Expecting Company? Shark To The Rescue

Mar 20, 2024 by Susan Rosenbluth

By S. Levin

Preparing for company can be frenzied with shopping, cooking, and cleaning. It may not come as a surprise that cleaning ranks as a top stressor. One reason is fear of judgment. Hosts worry that a dirty house will reflect negatively on them as a person. For some, having a clean house indicates their competency as a provider. Still, others want to mirror the spotless organized rooms seen on TV. None of these views are correct. Cleanliness is not an indication of caring, in fact maintaining an immaculate home can impose barriers, for example restricting sitting on a sofa (I remember growing up with plastic slipcovers).  Homes should be lived in comfortably, creating a welcoming family gathering space.

For some, cleaning can be therapeutic. The repetitive motion can help reduce anxiety and assert control over the space, turning chaos into order.

We tested the Shark Clean Stratos Upright vacuum and found this powerful cleaning machine was up for any challenge, leaving our floors spotless.

Meet The Machine

The Shark Clean Stratos Upright is a versatile upright vacuum. It is a powerhouse with reach. Shark has a wand that can extend high to reach windows and ceilings, and low for fitting behind furniture. It also has a ‘Lift-Away’ design, with a detachable canister for ease of use.

While the machine itself is heavy, weighing 16.5 pounds, you don’t need to exert force to push or pull it. It is designed, to move with light guidance and direction with a high-speed motor with powerful suction, Shark easily removes embedded dirt. Shark is a fitting name for this household cleaning machine whose rotating head looks like a Shark’s as it moves side to side, lit by a headlight. Continuing with the shark comparison, it easily maneuvers into tight nooks and crannies.

Additional Standard Features

We tested the Shark Clean Stratos Upright a traditional vacuum that is bagless and corded. This classic design includes the DuoClean twin-roller floorhead.

This is a self-cleaning brush roll that lifts and removes hair without becoming tangled. The design uses double brush rolls that can handle carpets and floors. It has sufficient suction to grip, and remove anything in its way (dirt, debris, and hair) and comes with settings for “Hard Floor”, “Carpet/Low-Pile”, or “Thick Carpet/Area Rug”. Another innovative Shark feature is its ability to neutralize odors. It uses a replaceable cartridge that when activated emits a pleasant clean scent. According to the manufacturer, Shark has an anti-allergen complete seal that captures 99.9% of dust, allergens, dander, and more, making it a perfect cleaning machine.

Overall Solid Performance

We felt that Shark makes a solid unit. We found that finesse, rather than brute force, works best.

We suggest first-time users read the directions, we skipped them and were challenged trying to turn the machine on, separate the canister, and remove the dirt compartment.

Follow the instructions, because they work. For example – the dirt compartment can be removed by pressing a release button on its handle and pulling upwards. The design allows you to empty it open the bottom door and lift the top cover to clean the lint screen. Shark’s design is mindful and efficient. Once you figure it out – it is simple. Like any new appliance, there is a learning curve.

Overall, the vacuum is easy to set up and use, though winding the cord up manually is a bit of a hassle, every aspect of the Shark Clean Stratos Upright design and performance provided a high-quality cleaning experience.

Shark includes so many features that cleaning becomes an adventure, at least for the first few uses. The suction is good, which is the point of the vacuum. After one deep cleaning, we were able to return an old dusty rug to mint condition. It was effective on bare floors, easily maneuvered under furniture, and easily cleaned high hard-to-reach spots with the removable wand. Shark designed a cleaning machine that does it all.

For those who are still holding on to your old vacuum, it may be time for an upgrade in time for your Pesach / Spring cleaning.