Shark WandVac 2.0 (WV270UK) review: An always-ready handheld vacuum

The Shark WandVac 2.0 is the successor to one of our favourite handheld vacuum cleaners. As you might expect, it ups the performance and adds new features, earning itself a rightful place on our best handheld vacuum cleaners roundup.

Shark has improved the battery life compared with the Shark Cordless Handheld Vacuum and has added extra power options.

And it hasn’t messed too much with that vacuum’s good looks, either, so you don’t have to worry about hiding it away in a cupboard. You can leave it out on its charging stand so it’s always ready to go.

Shark WandVac 2.0 (WV270UK) review: What do you get for the money?

The Shark WandVac 2.0 (often also referred to as the Shark Premium Handheld Vacuum WV270UK) is a small, handheld device that’s designed for quickly cleaning small spills.

It’s thinner at one end – this is the handle, where the battery goes – and thicker at the other, where the vacuum inlet sits. Without attachments, the device measures 63 x 70 x 390mm (WDH) and it weighs 650g.

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When it’s not in use the WandVac can be parked on its plastic dock, which keeps the internal rechargeable battery topped up and stores the two supplied attachments. These comprise a multi-tool with a crevice option and a retractable dusting brush, and an upholstery tool for getting crumbs and dust off your soft furnishings.

The collection bin is small at 100ml, but this is clearly intended for the occasional minor mess, rather than serious cleaning tasks.

Shark WandVac 2.0 (WV270UK) review: What’s it like to use?

Unlike its predecessor, the Shark WandVac 2.0 has two power settings. The standard setting is engaged by switching it on with the thumb-operated power button, and there’s a second button below that for boosting the power.

While 650g sounds quite heavy for a small handheld vacuum, the WandVac has a nice balance to it. The heaviest individual component is the 260g battery, and because that sits in the handle, it isn’t too tiring to wield. The vacuum engine sits in the centre of the WandVac’s cylindrical body, leaving the end relatively light and easy to keep under control.

The attachments aren’t powered so they don’t add much to the overall weight of the device, either. And they slide on and off the end of the vacuum, so there’s nothing fiddly about putting them on or taking them off again.

Another button on the underside is used to open the door of the collection bin, which allows most of the debris it collects to fall out. Some of it does get trapped behind the filter, though, so you’ll need to lift it out occasionally to tease all the dust and dirt out with your fingers. The filters are washable, so are reasonably easy to maintain yourself.

Shark WandVac 2.0 (WV270UK) review: How well does it clean?

With the WandVac’s turbo mode engaged, I measured the suction on the Shark WandVac 2.0 at 16kPa, which is good for such a small device. It isn’t quite as powerful as the Hoover H-Handy 700 Express but it comes a very close second, and has more power behind it than most handheld vacuums we’ve tested.

This translates into decent cleaning results in our tests, with one caveat: its 100ml collection bin. This is truly microscopic, so while it was perfectly happy sucking up the first 20% of our test Cheerio spillage, the cereal quickly filled the cavity.

Once the collection bin and the suction tubes were rammed full, there was no chance of it collecting any more, hence the poor showing on our cleaning chart. The WandVac 2.0 performs well but it’s best used on smaller spillages.

Our flour test followed a similar pattern, although more flour was drawn into the collection bin before the vacuum clogged up. Again, this wouldn’t be my vacuum of choice for such a dramatic spill but it performed better here than with Cheerios.

The best results were to be found with pet hair. Here, the vacuum happily collected all of the loose dog hair we dropped on the floor, even using the basic upholstery tool on carpet. I suspect it would find ingrained pet hair a tougher challenge, though, without a motorised attachment.

In our tests, the battery on the WandVac 2.0 lasted 14mins 9secs in its basic suction mode and 9mins 2secs with the more powerful Boost mode enabled. That should be plenty for the kind of quick clean-up jobs the device is intended to tackle and is competitive with other handheld vacuum cleaners.

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Shark WandVac 2.0 review: Should I buy it?

The Shark WandVac 2.0 is a great fit for anyone looking for a truly handheld vacuum cleaner. It’s powerful enough to suck up all manner of dust and debris, and its handy charging stand means it’s always at the ready, with attachments close to hand.

My only complaint is the small size of the collection bin, which restricts it to dusting and cleaning small spillages, as it lacks the capacity for larger messes. For those you’ll be reaching for a larger cordless stick instead.

If you’d rather your handheld was capable of cleaning up more mess in one sitting, then the Gtech Multi Mk2 K9 remains our go-to handheld. This has a larger 400ml capacity and comes with a powered upholstery tool with a rotating brush bar, which is useful for pet beds and the like. Do bear in mind, however, that it’s more than double the weight and much bulkier than the Shark.