Shark
Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum HZ3002
About the product
All the features of a full-size corded upright but with a few flaws
Sitting atop Shark’s lineup of corded stick vacuums, the Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum duplicates the power and performance of a full-size corded upright, but it adds the flexibility of a removable hand vacuum with a selection of helpful and feature-rich attachments.
Based on its performance in the BestReviews Testing Lab, the Stratos UltraLight practically matches the cleaning results of a full-size vacuum, but it comes at the cost of some of the benefits of the stick vacuum form factor.
The 60-second scoop
Product Specifications
Dustbin Capacity: 0.79 qt | Dimensions: 9.66” L x 10.24” W x 46.26” H | Cord Length: 30’ | Cleaning Path Width: 8.25” | Weight: 8.68 lb
The Shark Stratos UltraLight is a corded stick vacuum that converts to a handheld vacuum that detaches from the floor nozzle and wand. It is powered by a 600-watt motor, putting it in the same range as full-size upright vacuums. It has a 30-foot power cord with winding guides on the wand.
The Shark Stratos UltraLight’s floor nozzle features Shark’s DuoClean rollers with PowerFins that promise to pick up dirt from deep in carpets and polish hard surfaces, with fewer tangles by hair and fibers. It also includes integrated LED lights and an odor-neutralizing cartridge. Other attachments include a self-cleaning power brush, a dusting and pet multi-tool and a crevice tool. The Stratos UltraLight boasts HEPA filtration to prevent small particles from circulating back into the air.
See how it compares to other products in its space. Check out our reviews for the best stick vacuums.
Price and where to buy
The Shark Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum costs $299.99. It’s available from Amazon and other retailers as well as directly from Shark.
Why we like it
- It packs 600 watts of suction power that picked up more fine dust than any other Shark stick vacuum we tested.
- The HEPA filter and secure seal prevented any fine dust from escaping back into the air.
- The 30-foot cord reached all areas of an 800-square-foot apartment without the need to switch outlets.
- The dusting multi-tool and power brush were highly effective during testing.
What we don’t like
- The Stratos UltraLight registered between 76 and 79 decibels during use, almost as loud as a typical upright vacuum.
- The floor head of the Stratos UltraLight was not as easy to maneuver as other Shark stick vacuums we tested, and it failed to fit under some furniture.
- While the cord is a good length for reach, it got in the way during use, becoming a potential tripping hazard and catching on furniture.
Shark Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum HZ3002 setup
Setting up the Stratos UltraLight was simple. All the components arrived packed vertically in the box and separated by cardboard. The power cord takes up considerable space next to the main unit and makes it slightly heavy to pull out of the box. The wand and floor nozzle connect with locks that click into place, but the other attachments are held in place by friction. The only thing to keep track of when setting it up is remembering to unwrap and install the odor-neutralizing cartridge in the floor nozzle compartment.
Design and maneuverability
The stand-alone hand vacuum component of the Stratos UltraLight has a pistol grip and resembles an oversize hair dryer. Made mostly of plastic, it comes in blue with silver accents. The dust cup takes up most of the length of the main unit. The pistol grip of the Stratos was comfortable enough to use, but it took two hands to maintain balance, especially when cleaning shelves or near windows.
Using the Stratos UltraLight stick vacuum felt like using a conventional upright vacuum. The DuoClean rollers on the floor nozzle rotate strongly to create suction like that of a full-size upright, making it a bit difficult to maneuver. The height of the floor nozzle also prevented us from cleaning beneath some low-profile couches and shelves.
DuoClean PowerFins HairPro
The DuoClean rollers on the Stratos Ultralight’s floor nozzle worked well during testing, though it had noticeable trouble with larger items like pieces of cereal. The two rollers include one with Shark’s flexible PowerFins that are meant to maintain constant contact with the floor surface and dig deep into the carpet pile. Based on our observations during testing, we think the PowerFins do a better job of picking up dirt than traditional roller brushes.
The other roller has a soft fiber surface that buffs and polishes hard floors as it picks up dirt. The fins and rollers are designed to prevent hair from wrapping and tangling, a claim we also verified during testing.
Suction
We used three different materials to duplicate different types of debris to test the suction on the Stratos UltraLight vacuum. We conducted the tests on medium-pile carpet and hardwood-style vinyl flooring.
Carpet performance
On carpet, the Stratos UltraLight performed effectively when cleaning fine particles. It removed 100% of a half teaspoon of granulated sugar from medium-pile carpet in a single pass. It also performed well on larger particles like breakfast cereal, picking up almost all of a tablespoon of spilled cereal pieces in a single pass. However, as with other vacuums, the action of the brush roller scattered a few isolated pieces. Also, in one or two passes, the Stratos picked up 100% of two-inch faux fur fibers ground into the carpet.
Hard floor performance
The Stratos UltraLight’s performance on a bare floor was not quite as good. We had issues picking up a tablespoon of breakfast cereal spilled on vinyl flooring. It was as if the DuoClean roller brushes had trouble maintaining their grip or control over the cereal. We didn’t have as much trouble on carpeting, so this may have been an isolated issue. The Stratos fared much better with granulated sugar and faux fur on hard flooring, picking up all visible residue in one or two passes and buffing the floor as it cleaned.
Cord management
The power cord of the Stratos UltraLight is 30 feet long, which, when plugged into a centrally located outlet, we found to be adequate to reach almost all of an 800-square-foot apartment. We didn’t need to change outlets during testing. However, the length of the cord made it a tripping hazard, especially when we were trying to get around chairs and side tables. It also adds weight to the Stratos and makes it a little more challenging to use as a hand vac for cleaning high up on shelves or near the ceiling.
The Stratos UltraLight’s wand has hooks for storing the cord when the vacuum is not in use, a feature we appreciated.
Features and attachments
The Shark Stratos UltraLight comes with attachments that would be familiar to users of typical upright vacuums.
Crevice tool
The Stratos comes with a standard crevice tool for cleaning in corners and other tight spots. Its performance was acceptable during testing, although it lacks flexibility or a dusting brush as with other Shark stick vacuums we tested.
Dusting brush multi-tool
This multi-tool has a swiveling head that we found convenient and useful when cleaning upholstery, such as along the vertical sides of couches. The dusting brush component snaps onto the flat upholstery head and adds bristle action to cleaning, which is useful for dusting smooth surfaces like shelves and blinds.
Hair Pro pet power brush
The self-cleaning pet power brush offers powered rollers with PowerFins for cleaning up pet fur and other hard to clean messes. We found it effective at removing faux fur from floors and we noted no tangles in the rollers after use.
Odor-neutralizing cartridge
The Stratos’s floor head comes with a compartment for an odor-neutralizing cartridge that emits a subtle, appealing scent while vacuuming. While we found this to be pleasant, we weren’t sure if it actually neutralized odors or just covered them up. However, households with pets might find this feature useful.
Anti-allergen complete seal
The Stratos UltraLight boasts a HEPA filter with a tight seal to ensure that microparticles of dust and allergens don’t make it out of the vacuum. We noted that the dust cup contained more fine dust than any of the other Shark stick vacuums we tested, though the effect on overall indoor air quality was negligible. The HEPA filter was a little tough to find, but after consulting the manual it was easy enough to remove for cleaning or replacement.
How does it compare to other stick vacuums we’ve tested?
The Stratos UltraLight feels heavier and more unwieldy than other cordless Shark stick vacuums we tested. It’s louder, which is probably a function of how much more powerful it is in terms of wattage: twice the wattage of the Stratos Cordless, three times that of the Vertex Cordless. It is as powerful as the Vertex UltraLight corded vacuum, with which it shares similar attachments and features except for its all-seal HEPA filter and odor-neutralizing cartridge. It more closely resembles a full-size upright vacuum than any of the other stick vacuums we tested.
Testing the Shark Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum HZ3002
We tested the Shark Stratos UltraLight in a real-world scenario involving the cleaning of an 800-square-foot apartment with both carpet and hard flooring, furniture, fixtures and windows. We observed the ease of setup and any special procedures needed before vacuuming. We also noted the cord length, weight, flexibility and convenience during and after use.
During cleaning, we watched for any difficulties when we used it either as a floor vacuum or a handheld vacuum. We measured specific amounts of test materials and observed how many passes it took to suction them up completely. We used a smartphone app to measure the Stratos UltraLight’s noise level during operation on carpet and hard flooring, and we paid attention to comfort and ease of maneuvering during cleaning.
We noted the instructions for emptying the dust cup and how to remove it for rinsing. We also noted the location of the various filters and how easy it is to remove them for cleaning or replacement. Finally, we tested each attachment for utility, efficiency and ease of connecting and disconnecting.
Should you get the Shark Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum HZ3002?
The Shark Stratos UltraLight Corded Vacuum is one of the most powerful stick vacuums Shark offers. Its versatility as both a floor vacuum and handheld vacuum makes it an appealing choice when combined with its power of a full-size upright. However, it costs more than some more powerful upright vacuums and is less convenient than other Shark stick vacuums. We think most users would be better off with either a less expensive corded vacuum or one of Shark’s cordless stick vacuums.