While raw power tells us a bit about a vacuum cleaner, real-world performance will largely come down to the quality of the accessories. Fortunately, Shark didn’t let me down. Performance is excellent, with Standard mode cleaning a path through my spilt rice grains, with nothing dropping out at the end.

I started off by measuring the Shark ICZ300UKT’s raw performance in AirWatts (AW), which is a combination of suction power and airflow. On Eco mode, I measured a result of 35.65AW, which is similar to a lot of handheld models; 56.98AW on Standard is similar to your average cordless; and 175.24AW on Turbo is a lot of power for really tough jobs. Bright LED headlights in the floorhead help to illuminate hidden dust and pet hair pile-ups under furniture. This vacuum cleaner comes in about average for noise, at 67.5dB on Eco, 72.6dB on Standard and 75.6dB on Turbo. You can clearly hear the Shark ICZ300UKT and can’t really hold conversations over it, but it isn’t so loud as to be annoying.Battery life is quoted at 60 minutes, although this is on Eco mode with a non-motorised tool. The floor head shaves off a few minutes. Switch to Standard mode, and you’ll get over 30 minutes of run-time, while I found that Turbo mode pushed this down to just over 10 minutes in my tests. As with most vacuum cleaners, this model has two filters. The main filter is easy to get out, but the HEPA filter is a little fiddly. Both filters can be washed to keep them working at optimal efficiency. Performance For this model, Shark has redesigned the controls. There’s now an LCD screen that shows battery life as a percentage. This is far better than the old display, where you’d get a set of lights to indicate the rough level of charge remaining; but it isn’t as good as the Dyson V15 Detect, which shows you battery life in minutes. There are three power modes to choose from (Eco, Standard and Boost), plus you can choose between carpet and hard floor modes, which adjust the speed of the floor head.

The Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with PowerFins, Powered Lift-Away & TruePet combines cordless cleaning freedom with Shark’s most advanced cleaning technologies, including new PowerFins. The other recent innovation that Shark has brought to this model is the screen and control panel on the top of the handle, which debuted on the Shark IZ300UKT. This is mostly to display how much battery capacity you have left, shown as a percentage that decreases in increments of 10%. It isn’t as accurate as the battery gauge on the Dyson V15 Detect or V11 Outsize, but you get more information than on most cordless models.Extend your cleaning capabilities with 4 attachments – easily clean skirting boards, blinds, sofas and surfaces with the handy Crevice Tool, Dusting Brush and Wide Upholstery Tool. Purposefully designed for homes with pets, this pet model also includes a Motorised Pet Tool, easily removing embedded hair from stairs, soft furnishings and upholstery. I upped the power to Turbo, approaching the leftover mess at different angles, but there was still a tiny amount left remaining at the end. It was nothing that the crevice tool couldn’t deal with, mind. There’s a large 0.6-litre bin on this model, which should see you around an average house without having to be emptied. It’s easy enough to pull out, and opens at both ends to make it easy to clear dust and to clean. The best of both worlds – enjoy the suction power of a corded upright vacuum* and the convenience of a cordless vacuum. Detach the floorhead to comfortably reach ceilings, curtains and other high surfaces with the wand. Remove the wand to easily vacuum stairs, soft furnishings, car seats and other hard-to-reach areas with the extendable hose and included attachments. Lightweight and cord-free, it’s perfect for vacuuming car interiors.