We’re still waiting for a world where robots are able and willing to do all of our cleaning for us. However, until we get there, we’re still going to depend on vacuums we hold and steer. Yes, you can always buy a robotic vacuum or mop if you’re just done cleaning anything anywhere, but even the best robot won’t clean your stairs, your sofas, or your countertops. So what’s the best alternative?

From everything we’ve seen, it’s a lightweight vacuum by Shark or Dyson. If you want suction and power more than anything, you won’t find a better upright than the Shark APEX DuoClean AX951 and the Dyson Ball Animal 2 outside of heavy-duty commercial sites.  On the other hand, if you want a lightweight, portable handheld, the best on the market today is probably the Dyson V7 Car+Boat. And if you want something that combines the power of an upright with the portability of a handheld, you’ll want a stick vacuum–one that can transform from an upright into a handheld vacuum to maximize flexibility.

We’ve reviewed nearly every stick vacuum currently available in the United States and Canada, and the two best we’ve found remain the Dyson V8 Absolute and the Shark IONFlex 2x DuoClean IF251 followed by the V8 Animal and IONFlex DuoClean IF201. If you don’t mind trailing a power cord behind you or simply don’t want to worry about battery life ever, the top corded option is the Flex DuoClean HV391 while the Rocket HV302 is a good budget option. Today we’ll compare both to the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light Upright HV303 Vacuum to see if the differences in price are matched by differences in value. To summarize our thoughts, buy the HV391 for maximum cleaning power and a flexible extension hose to save your back and knees, and buy the HV303 if you’re young, flexible, and on a tighter budget. Our full review is below, and you can buy the HV303 here in the United States or buy the HV303 here in Canada.

How does the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light HV303 Upright rank compared to other Shark stick vacuums?

The Shark Rocket HV303 is one of several dozen corded and cordless Dyson-killers Shark has released to the market in recent years. There are far too many of them to keep track of, so to make ranking it easier, let’s take a quick look at Shark terminology.

Their “ION” vacuums are their cordless, Lithium-ion battery powered ultralights. Their “Flex” models may be corded or cordless but include a joint in their extension wands to let them bend (or flex) so you can clean beneath furniture without destroying your back and knees. Finally, their “DuoClean” models include dual brush roll heads, which, according to Shark, result in faster and more efficient cleaning than the separate head systems Dyson uses in vacuums like the V8 Absolute.

Now that you speak Shark, here are where their ultralights rank. Their top cordless models are the IONFlex 2x DuoClean IF251 and IONFlex DuoClean IF201 while their top cordless model is the Flex DuoClean HV391. The DuoClean HV382  and the Rocket HV322 are both corded but don’t flex. The ION Rocket IR101 is an entry level cordless option, and the Rocket HV302 and Rocket HV300 are entry level corded ultralights. The Rocket HV303 is another basic model with a slightly different set of accessories.

Pros, cons, and key features of the Shark Rocket HV303 Vacuum

The Shark Rocket HV303’s key features include an estimated 100 airwatts of maximum (our estimate is based on comparisons to Dyson V8 Absolute and V6 Absolute, which are rated at 115 and 100 airwatts respectively). Designed to clean bare floors and low-pile carpets and area rugs, the HV303 can be used as both an upright and a handheld vacuum by connecting or disconnecting the cleaning wand. It’s 46 inches tall, weighs 8 pounds, and has a cleaning path just under 10 inches wide. It has a 30 foot power cord, 37 feet of reach, and a .07 gallon dust cup. It ships with a wall mount and includes several accessories, including a dusting brush, crevice tool, and upholstery tool, an accessory bag, a car detail kit. a dust-away hard floor attachment, a washable microfiber pad, and an extendable under appliance wand. Inside the box, you’ll find the user manual, quick start guide, and Shark’s 5-year limited warranty.

What’s the difference between the Shark Rocket HV303, HV302, HV300, and the Flex HV391?

The Rocket HV303, HV302, and HV300 only differ by color, cord length and accessories. The 303, 302, and 300 are orange with 30 foot cords while the 300 is blue with a 27 foot cord.  The 302 and 300 both include a dusting brush, crevice tool, and upholstery tool, but the HV302 adds an accessory bag, a hard floor hero dust attachment tool, and a car detail kit.

The HV303 supplies the most, adding a washable microfiber pad and an extendable under appliance wand to the HV302’s already extensive accessory list. The additions are worth it; the under appliance wand is the same found on the HV391 and makes it significantly easier to clean beneath ovens, dishwashers, and fridges, although the HV391 still wins for sheer convenience thanks to the joint in the extension wand. The HV391 additionally has a stronger motor, a more efficient cleaning head due to the DuoClean brushroll system, and a larger dust cup.

How effective is the Shark Rocket HV303 when cleaning floors, furniture, and pet hair?

In conclusion, the Rocket HV303 is a far more capable offering than most entry-level ultralights on the market, and it offers more value than its HV302 and HV300 clones. It won’t clean with the power or functionality of its HV391 big sibling, but it’ll still do a more than acceptable job on bare floors and low-pile carpets and area rugs with the included cleaning heads. This means you’ll be able to deal with hardwood, engineered wood, vinyl, laminate, ceramic tiles, marble, bamboo, concrete, brick, and similar bare  surfaces while cleaning carpets like Saxonies, berbers,and  cut and loops. We’d mainly recommend upgrading to the Flex HV391 if you want a long-term model with more cleaning power and a design that preserves your knees and back, as you’re not going to be young enough to stoop with the non-flex models forever.

You can buy the Shark Flex HV391 here on Amazon. If you don’t need the flex and other upgraded features, you can save a lot of money by buying the Rocket HV303 here instead. If you want different accessories, the HV302 is a good alternative.

Canadians can buy the Shark Flex HV391 here on Amazon or save money by buying the simpler Rocket HV303 here instead, although the HV302 is also an option.

If you find our research on PMC helpful, you can follow our efforts to keep maniacally reviewing home cleaning tools by shopping through our links above. We promise to keep fighting the good fight against every horror children, animals, and grown, yet messy humans can inflict upon a clean home.