Shark PowerDetect Speed ​​Luxe Collection Review: The Best Cordless Vacuum for Carpets is the Most Beautiful

table of contents

Vacuum cleaners are not designed to be kept out of reach. If you want to take full advantage of the most convenient new feature, the auto-empty charging dock, you should store your vacuum outside instead of shoving it in a closet. In a sea of ​​gray and black cordless stick vacuums that scream “I’m made of plastic,” the Shark Luxe Home Collection offers one of Shark’s top cordless stick vacuums in four chic earthy colors that actually match your home decor.

I’m not sure how long it took until 2026 for stick vacuums to become cute, but as a member of the clichéd Green Velvet Couch Club, I immediately needed a sage green Shark PowerDetect Speed ​​vacuum for my space. This is how my first week went.

Luxe Collection PowerDetect Speed ​​is available in Walnut, Oatstone, Sagewood, and Harbor Slate.
Credit: Shark

The Luxe model has a metallic sheen and doesn’t look plasticky.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

What’s special about Shark PowerDetect Speed?

The Shark PowerDetect Speed ​​is a sleeker, lighter version of the original Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum, which I’ve named the best stick vacuum for carpets and rugs since 2024. Although it weighs about 7 pounds, the PowerDetect Speed ​​is about 1 pound lighter than the original and has a more compact auto-charging dock.

The high-key color of sage wood matches the living room rug.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Sansa begs for a dry bouquet — showing why she needs to vacuum every day.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Shark’s Dirt Detect and Floor Detect technology senses dirt level and floor type at your fingertips and automatically adjusts suction power and brush roll speed for the most efficient cleaning. (You can also manually toggle between Eco, Detect, and Boost modes using the button and screen.) PowerDetect Speed ​​cleans with full power in forward or reverse motion.

PowerDetect Speed’s pricing itself is special. The 2024 PowerDetect Clean & Empty is already generously priced at $549.99, and Shark has discounted it by $50 for those who want to size down a bit on the Speed ​​model. $499.99 is an incredible value for a powerful self-emptying stick vacuum. I wouldn’t have been shocked if Shark had charged a little more for the stylish colors and premium finish, but that’s not the case. The Shark PowerDetect Speed ​​Luxe collection is priced exactly the same at $499.99. You really can’t go wrong.

Shark PowerDetect Velocity on Carpet: Active with Visible Evidence

As expected after using the original PowerDetect vacuum, the PowerDetect Speed ​​sucks the life out of three major rugs in my apartment. This is one of those vacuums that really feels like it’s digging into the surface, like you can feel the force of the cyclone as it moves across the floor. It takes a bit of muscle to push and pull such a powerful stick vacuum, but I’ve never experienced PowerDetect Speed ​​getting stuck as badly as I did with the new Dyson V16 Piston Animal.

The first test was a tufted living room rug. Using a garbage can that I had never used before, I cleaned a 9-by-12-foot area in one round trip. PowerDetect Speed ​​put a lot of effort into those two minutes.

Before vacuuming…
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

…after one pass over the living room rug
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

It’s difficult to tell how thick a layer of cat hair actually is from the pattern on the rug, and it’s generally harder to tell how well a vacuum cleaner will work on a rug or carpet than on a hard floor. So it was both satisfying and frustrating to see how much fluff PowerDetect was able to extract from a rug that doesn’t actually look like fur to the naked eye.

This clear evidence is why I prefer the combination of a transparent dust bin and automatic emptying dock. If you automatically empty the trash can every time the vacuum cleaner hangs up to charge, you’ll end up starting a new cleaning session with a transparent trash can every time. No matter how big the trash bunny is in the trash can when you’re done, you’ll know it came from the most recent room.

Shark PowerDetect Speed’s self-emptying cycle lasts less than 30 seconds. The hissing sound repeats several times between a deeper roar and a high-pitched hissing sound, but none of them were any louder than other automatic vacuums I’ve tested. Shark says dock bins should last at least 45 days before needing to be emptied manually.

The patterned Ruggable rug in my kitchen does a great job of camouflaging crumbs, even when the vacuum cleaner’s headlights shine. The PowerDetect Speed ​​dirt sensor is really useful. I found that when I encountered a heavy piece of debris, the ring at the edge of the screen switched from white to purple, so I had to pass through that location a few more times until the light returned to white.

Shark PowerDetect Speed ​​on Hard Floors/Hardwood and Tile

The first thing I noticed while vacuuming my hardwood floors with the PowerDetect Speed ​​was the headlights. When it senses a hard floor, the light automatically switches from classic bright white LEDs to deep blue. And its deep blue color is much better at illuminating dust and debris in its path than the constant white light of older PowerDetect models.

A purple ring will always light up near the Litter Robot.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

A hinged wand makes cleaning under the bed a breeze.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Dyson’s green laser is still elite in my book, especially when it comes to illuminating hair. We also like the full microfiber rollers on Dyson’s Fluffy Optic cleaning head for removing fine dust and dander from hard floors.

But that’s just me splitting hairs. PowerDetect Speed ​​is still very effective on hardwood and tile. The automatic boost in suction power can be heard in the trash tracking zone near the Litter Robot or when sliding over kitchen trash (like a giant pita cracker that was stepped on). My cat, Sansa, refuses to leave this vase of dried flowers alone and keeps littering the top of the credenza with leaves and crunchy petals. Just push them to the floor and PowerDetect Speed ​​will grab them within 2 seconds.

left:
Shard lighting on the Shark PowerDetect Speed ​​is adequate.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

right:
The splinter lighting on the Dyson V16 Piston Animal is excellent.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I really use the PowerDetect Speed ​​hinged wand. Rather than going down to the floor and holding the vacuum parallel to the floor, a button on the side allows you to bend the wand, making it easier to clean under furniture.

When you do this, you can’t really see what’s being swept underneath. All I know is that the first time I cleaned under my bed and TV stand, the suction sensor went crazy.

Consider: One annoying design flaw is not a deal breaker

Cordless Shark vacuums that charge upright on a dock tend to stay in a standing position while vacuuming. Others on the internet and I were annoyed when this happened with the older 2024 PowerDetect model, and unfortunately it still happens with the 2026 model.

With a normal back-and-forth vacuum motion, pull the PowerDetect Speed ​​back before it passes the legs and it will click into an L-shape. In some cases, you may not notice for a second that the cleaning head is not touching the floor. Surely there should be an easy way to lock the lock function while using the vacuum cleaner.

Shark’s furniture and fur attachments are not motorized like Dyson’s.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

This occurs multiple times during each cleaning session.
Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The PowerDetect Speed ​​comes with two handheld attachments: a long crevice tool and a furniture bristle device. This furniture tool has worked very well on the velvet sofa so far. It’s not as thorough as Dyson’s anti-tangle screw tool for cleaning thick layers of cat hair on pet trees. Equipped with a mini motor, I’m sure this tool is powerful enough to clean the entire rug.

I’m always shocked at first that Shark doesn’t include electric pet tools in the box like Dyson does, but then I remember that Shark tools are literally under $40. Add to this the PowerDetect Speed’s price of $499.99, and it’s a cheaper setup than most Dyson vacuums. And those vacuums don’t come with empty docks yet.