The Shark is also a bit fiddly to hold and the Hoover H-Handy 700 is better at offering a wand-like grip, although its smaller bin can’t hold as much dirt, while the Gtech Multi MK2 K9 has a more balanced feel in the hand. Sometimes using a standard cleaning nozzle just won’t do the trick, which is why Shark have included three useful attachments to target those awkward nooks and crannies, like down the sides of the sofa, or the stairs: a crevice tool, dusting brush and pet tool. These usually have sleek, compact designs and a docking station to ensure the vacuum is always ready to go. The streamlined design is less bulky than the CH950UKT, and it has the added benefits of removable quick-charge batteries and a HEPA filter. This means you need to touch the dirty filters, while also disturbing dust into the air, before you can clean them.

Everything slides onto the main nozzle without any complicated push-button systems, although the pet attachment has some extra pins to power the motorised brush. These tools are standard, but the crevice tool is somewhat on the short side, so it’s almost useless for getting between car seats.During our testing, it picked up both larger debris and smaller items with ease on hard floors and laminate.

We found it great to use on car seats, where the motorised brush bar was able to remove both dirt and pet hair. The motorized tool is a great size for more widespread clear-ups on carpets and upholstery, and made quick work of both smaller and larger debris in our standard tests. Handheld vacuum cleaners can be expensive, so Shark’s cheaper Cordless HandVac CH950UKT provides a welcome affordable option.A third generation family company with decades of experience, their parent company, Euro-Pro, originated in Europe, moved to Canada and are now based near Boston, Massachusetts. And the portability allows you to clean up hair and dirt from wherever your furry friends like to leave it. It comes with three accessories: a motorized brush aimed at collecting pet hair, a crevice tool and a dusting brush, which cover most use cases. In particular, we found that the pet tool makes it much more effective at cleaning carpets, sofas, and rugs than many other handheld models.