Shark Stratos Upright

Pros

• Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 5.0
  Its strong suction and well sealed head let it remove about 60 g of sand from deep crevices, putting it just behind the Dyson for this difficult test.
• Hair Pickup — Carpets ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 5.0
  It excels at carpet hair removal, picking up all test hair and sending it into the bin while avoiding tangles that would otherwise slow cleaning.
• Assembly and Setup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 5.0
  Owners find the Stratos simple to assemble, with just a few main sections that click together quickly out of the box.
• Comparative performance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 5.0
  In side by side competitions it wins the vast majority of tests, often posting class leading pickup rates and suction numbers against both cheap sticks and other uprights.
• Versatility ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 5.0
  Dual brushrolls, Lift Away mode and basic tools give the Stratos strong versatility for cleaning carpets, hard floors, furniture and tight corners around the home.
• Controls & UI ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Floorhead design ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Hair Pickup — Hard Floors ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
  On hard floors it picks up pet hair and larger debris without scattering, leaving smooth surfaces largely fur-free in pet homes.
• Hard Floor — Large Debris Intake ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.9
  Hard floor pickup of large debris like rice is essentially flawless, with the head sealing well and leaving lanes clean after just a couple of passes.
• Filtration / Dust Containment ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.8
  A fully sealed dust and filtration system is designed to trap allergens and fine particles inside the vacuum, making it well suited for users who are sensitive to dust.
• Suction & Airflow ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 9 reviews 4.8
  With extremely strong suction and airflow that still ranks near the top of uprights, the Stratos Apex can pull almost all test debris from carpets and responds well when used with its hose and tools.
• Hard Floor — Fine Dust Pickup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.8
  Soft front roller gives strong fine dust pickup on hard floors, clearing powdery messes like oatmeal while leaving only minimal residue near edges.
• Overall opinion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.8
  Reviewers widely praise it as a top of the heap full size upright for homes with mixed flooring and pets, while accepting the heavy weight and loudness as the main drawbacks.
• Carpet — Low-Pile Pickup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8
  On low-pile carpets the Stratos gives a deep, even clean, with strong suction and brushrolls that leave everyday rugs looking refreshed in a single pass.
• Ease of use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8
  Simple controls, Lift Away functionality and washable filters make the Stratos straightforward to live with once owners learn its modes and accessory options.
• Emptying & Mess Control ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8
  The bagless bin is easy to remove and dump using release levers, and the top opening lets users clear clogs without getting hands dirty, keeping emptying relatively mess-free.
• Under-Furniture Pickup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 4.7
  Powered Lift Away keeps the head powered while the canister is detached, letting the Stratos clean under low furniture and into tight spaces more easily than typical uprights.
• Convertible handheld design ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.6
  Powered Lift Away allows the Stratos Apex motor and bin to detach into a portable pod while keeping the floor nozzle active, making it much easier to clean stairs, under low furniture and other awkward areas than a fixed upright.
• Pet-Ready Features ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 4.5
  Dual brush rolls, strong suction and pet focused tools give the Stratos Apex excellent capabilities in homes with shedding animals, though users may still need to clear hair from the main roller periodically.
• Carpet — Medium-Pile Pickup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.5
  On medium pile carpets the Stratos Apex consistently pulls up the vast majority of embedded debris, scoring in the high ninety percent range in sand tests and rivaling premium competitors for deep cleaning.
• Carpet — High-Pile Pickup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.5
  High pile carpets and shag rugs are cleaned very well, with the powerful brush roll and suction pulling up deep debris so surfaces look freshly groomed.
• Hair‑Wrap / Tangle Resistance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.5
  While the Stratos Apex resists tangles better than many uprights, regular pet hair can still wrap around its main brush roll, but the removable top plate makes clearing those strands faster and less frustrating.
• Build quality & durability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Edge & Baseboard Cleaning (Hard Floors) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Ongoing ownership costs (bags, filters, batteries) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Support & Reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Bin & Bag ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.3
  The mid-sized dust cup balances capacity and bulk, giving enough volume for typical full-home sessions while remaining easy to empty when full.
• Headlight & LED lights ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.3
• Price & Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 8 reviews 4.2
  The Shark Stratos Apex style upright occupies a higher price tier than budget models, but its powerful cleaning, Lift Away versatility and strong pet performance make many reviewers feel that it delivers fair value for demanding households.
• Accessories & Tools ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.1
  The Stratos Apex package typically includes multiple floorheads and clip on tools, letting owners handle carpets, hard floors, stairs, upholstery and tight crevices without needing additional accessories.
• Cord length ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 4.0
  A roughly 30-foot cord gives good reach for most homes, allowing you to move through several rooms without constantly swapping outlets.
• Odor control ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.0
  The built in odor neutralizing cartridge leaves a light fresh scent while you vacuum, though cartridges may need frequent replacement to keep the fragrance noticeable.
• Upholstery / Above-Floor Pickup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.0
  Pet and upholstery tools work well on couches and above floor areas, letting the vacuum pull embedded pet hair from furniture and reach ceilings without much effort.
• Stair Cleaning ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.0
• Scratch resistance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 3.8
  Built-in odor-neutralizing pods help mask unpleasant smells from dust and pet debris as you clean, giving the Stratos a noticeable edge for odor control versus many uprights.
• Maneuverability & Handling ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 3.5
  Lift Away mode and a swiveling DuoClean head make it agile around corners and under furniture, but the 15 pound body can still feel bulky on stairs and in tight spaces.