Powerful & Tiny & Shark Cordless Vacuum Cleaner WV200UK & WV251UK Review

The Shark WV200UK and WV251UK are perfect if you want something that is lightweight, gentle on the wrists, and made for cleaning up smaller messes.

It’s not just a cordless handheld vacuum cleaner in the traditional sense; it has so much more to offer as well as a whole new level of power and suction.

Of course, it is still a handheld and so won’t have the battery life to clean your entire home – or the bin capacity.

If you want something that can do the whole house, there are loads of other fantastic Shark vacuum reviews for you to check out.

There are also handhelds out there with a lower price tag, but they don’t necessarily do the job to the same level as these Sharks.

There is actually only one difference between the two models; the Shark WV251UK has a twin battery, which means a longer run time(handy if giving the car a deep clean). Where the Shark WV200UK runs for an impressive 9 minutes, the WV251UK goes for 18 thanks to the additional battery.

Other than that, all of the features remain the same, and you can read more about them in the next section. While we may refer to the Shark WV200UK more frequently, the relevance to both vacuums does not change. 

One of the first things I noticed about this vacuum cleaner is how portable the entire design is. The vacuum cleaner itself is slim and incredibly modern, and the charging station it comes with is also very discreet.

The way it works, with a cylindrical docking station, makes it perfect for use on a ‘grab and go’ basis; allowing cleaning to be done quickly and efficiently.

The other thing I really liked about the charging station is that it doesn’t just hold the vacuum cleaner, it also keeps all of the accessories together in a neat and compact line at the back.

The vacuum cleaner also has a wand-like design, which makes placing it in the charging area a lot smoother. The cable for the dock is also 1.2m, giving adequate length for placement just about anywhere in the home.

The machine is very balanced though, as the battery is positioned near the handle, and this makes it very comfortable to use (something I look at further a little later). This balance is achieved equally in both the single battery and twin battery models. 

It comes in at 80db, which is compliant with EU regulations, but there is something about this handheld model that I noticed; it feels a lot louder than a full-size vacuum.

Most standard vacuum cleaners are also 80db in terms of sound, but they have muffling and a bigger build to make it seem quieter.

This baby Shark has none of that because of its small and cordless handheld vacuum cleanerdesign. So, it feels a lot louder than 80db, but the run time means that you won’t have to endure it for too long.  

The Shark WV200UK and WV251 don’t take too long to charge, and 2.5 hours is a lot less than most standard cordless handheld vacuum cleaner.

If you are using the single battery version, you can expect around 9 minutes run time, which is actually more than enough for the tasks it needs to perform. For the twin battery version, you get closer to 18 minutes of life. 

The power light will slowly fade in and out in blue while it is charging, letting you know that the battery is connected, and when it has finished, it will become a solid blue.

While you vacuum, the solid blue will remain until it starts running out of charge; which is when it starts flashing. This indicator is a small feature, but also a very useful one that I appreciated when absent-mindedly vacuuming. 

It’s such a light vacuum cleaner, which I love, and it only weighs in at 1.3kg. You barely feel it while cleaning, and if you want to reach up to the ceiling to get rid of cobwebs and dust, you won’t feel the strain on your wrists at all.

This is part of what makes it so ideal for those who have suffered wrist injuries in the past, or have arthritis. The overall handling is very smooth, with easy controls and a surprising amount of flexibility in terms of movement. 

It is very simple to remove from the vacuum, and the accompanying wire mesh also helps prevent dust from being pushed back into the air. As with any vacuum, you should aim to wash the filter every month or so to prevent loss of suction. 

It might surprise you to discover that the Shark WV200UK and WV251 actually has very powerful suction.

On hard floors, it did very well indeed. It was able to pick up chunky and fine debris alike, and even reached right into the grooves of my tiled kitchen floor.

It did need a few passes, but I put this down to the fact that it is a handheld model and so doesn’t have the same width as a regular handheld.

Carpets were, again, very good. It performed well picking up fine debris and some of the chunkier stuff, but it did take more effort to get it all up.

It also takes a little longer, so you will need to keep this in mind when spot cleaning carpets and tidying up little messes. It was also very good on the stairs, but also took a bit more time to do.

However, alongside the accessories that these models come with, you can really get into those tight and difficult corners. It certainly helped me to reach the embedded pet hair that gets stuck in the nooks and crannies on my staircase. 

It also excelled at getting crumbs and fibres of of sofas, dining chairs and other similar areas, but whats its really good at is dealing with Pet hair....

This lifts the pet hair from beds, furniture, and the carpet effortlessly, although you will need to clean the head of stuck pet hair frequently. On hard floors, it collects those stray hairs and balls of fluff effortlessly and does a flawless job.

It is still excellent on carpets, but will need more teasing and agitation to ease the hairs out. It will also take a few passes to get the job done, and the same goes for upholstery. However, the results are still excellent despite the extra time and effort needed. 

If you are looking to regularly clean you car and you have a heavy shedding pooch, I would probably look towards other models that can cope with this kind of job.

The Shark WV200UK and WV521UK come with a multi-surface pet tool. Its appearance is a lot like an upholstery tool, and it does work quite well on car interiors and furniture.

Of course, we have gone into more detail about how it works and its effectiveness in the above section. There is also a combination tool which contains both a crevice tool and a dusting brush for more detailed cleaning. 

The crevice tool helps you to reach high corners and tricky location with ease so that your home gets perfectly clean.

The dusting brush is perfect for delicate surfaces, as well as banisters and tables. While the dusting brush does flip back while not in use, it is quite small and only has bristles on three sides. 

Here are some other, similar, models of vacuum cleaner for you to consider, just in case you want to look at other options before you commit to a Shark WV200UK or WV251UK.