SharkNinja’s New $499 Vacuum Flexes Under Furniture and Can Auto-Empty

SharkNinja unveiled a new vacuum on Tuesday that has the ability to flex underneath furniture, along with an auto-empty dock. The $499 Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty System is lightweight and can store dust and debris for up to 45 days before you have to empty it.

The stick vacuum’s flexible headline feature, which SharkNinja refers to as MultiFlex Technology, appears in photos like a bendable straw to clean in tight spaces. The vacuum can also adjust its suction based on the surface it’s on, including boosting power when carpet and dirt are detected. Its intelligence system can also detect edges and use higher suction along walls and corners.

The inclusion of this vacuum’s auto-emptying dock could make it a particularly good value: CNET Home editor and vacuum expert Ajay Kumar told me that self-emptying stations are a big quality-of-life feature for cordless vacuums, allowing for quick cleanup while the vacuum charges. 

While Kumar said that we will need to test this vacuum, Shark’s $500 Stratos vacuum was one of the top cordless vacuums he’s seen recently, even though it doesn’t self-empty. The addition of that feature for the same price makes it a promising upgrade for those looking to replace their vacuum.