Dyson or Shark—Which Vacuum is Best?

While a vacuum is a household cleaning essential, finding a high-quality option is easier said than done. Whether picking one up in store or ordering online, it’s difficult to predict a vacuum’s effectiveness until you try it out at home. Luckily, we’ve done the dirty work for you—literally. 

Here at Wade Review, vacuum cleaners are one of our many specialties. After testing nearly 300 vacuums in our Des Moines lab and at home, we’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. To no surprise, Dyson and Shark vacuums have stood out in our testing for their impressive cleaning capabilities, unique features, and easy operation. Given their excellent performance, we decided to put them head-to-head in our lab. 

In a March Madness-Style bracket, we put two of our top-performing cordless models— the Dyson V15 Detect and the Shark Cordless Pro Vacuum— and two of our best upright models—the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra, and Shark Stratos Upright Vacuum—to the test. We evaluated them based on their features, effectiveness, maneuverability, and ease of use. For expert insight, we consulted Iryna Balaban, co-founder and professional cleaner at Sunlight Cleaning NY, on how to shop for vacuum cleaners. Read on to find out which vacuums reigned supreme and which were left in the dust.

Round 1: Cordless 

Features 

This model has five attachments, all designed to simplify the cleaning process. Among them are a crevice tool for navigating nooks and crannies, a hair screw tool that effectively sucks up long hair and pet hair without tangles, and a combination tool for tackling various floor types. The versatile vacuum also features two cleaner heads, allowing you to handle any surface—the fluffy optic cleaner head is ideal for hard floors, illuminating the area to reveal hidden dust and adapting its strength depending on the debris, while the Digital Motorbar cleaner head works on both hard floors and carpeting. 

One of our favorite features is the LCD screen, which indicates the total amount of particles you’ve picked up, the power setting, maintenance alerts, and the remaining run time. We especially love the pick-up reader, which lets you see your cleaning progress in real time, even if the debris is too small to be visible to the naked eye. 

The unit comes with a wall-mounted docking and charging station (though the device itself can’t stand on its own). It can also transition to a handheld model for added flexibility. Our only gripe is that the Dyson V15 Detect does require continuous pressing of the trigger and holding of a lever to operate, which could become frustrating during longer tasks.

Effectiveness 

We were amazed by the Dyson V15 Detect’s superb performance in our testing. It effectively picked up 95% of debris after one pass, and it took only four passes to clean the whole area. The 9.84-inch cleaning pad completely cleared every crumb, leaving no remnants behind. 

Quite frankly, the Fluffy Optic cleaner head is one of the most innovative attachments we’ve ever seen on a vacuum. We were blown away by how much dust it illuminated that we would have never noticed otherwise. This feature not only improved our cleaning capabilities but also gamified the process. We might even say it made us…excited to clean. Additionally, the device boasts an impressive runtime of 60 minutes, allowing you to tackle large rooms without needing to recharge. 

Ease of Emptying 

This unit boasts a fairly easy no-touch emptying process—simply remove it from the stick portion of the vacuum and press a lever to open the dustbin into the garbage can. The brush roll had only about five hairs wrapped around it—so few that we typically wouldn’t bother to clean it. We were able to shake out all the debris without any contact, resulting in a clean, hassle-free experience. 

Maneuverability 

The Dyson V15 Detect offers impressive maneuverability. In our testing, we found that its lightweight design—just 6.8 pounds—allowed for easy movement, while the rollerbar’s range of motion was incredibly flexible. The crevice tool was particularly effective at reaching our tight corners, lifting 97% of debris after one pass and 100% after the second. With its cordless, portable design, we think this pick would be ideal to use in cars as well as around the house. 

Cleaning Path Width: 9.84 inches | Bin Capacity: 0.2 gallons | Cord: Cordless | Weight: 6.8 pounds