Our Verdict: The Shark IZ201UK might not be the most powerful cordless, but we think it provides above-average performance for the price. It’s also easy to use and comes with some of Shark’s innovative features, so it’s an option to consider if you want a lightweight cordless without spending a fortune. It’s not the best choice for pet owners or people with lots of thick carpets though.
Shark IZ201UK
Pros:
- Brilliant cleaning performance on hard floors
- LED headlights
- Flexology design is useful for cleaning under furniture
- Decent run-time and a removable battery
- Anti hair wrap technology on the DuoClean floorhead
Cons:
- Not the best cordless vacuum for cleaning thick carpets
- No motorised pet tool
- Floorhead is quite bulky
Thinking of buying the Shark IZ201UK? Read our in-depth review of this vacuum cleaner to find out if it’s the right choice for your home.
The Shark IZ201UK is a cordless stick vacuum cleaner from one of the best-loved brands on the market. With a DuoClean floorhead, Flexology hinge, anti-hair wrap system, and large 0.7 litre capacity, it’s easy to see why it’s popular.
We like the Shark IZ201UK and think it provides solid performance for the price. It’s not the most powerful cordless, but it’s great for cleaning hard floors and the DuoClean is one of our favourite floor tools. The lack of a mini turbo tool means it’s probably not the best choice for pet owners though.
How does the Shark IZ201UK compare with other cordless vacuums? Does the anti-hair wrap technology do what it says, or is it just a gimmick? Keep reading our in-depth Shark IZ201UK review to find out.
Overview of the Shark IZ201UK’s Features
- Shark anti hair wrap comb on the floorhead to stop the brush bar becoming tangled
- Signature DuoClean floorhead with two brush rolls for both carpets and hard floors
- Hinged Flexology wand for added flexibility and easier storage
- Weighs a fairly heavy 4.1kg
- Decent 0.7 litre bagless dirt capacity with easy emptying system
- Includes three non-motorised accessories with a tote bag for storage
- Removable battery with up to 40 minutes run time
Appearance and Design
The Shark IZ201UK is a cordless stick vacuum that makes a bold statement with its bright orange metallic detailing.
Like most modern cordless cleaners, you can detach the main unit to use it as a handheld vacuum. This is great for cleaning car interiors, stairs, and above-floor locations. We also think the Shark feels sturdy and well-made, which isn’t always the case with cordless stick vacs.
Unfortunately, a downside to the solid construction is weight. At 4.1kg, the Shark IZ201UK might not sound particularly heavy, but it weighs more than many other cordless models we’ve reviewed.
For example, the Dyson V10 Absolute weighs 2.68kg and the Samsung Jet 90 Pet weighs 2.8kg. Both are substantial cordless vacs, but are still noticeably lighter than the Shark. While the extra weight isn’t too noticeable for floor cleaning, we think it becomes more obvious in handheld mode.
Moving on from the vacuum’s weight, the Shark has a sliding switch for both power and changing cleaning settings. This is good news if you’re not a fan of the Dyson trigger system, although the IZ201UK does have a triggered “Boost” mode for when you need a burst of power.
Additionally, the 0.7 litre dirt capacity is above average for a cordless, so you won’t need to empty it as often as many other models. For context, the Miele Triflex has a 0.5 litre tank, although the Shark is roughly on par with the Dyson V11 Absolute’s 0.76 litre dust capacity.
Manoeuvrability and Ease of Use
Overall, we like the Shark IZ201UK’s design and think it’s straightforward to use. Everything clicks together easily and the pushbuttons make it simple to take the various components apart.
Pushing it around on low-pile carpets or hard floors is a breeze. But we found the strong suction can make it more of a struggle on thick carpets, which may be an issue for elderly users. The heavy body can also be tiring to hold when using the wand for above-floor cleaning.
An advantage of the DuoClean floorhead is that it allows you to move across surfaces without changing floorheads. Instead, just slide the switch to adjust the speed of the brush roll (fast for carpets, slow for protecting hard floors.)
Flexology Wand
While it might seem like a gimmick, don’t underestimate how useful the Flexology hinge is for cleaning awkward locations.
The Flexology system is effectively a backward “knee” in the wand. This allows you to bend the tube for cleaning under furniture and other tricky areas. When you want a straight wand again, just flick the main body of the vac, and the hinge locks into place.
You can also use the hinge to fold the vacuum in half. This means it doesn’t take up as much height for storage, and it’s self-standing in this configuration for added convenience.
We wish it had a carry handle when folded though. A handle would make it easier to transport, although this is a minor complaint.
Filtration
The Shark IZ201UK’s filter system contains both a washable filter and HEPA filter. These filters, combined with the anti-Allergen Complete Seal, trap 99.9% of dust particles before they can be released back into the room.
HEPA filters are the gold standard for home vacuum filters, as they catch more allergens than basic washable filters. So, as far as bagless vacuums go, we think the Shark IZ201UK is a great option for allergy sufferers.
Note: Bagged vacuums with self-sealing bags are almost always the better choice for people with allergies. Nearly all cordless vacuums are bagless though.
Emptying and Cleaning
As we mentioned earlier, the Shark IZ201UK has a bagless emptying system. You simply pull the main unit off the wand and use the slider to open the bottom of the dirt canister.
It’s a straightforward system, and you can hold the canister right into a bin or bag to stop most dust from escaping.
However, there are areas in the canister where debris tends to get stuck, and there isn’t a collar system to push dirt out (like some Dyson models.) You’ll sometimes need to use your hands to pull it out, which isn’t the most hygienic job.
Battery Life
The 25.2V lithium-ion battery on the Shark IZ201UK is claimed to offer a maximum of 40 minutes run-time with a 3.5 hour recharging period. This doesn’t sound long on paper, especially when the Dyson V10 Absolute has the same charge time for a 60 minute battery run-time.
However, the Shark runs for a long time on its higher setting (the carpet setting). You can get over 30 minutes of cleaning time in this mode, whereas a lot of other vacuums run out much quicker on their higher settings. And, despite what Shark says, you can often get around 60 minutes when using less power.
Of course, if you use the Boost trigger, the battery life drops significantly. We think this function is really only designed for the most stubborn dirt – not for extended use.
A bonus is that the battery can be removed and swapped, to effectively double the battery life. You’ll need to purchase the additional battery separately, as the IZ201UK only has a single battery, but it’s great to have this option if you find that the 40 minutes run-time isn’t enough. The battery can also either be left in the vacuum or removed for charging.
Tools and Accessories
Floorhead
One of the key features of the Shark IZ201UK vacuum cleaner is that it comes with Shark’s excellent Duoclean floorhead. This has two brush rolls: a soft roller and a bristle brush bar.
The front soft roller maintains contact with the floor to pick up fine dust and debris, particularly on hard floors. Then the rear bristle brush-roll, which has a mix of brushes and rubber fins, digs into carpet fibres for a deeper clean.
This version of the Duoclean also has an anti-hair wrap comb to cut through fibres. It’s a useful feature for pet owners, but we think it can sometimes struggle with longer hair. Even so, it significantly reduces the amount of tangled hair you’d otherwise find wrapped around the brush rolls.
Like most Shark vacuum cleaners, the IZ201UK has LED headlights. These are bright enough to illuminate dirt and other debris, and are particularly helpful when using the Flexology wand to clean under furniture.
But the downside to all these features is that the floorhead is quite bulky, so it’s not the best for squeezing into small gaps.
Other Tools and Accessories
The Shark IZ201UK also comes with a dusting brush, upholstery brush, 20cm crevice tool, and a tote bag for storage. These are a standard mix of accessories for a cordless vacuum, and they can be used with or without the wand.
While we think the three tools improve the versatility of the vacuum, there isn’t a motorised mini-tool, which is a shame. A mini turbo tool comes in handy for deeper cleaning areas like stairs and upholstery.
Tip: You’ll need to upgrade to either the IZ201UKT for the pet tool, or the IZ251UKT for the tool and an extra battery.
Suction Power and Cleaning Performance
The Shark IZ201UK provides strong all-round cleaning performance and excellent suction power – especially for a cordless vacuum. While it’s great on all floor types, it’s particularly effective on hard floors, where we think the soft roller on the DuoClean floorhead really makes a difference to dust pickup.
There are two main cleaning modes, depending on the type of flooring. The Shark also has a “boost” mode, but you can expect this to drain the battery. Still, it’s nice to have the option for stubborn dirt.
It’s not a perfect vacuum cleaner though. While it does a great job on its high setting, it’s not the most effective vacuum when switched to its lower mode. The main floorhead also has some issues with picking up larger debris when edge cleaning, which can be frustrating when you’re trying to clean along skirting boards.
Still, we think the Shark provides strong performance for the price. Let’s take a closer look at how it handles common cleaning tasks.
Carpets
We think the Shark IZ201UK is a decent performer on carpets. It’s great for low-pile carpets and rugs, and makes quick work of both small particles and larger debris.
It’s not as effective as the very best cordless vacuums for cleaning thicker pile carpets though. The Shark is powerful enough to fluff up carpets, and it still removes most dirt and dust, but we don’t think it provides the same deep clean as the top models.
Hard Floors
While the Shark is pretty good at cleaning carpets, it’s brilliant for cleaning hard floors. It picks up dust and debris of all sizes with ease, particularly on laminate flooring. There’s also ample suction for removing particles from between floorboards.
Unlike many floorheads, the DuoClean is able to suck up larger particles rather than pushing them around. We also love the headlights, as they make it easier to see fine debris and hairs on dark hard floors.
There’s not a lot more we can say, it’s just impressive!
Stairs
The combination of handheld vacuum mode and strong suction make the Shark IZ201UK a decent choice for cleaning stairs.
However, the lack of a mini motorised tool means the Shark isn’t as effective at cleaning carpeted stairs as models with a pet tool. The upholstery tool is a useful alternative, but the lack of a brush bar to agitate carpet fibres is noticeable.
Pet Hair
Cleaning pet hair on floors is easy with the IZ201UK. The DuoClean floorhead is great for cleaning hair on both carpets and hard floors, while the anti-hair wrap technology is a bonus.
The lack of a motorised pet tool is a let-down for cleaning pet hair on stairs, car seats, and furniture though. The fabric edges of the upholstery tool can grab small amounts of pet hair embedded in sofas, but this non-motorised tool can’t match a turbo tool for cleaning large amounts of fur.
So, if you have a pet that sheds a lot, then we recommend buying the pet version.
Price and Value for Money
The Shark IZ201UK is a fairly pricey cordless vacuum. It doesn’t have the same eye-watering price tag as newer Dyson or Miele models, but it’s still not cheap.
For the money, you get a high-quality vacuum that offers strong cleaning performance. It’s more effective on hard floors, but it’s no slouch on carpets either. And, like most Shark vacuums, you get a host of extra features, such as the Flexology wand, DuoClean floorhead, anti-hair wrap technology, and bright LED headlights.
At this price, it’s a shame that a mini motorised tool isn’t included. A powered turbo tool would be much more effective at non-floor cleaning than the basic tools included with the Shark.
Even so, it’s hard to argue that the Shark doesn’t provide great value for money, considering the cleaning performance and range of features.
Comparison with Other Vacuums
Shark IZ201UK vs Dyson V7 Animal
The V7 Animal is Dyson’s entry-level cordless vacuum, so it’s a bit cheaper than the Shark IZ201UK. The Dyson is also lighter, has a more compact design, and has a pet turbo tool.
You don’t get many advanced features with the Dyson though. There’s no equivalent to the anti-hair wrap technology, Flexology design, or LED headlights, for example. The Shark also has a longer battery life and doesn’t force you to hold down the trigger when cleaning.
In summary, both are excellent cordless vacuums. The V7 Animal is probably the better choice for pet owners, but the IZ201UK provides more features.
Shark IZ201UK vs Shark IZ251UK
Fundamentally, these are the same vacuum, but with different attachments. We should note that neither model includes the mini motorised pet tool.
The IZ251UK has the same basic accessories as the IZ201UK, but also includes an extra battery and dual charging dock. This is really useful for extending the run time, as you can have the second battery charged and ready to go when the first one runs out.
Of course, the extra battery increases the cost of the IZ251UK compared with the IZ201UK. So, the right choice depends on whether you need the extra run-time.
Specification
| Ninja Column 1 | Ninja Column 2 |
|---|---|
| Type | Cordless |
| Bag | Bagless |
| Filter | HEPA |
| Price Range | £££ |
| Battery (V) | 25.2 |
| Maximum Run-Time (m) | 40 |
| Charge Time (h) | 3.5 |
| Weight (kg) | 4.1 |
| Capacity (Litres) | 0.7 |
| Motorised Tool | No |
| Hose | No |
Verdict
The Shark IZ201UK is an excellent cordless vacuum cleaner. It combines many of the best features of other Shark vacuum cleaners for an enjoyable and effective cleaning experience.
While the Shark provides decent all-round cleaning performance, it’s particularly effective at cleaning hard floors. The vacuum is also easy to manoeuvre, and the Flexology wand is great for getting underneath furniture.
The main downsides to this vacuum are the weight and lack of a pet turbo tool. It also can’t match the best models (or corded vacuums) when cleaning thick carpets.
Even so, we still think it’s a great vacuum cleaner for households that don’t have pets or lots of high pile carpets. It’s a popular vacuum for a reason and you won’t be disappointed.