Shark Flex DuoClean Ultra-Light Upright Corded Vacuum, Review


A few months back, I introduced to you one of Shark’s brand new product lines – the IONFlex DuoClean.
This line is the first Shark vacuum that challenges what once was Dyson’s domain – cordless vacuums.
And it is a really good product with the DuoClean head and lithium ion battery that runs for almost an hour!
Now we’re taking a look at its corded brother the Flex DuoClean HV391.
This product is almost as the same as the cordless stick but it comes with a cord. You can say that this variant is a slightly better version than the HV382 DuoClean Rocket.
What separates this product from other stick vacuums would be the LED headlights and flexible wand that will allow you to clean under furniture without bending too much.
Great for people who have some back issues where bending can trigger back spasms.

Before I continue let’s look at the different features of the Shark Flex DuoClean HV391…

  • Has the same Multi-Flex technology found in the IONFlex that provides better reach under furniture and lessens storage footprint
  • Cleaning head has the DuoClean system that combines the soft roller bar and bristle brush for better cleaning performance on carpet and bare floor
  • These brush system works great at picking up dander and pet hair
  • Anti-Allergen seal prevents microscopic dirt (up to 99.9%) from coming back out
  • Interchangeable tools allow it floor to ceiling versatility
  • Anti-Glide technology allows smooth transition between bare floor and carpet
  • 5 year warranty from SharkClean
  • Comes with extra tools like the combination brush/crevice, under appliance wand and mini turbo brush

Pros

  • DuoClean head offers outstanding performance on various surfaces such as tile, hardwood, carpet, etc.
  • LED headlights help track dirt
  • Has HEPA filtration so folks with allergies can use this
  • Pet turbo brush is great at picking up pet hair on fabric upholstery or stairs
  • The under appliance wand will help clean really tight areas under furniture
  • Multi-Flex technology allows it to free stand and stored in tight spaces
  • Excellent warranty

Cons

  • It has a cord
  • Design is top heavy so cleaning areas like the ceiling can put a strain on the wrist
  • Small dust cup – you will not be able to clean large areas
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What to expect from the Shark Flex DuoClean HV391?

This stick vacuum will offer a lot of versatility thanks to the interchangeable tools. You can say that Shark got their inspiration from Dyson which is a good thing because their design works.
But they’ve have some features that are unique to their brand.

DuoClean Cleaning Head

Perhaps the biggest difference between the Dyson and Shark would be cleaning head design. In the case of Dyson, they use separate heads for bare floor and carpet.
Shark did not want to copy Dyson’s design but instead came up with its own. And they call this the DuoClean technology.
This feature was first found in the Rocket series then the LiftAway. And it’s a big reason why Shark has been catching up on Dyson when it comes to market share.
If you aren’t familiar with it, DuoClean combines a soft roller bar and a bristle brush. These two counter rotate and work together to literally pull dirt. That’s why this vacuum scores high points on cleaning performance in reviews.
It may not be the best deep cleaning machine out there but if you need something for maintenance clean ups this will be up to the task.
The soft roller bar works great on large and small particles of dirt. And with the larger opening on the cleaning head, it prevents dirt from snow plowing forward.

LED headlights

Shark is one of the few stick vacuums that comes with LED headlights. In my opinion this is a great feature to have especially if you’re tracking dust under furniture in low light.

MultiFlex Technology

Another unique feature found in Shark is the MultiFlex technology. What this feature does is two-fold.
First, in Flex mode, it will help the vacuum go under furniture without you having to kneel down or bending over.
Second, it allows the vacuum free-standing storage without a wall bracket. The middle part of the extension wand is flexible so vertical space is cut by half when folded.
So you can store this inside your walk-in closet under your clothes.

Active-Glide Technology

Transitioning from carpet to bare floor and vice versa is easier with the Active-Glide technology.
I’m guessing this is just Shark’s fancy term of auto height adjustment where the brush automatically adjusts itself depending on the surface you’re cleaning.

Anti-Allergen Complete Seal

Shark says that this vacuum will keep dust and allergens inside the bin down to 0.1 micron. So this means that it has two filters – one before the motor and another one after it.
Folks with allergies would be able to use it but since this is a bagless, there will still be exposure to dirt during the emptying process.

Tools

Aside from the main DuoClean head, the HV391 comes with other tools that allow this to clean above surface.
This includes:

Pet Multi-Tool

This is a mini turbo brush that comes with stiff bristles that’ll help remove pet hair and other debris off fabric upholster or carpet stairs. A must-have if you own pets.

MultiFlex Under Appliance Wand

If you have furniture at home with really short legs where a normal vacuum head won’t fit then this tool will be a huge plus.
The low profile design will allow this to fit under most furniture. And clean off any dust that accumulates under it.

Combination Brush/Crevice Tool

A versatile tool that will help you clean a myriad of stuff from vents, keyboards to cobwebs off not-so-high ceilings.

Cleaning performance

Bare floor cleaning

One of the biggest strengths of the DuoClean technology is its ability to literally pull dirt of any size on bare floor. And since this vacuum has a cord, there’s little more power.
But what makes this such a good cleaner on any bare floor surface would be the soft roller bar in front of the bristle brush.
This is what makes the Dyson V8 an absolute beast and the same can be said for the Shark Flex HV391.
You don’t have to worry about snowplowing because it pulls dirt off the floor.
As you saw in the video, it did not snowplow the large chunks of pet food. The soft roller head was able to pick it up easy. And the LED headlights are bright.
Got a big mess of cheerios or chips? No problem, just pull this out and it’ll clean it for you.

Carpet/Rug Cleaning

The beauty of the DuoClean head would be its versatility. Not only will it clean great on bare floor, it’ll also do well on carpet.
It was able to pick up debris of various sizes from rice, dust and large chunks of beans.

Upholstery

This vacuum also comes with a mini turbo brush that’ll allow you to clean stubborn dirt of fabric upholstery.
If you’re not familiar with the term “mini-turbo brush”, it’s basically a small tool with a beater bar.
What I like about this tool is the stiff brushes that dig in and agitate dirt. So you will not have any issues cleaning dander or pet hair off sofas or chairs.
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