I love how versatile it is so you can use it how you like - whether you want to push an upright vacuum cleaner, lift off the lightweight, detachable pod and still use the wand and floorhead, or use the handle with the smaller attachments. It performed excellently in our at-home tests, and the new detection features go a long way to improve day-to-day vacuuming sessions. I'm a huge fan of the stand system too, even though it comes at an additional price, and would be keen to try out the self-emptying bin system next, which seems like a lifesaver. Although it may not seem critical, the more times you have to either empty a canister or replace a dust bag the more time and money, in the case of bagged vacuums, it will cost you. It can also be just one more thing you have to do before you can get cleaning which could put you off cleaning entirely. Powered lift-away: One of the best features is that you transform this upright vacuum cleaner into a portable one by simply lifting the main unit away and holding it in your hand or putting it on the floor while using the wand and attachment of your choice - it's light and easy to use.

When using it to clean her car, Helen was very impressed with the overall performance, with the vac effectively removing dirt from her car. It did struggle a little more to collect hairs from the carpet, but overall the suction was strong. Alongside the DuoClean floorhead, you also get a 2-in-1 Duster Crevice tool and upholstery brush. These are perfect for cleaning in those hard to reach areas as well as your soft furnishings. When not in use, they are stored on board so they’re always close to hand when you need them.

A bonus is that the 2-in-1 tool and upholstery brush have on-board storage, which ensures they’re always available and less likely to get lost. A minor downside is the bulky dust canister on the front of the machine. When you’re not in lift-away mode, this can make it difficult to clean under furniture. Hard Floors The NZ801UKT is part of Shark’s DuoClean range. This refers to the floorhead, which has two motorised rotating brush rolls. The first is a softer brush roll that’s designed for hard floors, while the bristle brush is excellent for digging deeper into carpets.

The handle is comfortable to hold, even during long cleaning sessions. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to adjust the height of the grip. This could be an issue if you’re taller or shorter than average, although for most people we think the handle is at a suitable position. In fact, the lift-away option makes the Shark a middle ground between the convenience of a cordless and the power of traditional upright, which is one of the reasons we think it’s such an excellent vacuum. As mentioned earlier, the NZ801UKT comes with Shark’s DuoClean floorhead. Aside from having two brush bars, there’s the option of switching between carpet and hard floor modes, which affects the speed of the rotating bars.Shark uses a 750W motor for most of their vacuum cleaners. While the NZ801UKT is not the most powerful on the market, it’s no slouch and provides strong suction power. The corded design also means the vacuum can provide stronger and more consistent suction than cordless vacs. This design feature is a welcome addition, but it can’t match a HEPA filter for filtration. If you have a dust or pet allergy, look for a vacuum with a HEPA filter and a bagged design. We think it’s hard to overstate how much more convenient the lift-away design is compared to a traditional upright vacuum. Cleaning stairs and cars, in particular, becomes safer and easier, as you can hold the canister in one hand while cleaning with the other.