The Shark Stratos Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner IZ420UKT is designed for homes with pets, offering Shark's best-ever hair pick-up thanks to Anti Hair Wrap Plus technology. Its key win is the combination of powerful, intelligent cleaning with exceptional pet hair removal, ensuring a cleaner, fresher home. A potential caveat is that the maximum 120-minute run-time is achieved only with two batteries used consecutively in ECO mode, meaning heavy-duty cleaning in Boost mode will reduce this significantly. This model excels with features like Clean Sense IQ, Anti-Odour Technology, and a flexible design for easy reach and compact storage.
Anti Hair Wrap Plus: Engineered for Shark's best-ever hair pick-up, this technology actively removes long, short, and pet hair from the brush-roll as you clean, eliminating the need for manual brush-roll detangling.
DuoClean Floorhead with LED Headlights: Combines two motorised brush-rolls in one head, seamlessly transitioning between carpets (deep cleaning) and hard floors (picking up debris and lifting stuck-on dust). Integrated LED headlights illuminate hidden dust.
Clean Sense IQ: Automatically detects the dirt you can't see and intelligently adjusts cleaning power and suction for optimised performance. An indicator light on the floorhead shows when power increases to tackle cleaning challenges.
Anti-Odour Technology: Incorporates a unique cartridge system that actively guards against unpleasant odours commonly caused by hair, dust, and dander, ensuring your home smells fresher.
Flexology Wand: This flexible wand bends at the touch of a button, allowing you to easily clean underneath low-lying furniture. It also folds down for compact, freestanding storage and convenient charging.
Twin Battery System: Comes with two removable batteries providing up to 120 minutes of run-time when used consecutively in ECO mode with non-motorised tools. Batteries can be charged on or off the vacuum, and simultaneously with the Dual Charging Dock.
Anti-Allergen Complete Seal: Captures and traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the vacuum, preventing their release back into the air you breathe.
Pet Pro Attachments: Specifically designed for pet owners, this model includes a Motorised Pet Tool, Multi-Surface Tool, Anti-Allergen Brush, and a 12” Crevice Tool, along with an Accessory Bag for organised storage.
Superior Hair Pick-up: Anti Hair Wrap Plus effectively handles pet and human hair, preventing tangles.
Intelligent Cleaning: Clean Sense IQ automatically adapts suction for efficient dirt removal.
Odour Neutralisation: Anti-Odour Technology keeps the vacuum and your home smelling fresh.
Versatile Cleaning: DuoClean floorhead is effective on all floor types, and Flexology allows easy access to hard-to-reach areas.
Extended Runtime: Twin batteries provide ample cleaning time, especially beneficial for larger homes.
Allergy Friendly: Anti-Allergen Complete Seal system traps a high percentage of dust and allergens.
Convenient Storage: Flexology design enables compact, freestanding storage.
Variable Battery Life: The advertised 120-minute run-time is specific to ECO mode with non-motorised tools; Boost mode significantly reduces this.
Charging Requirement: Utilising both batteries efficiently for extended cleaning requires the Dual Charging Dock.
Weight: At 5.4 kg, it might feel heavier than some lighter stick vacuums, particularly during extended use or when reaching high.
Superior Hair Pick-up: Anti Hair Wrap Plus effectively handles pet and human hair, preventing tangles.
Intelligent Cleaning: Clean Sense IQ automatically adapts suction for efficient dirt removal.
Odour Neutralisation: Anti-Odour Technology keeps the vacuum and your home smelling fresh.
Versatile Cleaning: DuoClean floorhead is effective on all floor types, and Flexology allows easy access to hard-to-reach areas.
Extended Runtime: Twin batteries provide ample cleaning time, especially beneficial for larger homes.
Allergy Friendly: Anti-Allergen Complete Seal system traps a high percentage of dust and allergens.
Convenient Storage: Flexology design enables compact, freestanding storage.
Variable Battery Life: The advertised 120-minute run-time is specific to ECO mode with non-motorised tools; Boost mode significantly reduces this.
Charging Requirement: Utilising both batteries efficiently for extended cleaning requires the Dual Charging Dock.
Weight: At 5.4 kg, it might feel heavier than some lighter stick vacuums, particularly during extended use or when reaching high.
The Shark Stratos IZ420UKT is engineered for robust performance across various home environments, particularly excelling in homes with pets.
This vacuum's standout feature is its Anti Hair Wrap Plus technology. In real-world use, this means you can effortlessly clean up pet hair from carpets and hard floors without the frustrating chore of manually cutting hair out of the brush-roll. It's highly effective on long human hair too.
The DuoClean Floorhead seamlessly glides from deep-pile carpets to delicate hard floors without the need to switch attachments. On carpets, the Anti Hair Wrap Plus brush-roll digs deep to extract embedded dirt and hair, while on hard floors, the soft front brush-roll captures fine dust and larger debris. The LED headlights are surprisingly useful for revealing hidden dust under furniture or in dimly lit areas.
Clean Sense IQ is a game-changer. As you vacuum, the system intelligently detects areas of concentrated dirt, automatically increasing suction power to tackle the challenge. This not only ensures a thorough clean but also optimises battery usage by only applying maximum power when needed. You'll observe the indicator light on the floorhead illuminating as the vacuum adjusts its power.
The Anti-Odour Technology is particularly beneficial for pet owners. It actively protects against common vacuum odours, ensuring the air smells fresh after cleaning, rather than smelling like dusty pet dander.
Flexology transforms cleaning under low furniture. Instead of bending and straining, a simple press of a button allows the wand to hinge, letting the floorhead reach deep under beds, sofas, and tables. This also makes cleaning stairs and reaching high areas with the handheld mode more comfortable. When done, the flexible design allows the vacuum to fold for compact, freestanding storage, which is a significant space-saver compared to rigid stick vacuums.
With the Twin Battery System, larger homes can be cleaned without interruption. While 120 minutes is an ECO mode maximum, even in standard or Boost modes, having two swappable batteries ensures you can clean for longer periods. The ability to charge batteries on or off the vacuum, and simultaneously with the Dual Charging Dock, offers excellent flexibility.
Unpack Components: Carefully remove all parts from the packaging, including the main unit, floorhead, wand, accessories, and batteries.
Charge Batteries: Before first use, fully charge both batteries. You can do this by inserting them into the charging slots on the main vacuum or by using the Dual Charging Dock if included. The LED Smart Display will indicate charging status.
Assemble Vacuum: Connect the floorhead to the Flexology wand until it clicks. Then, connect the wand to the main handheld unit until it clicks securely. Ensure all connections are firm.
Attach Accessories: Select the appropriate accessory (e.g., Motorised Pet Tool, Crevice Tool) and attach it directly to the handheld unit or the end of the wand, depending on your cleaning task.
Floor Types: The DuoClean floorhead is designed for all floor types, seamlessly transitioning between carpets, rugs, hard floors (wood, tile, laminate), and linoleum.
Household: Ideal for homes with pets due to its specialised Anti Hair Wrap Plus technology and included Pet Pro attachments.
Emptying the Dust Cup: Regularly empty the dust cup when debris reaches the 'MAX FILL' line to maintain optimal suction. Press the release button to detach and empty.
Cleaning Filters: Refer to your user manual for specific filter cleaning instructions. Most Shark filters are washable; ensure they are completely air-dried for at least 24 hours before reinserting to prevent damage.
Anti-Odour Cartridge: Check the Anti-Odour cartridge periodically. When its effectiveness diminishes (typically after 6 months, depending on use), replace it to maintain fresh smells. Follow the instructions for cartridge removal and insertion.
Brush-Roll Maintenance: While Anti Hair Wrap Plus minimises hair tangles, occasionally check the brush-rolls for any large debris or blockages that might have accumulated. Clear any obstructions to ensure optimal performance.
Battery Care: Store batteries in a cool, dry place. Avoid fully discharging batteries frequently, as this can reduce their lifespan. Only use Shark-approved chargers and batteries.