore; it’s rewarding. It’s fun and the auto switching from hardwood to carpet is nice, alongside the auto empty feature; that’s a game-changer! The downfall, the battery doesn’t seem to last long at all. After 10-12 minutes, it seems to be down to 1 or two bars (out of 4) and I have to rush just to get a reasonably small room done. Perhaps I just have a faulty one with the power; I’ll look into it more. Otherwise my raiting would be a 5!

Very pleased with this Shark vacuum, it works really well and does not look out of place sitting out in the charging station. Like the fact that it self empties after use and bin is easy to empty. Recommended

Very light weight and glides super easily. I love the fact that there are 3 different speeds and there's no need to change settings for different floors. The vacuum senses when vacuuming carpet and hard flooring automatically.

The Clean and Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum provides a great balance between power and a convenient, light-weight design with an awesome auto-empty feature. Design The vacuum has a compact and light-weight handle/motor unit. It's easy to work with and attach to the stick or other included tools. The fact that it's so light makes it great for things like using the crevice tool to go up steps and get all the corners. Places to open compartments to empty it or access filters are well marked and easy to use. I like the way the roller in the floor unit slides out from the right for easy access and complete cleaning of the whole roller assembly. The base is great! It can be a pain to mount holders on the wall so I actually like the floor stand. It not only holds it and charges it, but also empties it, which is great! There is also a place to store the crevice tool but not the brush attachment. The compartment that holds the dirt is easy to remove and empty. There are two buttons to control the vacuum. One power button and a button to switch between ECO, Normal, or Boost modes. Features - There is floor detection that switches the vacuum between spinning the roller faster for carpets or much less for hard floors. The detection worked well with hard floors. On my rugs, which are pretty flat, it didn't always go into carpet mode. In fact it tends to switch back and forth on the rug. I didn't really see it as a problem but wanted to point that out. There is no manual switch between carpet and hard floor mode. - This is a very light-weight vacuum! I was impressed by the power it has for how light it is. It makes using it as a handheld vacuum very easy to do! I've been using it mostly on "Normal" mode. If I set it to eco I'm sure it would last longer. There is also Boost for when more power is needed. I think it has plenty of power on normal for general use but Boost is a great option to have for extra tough to clean small areas. - The crevice tool that's included has a funky flip-over brush that actually works great! Please see the attached pictures. I found it especially useful for vacuuming hard wood steps. At first I questioned the design since there are no brush bristles on the bottom. In actual use though, I found that it works well for me to loosen dirt at the front and sides, then it vacuums it up. I love the fact that the brush is attached to the crevice tool so I don't need something separate. The crevice tool is really great for the steps because this vacuum is so crazy light! - A "pet' multi-tool (small attachment with a much larger opening than the crevice tool) is also included. This did a great job on some dirty fabric car upulstry, pulling out fuzzy things that were stuck in the seats. The multi-tool includes a detachable brush. - There is a clip that attaches to the bottom of the wand that has a holder for the hand unit. If that's confusing, I get it. Please see my attached picture. I didn't understand what it was for at first, but this is great! It lets me stand it up and have the holder attached to the stand. This is useful because otherwise, you can't have it stand upright on its own because it would fall over. - There are a whole bunch of LED lights along the front of the floor unit that light the area you're vacuuming well, which is great for going under furniture. - The Stand is a feature rich feather by itself! Keep reading for more on that below. Auto-Empty/Charging Dock/Stand I love the Dock/Stand for a number of reasons! I feel like the design is excellent and well thought out. Yes, the stand charges the vacuum and automatically empties it. Mounting them on walls can be a pain depending on the wall and so I love that this is free standing, and can be easily moved. It empties as soon as you put the vacuum on it. It then charges. It's pretty loud when it empties, just like using the vacuum, but it only runs for 10 seconds or so until it's done. I feel like this has a few benefits, 1. The vacuum itself is kept empty, 2. It's kept charged, 3. It keeps the hand-held unit light-weight, not filling up with dirt to make it heavier. 4. Keeps the suction stronger for each use by actively pulling dirt out from the hand-held unit, keeping it from getting clogged. One other nice feature the base has is "night mode". Just press that button and a moon will light up on it. As long as that is lit, the vacuum will not be emptied. Even it you take if off and put it back on a few times. I even had the power go out and it stayed in night mode when power came back on. It's a great way to keep from waking somebody up. There is spot, down at the floor to store the crevice tool. The container that holds the dirt is easy to remove and then there's a button to empty it once you have over a trash can. There was a warning sticker on the vacuum telling you to make sure that the door closed correctly (from the auto empty feature) before you use the vacuum again, so you do want to check that. I had it not close correctly one time because some dirt was stuck in there. It was very easy to fix, still it's good to check this. Do be aware, you need to have the handheld unit connected to the wand extension for the vacuum to charge or empty. It will not charge or empty if you just have the crevice tool attached for instance. You can charge the battery or the handheld without the base. You just need to unplug the power cord from the base and plug it directly into the battery. The battery can be in the handheld unit or removed from the handheld unit. Does it work well? I've talked about features but you buy a vacuum to suck up dirt. So does it do that? Yes! It does a good job with dirt, both as an upright and a handheld. I think it's strong for a battery powered vacuum and with Boost mode, it's very strong but don't expect the battery to last. I've very satisfied with the suction power of this vacuum and even surprised at time by how well it works for the size. Battery Life This is going to very based on usage, of course. Do you use it in Eco mode or Boost mode, is it using the roller attachment and spinning the roller, do you just vacuum a little at a time? I was happy with the battery life. They claim 40 minutes. I'm sure that's possible though I'm not sure which mode or modes that would include. There are four bars that show the battery life. I think that's enough but more would be nice to gauge it better. The display is very easy to see, so checking the battery, as well as the operating mode, is easy. The base does make it easy to charge. Summary I found this vacuum to be small and feature-rich with plenty of power. It works well on carpets and hard floors as well as cleaning harder to get places like steps and car interiors - especially because of its light weight. I love the free standing base with charging and auto-empty!!!

Lightweight and easy to use Perfect for my small apartment. Really like the self emptying feature

Very good product at this price point- lightweight- does a good job on hardwood and rugs for normal vacuuming- may struggle with big jobs, The self empty feature is interesting, but overrated as a convenience. Battery is self contained, only two attachments- I give it a B

I’ve been using this Shark vacuum everyday for the last week and so far I enjoy it. I love that it’s super lightweight, has a decent size debris area and decent suction. I think there are areas to improve, but overall not bad for a compact cordless vacuum. It’s super lightweight and easy to maneuver. It handles really well while turning and the LED light helps me see if I missed anything. I also really like the auto detection feature for how it transitions between carpet and hardwood floor. My other vacuums have buttons I have to switch (not an inconvenience), but I think it’s cool this can detect the surface. My house is 1600 sq. ft. and the debris bin fills quickly. I think you’ll have you really evaluate your needs if your home is bigger. You can vacuum in stages and always go back to the auto empty bin. It’s really quick for the shark to empty the debris, so you can always do a trip or two if needed. I found that I typically use the normal or eco mode to fully get the most out of the battery. Charging takes a little long, but that’s just my option. It’d be really cool if they can somehow provide two batteries and include a charging dock in the handle for the next generation of this model. Something random that I’m happy about is that this is so lightweight that I can safely control it while vacuuming my carpeted stairs. It can be potentially dangerous, but this makes stair vacuuming easy! Pros: 3 suction features: eco, normal and boost Multiple attachments Powerful Suction Auto-Empty System Self-Cleaning Brushroll HEPA Filtration Lightweight and Maneuverable Sensors for Multi-Floor Cleaning Easy to Empty Dust Bin Quiet LED Lights Good for stairs Cons: Battery life Charging time Small dust bin Overall I think there’re areas to improve, but so far it does a good job. I wish the dust bin was a little larger and charging didn’t take as long. This is perfect for an apartment, condo, or small home.

I have been a user of cordless “stick” vacuums for the past five years and find them to be just as good at cleaning and way more convenient to use than their corded and heavy counterparts. This Shark Clean & Empty cordless vacuum (model BU3521) is billed as being an “ultra-light cordless” that also utilizes an “auto-empty system” incorporated into the charging stand that holds the vacuum when not in use. The vacuum can be used as a floor vacuum utilizing a long wand with a powered nozzle that contains a motorized brushroll with lights, or as a hand vacuum without the wand but with the nozzles attached directly to the handheld vacuum unit. This model came with a motorized floor nozzle, a crevice tool, and a “pet multi-tool” in which the brush snaps on and off of the tool. The auto-empty system activates each time you hang the vacuum on the charging stand (AKA dock), with the dirt and debris being sucked out of the dust cup on the vacuum and into a larger dust bin at the bottom of the dock base. This larger dust bin is just that, a container without a bag like some other systems use. The nice thing is that you empty this large bin much less often as opposed to a vac that has to have its small dust cup emptied every time you use the vacuum which usually creates a small cloud of dust that doesn’t all end up in the trash can and potentially in your face. The auto-emptying feature happens each time you hang up the vac on the dock so that it is ready to go the next time you need to use it, but there is a button to defeat this feature. This is in case you don’t want the noise the dock motor creates when it sucks the debris from the vacuum’s dust cup, such as late at night when it might disturb others in the household. This button has a moon-shaped icon on it to denote nighttime use and the “moon” illuminates when this quiet mode is engaged. The dock charges and stores the vacuum in addition to emptying the vacuum and storing the debris. Full charging takes about 4.5 hours according to the manufacturer. There is a prominent light on the battery that glows green when it is fully charged. The wand needs to be attached to the hand vacuum in order to charge as the electrical contacts for charging are at the top end of the wand. The hand vacuum can be used without the wand and floor nozzle such as when cleaning furniture. The battery is removable and has a charging port on it to accept a cord from a charger. This type of charger is not included with this vacuum, but appears to be available on Shark’s web site along with additional batteries (I consider the battery price to be reasonable when compared to batteries for power tools). The charging dock, with the vacuum in place, takes up an area about 11” x 15” on the floor. The overall height is 43.5”, but overhead clearance of 46” is needed to get the vacuum on and off the dock. The dock provides tool storage for only one of the included tools, the crevice tool. There are two other tools available for purchase from Shark according to the owner’s guide, but unfortunately, a hose is not one of them. The full owner’s guide is available as a downloadable document only and the only paper documentation that comes with the vacuum is a Quick Start Guide that includes maintenance information and safety warnings. During use, the Cordless Clean & Empty vacuum is light and easy to maneuver. Sometimes a little too easy to maneuver as it glides over hard-surface floors with very little resistance. The powered floor nozzle which will undoubtedly get the most use by owners, has a couple quirks that are unique and may take some getting used to depending on the vacuum you were using in the past. The LED lights are mounted at the top of the nozzle above the large brushroll and the light seems to be directed to the floor via the clear plastic housing. This angle does not illuminate debris on the floor quite as well as lights mounted down low on the leading edge of the nozzle. The articulated joint where the wand meets the head forces the head to always swivel left and right as you tilt the handheld unit from side to side and this limits your ability to steer the floor nozzle under furniture and around legs, thus limiting your reach under some obstacles. Also the floor nozzle will “lock” at a 90 degree angle to the wand if you accidentally pull it too far back towards you and this feature accidentally engages. That means you have to place a foot on the nozzle to snap it free from the locked position so you can continue vacuuming. The controls on the handheld motor unit consist of two simple buttons, one is on/off for power, and the other cycles between Auto mode, Eco mode, and Boost mode. Eco mode provides sufficient suction power for non-carpeted floors and it also gives the longest runtime. I found the amount of suction generated is on par with competitors (I have no way to quantify this performance though) and I found vacuuming to be relatively easy on low-nap carpet. When you transition from hard flooring to carpet in Auto mode, the vacuum automatically senses this and increases suction and RPM speed of the brushroll. If you are on carpet with a deep pile, this increase in power can make the vacuum very difficult to push and pull. The Boost mode offers greater suction power, but I found that this is of little value on carpet because of even greater resistance to moving the vacuum. I found no need to manually switch to Boost mode on hard-surface floors, so I suspect it may be best used on furniture while using the crevice or multi-tool. The powered floor nozzle has some ingenious, short tines that keep long hair from wrapping around the brushroll and they do work as my wife leaves a lot of hair on the floor and I found none encircling the brushroll after cleaning the house, like I have in years gone by with other vacuums. The brushroll and filters are very easily removed without tools for cleaning. All of the filtering media in both the handheld vacuum unit and the charging stand, are washable with plain water (do not use soap) when needed. It appears from the literature that the main filter in the dock is a HEPA filter and the one in the vacuum itself is not - as far as I can tell. The vacuum comes with a five-year warranty (two years on the battery) which is pretty amazing considering the price point of this vacuum. Having a cleaning tool that is easy to use can make home chores more pleasant - I will stop short of saying fun - and the Shark Clean & Empty is about as good as it gets for this. If you are tired of lugging around a big, heavy, inconvenient, corded vacuum, you owe it to yourself to try a modern take on an appliance that has been around forever and see just how much better the experience can be.