Review: Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ Hand Vac

"Let's get a corgi!" they said. But what about the shedding? I've convinced myself it's only a minor inconvenience to have a shedding dog compared to the love this guy gives us. The kid convinced me "mom, I'll help with cleaning too." What we didn't expect was to be vacuuming EVERYDAY. We are just coming out of the thick of shedding season. While Harley sheds all year round, twice a year he does a major shed. We're use to it by now and we've come to realize that having the right tools means EVERYONE is more inclined to pitch in with the cleaning. So, when a product has "pet" in its description it always catches my attention. We decided to put the Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ Hand vacuum to the corgi shedding test.

What's in the Box:

The handvac includes additional head options -- a Self-Cleaning Motorized Brush, Pet Hair Scrubbing Brush and a Crevice Tool. It also comes with a charging adapter.

Built into the vacuum is a dust cup and washable filter. The lithium-ion battery built in takes about 6 hours to completely charge.

You would think it's the battery that give it power but what also makes this one strong is two cyclonic air streams that create a "cyclone" effect sucking in dirt and pet hair efficiently. Great for tossing in the car for outings too.

I've been using the Self-Cleaning Motorized Brushroll A LOT especially on upholstery and low pile carpets as the dog's hair (and okay, maybe mine too) somehow works their way into the fibres. This particular head seems to draw them out really well which makes this unit a stand out. The suction of the machine sends dirt and hair straight to the debris collection cup.

The Scrubbing Brush is ideal to get out dirt that needs a little more oomph - like when we've returned from our walks out in the country and Harley has left his dried up muddy paw marks on the back seat of the car.

That dirt cup is strangely satisfying to see as the debris accumulates in there. If you've ever wondered how much pet hair lands on the floors and surfaces this will show you. The above photo is what was vacuumed up from a 2 ft x 2 ft area on the area rug I used this on.

What is very handy is the release button to easily dump out the debris with no mess into the garbage. You don't even need to touch the dirt.

Once in a while you'll want to rinse out the filter to keep things running smoothly.

The vacuum is also lightweight (1.3 kg) which makes it ideal for quick jobs and great for hard to reach areas. The Crevice Tool gets you into the tighter corners and in-between cushions.

Noise factor: Yes, it does make noise - what doesn't? Plus, you know that dogs hear everything right? While Harley doesn't run away from it, he does keeps it under his watchful eye. He does stare at it with curiosity when in use. He'll also bark at it alerting us if it's not put back in its rightful place back in the storage cupboard. Yep, he's THAT kind of dog. Some of you can relate, I'm sure.

I love how it's sleek in design and the ease of the touchless dumping of the collected debris. The battery so far has stayed strong. I've been using it for quick daily cleans on the dog's bed, on the couch, in the car and on the area rug where our regular vacuum cannot efficiently clean. I've also found it handy to do a quick pick up of my hair (ahem) in the bathroom. The cordless feature makes this easy to use everywhere and anywhere. My only wish is that this vacuum came with a wall mount for charging and storage when not in use.

The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro+ cordless handheld vacuum CH951C is well priced at $149.99 (msrp) but I have seen it on promotion as well.  More information can be found here www.sharkclean.ca