This Vacuum isn’t For Those Who:
- Need a quiet unit – this Shark vacuum tends to get quite noisy, especially when cleaning high-pile carpets and area rugs. This isn’t such a critical issue, though some people find this to be annoying.
- Want onboard accessories – though the vacuum comes with a few useful accessories, it doesn’t include anything to store them in.
- Suffer from allergies – it picks up even the most persistent dust and tiny hairs into its dust cup, but emptying it is a bit tricky. The process itself is simple, but some dust might go back into your air.
Features
The combination of its features and specifications makes this Rocket upright vacuum among the best-selling ones. It’s a unique piece thanks to its maneuverability and versatility.
The HV300 features two brush roll speeds allowing you to choose based on the floor you’re cleaning. One is more suitable for carpets while the other is meant for bare floors.
Another fingertip control you might find useful is the height-adjustment setting. It allows the vacuum to switch from carpets to bare floors and vice versa.
Design
Shark is known for modern-looking vacuums regardless of the actual type. Still, stick vacs are the most popular for their design, compactness, and ease of use, which we always stress in our reviews.
This one is slim and lightweight, meaning you won’t feel overwhelmed when cleaning larger areas. Also, it’s designed with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal Technology which helps trap and keep the dust inside the unit.
The only setback with its design is that it cannot stand on its own. The HV300 should be hung or leaned on a wall.
Size & Dimensions
Much like all sticks we discuss in our reviews, this one is slim and compact. Such dimensions help make the cleaning process more comfortable, especially if you’re using the vacuum frequently.
It measures 31.5x13x10.5 inches in total and weighs some 7.6 pounds. Both size and weight allow more comfortable use in larger areas and two-floor houses.
It’s what helps with easier maneuverability and requires far less space for storage.
Suction
This might not be the strongest Shark vacuum, but its suction power is still good enough for most household tasks.
The unit doesn’t have any suction control, so you won’t be able to increase or decrease it. However, there’s a way to maintain it.
To keep its suction at a satisfactory level, you should clean its filters and brushes regularly. This probably won’t increase power, but it means a lot in preventing suction loss.
Accessories & Parts
The HV300 comes with quite a few accessories to make the cleaning process easier. It’s also what gives you more versatility to clean different areas and surfaces.
It comes with a 5-inch crevice tool, a dusting brush, and an upholstery tool. These are quite basic but make all the difference in how you clean upholstery and other above-floor surfaces. Plus, you can use all the attachments with the handheld model as well.
Warranty
One of the things Shark is known for is a reliable warranty deal. This unit is backed by a five-year warranty that covers faults in material and manufacturing. It doesn’t cover damage caused by misuse, unauthorized repair, neglect, and normal wear and tear.
Flooring
The HV300 Rocket is a versatile cleaner that’s suitable for a wide range of different floors. It performs well on carpets, bare floors, hardwood, area rugs, laminate, and other. Still, it doesn’t have suction control so its performance might vary on certain surfaces depending on the debris you’re cleaning.
Carpet
This one does well on carpets regardless of the thickness of its fibers. However, it requires some learning since you might push some rugs around due to the lack of suction control.
Luckily, the vacuum has two brush roll speeds you can play with depending on the carpet thickness. In most cases, the higher speed is better for thick carpets with high-pile fibers.
Hardwood
For hardwood, you should use the lower brush roll speed. If you think the floor surface is too delicate, you can even shut it off completely.
When it’s shut off, the brush is gentle to the floor and won’t damage or scratch it in any way. Still, it efficiently picks up even the tiniest particles, hairs, and other debris.
Larger pieces such as cereal and kitty litter might put up a struggle, but eventually, the HV300 Rocket picks it all up.
Maneuverability
Much like all Shark Rocket vacuums, the HV300 is easy to maneuver across different surfaces, upholstery, stairs, and others.
It features swivel steering, which allows you to clean around and under furniture and other obstacles. On top of that, its weight also helps maneuverability since you won’t feel as overwhelmed when cleaning larger areas.
Maintenance
The only thing you’ll have to keep an eye on is the dust bin. It’s relatively small, but you won’t need a bigger one if you vacuum regularly.
The unit also has two washable filters you should rinse once a month. Use your best judgment; you don’t have to wash them as often if you’re not using the vac as frequently. Its tools and accessories don’t really require any maintenance, but it wouldn’t hurt to check for clogs and tangled hair.
Noise
This stick vacuum tends to get quite noisy though the sound level probably won’t disturb anyone unless it’s nighttime.
It gets especially loud when used on high-pile carpets probably because the brush is working extra-hard to pull out the embedded dirt.
Cordless or Cord?
This Shark Rocket vac is corded and comes with a 27ft long power cord. The entire unit has 34ft of reach, which is more than enough to reach most above-floor surfaces and tight areas of your home. It doesn’t have a power cord rewind feature, but there’s a little hook for you to wrap the cable around.
Bag or Bagless?
The Shark Rocket HV300 is bagless and comes with a see-through dust cup. Such a design is far more eco-friendly than replaceable dust bags and is also more cost-effective.
However, emptying the bin isn’t the easiest process for allergy-prone people. Some dust might go back into your breathing space, so make sure to do it outside.
Filter
Its two filters do an amazing job of trapping dust, particles, and pet hair. They ensure no such dirt reaches the motor, and as a result, the suction power remains constant.
However, these filters require some maintenance. The manufacturer suggests you wash them once a month, which some people think it’s too much. You can do it less frequently if you think they’re not getting as dirty.
Pets
When it comes to cleaning after pets, you need a strong and versatile vac, which is a fact we reflect on in all our reviews. Dogs and cats that shred tend to leave your floors and furniture quite messy. For this reason, you need a reliable unit to tackle the issue.
Kitty Litter
Kitty litter isn’t the simplest to clean, especially if the pieces are big. The Shark Rocket HV300 does a good job as long as the pieces aren’t on a bare floor.
Place the litter box on an area rug or a mat of some sort. You’ll maybe have to do a few passes before the vac picks up the larger pieces.
Pet Hair
The Shark Rocket HV300 picks up even the most persistent pet hair from both floors and upholstery. It’s thanks to its two-speed brush that the unit can do such an impressive job.
It might not deliver such great results on hardwood, so you’ll have to run the vac across the same path a few times. Nonetheless, the entire process isn’t as challenging as it sounds since most people haven’t had any issues.
Is The Shark Rocket HV300 For You?
If you heard of the Shark’s Rocket series and you want to purchase your first model, you should start with this one. It’s a compact and versatile vacuum cleaner that’s packed with different features and accessories, including the crevice tool.
It’s suitable for different household needs regardless of whether you’re cleaning upholstery or floors. This Shark unit converts into a handheld and is equally suitable for pet owners, as you could see in this review.