Shark brings us new anti-hair wrap and flexology tech

Speaking to Jamie Croggon, Director of Advanced Development at Shark Ninja who joined back in 2016, I learnt that when designing a cordless vacuum, you have to weigh up the power your giving to the nozzle from the motor, compared to a hard floor vacuum motor.

Shark is one of the biggest names in the industry, not just in the UK but in the world, and Croggon explained that in the last 18 months Shark as a brand has really excelled and now are the leading company for corded, and Croggon believes, like myself it will soon be the same for cordless.

There are three things that were focused on when designing not only this Shark range, but all the Shark vacuums Croggon explained: “Cleaning the whole home, cleaning it well, and having enough battery power to last.”

There is fine balance between suction power and battery life, and sometimes this is the hardest element to get right in a high-end product.

He told to me: “One of the secrets that gives the Shark vacuums so much power is the brushless DC motors which results in a high power to weight ratio, as they are so strong and also compact and lightweight.”

Pick up performance is essential and was a big focus on this Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with Flexology series, as it reduces the power to the head. However, Croggon explained there is the boost feature to help here: “The boost feature we have added in to make sure users have the best cleaning experience at all times.”

You need to think ‘how long does it take to clean my house?’ but that question is different for everyone, so Shark needed to make sure they had it all covered.

We have finally entered an era where battery powered products are now viable and can actually be sold knowing they will last and provide a long enough machine life for products to be used for a reasonable time, i.e. to vacuum the whole house without running out half way round your lounge. But not only that Shark have been able to develop devices that include the latest technology, that a few years ago we would have only dreamt about.

The new Shark Anti Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with Flexology series is the latest example of this, with some of the devices including two battery packs so you can vacuum for even longer without charging. Croggon added: “The American’s haven’t latched on to batteries as much as we have in the UK, we have a different relationship with power, and this sort of battery technology is great to see.”

The anti-hair wrap feature sounds like it maybe a complex and intricate part of the vacuum, however the technology used seems to be so simple, yet ever so effective.

Croggon explained: “With the new Shark Anti-Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner with Flexology series there is not only one motor in the vacuum but also one motor in the nozzle in the bottom part of the device, which means even more power and suction. The anti-hair wrap function is essentially a rubber strip in the bottom part. With the research that we did on robots we came to realise that the rubber flaps stop the hair getting stuck, rather than using bristles that don’t at all. The flaps can’t pick up the hair for it to get stuck like the bristles do.

“It really is so simple but so clever. Sometimes you don’t have to push technology, it’s not always about go after the most advanced technology, and here at Shark we just want to use the technology that works and provides the quality.”

The rubber strip that creates the anti-hair wrap technology is on one side made out of silicon and the other side is made from a composite material that Shark made and developed as a hard wearing fibre.

The Duo clean technology which is found in the second roller created a seal at the front of the vacuum, where other vacuums traditionally have a hard plastic bar which essentially just pushes some bits around. Croggon added: “At Shark with the new series we have this roller that picks up everything of every size and gets to corners as well as the rubber seal moves.”

Shark also prides itself on its monitoring technology. Croggon explained further: “We are constantly monitoring the power that’s going into the nozzle and if something gets stuck the machine stops. The vacuum will change the power being used over time, to adapt to your cleaning and battery power.”

Finally, a small but just as important and useful feature on the new Shark Anti-Hair Wrap Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner is the LEDs on the front of the machine to show you the dirt you don’t always necessarily see. Croggon added: “We did try and think of everything that will make the experience the best it can be for users, that is why we are the leading company.”