Finding a Vacuum Designed to Pick Up Dog Hair
I consider myself a good house cleaner but with four dogs, 16 dirty paws, and mounds of dog hair rolling like tumbleweed on the tile floor, it’s quite challenging.
So, when my full-size vacuum called it quits, rather than purchase another heavy, cumbersome vacuum with an electrical cord, I opted to find a lightweight cordless model.
I was very surprised to see how many vacuums have models that are specifically geared to clean up after pets. I was also a bit skeptical because – let’s face it – a vacuum is just a vacuum. Perhaps it’s just good marketing to call it a “pet vacuum” since there are a gazillion pet owners in the world facing a dog hair problem.
My criteria for selecting a cordless vacuum was a bit skewed since my budget was the key factor. So, could I find a decent vacuum in my price range, one that would be lightweight, easy to empty debris in the trash, have a decent battery life, and reach around the furniture to suck up dog hair.
Lately, I’ve been loyal to the SharkNinja brand that offers decades of experience creating innovative household products. We currently own a Ninja NC301 CREAMi Ice Cream Maker and the Shark FlexStyle® Air Styling & Hair Drying System. I was pleased to see a Shark brand cordless vacuum geared towards cleaning up pet hair.
The Shark® IX141 Cordless Pet Stick Vacuum met my budget and lightweight criteria. But could it withstand the rath of my home’s dog hair?
Shark Vacuum Vs. Pet Hair
As I mentioned, we have four dogs in the house. One of the dogs is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever. Need I say more? Golden Retriever owners will agree with me when I say that I can vacuum each morning and within hours, her long tan dog hairs appear out of nowhere in every corner of the room. It’s quite embarrassing should guests be visiting. Therefore, my new vacuum needed to do the job of grabbing and capturing dog hair effectively.
The Shark® IX141 Cordless Pet Stick Vacuum is specially designed to provide powerful suction to deliver a deep cleaning on hard floors and carpets.
Features include:
:: Cordless
:: Lightweight design
:: Removable handheld vacuum
:: Up to 40 minutes of run time
:: LED headlights shine light towards hidden dirt
:: Extra-large dust cup
:: CleanTouch technology for hands-off debris disposal
:: HEPA filter/anti-allergen
In the box, you’ll find the vacuum, battery, crevice tool, pet multi tool, and an owner’s manual. It was a breeze to assemble – simply click and click and it’s together. One note: Initially, it took approximately three hours to charge the vacuum but since then, it takes about 40 minutes to fully charge.
The streamlined vacuum body has the ability to clean under and around many different-sized pieces of furniture. This vacuum removes dust, allergens, and pet dander from the air you breathe. The bristle brush roll and hypervelocity suction provides deep cleaning on carpets and floors. The incredible cleaning performance is ideal for everyday messes and high-traffic areas.
Specifications of the Shark IX141 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum
:: Weight – 7.63 lbs.
:: Amperage – 8.4 amps
:: Cleaning path – 10.63 in W
:: Dust cup capacity – 0.83 qt
:: Color – Blue Iris
:: Product dimensions – 14.96″ L x 10.24″ W x 46.06″ H
:: Wattage – 181 watts
:: Warranty (years) – 5
:: Battery – Lithium-ion battery
:: Voltage – 21.6 volts
:: Model # IX141H
Pros of the Shark IX141 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum
Besides the “pro” that this vacuum is lightweight and cordless, here are my other observations:
:: I can quickly grab it, turn it on, and clean up the area without having to ever locate an electrical outlet.
:: It works well on our tile floors and rugs.
:: Picks up the majority of the debris on the first pass.
:: The crevice attachment is great for removing pet hair from the crevices of our 3-piece couch set in the living room.
:: The “boost” power on the handle kicks in with a squeeze of the trigger.
:: I like monitoring the “charge” light on the vacuum side that indicates the remaining battery charge so I can plan my cleaning chores accordingly.
:: Battery fully charges in about 40 minutes.
:: The LED headlights reveal dirt that I normally wouldn’t see in dark areas.
:: The versatility of using the vacuum with the stick or as a handheld vacuum is awesome.
:: Handheld feature is great for vacuuming my car, stairs, and corners.
:: It’s definitely quieter than my previous corded vacuum.
:: The XL dust cup holds almost a quart of debris so I can vacuum a decent amount of area before emptying the cup.
:: Emptying debris from the dust cup is quick, easy, and neat.
:: The anti-allergen Hepa filter is an appreciated feature as I have a dust mite allergy.
Price Comparisons of Pet Vacuums
I did product research and in-store browsing prior to selecting this Shark pet stick. Other brand names pet vacuums like the Bissell CrossWave retails for $500, Dyson V15 Detect retails for $700.00, Tineco Pure One S15 retails for $400, and very inexpensive models looked cheaply made and lacked important features.
So, what did I pay for my Shark IX141 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum? I paid $179.99, reduced from the original price of $299.99. It was a great deal, and the cost is already justified as I use it practically every day. My previous vacuum was more than $500 and it was so heavy that I dreaded using it. I also hated having to plug and unplug the long cord every time I entered another room to vacuum.
The Only Con: Teaching the Dogs How to Use the Shark Pet Cordless Stick
Now that I found a good “pet” vacuum, I think it’s only fair that the dogs use it, right? All kidding aside, the Shark® IX141 Cordless Pet Stick Vacuum was a great purchase. I use this vacuum daily on our tile floor that spans from the front to back of our ranch-style house. It also works very well when I need to vacuum the carpets in the four bedrooms.
Obviously, it’s a great vacuum whether or not you own a pet. It’s a reliable cordless cleaning tool that you can simply grab and go when needing to pick up unexpected quick dry spills. I am always surprised and pleased to see how much debris the dust cup holds before it needs emptying. Forty minutes of battery charge has been the ideal amount of time to get my cleaning chore completed.
So, yes, this Shark takes a bite out of dog hair and as long as our loving, beautiful, hairy dogs continue to shed, I’ll happily continue to use my Shark® IX141 Cordless Pet Stick Vacuum.
