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A good corded vacuum can deliver many times the cleaning performance of a cordless vacuum and essentially unlimited cleaning time, as long as you’re fine with navigating a more unwieldy unit. The Shark PowerDetect Transformer is an interesting alternative because it combines the power of an upright vacuum with a corded stick unit that detaches to clean tight spots.
It’s quickly become my favorite vacuum to use at home. You can buy it for $100 off with this Prime Day deal, bringing its price down to $550 from $650.
I’m horrified to think I may not have been cleaning my floors at all until I got the Shark PowerDetect Transformer
The Transformer has all the key features we’ve liked from the most popular Shark models.
Shark
As CNET’s tester for cordless and robot vacuums, you’d think I’d know that a corded upright delivers better cleaning performance. While I do know that on a theoretical level, using the Shark PowerDetect Transformer in my home next to my Eurkea ReactiSense 440 cordless vacuum showed me just how much I was leaving on the table — literally.
My first run with the Transformer sucked up truly ungodly amounts of dirt and pet hair from my low-pile carpet in the living room and foyer. I was stunned because where could all that cat hair possibly have been hiding? I vacuum almost daily with a cordless vacuum, or I have a robot vacuum do it for me, so I like to think I have a clean apartment.
The Transformer proved to me that my floors are not nearly as clean as I think they are, and that the extra suction power of a corded upright will always dwarf what a cordless vacuum can do. It drives the point home by coming with a blue LED light that helps detect dirt and debris better, and once again, I was disturbed to see just how much I was missing with my regular cordless vacuum.
A huge jump in usability for a corded upright model
The Transformer will automatically empty when you click the handheld back into place.
Shark
Cleaning performance aside, this isn’t your parents’ upright vacuum. While there’s still a cord to worry about as you vacuum, the Transformer can better reach tight spots because you can completely detach the big dustbin and use it like a regular corded stick vacuum. There is a decline in suction power in stick mode when you do this, but it’s a great option for reaching the tighter spots under furniture that would otherwise be missed. When you’re ready to resume the heavy-duty cleaning, just dock the stick unit back with the main dustbin. It’ll empty into it, and you can pick up where you left off.
It’s a clever design and one I’ve used regularly in all the places where I’d typically reach for my cordless vacuum. You also get various upholstery and nozzle attachments, and you can break it down into a handheld vacuum for cleaning your couch and its crevices.
Should you buy the Shark PowerDetect Transformer for Prime Day?
For $100 off for a newly released upright vacuum from a reputable brand, this is likely the best deal you’re going to get till the holidays. At $550, it’s a 15% discount for Prime members from its usual $650. Shark products do go on sale periodically, usually around the holidays, but I rarely see very steep cuts beyond 20% unless it’s a much older model. For instance, the Shark Stratos, still one of our top cordless picks, is still around at nearly full price.
The Shark PowerDetect Transformer has more than justified itself in my home with three cats, and if you’ve never used a full upright, you’ll be embarrassed by how much your other units weren’t cleaning.
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