A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Published on Jan. 21, 2025
The Shark Stratos upright vacuum is a splurge, but our testers agree it's worth every penny. Here's why you should add it to your cart ASAP.
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Finding the best vacuum cleaner for your home isn’t as straightforward as it seems. After all, there are dozens of brands, models and types to choose from. If you have a busy home, you’ll want to skip the cordless vacuums and go straight for an upright model. The best upright vacuum cleaners have more cleaning power than handheld or stick vacuums. These workhorses range between $100 and $1,000+. One of our favorite upright vacuum cleaners happens to fall right in the middle at $449. Less, if you happen to scoop it up on sale. We’re talking about the Shark Stratos upright vacuum.
This vacuum is a total powerhouse. Moreover, it’s extremely user-friendly, packed with handy features and even has a lift-away design, which allows you to convert it to a handheld vacuum. In short, this machine is worth its weight in gold. How are we so sure? For starters, our expert product testers took it into our Testing Lab for close inspection and rigorous testing. When they were finished, they sent it home with a long-term tester to see how it holds up to real-life messes over time. Here’s everything you need to know about the Shark Stratos upright vacuum.
READER'S DIGEST
The Shark Stratos upright vacuum has a powered lift-away feature that allows it to function as a handheld machine.
The Shark Stratos upright vacuum cleaner is a corded machine designed for use on all flooring surfaces. It has three different settings to optimize performance on hard floors, low-pile carpet and thick carpet. These settings, as well as the power control, are conveniently located on the handle. This vacuum weighs in at 16.75 pounds, which puts it on the heavier side. However, its swiveling head makes it easy to maneuver around floors. It also features on-board storage for its attachments, headlights and an odor-neutralizing cartridge, making it one of the best Shark vacuums for pet owners.
Another callout feature on this vacuum is the powered Lift-Away Mode, which allows you to use it as a handheld machine. This is especially useful for vacuuming stairs or tight spaces.
This upright vacuum cleaner has earned an Anti-Allergen Complete Seal thanks to its high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) washable filter that captures and contains 99.99% of dust and allergens. It includes two attachments: a crevice tool for tight nooks and crannies and a two-in-one upholstery tool with a self-cleaning pet power brush that removes hair and fur from furniture, stairs and other hard-to-reach places.
When you’re finished cleaning, simply detach the debris tank, hold it over your garbage can and press the button to open the cup. During testing, our team had a slight hiccup when emptying the cup. “The first time we detached the debris tank, the entire base of the Stratos popped off. A bit disorienting, but it became quickly apparent that there’s a different button you’re supposed to press to remove just the tank,” explains product tester Sheri Kaz. But once she figured out the mistake, it was smooth sailing.
Our Product Testing Team, led by Kaz and Dylan Fischer, had high hopes for the Shark Stratos upright vacuum from the start. “When we tested cordless vacuums, the cordless Shark Stratos was a top performer. We had the same expectations for this upright corded version, and it did not disappoint,” says Kaz.
In the studio, our team began their testing session by taking this vacuum through a furniture obstacle course to test its maneuverability. According to our testers, it has a nice swivel. However, its large tank catches on furniture. “It’s more difficult to move around furniture than others, but it’s doable,” says Kaz. Next, they dumped seasoning on the floor to test its edge-to-edge capabilities. They found that this vacuum works great when it is parallel to the baseboard, but when coming from straight on, it did leave a few crumbs behind.
For the next round of testing, our testers dumped cereal, glitter and hair onto vinyl floors, medium-pile carpet and high-pile carpet and assessed how much debris was removed after three passes. The Shark Stratos easily sucked up cereal, hair and most of the glitter that was scattered over vinyl and carpeted floors in just three passes or less.
Our testers were also impressed by how well the crevice and upholstery tools sucked up the breadcrumbs they had spilled in between chair cushions. The only thing they weren’t crazy about here was the cord management system. “It has high suction and picks everything up nicely,” explains Kaz. “But when using the extender and crevice tool, the cord unravels because the cord-management system is attached to the wand that you have to remove.”
Overall, our testers agree that this vacuum is worth the money. “The Stratos is a high performer—no doubt about it. It’s very well-made and rose to the occasion on almost all the tests,” raves Kaz. “It has a hefty price tag, but it’s worth it if you’re willing to spend it.”
Once our testers finished with the Shark Stratos upright vacuum, they sent it to a long-term tester, Melissa Franco. Franco, who has two young children and a newly adopted dog, has hardly put this vacuum away since receiving it. “Between my two young kiddos, who are constantly dropping food bits on the floor at mealtime and the dog hair, this vacuum has been a great addition to my cleaning products,” she raves. “It can easily pick up almost anything. My dog knocked over a plant, and dirt went everywhere on my carpet. The Shark Stratos quickly and completely picked up the dirt, and the small crevice tool made getting the dirt stuck in between the carpet and the baseboards a breeze.”
Since she’s almost always vacuuming these days, Franco especially likes having a machine that can easily transition between hardwood floors and carpet. And in spite of its bulk, she found that it was quite easy to use. “This vacuum was relatively easy to maneuver around. It is easy to push and can fit under my furniture pieces and even between the wall and toilet base in my bathroom,” she explains. “I also like the length of the cord. It is longer than my previous vacuum cord, and I no longer need to unplug it to clean my kitchen, living room, and hallway.”
Though she calls the Shark Stratos the best vacuum she’s ever had, Franco admits that it comes at a high cost. “This vacuum definitely performs well!” she raves. “However, nearly $500 is a higher price point for me and out of my budget. It might be as well for the average consumer.” Luckily, this machine is known to go on sale.
At Reader’s Digest, we know how important it is to find quality products that simplify your life. This especially applies to cleaning products, as our editors and testers all have homes of their own to keep clean. Many of us are also parents or pet owners who have firsthand knowledge of how hard it is to keep up with constant messes. Between the lot of us, we have years of experience testing all sorts of vacuums, from the best vacuums for pet hair to the best vacuum-mop combos and everything in between. We’ve even taken a deep dive into the Shark vs. Dyson debate.
For this article, our product testing experts on the Product Testing Team spent hours in our studio closely inspecting a dozen upright vacuum cleaners. Several of those hours were spent with the Shark Stratos. After our team finished their tests, we sent it home with a tester for long-term use in order to see how it holds up in a house full of kids and pets. In order to ensure we only recommend the very best products, we strive to maintain honest and fair testing practices. At the end of the day, we will never recommend a product we don’t love, regardless of the brand’s popularity or price point.
READER'S DIGEST
Our long-term tester described the Shark Stratos as the best vacuum she's ever had thanks to its performance, maneuverability and features.
You can find the Shark Stratos upright vacuum at a number of popular retailers, including direct from Shark, and at Amazon or Target. It retails for $450 but frequently goes on sale.
