RTINGS

The Shark Rocket Ultra-Light is the best vacuum we've tested for apartments with mostly carpeted floors. This corded stick vacuum performs well on low and high-pile carpet, as it easily clears away most pet hair as well as larger debris, though you might need to make an extra pass to fully clear away finer material that's been worked into carpet fibers. There's no significant loss in suction performance as its dustbin fills up, so you shouldn't need to empty it at the end of every single cleaning session.

This vacuum has a reasonably lightweight plastic construction that makes it easy to maneuver even within cluttered areas like the inside of your apartment. It can also be easily reconfigured as a handheld vacuum to help you spot clean hard-to-reach areas, like on top of shelves or furniture. There are quite a few attachments included with the 'Home & Car Detail' kit, like a series of fine brushes to suck up dust and small debris in tight corners as well as a flexible extension hose.

Unfortunately, this vacuum's suction force at its floorhead isn't especially strong, and it can struggle with lifting debris wedged in cracks and crevices when used in its stick configuration. It also feels cheaply built and has quite a few parts that need regular cleaning. Since you can't raise its floorhead or stop the rotation of its brushroll, you should also be careful when cleaning around hazards like rug tassels. Otherwise, it's a solid option for cleaning carpeted floors in apartments.

If you're looking for a more portable option, consider the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light is among the best corded stick vacuums we've tested. Unlike the Shark APEX UpLight, this vacuum doesn't have an allergen-trapping HEPA filter and feels less sturdily built. However, it's lighter, making it easier to pick up and carry from room to room. It delivers superb performance on bare floors and sucks up an impressive amount of debris on low-pile carpet. It does a good job on high-pile carpet, though you may need to make an extra pass to fully clean very fine debris. You can easily reconfigure it into a compact handheld vacuum, and if you purchase it with the 'Home and Car Detail' kit, it comes with a variety of very small brushes and tools to better-clean tight spaces. Unfortunately, while it does have a two-level brushroll speed adjustment feature for cleaning different surfaces, you can't adjust the floorhead's brushroll height, which could be annoying when cleaning very dense carpeting.

Get the APEX UpLight if you're looking for a sturdier vacuum with a HEPA filter, but consider the Rocket Ultra-Light if you prioritize portability.

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Consumer Reports

Uprights are the most popular, but stick vacuums are coming on strong thanks to the stellar performance from models like the Shark Rocket Complete HV380. In our current ratings of heavyweight stick vacuums, it’s second only to the Bissell Air Ram 1984, which scored extra points for its exceptional quietness. The Bissell is battery-powered but the Shark is corded, meaning you’ll have unlimited run time, though you’ll have to contend with a cord. We were impressed by its touted "dual-brush roll," which helped it excel on CR's carpet, bare-floor, and pet-hair tests. It converts to a hand vacuum, good for cleaning furniture, and the large dirt chamber can be emptied with just one step. As with its upright vacuums, Shark stick vacuums also stand out for their reliability.
Spending too little on a Shark stick vacuum could compromise cleaning. For example, the $100 Shark Navigator Freestyle SV1106 stumbled in our bare-floors and edge-cleaning tests, plus it doesn't convert to a hand vacuum like most Sharks.

Uprights are the most popular, but stick vacuums are coming on strong thanks to the stellar performance from models like the Shark Rocket Complete HV380. In our current ratings of heavyweight stick vacuums, it’s second only to the Bissell Air Ram 1984, which scored extra points for its exceptional quietness. The Bissell is battery-powered but the Shark is corded, meaning you’ll have unlimited run time, though you’ll have to contend with a cord. We were impressed by its touted "dual-brush roll," which helped it excel on CR's carpet, bare-floor, and pet-hair tests. It converts to a hand vacuum, good for cleaning furniture, and the large dirt chamber can be emptied with just one step. As with its upright vacuums, Shark stick vacuums also stand out for their reliability.Spending too little on a Shark stick vacuum could compromise cleaning. For example, the $100 Shark Navigator Freestyle SV1106 stumbled in our bare-floors and edge-cleaning tests, plus it doesn't convert to a hand vacuum like most Sharks.

Corded Vacuum Comparison