Pets bring much to our lives — including extra messes. Pet parents need vacuums that have the added power necessary to clean up hair, dander and dirt trodden in on paws, and even though a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner can do the trick, it isn’t always necessary.
Shark claims its Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum offers power and versatility in a lightweight package. The company says it can tackle dirt deeply embedded in carpets and makes cleaning stairs and upholstery easy in the handheld mode.
We tested the Shark Rocket Pet Plus to see if there's truth to these claims and if this vacuum is worth the buy.
At BestReviews, we know that testing out a product for a couple of hours isn't the same as using it day in, day out. That's why we send products to our group of testers to use them over an extended period, test out the manufacturer's claims and see how they really perform.
We sent the Shark Rocket Pet Plus to a tester who lives in a three-bedroom home with a short-haired dog. Our tester usually uses a Dyson V8 Animal vacuum, so they were able to compare it to another big brand. They tried it out for two weeks before reporting their findings.
The Rocket Pet Plus is a stick vacuum, which is a type of lightweight vacuum cleaner. We found it extremely lightweight and modern compared to traditional upright vacuums. It converts into a hand vacuum for smaller cleaning tasks, stairs and upholstery. It's also specifically designed as a pet vacuum and comes with a range of tools to make it easier to clean up after pets.
The Shark Rocket Pet Plus costs around $180 and is available at Amazon.
We found this Shark vacuum extremely easy to set up. It comes in three parts: the body, the stick and the cleaning head. All you need to do is fit one end of the stick to the body and the other end to the cleaning head and you're ready to go. You can also set it up as a handheld vacuum by attaching the cleaning head or another cleaning tool directly to the body without the stick.
As it's a corded vacuum, it must be plugged into an outlet before you can start vacuuming. It has just two modes to choose from, labeled I and II: I is a less powerful mode that we used for hard floors and II is a more powerful mode that we used for carpeted areas.
We found this lightweight vacuum highly maneuverable. We had no problems navigating around furniture and squeezing the cleaning head into tight corners to get the best clean possible. It was just as lightweight and easy to maneuver as the Dyson V8 Animal, although lacking the convenience of being cordless.
The suction power was good and we experienced no issues cleaning up the hair from a short-coated dog on both carpets and hard flooring. There's an indicator light that turns red if there are any clogs, so it's easy to solve issues that might affect suction power as they arise.
You can select between two cleaning modes. Mode I is a standard powered mode, while mode II gives you an extra boost. Although mode I is supposed to be for hard floors and mode II for carpet, we found both worked well for carpets and hard floors, so it's more dependent on whether you need extra power.
The LED headlights illuminate your cleaning path to help you see dirt. This is especially useful in low-light conditions or for cleaning under furniture.
While it isn't as large as the dust cups you'd find on upright vacuums or in canister models, it has a large capacity for a stick vacuum, so you don't need to empty it too often while cleaning. We found it easy to empty, especially when you remove the body of the vacuum from the stick.
The handheld mode is great for tackling stairs, upholstery and for spot cleaning. It's easy to convert into a hand vacuum and back into its regular configuration again, so it's not a huge ordeal if you want to switch modes during a cleaning session. You can use the regular cleaning head or the other cleaning attachments in handheld mode.
Although the power cord is long enough to vacuum large rooms without unplugging it and moving to another outlet, it's still a pain to switch outlets when you clean your whole home and to coil it up when you're done. We must say we prefer the convenience of a cordless vacuum, but many buyers are happy to stick with corded options to save money.
This is a loud vacuum cleaner. We had the TV playing in the background while cleaning, and it was inaudible over the sound of the vacuum. The lower-powered mode I is somehow louder than the higher-powered mode II.
We didn't like the fact that it's so top-heavy that you can't leave it standing up if you take a break from cleaning. Even the best stick vacuum has this problem, so it isn't unique to this one. However, some have sticks that fold in the center so they'll balance standing or have rest notches to make leaning them easier, which are features this model lacks.
It might not be the best Shark vacuum of all time, but the Shark Rocket Pet Plus is a good stick vacuum at an affordable price. If you'd rather not pay the premium for a cordless model, it's an excellent choice, but some buyers long for the convenience of going cord-free. Of course, not every vacuum is right for every buyer, but this one is a solid mid-range option for homes with pets.
Black+Decker Powerseries Extreme Cordless Stick Vacuum
This cordless pet vacuum comes at a similar price to the Shark Rocket Pet Plus. It runs for up to 55 minutes on a full charge and has an anti-tangle brush roll for pet hair.
Sold by Amazon.
Dyson V8 Fluffy Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Thanks to its powerful motor, this vacuum makes light work of cleaning up after pets. It's on the pricey side but worth the investment.
Sold by Amazon.
Shark Vertex Ultra-Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum
With an anti-allergen filter and a dedicated pet tool, it's a great choice for homes with pets, plus there's no cord to worry about.
Sold by Amazon.
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Rewind Vacuum
If you don't mind a bulkier upright design, this vacuum does an excellent job at removing pet hair from carpets and hard floors, with a reasonable mid-range price tag.
Sold by Amazon.
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
