As shoppers, we often see brands make big claims about their latest products, only to be let down when they ultimately don't deliver. Previous experience has made me quite a picky customer, so when I spotted Shark's claim that its handheld pet vacuum boasts "effortless pet hair pick-up", I was more than a little suspicious.
Stubborn pet hair, deeply embedded in upholstery and carpets, can often resist even the most sophisticated full-size hoovers equipped with pet attachments, let alone a small cordless model. From past experience, some handheld vacuums have proven to be little more than an expensive disappointment due to their poor suction power and rapidly deteriorating battery.
The typical retail price for the Shark Classic Handheld Pet Vacuum stands at £79, but presently a direct purchase can see you pay only £59. Shark showcases this appliance as a convenient solution for tidying up "everyday dust and debris including crumbs, dry food spills and unexpected messes". Three attachments a dusting brush, crevice tool, and motorised pet tool are included with this vacuum.
On its website, Shark maintains the Classic Handheld Pet Vacuum is intended for pet owners' homes, claiming it ensures "effortless pet hair pick-up throughout your home". This includes using the motorised pet tool to deal with clinging hair from cushions, curtains, soft furnishings, car interiors, and beyond, reports the Mirror.
Upon unboxing the vacuum, I was struck by its lightweight and ergonomic design. It boasts a sleek aesthetic and the attachments fit snugly onto the unit without any need for force. The instructions recommend a full charge time of four hours, so I plugged it in first thing in the morning and waited until lunchtime to test it out.
To truly test the Shark's capabilities, I decided to tackle my husband's car boot - a task that had been neglected since Christmas (to my embarrassment, there were still a few stray pine needles from when we collected our Christmas tree). The boot is frequently used to transport our beloved greyhound, whose fine hair easily embeds into soft furnishings and proves stubborn to remove with any vacuum we've previously tried.
When I got to work, I found that the pet attachment struggled to pick up debris lodged between the grooves in the base of the car boot. Despite repeated attempts, it didn't seem to make much difference, although it did manage to pick up larger items like the pine needles effectively.
However, the vacuum excelled when used on flat carpeted areas along the edges and the seat backing, where it required fewer passes to remove the pet hair. But before I knew it, the battery had given up. This happened after roughly 20 minutes of using the car boot with the pet attachment.
Shark advertises that the Handheld Pet Vacuum offers "up to 10 minutes of run-time per charge", suggesting it's perfect for quick clean-ups. They also boast that the "no-fade Lithium-ion technology ensures lasting power and performance".
In this case, it exceeded Shark's own claims, but for more extensive tasks, a longer battery life would be beneficial.
However, it seems Shark has prioritised suction strength over battery life in this handheld model a choice I find more practical for handheld vacuums. I've previously owned cheaper models that lasted 30 or even 40 minutes, but they had such feeble suction that I ended up resorting to our reliable, though bulky, Dyson for effective cleaning.
It didn't manage to remove all the embedded pet hair likely a deeper clean or another go on a full charge would do the trick yet my husband and I concurred that it performed better than other pet vacuums we've tested.
The device also features a battery light indicator to signal when it's low on power, and a sizeable dust cup with one-touch easy empty for no-fuss disposal. Shark claims the washable filter is "easy to clean for suction that lasts", and the product comes with a complimentary 2-year guarantee upon registering your purchase with Shark.
The Shark Classic Handheld Pet Vacuum is currently on offer for £59 from Shark and Amazon. Alternatively, this Tower Optimum Handheld is currently 15% off at £42.29.
