The Shark Wandvac Power Pet is the top dog for cleaning in style

The Shark Wandvac Power Pet is refreshingly compact, making it perfect for my small two-bedroom suburban apartment. While my husband and I *do* have a small round table to eat at, nine times out of ten — most of our meals and snacks are eaten on our L-shaped sofa. Crumbs, crumbs, and even more crumbs. 

To add to this, I then have family (in human and pet form) that visits for catch-ups and occasional sleepovers. My nieces and nephews range from 3-14, but there's no rule to say that the older they get, the cleaner they become. My sister's teen boy still loves to visit his aunt and unc, and stay over for the occasional pizza and PlayStation night.

So crumbs and the odd bit of stray Pepperoni often litter our upholstered couch. I'm not saying *I'm* perfect; our TV dinner situ is less than ideal and laps don't always make for the most steady trays. Hence why I was more than ready to test one of the best handheld vacuums on the market.

At just under $150, it isn't cheap but promises to be one of the best vacuum cleaners that money *can* buy if you're looking for power in the palm of your hand.

What I thought of the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

On looks alone, this is one of the best handheld vacs on the market. It's compact enough to be styled (yes, styled) on my shelves, charged under the kitchen cupboards, or tucked away in the corner of my lounge. I'd go as far as to say that the metallic navy blue model I received even looks a li'l Art Deco!

Outside of the home, I used this in my Toyota Yaris. It's a small car, but being one of a handful of drivers in my family (who lives in the suburbs), leaves, dried mud, and snacks get stuck into the upholstery, and in the car's crevices. Going forward, I'll lay down some baking soda beforehand to ensure my automobile smells fresh too. It's one of many eco-friendly vacuum cleaning hacks we've got on site.

Testing the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

Christina Chrysostomou

Hi! I'm Christina, ecommerce editor at Real Homes and I live in a two-bed apartment on the border of a forest. So, you can bet that I spend a lot of time walking and (unfortunately) bringing dirt and debris into my otherwise clean home. My sister's dog, Hugo, an American XL Bully loves to visit — which is why I wanted to review the Shark Wandvac Power Pet — as I needed to find a fast way to clean his hair once he leaves. Because who can really be bothered to lug their full-size vacuum out of their closet every day? Not me.

Shark Wandvac Power Pet Cordless Handheld vacuum specifications

• Model no: WV410PR
• Dimensions (in): H15.4 x W2.4 x L2.7
• Wattage: 160 watts
• Bin capacity (quarts): 0.1 Quarts
• Power source: Li-ion battery
• Cleaning run time: 8-35 minutes (depending if on ECO or BOOST mode)
• Charging time: 2.5 hours
• Weight: 1.48lbs
• Warranty: 2 years (including battery)
• Price: $149.99
• Accessories included: Duster Crevice Tool, Ion Charging Dock, Dual Onboard Accessory Storage, Shark Wandvac Power Pet Handheld Vacuum, Pet Tool
• Noise level: 70dB
• Voltage: 14.4 Volts
• Colors available: Blue or violet

Setting up the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

Before I put the Shark Wandvac Power Pet Cordless Handheld vacuum through its paces, I needed to make sure that it was fully charged.

Once I inspected all the parts for any damage, I assembled the charging dock by attaching the accessory stand. Per the instructions, I made sure that the charging cord fits in the groove on the bottom of the dock and accessory stand. By doing my due diligence, I ensured that the dock was stable. Note, that while doing some desk research, I noticed that some Amazon reviewers had complained about an unstable unit — which I suspect might be a human error rather than a product/design fault.

The bad(ish) news is that a full charge can take up to 3.5 hours. But if you remember to replace the appliance, it won't affect your cleaning schedule.

I also appreciate the lights on the Shark Wandvac Power Pet Cordless Handheld Vacuum which show you how much juice the appliance has so you're not left with a dead vac mid-clean. 

When it's charging in the dock, it'll also blink and light up to let me know how far off it is to being charged. Lights also work as a diagnostic tool, but during my testing period, I didn't come across any issues.

Unboxing the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

Recently, I've noted that SharkNinja's packaging is the gold standard of how I'd like all appliances to be packaged. This particular parcel was dispatched in an appropriately-sized cardboard carton and the long rectangular box came with molded fiberboard where the vac and its accessories were wrapped in paper. No plastic wrap whatsoever.

Using the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

When I powered up the Shark Wandvac Pet Power handheld vacuum cleaner for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by how lightweight it is. So light that I found myself going on a cleaning spree, cleaning sofa cushions, and getting into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies with the Duster Crevice Tool (which is brilliant). You can even use the dusting tool to reach high places like light shades. But I found it most useful to clean pet beds, behind the couch, in between the radiators, and on the kitchen worktop (as a pre-clean to lessen the load on my anti-bac wipes).

Changing between tools is easy if you know how to use a vacuum. There's no removing and then having to reinsert. The design means you can switch between the two in seconds (as demonstrated below while outside cleaning my car).

My favorite feature, however, is the boost button. Think of it as if you were putting a car into sports mode. That said, just like when you put your foot on the gas, the power runs down much quicker than running it in economy mode.

Although my spree quickly ended when the battery gave up and stopped me in my tracks. Annoyingly, I didn't notice it was about to run out except for the subtle blinking blue light indicator. So I placed it back on the charging dock to give it some more juice. Lesson learned: It's really handy for quick jobs but not for more than eight minutes worth as that is the max run time.

On the whole, I found the suction was pretty good and was more than capable of dealing with pet dander (my sister's dog, Hugo, sheds seasonally), so I would definitely recommend it to those after the best vacuum for pet hair but in a smaller package for spot cleans. Especially when Hugo's microfiber pet bed gets a bit fluffy.

In terms of power duration, you can expect to get roughly eight minutes, because of the high-efficiency motor which is responsible for its great suction. Basically, this is a great addition to your vacuum arsenal and you'll need to check out our best cordless vacuums to complement it, but it is top-notch for tackling quick clear-ups. 

It's a good idea to keep an eye on the lights on the front of the appliance to monitor how much power it's got left. Here is what you'll need to look out for 

• Solid blue: in use
• Blinking: low battery
• Fading in and out: seen when vac is charging
• Dim light: vac is charged

Cleaning the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

I legit *dread* (capital: D) decanting and cleaning my vacuum cleaner, because I'm often left with more mess than I cleaned up. Not to mention, after clearing out my fair share of dust bags and canisters, I'm often left in a sneezing fit and have to take an antihistamine for my mild dust allergies.

Safe to say, this Shark vac is a breeze to empty. All you have to do is press the button while hovering it over your kitchen and voila.... no need for the dramatics, and all the dust up my nostrils.  All you do is slide the button down and hey presto the dust cup pops open like a dream. 

The bad news is that the easy-to-empty dust cup is also on the small side. For a compact machine that's understandable and because it's so easy, it won't feel like too much of a chore to do each time you use it. However, I did find myself standing over the kitchen trash can and using my fingers to get rid of every last bit of dust and hair. It's a pretty handsy job...To the point where I found myself digging out the last of my long hair strands. Thankfully, I'm one of those weirdos who like to clean the lint filter in my dryer... it's satisfying, OK?!

Cleaning the filters is also really well thought out too. There's guidance on the vacuum itself so there's no need to keep consulting the manual to remove. Washing the filter is done under a running tap in lukewarm water and you can also give the canister it lives in a wash out too. Just leave to air dry for 24 hours before reinstalling as you don't want liquid to be drawn into any of the electrical parts. It's super important to maintain this part and it's one of the first things I check when my vacuum is not suctioning.

Is the Shark Wandvac Power Pet right for you?

Anyone lacking storage will love the compact charging dock and sleek-looking design that's nice enough to have sitting out on display. It’s super light and easy to maneuver too, which is great for anyone suffering from strength or mobility issues.

The Shark Wandvac Power Pet Cordless Handheld Vacuum checks a lot of boxes, namely the cleaning (obvs), weight, storage, and ease of use. OK, so it lets itself down a little on container size and battery life, but for what it's designed for (small clean-up jobs), it's perfectly suited.

I found this vacuum much lighter, and the suction so much better than my regular handheld vacuum, and it picks up the necessary debris and messes from everyday life. It's got good sturdy construction and the accessories and connections felt very robust and clicked firmly into position. 

Even if you have a large home, I would recommend you buy it as a secondary vacuum to grab when a quick mess happens and speed and convenience are of priority. Store in the kitchen for quick (dry) spills — I'm looking at you, lentils and grains.

If you're not sure that this is the right handheld vacuum for you, then see some more models that we recommend just below...

Good to know

As well as your statutory rights, Shark also gives its customers an additional manufacturer's guarantee of up to two years (1 year as standard, and 1 when you register the product). As well as the free parts and labor guarantee, they also have a helpline which you can call (1-877-581-7375) and free online support

Note that some things (for example blockages, normal wear and tear, accidental damage, using the machine for non-intended purposes, damage from assembling or installing parts incorrectly, or damage from using non-Shark parts, neglect, misuse and careless operation/handling is not covered under this agreement).

Bear in mind, that you'll need to register your guarantee within 28 days of your purchase (FYI, it's auto-registered if bought directly from Shark). 

Otherwise, you'll need to have the following to hand when doing this:

1. The model number
2. Date you received the machine (either from an in-store receipt or delivery note

N.B: Make sure to keep your receipt safe as without this, your warranty may be invalidated!

Where to buy the Shark Wandvac Power Pet?

How we tested the Shark Wandvac Power Pet

Christina was sent the Shark Wandvac Power Pet Cordless Handheld Vacuum to test in her suburban maisonette, to find out how well it performs across various floor types including the hardwood flooring in her lounge, hallway, and kitchen, tiled bathrooms, and carpeted bedrooms.

As with all our reviews the WV410PR has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand unless we are able to keep them as we are with this vac. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.

Read more about how we test products for Real Homes reviews.