The Shark Stratos AZ3002 is a corded upright with a dual-roller DuoClean head, a HEPA seal and a Lift-Away pod for above-floor cleaning. TechGearLab named it Best Overall in its upright test with a score of 81, picking up 97% of test debris on low-pile carpet and hardwood. TechRadar, after a year of use, rated it 4 out of 5. Both note limits: average results on shag carpet and pet hair (TechGearLab), and no Auto mode plus a self-propelled head that can run away from you (TechRadar).
Full review
Top all-rounder in TechGearLab's upright test
TechGearLab scored the Stratos 81 out of 100 and gave it its Best Overall award among 17 uprights. Its dual-brush roller head picked up 97% of test debris on both low-pile carpet and hardwood, and the HEPA filter aced the filtration test. It was only average on thick, shaggy carpet (52%) and on pet fur (64%).
TechGearLab also measured 547 pascals of suction and 77 dBA of noise, and singled out the Lift-Away feature for reaching under furniture, tricky spots and stairs.
A year of everyday use
TechRadar's reviewer used the US AZ3002 on and off for a little over a year and rated it 4 out of 5, saying it had no trouble with fine or chunky particles on any floor type. With the pod removed, the wand slides under furniture and into corners. The floorhead carries headlights and an odor-neutralizing puck, and its two rollers split the work between hard floors and carpet.
What it lacks
TechRadar notes it is not the most advanced Shark upright: it lacks the Auto mode of newer models such as the PowerDetect Upright, which the reviewer missed, and in floor mode the self-propelled head can feel like it is running away. It is also heavier and bulkier than a stick vacuum. At its $529.99 list price TechRadar calls it expensive for a corded upright but justified by its quality.
Strengths
- +Picked up 97% of test debris on both low-pile carpet and hardwood, per TechGearLab
- +Aced TechGearLab's filtration test with its HEPA filter
- +Lift-Away pod and wand reach under furniture and into tight corners
- +Headlights and an odor-neutralizing puck on the floorhead, per TechRadar
- +TechRadar used it for over a year and found it handled fine and chunky debris on every floor type
Watch-outs
- −Only average on thick shag carpet and pet hair (64% in TechGearLab's pet hair test)
- −No Auto mode, and the self-propelled head can feel like it is running away, per TechRadar
- −Heavy and bulky next to a stick vacuum, per TechRadar
How it compares
At 16.6 lb it is a little lighter than the Dyson Ball Animal 3 (17.3 lb) but heavier than the Shark Navigator NV360 (12.5 lb). It costs considerably more than the Navigator NV360 and NV352 and the Bissell CleanView Swivel Pet.
Rating sources
Counts as 4.54/5 in our score — this publisher's 138 scores on the site average 3.66, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 3.92/5 in our score — this publisher's 195 scores on the site average 4.25, so its scores are adjusted down to compare fairly with other publishers.
Our 4.2 score is the average of these published ratings, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores. More about methodology.
