A powerful corded vacuum that’s easy to maneuver

The Shark Vertex HZ2002 Ultralight Corded Stick Vacuum is a lightweight and compact corded vacuum that delivers excellent vacuum power in a small, versatile design. Featuring a swiveling floor nozzle with Shark’s DuoClean tangle-resistant rollers and the ability to be used as a bagless hand vac, the Vertex can handle most light to moderate cleaning tasks. 

Shark claims this model can “elevate your cleaning” experience. And after evaluating its features and benefits in the BestReviews Testing Lab, we agree. It’s a solid value for everyday cleaning and a good alternative to a full-sized upright vacuum for most households.

Why we like it

• Maneuverability: The Vertex corded vacuum’s floor nozzle and wand is easy to swivel and maneuver in multiple directions.
• Suction power: The 680-watt power of the Vertex aced our suction tests and put it on a similar level to full-sized corded upright vacuums.
• Comfortable grip: We liked the pistol grip on the Vertex and found it both comfortable to use and easy on the hand during cleaning sessions.

What we don’t like

• Sound level: The Vertex registered between 72 and 92 decibels during use with a noticeable and somewhat unpleasant high-pitched whine.
• Tight attachments: The Vertex comes with attachments that use friction rather than click latches to connect to the main unit and were somewhat difficult to attach and remove during testing.

The 60-second scoop

Versatile and convenient, the Vertex matches many upright vacuums in suction but can be used as a hand vacuum as well.

Product specifications
Dustbin Capacity: 0.32 qt | Dimensions: 10.24" L x 10.24" W x 45.27" H | Cord Length: 30’ | Cleaning Path Width: 8.11” | Weight: 9.05 lb

Positioned as a mid-range choice among Shark stick vacuums, the Shark Vertex HZ2002 Ultralight Corded Stick Vacuum is a 680-watt model, weighing a little over 9 pounds. It features a bagless 0.32-quart dust cup, a 30-foot power cord with useful winding hooks, a sturdy wand with accessory storage and a DuoClean PowerFins swiveling floor nozzle with attached lights. It comes with a crevice tool, dusting multitool and a self-cleaning power brush for pet hair and ingrained dirt. When detached from the floor nozzle and wand, the Vertex converts to a 3-pound handheld vacuum suited to cleaning furniture, shelves and other above-floor places it couldn’t reach otherwise.

Price and where to buy

The Shark Vertex HZ2002 Ultralight Corded Stick Vacuum costs $299.99 and is available from Amazon.

Setup

The testing team found the Shark Vertex to be simple to set up.

Setting up the Vertex was not particularly difficult, but the way it was packed offered a small challenge. The main unit is packed at the bottom of its box, but its 30-foot cord is tightly bundled alongside it. Removing both the unit and the cord bundle is slightly awkward, and once uncoiled, the cord can never really fit back into the box. Other than that, assembly of the main unit, wand and floor nozzle was simple. The floor nozzle and wand connect to the main unit with clicking latches, which are easier to attach and remove than the other smaller attachments.

Cord length and maneuverability

The Shark Vertex has hooks you can wrap the cord around to keep it looking tidy.

The Shark Vertex has a 30-foot cord with a grounded plug. It’s wrapped in tough but flexible jacketing that makes it easy to uncoil and responsive to repositioning while the vacuum is in use. Its length was sufficient to reach all areas of our 200-square-foot test area, but it did get in the way from time to time if we were moving around, so repositioning is important. The Vertex’s wand has winding hooks between which the cord can be easily wrapped for storage.

DuoClean PowerFins and self-cleaning brush roll

The Vertex has a pistol-shaped grip that lets you maneuver its floor head very easily.

The Shark Vertex corded vacuum’s floor nozzle is equipped with Shark’s DuoClean brush rollers with self-cleaning PowerFins. These features performed according to Shark’s claims during our testing, with the PowerFins keeping constant contact with the floor surface and resisting any tangling from hair or fur. The DuoClean rollers worked in tandem to both agitate and lift dirt particles while buffing and dusting smooth hard floor surfaces. They worked well during testing on smooth tile and low-pile carpet with no notable issues of pickup or suction.

Shark Vertex suction power

Carpet performance

The Vertex performed satisfactorily on our test surface of low-pile carpet. It vacuumed up 100% of half a teaspoon of granulated sugar in a single pass, as well as 95% of 2 tablespoons of cereal pieces and 100% of 2-inch long strands of faux fur that we ground into the carpet. The Vertex’s carpet setting had no issues with general floor pickup, although it was strong enough to lift up loose bathroom mats rather than clean them.

Hard floor performance

We obtained similar results from the Vertex when it was tested on hard flooring (in this case, vinyl tile). It vacuumed 100% of coffee grounds in a single pass as well as 100% of faux fur strands. It also did well with cereal, though it scattered isolated pieces, forcing us to track them down as they moved across the floor. We experienced no negative effects moving between carpet and hard flooring or vice versa. The bare-floor setting of the Vertex was the quietest option, measuring about 72 decibels, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is about as loud as the average washing machine.

How does it compare to other stick vacuums we tested?

The Vertex proved itself to be more powerful than the cordless models in our tests.

The Shark Vertex corded vacuum is more powerful than any of the cordless stick vacuums we tested from Shark. At 680 watts, its suction power was more than twice that of the Stratos Cordless and more than three times that of the Cordless Pro. It’s bigger than either of those models, however, and similar in shape to its sibling the Vertex Cordless, with which it shares a similarly sized dust cup. Also like the Vertex Cordless, it lacks any of the smart features or auto-power settings of the Stratos or Cordless Pro, and its floor head, while maneuverable, seemed to be less so during our tests than those of the cordless models.

Attachments and accessories

The Vertex comes with a tool holder for its attachments that connects to its wand.

The Shark Vertex comes with three different cleaning attachments that can connect either directly to the hand vac’s nozzle or to the end of the wand.

Dusting brush

The dusting brush is essentially the same as the pet multitool that comes with other Shark models. It comprises a flat-edged cleaning head for upholstery onto which you can snap a bristle-headed dusting brush. It worked well during testing for cleaning leatherette and fabric on couches, chairs and drapes.

Crevice tool

The crevice tool included with the Vertex is simple and straightforward. It’s adequate for getting into corners and behind furniture, but when attached to the end of the wand, the Vertex becomes more unwieldy and needs two hands for the best control.

Self-cleaning pet power brush

The self-cleaning pet power brush performed much better than we expected based on our experience with other small power brushes in the past. It successfully and efficiently removed faux fur we placed on a tabletop without any tangling and seemed to offer plenty of suction and agitation despite its size, thanks to the PowerFins on the rollers.

Other features and attachments

The Vertex’s dust cup seemed adequate for our 200-square-foot test area but filled up to three-quarters full during testing. We believe it would need to be emptied several times if cleaning a larger space. The dustbin was easy enough to empty, but it was slightly tricky to remove from the body of the hand-vac unit. It opens with a lifting lid rather than a trap door.

How we tested the Shark Vertex HZ2002

The testing team used sugar, coffee grounds, Cheerios and faux fur to test its suction.

We tested the Shark Vertex in a real-world environment of mixed carpet and bare flooring with a variety of debris and particulates.

Setup

We unboxed the Shark Vertex and noted how long it took us to assemble the unit for floor cleaning as well as any difficulties we encountered during the process.

Suction

We tested the Vertex on three different debris types: small particulates, such as sugar or coffee grounds; large particles, such as Cheerios cereal; and hair or fur with faux fur fibers. We measured out each type of debris onto both carpet and bare flooring and noted how much the Vertex vacuumed in a single pass and if any needed multiple passes.

Floor cleaning

We ran the Vertex as a floor vacuum over our testing space, moving from carpet to bare flooring and back, noting ease of turning and maneuvering, pickup and wheel smoothness.

Above-floor cleaning

Detaching the hand vac from the wand, we tested the Vertex with the appropriate attachments for dusting shelves and tables, cleaning couches and chairs, reaching drapes and vacuuming crevices. We paid attention in this test not just to cleaning power but to comfort and stability of the unit, including the comfort and control of its pistol grip.

Noise level

We used a smartphone app to measure the sound levels generated by the Vertex during operation, noting any differences or fluctuations depending on surface type and attachment.

Emptying and maintenance

We observed how to empty the dust cup, whether it needed removal from the vacuum for cleaning, and how to access and replace its filters. We also examined the rollers on its floor nozzle and attachments for any tangled hair as well as all the attachments for overall wear and tear from testing.

The final verdict

The Shark Vertex HZ2002 Ultralight Corded Stick Vacuum offers an appealing combination of floor vac and handheld vac that’s suitable for most household cleaning jobs. Although it’s louder than cordless models, it features enough suction power to rival the typical upright vacuum, making it a worthy alternative to one.