Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum

Yes. At 6.5 lb it's light and easy to steer, and it suits older people and anyone with sore hands or wrists. The swivel head and adjustable handle mean less twisting to get around furniture, and the Clean & Empty's handheld section lifts out for stairs.

Yes. Dock it and the base empties the bin and charges the vacuum in one go, so there's little dust to deal with and nothing to plug in. Quiet mode lets the Clean & Empty charge without running the empty cycle, and the base takes up more floor space than a plain charger.

Well on floors. It picks up dog and cat hair from carpet and hard floors without much fuss. Sofas and car seats can be less convincing, even with the motorized hand tool, so the Clean & Empty is at its best as a floor vacuum in a pet home.

It's mixed. It's rated at up to 40 minutes in ECO mode, and on that setting a charge can cover a large house. Some units run out sooner than hoped, though, and one dropped to about 10 to 15 minutes as it aged. Higher power modes shorten every Clean & Empty's runtime.