If you’re looking for something sleek and stylish, then Shark has got you covered with the HV390UKT. There’s no bulky cannister to worry about like with the average stand-up hoover. The slim profile means that this hoover is attractive and easier to store in tight cupboards. The tube portion of the hoover is also available in rose gold, which makes it totally on-trend for the current marketplace.

Within EU regulations, Shark could have fitted a 750W motor and still had some watts left to power the floorhead. Using traditional motors that might have made the HV390UKT a little heavier, but not by much. Opportunity missed? We think so. Although, looking at it another way, it’s A+ energy rating means it’s greener and leaner on your electricity bill. The disadvantage of the Flexology tube is that the folding mechanism and flexible tube coupling add further weight. This is particularly noticeable when you reach for those pesky high-up cobwebs. The pistol grip is well behind the weight of the motor, too, leading to a very nose-heavy balance when you lift it ceilingward. Using a second hand for support is essential – and mind you don’t trip over that cable when looking up. More manuals of Vacuum Cleaners Frequently Asked Questions about Shark HV390UK DuoClean Vacuum Cleaner We do worry about always-on rollers on softwood floor, but a couple of cleaning sessions on old parquet showed no signs of damage. The harder bristles on the rear roller barely touch the surface of hard floors, thanks to a well-judged front roller and rear wheel height. Shark Duo-Clean TruePet HV390UKT – How does it clean carpets?

Yet this Shark doesn’t offer improved suction over its cordless sibling, despite being mains-powered. Its very low-power (circa 400W) suction motor is half the EU power limit, and that shows in some of the test results. It’s also worth noting that the product is a lot lighter when it’s in hand-held mode. With that in mind, you might want to avoid using the full setup unless you’re cleaning your entire home. Even with the extra weight, the Shark isn’t particularly challenging to handle. The rubberised grip means that that you can work on your carpets and hard floors with confidence. Additionally, the weight is quite well-balanced, which makes moving the machine around a lot easier. With its twin rollers and own electric motor, the Duo-Clean floorhead is a big and weighty unit. This isn’t so much of an issue on floors, but using it single-handed on stairs requires some serious wrist strength. The Energy label claims the HV390UKT emits 80dB of noise. That’s fairly quiet, if a long way from super-silent models.

The head is also very easy to clean out, thanks to a top-mounted removable cover and huge thumb clips. No need to find a coin to turn release-screws here.

Shark NV601UK Lift-Away Upright

The Duo-Clean head can be attached to the cleaner with Shark’s funky Flexology folding tube, or directly to the cleaner’s body. The head tilts, pivots and articulates nicely for easy steering, and the big rear wheels and small front rollers should keep things moving. Subsequent tests also showed that, with just a single pass, there was a tendency to smear bigger patches of very fine dust. This can be seen in the faint white patch of talcum powder a few centimetres out from the skirting. The Duo-Clean floorhead sports some very serious LED lighting, which worked admirably. Given the low power consumption of LED lights, we just can’t understand why so few brands have LED headlights.

The Duo-Clean floorhead is mighty heavy and its huge footprint makes it unwieldy on anything but straight flights of steps with open sides. You’re best to deploy the Motorised Pet Tool for stairs. As ever with Shark products, all the HV390UKT’s fixtures, fittings and clips are clearly labelled, very well made, and operate with a solid precision. Shark includes a five-year guarantee as standard on this model, and it’s easy to see why. To empty your canister, just press a button when aiming it over the bin. Remember, although the process for emptying the container isn’t hard, it’s also a bit messy. Thus, make sure you’re prepared for a plume of dust.Thankfully, this model also comes with Shark’s Motorised Pet Tool, which makes for a much lighter clean on steps. Some final design flourishes to mention include the exceptionally long 10-metre cable and fold-up storage convenience.