I often grab this self-emptying Shark stick vacuum over my Dyson. Its on sale for $399.
SAVE $100: As of May 16, the Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum cleaner with auto-empty system is on sale for $399 at Amazon. That's 20% off its MSRP of $499.99, and just $50 shy of its Black Friday price.
Dyson purchases ain't for the faint of budget. That's because the real worthwhile Dysons start near the $600 mark, and the cheap Dysons aren't the best bang for your buck out there. If your budget for a cordless vacuum was firmly under $500, I'd quickly point you toward the Shark PowerDetect stick vacuum cleaner that I have and love.
This self-emptying Shark powerhouse was already modestly priced at its MSRP of $499.99, but an $100 discount at Amazon drops it to $399 — just $50 shy of its Black Friday price.
Not to be confused with the robot vacuum version of the PowerDetect, Shark calls the cordless PowerDetect its smartest, most powerful cordless vacuum. And let me tell you, you can feel that power in your arm as the PowerDetect almost tries to guide you across the floor. The PowerDetect has multiple suction settings that auto-adjust based on whether hard floors or carpet is detected, but I sometimes have to bump the power down a peg on my rugs — the PowerDetect creates such a cyclone that they start to bunch up. I could see this setting being a godsend for pet hair pickup in fully-carpeted rooms.
But I'd say the real hook here is the affordable auto-empty system. Automatic emptying is a way more common feature in robot vacuums at the moment, with most self-emptying cordless vacuums not exactly landing on the budget end of the spectrum. No Dysons have self-emptying at all. Though I love my Dyson V12 Detect Slim for specific purposes, I shudder each time I have to dump that monstrous dust bunny into the trash. I am obsessed with the fact that my Shark PowerDetect deals with that itself each time it's hung back up on the dock to charge.
The hidden bonus to a stick vacuum that empties itself every time? Each new cleaning session is starting with an empty clear dust bin, so you get visual proof of just how much gunk was sucked up during the current cleaning session alone. As a professional robot vacuum tester, I love using the PowerDetect to see how a robot vacuum fared on rugs.
Two attachments for handheld use are included. Unfortunately, Shark sells the handheld motorized pet tool separately — Dyson definitely gets points for including that with its vacuums.