Shark WANDVAC System [WS620, WS632, WS642] Vacuum Review

The Shark WANDVAC System has an alright build quality. It's entirely made of sturdy plastic, but its wheels feel a bit flimsy. The clear-plastic dirt compartment feels like it could break if dropped. Luckily, its simple design makes it easy to assemble, and you can remove many of the parts with the push of a button.

The Shark WANDVAC System is fairly easy to maintain. It has some parts that need routine maintenance, but the vacuum's simple design means that it's not too complicated.

• Dirt Compartment: The dirt compartment can't be removed on its own, only as a unit with the filters. It's very small and needs frequent emptying. If needed, you can wipe it with a dry cloth. Be sure to make sure the cover is closed afterward, or debris could fall out as it fills up again.
• Lint Filter Screen: This is located inside the dustbin and should be cleaned after each use. You can pull it out and tap it on the side of a garbage can or wash it with warm water if necessary.
• Dust Cup Cyclone Filter: Located at one end of the dirt compartment. You should pull it out after each use, which can be tricky because it requires a lot of force, and clean it by tapping against the side of a garbage can. If needed, you can wash it with water.
• Post-Motor Fabric Filter: This is located near the dirt compartment. The manufacturer doesn't specify how often you should clean it, but you can tap it on the side of a garbage can to get rid of any debris. You can also wash it with water.
• Brushroll: To access, you need to use a coin to unscrew and open the brushroll lid on the bottom of the vacuum. The manufacturer doesn't say how often you should clean it, but whenever you notice any hair tangles or caught debris, you should clean or cut it off.

If you wash any part with water, it should be allowed 24 hours to dry before going back in the vacuum

The Shark WANDVAC System has virtually no recurring costs as long as it's well-maintained. If a part gets lost or needs replacing, the manufacturer sells dust cups, cyclone filters, and fabric filters on its website.

The Shark WANDVAC System has poor storage capabilities. It has a charging and storage station with a slightly smaller footprint than some other upright/handheld models, like the Shark APEX Upright. It's stored with its wand and body in two pieces, so it doesn't take up too much vertical space. However, it has no onboard storage for its tools or room for them on the storage rack. Also, while there are grooves on the back of the station that you can put part of the power cord through, it doesn't have a way to stow or manage the rest of the cord. The WS642AE variant has a self-emptying charging base that further increases its footprint.

The Shark WANDVAC System has a poor dirt compartment. It's tiny and won't hold a lot of debris before needing to be emptied. On the plus side, it's made of clear plastic, so you can see when it's full, and you can push a button under the handle to release the cover and empty it. Check out the Xiaomi Mi Vacuum Cleaner Light if you want a similarly compact cordless stick vacuum with a bigger dustbin. Alternatively, you could also check out the WS642AE variant of this vacuum, which comes with a self-emptying base station, similar to the Samsung Bespoke Jet's Clean Station accessory, that transfers material from the vacuum's dustbin into an external dirt compartment that's advertised to hold 30 days worth of debris.

• Vacuum body
• Vacuum head
• Docking station
• Dirt compartment with cyclone filter
• Post-motor fabric filter
• Extension wand
• Pet Multi-Tool (not included with WS630 model)
• Crevice tool with flip-out soft-bristle brush
• A/C cable
• User guide

The following attachment is exclusive to the WS633 model:

• Pet Power miniature turbo brush

The following attachment is exclusive to the WS642AE model:

• Self-Emptying charging base

The Shark WANDVAC System is a cordless vacuum that has an unlimited range as long as there's room left in the dirt compartment and battery life remains.

The Shark WANDVAC System is amazingly portable. It's not very heavy overall and feels fairly light in your hand in its upright configuration. A carrying handle built into the body makes it a bit easier to carry between rooms or from floor to floor.

The Shark WANDVAC System's battery performance is mediocre. If configured as an upright vacuum and set to 'Boost' mode, it only provides roughly eight minutes of continuous use. That stretches to about 17 minutes if you use it as a handheld vacuum with no tools attached. It takes about three hours to recharge completely.

The Shark WANDVAC System has a few extra features. The main head rotates, making it easier to navigate around obstacles and tight spaces. There are buttons on top of the handle to turn the vacuum on and off and to release the dirt compartment cover so you can empty it more easily. There's also a button underneath to turn on 'Boost' mode, which is the more powerful suction setting. However, WS642 variants don't have this 'Boost' function.

The Shark WANDVAC System comes with a few tools and brushes that can be attached to the vacuum in its handheld mode. There's an upholstery tool with a removable soft bristle brush that you can use for cleaning fabric-covered furniture or with the brush for dusting delicate objects like curtains. There's also a crevice tool with a small brush on one side for getting into tight corners and narrow spaces.

The WS630 version doesn't come with this combination upholstery tool/hard-bristle brush, whereas the more expensive WS633 model comes with a motorized turbo brush for cleaning upholstered surfaces.

You can reconfigure the Shark WANDVAC System into a handheld vacuum with or without the extension wand attached.

This vacuum's performance on bare floors is mediocre. It's reasonably good at dealing with larger debris like cereal, but smaller debris like rice and finer material like sand can be caught and projected backward by the motion of the brushroll. In addition, shaking the vacuum slightly when the vacuum is off can cause debris to spill out of the tiny dustbin and fall out the wand, as seen here.

This vacuum does a middling job of dealing with messes on high-pile carpet. You'll need to make an extra pass or two to fully clear away most kinds of debris. It also has a habit of pushing larger debris forward.

This vacuum's performance on low-pile carpet is poor. It tends to leave behind fine debris like sand as well as medium-sized material like rice on this surface type, though it does a passable job of dealing with larger material like cereal.

Pet hair pickup performance on low-pile carpeting is disappointing. The Shark has a really hard time lifting away hair that's been pressed deep into carpet fibers.

The suction performance is poor. Even at its 'BOOST' setting, this vacuum doesn't exert nearly as much force as more conventional cordless stick vacuums.

This vacuum's airflow performance is poor. It'll struggle with lifting away large amounts of heavier debris.

This vacuum is fairly quiet. It's just about loud enough to mask the sound of nearby conversation, but using it in an enclosed room does help block out most of the noise.

This vacuum is decently maneuverable. When used as an upright vacuum, the rotating head helps it move around furniture and other objects. You may need to crouch down to clean under low-lying furniture, though, and it tends to suck up shaggy carpets and rug tassels. You may also need to lift the vacuum over electrical cords, which is slightly inconvenient because it's somewhat heavy.

However, it's easy to switch into a handheld configuration if you want to clean your couch or a tabletop, and the power button is easy to reach and press. To activate 'Boost' mode, you need to push and hold the button under the handle, which can be a bit tiring after a while.

This vacuum does a great job of dealing with pet hair on fabric surfaces in its 'BOOST' mode. While its battery life is short in this configuration, it does have a noticeable positive impact on pet hair pickup. That said, the angle at which you hold the vacuum is crucial, and the nozzle's narrow width makes it tedious to clean bigger areas.

This vacuum does a good job of sealing in fine particles despite lacking a HEPA filter or even a dirtbag. That said, you'll need to be careful when emptying its dustbin, which can release some finer debris.

The Shark WANDVAC System does a poor job of dealing with debris in cracks. It doesn't exert enough suction power to pull debris from crevices, while its brushroll does little to sweep it free. It does a little better when used as a handheld, but you'll also need to be careful when using it to clean finer debris like baking soda, which can spill outwards onto the filter, causing a loss in suction performance, as seen here.

This vacuum has no impact on stains.

The vacuum isn't rated to pick up water.

This vacuum doesn't have any automation features.