I've been testing the Shark Cordless Detect Pro and it's a steal in this Black Friday deal

The cleaning head of the Shark Cordless Detect Pro on a dirty carpet with a deal badge for price drop

(Image credit: SharkNinja)

Dyson might be the byword when it comes to making some of the best vacuum cleaners, but they're quite expensive if you want the newer models. And it's no secret that Shark's vacuum cleaners are just as good and cost a lot less as well.

That's the case with the latest Shark Cordless Detect Pro — the newest vacuum cleaner from the Dyson competitor. I've been testing it alongside both the Dyson V15 Detect and the new Samsung Bespoke Jet AI, and it's convinced me that you don't have to spend a lot of money if you want a cordless vacuum that has all the latest features.

While we don't have a full review of the Shark Cordless Detect Pro on Tom's Guide yet, I have been testing this model — the one with the auto-empty station — and I can say it's made vacuuming a bit more enjoyable for me because it keeps my room edges clean.

While Samsung goes all out and claims it uses artificial intelligence in the Bespoke Jet AI to detect dirt and floor types, Shark says there are "deep-learning technologies" that's used in four different ways.

The Cordless Detect Pro can detect differing amount of dirt to optimise suction, it can identify different floor types for the same reason, knows when it's near a room's edge and doubles suction automatically, and switches on the floor-cleaning head's light automatically when it's in dark spaces so you can see the dirt better.

That's a mix of features you find on Dyson and Samsung's more expensive vacuums.

And while Samsung's Bespoke Jet range comes with auto-emptying, no Dyson does. That means the Shark Cordless Detect Pro with Auto-Empty Station has a leg up over Dyson.

It's a good thing that the Cordless Detect Pro comes with an auto-empty station because the vacuum's dirt canister is pretty small. Using it in a small one-bedroom apartment fills it up in one use. So it's a good thing the dust compartment in the dock — it does not use dust bags and I like that idea as it's environmentally a better proposition — doesn't need to be emptied for up to 30 days (depending on how dirty your home usually is).

Compared to Dyson's Dok Multi and the Bespoke Jet's auto-empty dock, the Shark's dock has a small footprint, which I appreciate as I live in a small apartment.

Another thing I like about the Cordless Detect Pro is the odour neutraliser. This is essentially a scented puck you place inside the dock and it helps keep bad odours from building inside the vacuum. This is an issue I have with my Dyson V15 Detect, which I can smell faintly every time I use it despite making sure I clean out the filter and the bin.

And lastly — this may not seem very important to many potential users, but it is to me — there is not a speck of plastic in the packaging for the Shark Cordless Detect Pro. It is all cardboard and paper, making every bit of it recyclable.

Honestly, at AU$559, the Shark Cordless Detect Pro is a right steal in this year's Black Friday sales — a lot of features for not a lot of money. If you don't want the auto-empty station, the base model of the Shark Cordless Detect Pro is also discounted on Amazon, down to ~~AU$799~~ AU$422.

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Sharmishta is Tom Guide's sister site TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, but contributes to several of Future's tech sites, including T3 and Digital Camera World. For Tom's Guide, Sharmishta reports on smart home gizmos, from standing desks and TVs to the best mattresses on the market. This includes testing and reviewing beds from big brands like Emma and Sleeping Duck.