The Dyson V16 Piston Animal and the Shark PowerDetect both earned a perfect score in Vacuum Wars’ carpet deep-clean test, but the Shark costs $322 less, at $477.79 against $799.99 on Amazon on Oct 17, 2026. Vacuum Wars, a YouTube testing channel that buys vacuums with its own money, found the V16 delivered more usable suction at the head and nearly twice the runtime on max.
Shark’s Clean & Empty version also took the No. 1 spot in Vacuum Wars’ best cordless vacuum for pet hair ranking. Here’s how the two flagships compare, round by round.
Dyson V16 vs Shark PowerDetect: Specs Side by Side
Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
| Spec | Dyson V16 Piston Animal | Shark PowerDetect (IP1255) | Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty (IP3251) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Amazon, Oct 17, 2026) | $799.99 | $477.79 | $549.00 |
| Listed runtime (low) | Up to 70 min | 70 min | 70 min |
| Max runtime (Vacuum Wars) | 24 min with a cleaner head | 13 min with floor head | Same vacuum as IP1255 |
| Listed weight | 7.5 lb | 8 lb | 18.5 lb with dock |
| Listed bin | 0.3 gal | 0.74 qt | 0.74 qt, plus bagless auto-empty dock |
| Floor head | All Floor Cones head with green laser; soft roller included | DuoClean Detect head | DuoClean Detect head |
| Filtration | Fully sealed HEPA (Vacuum Wars) | Complete seal, HEPA filter | Complete seal, including the dock |
Round 1: Carpet and Hard-Floor Cleaning
Both scored 100% in Vacuum Wars’ carpet deep-clean test, which embeds sand in medium-pile carpet and weighs the bin before and after. The cordless average is 93% (Vacuum Wars, “Dyson V16 Piston Submarine Review — Our New Pick for Best Cordless Vacuum!”). Vacuum Wars called the PowerDetect “a near perfect vacuum” for debris pickup, especially on hard floors, where its DuoClean head dusts fine debris and still takes extra-large pieces (Vacuum Wars, “Shark Cordless Powerdetect Clean and Empty Vacuum Review”).
Edge: tie.
Round 2: Suction
The PowerDetect posted the highest sealed suction Vacuum Wars has measured from a Shark cordless, but its unsealed suction at the floor head was a bit below average. The V16 “clearly outperformed Shark’s flagship cordless” in usable suction and airflow at the head, even with slightly lower sealed suction than some older Dysons.
Edge: Dyson.
Round 3: Battery and Runtime
Both list up to 70 minutes on low. On max, Vacuum Wars measured 24 minutes for the V16 with a cleaner head and 13 minutes for the PowerDetect, and estimated 30 to 40 minutes for the Shark in auto mode. Just A Dad Approved, a vacuum reviewer, said the V16 cleaned his entire 2,000-plus sq ft home on one battery (Just A Dad Approved, “Dyson V16 Piston Animal: Buy or Skip?!”). The V16 also shows remaining runtime on a digital screen, while the Shark uses a basic LED display.
Edge: Dyson.
Round 4: Pet Hair
Shark’s floor head uses combs to remove hair as you vacuum, and it scored perfectly on hair tangles in Vacuum Wars’ tests. In the pet-hair ranking, the Clean & Empty had the highest suction on the list, perfect hair-tangle, carpet and filtration scores, and was the only top-five pick with an auto-empty dock (Vacuum Wars, “We Tested 100+ Cordless Vacuums—These 5 Are Best for Pet Hair (2026)”). The V16’s new cone head scored slightly below average on Vacuum Wars’ 14-inch hair-tangle test.
Edge: Shark.
Round 5: Bin, Dock and Features
Shark’s IP3251 dock empties the bin into a bagless base that Shark says holds 45 days of debris, and you can switch auto-empty off. Its sensors adjust suction for floor type, dirt, edges and stroke direction, and the MultiFLEX wand bends to reach under furniture. The V16 has no dock but adds a lever that compacts debris deeper into the bin, plus a particle count on its screen.
Edge: Shark for hands-off emptying; Dyson for the display.
Round 6: Weight and Noise
Listed weights are 7.5 lb for the V16 and 8 lb for the IP1255. The French Glow, a home-gear YouTuber, said the Shark’s weight sits toward the bottom, so you may prefer to lift it by the middle (The French Glow, “Shark PowerDetect Cordless vs Dyson V15 – Features, Performance, and Review”). Vacuum Wars found the V16 “noticeably quieter” than earlier Dysons, and the Shark’s max-power noise a little above average.
Edge: Dyson.
Verdict: Which Should You Buy?
- Dyson V16 Piston Animal: for big homes that need maximum runtime, strong usable suction and a detailed screen.
- Shark PowerDetect IP1255: Vacuum Wars called it “a lot of value” at almost half the cost of a premium Dyson.
- Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251: for pet homes that want auto-emptying, for $71.21 more than the IP1255.
Video: Vacuum Wars, “Dyson V16 Piston Submarine Review — Our New Pick for Best Cordless Vacuum!”. Embedded with credit; the findings are the creator’s own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Dyson V16 better than the Shark PowerDetect?
On usable suction, runtime and noise, Vacuum Wars favored the V16. On carpet deep cleaning, they tied.
Which is better for pet hair?
Vacuum Wars ranked the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty No. 1 for pet hair.
How long does each battery last on max?
Vacuum Wars measured 24 minutes for the V16 and 13 minutes for the Shark.
Which is lighter?
Dyson lists the V16 at 7.5 lb; Shark lists the IP1255 at 8 lb.
Sources
- Vacuum Wars, “Dyson V16 Piston Submarine Review — Our New Pick for Best Cordless Vacuum!”
- Vacuum Wars, “Shark Cordless Powerdetect Clean and Empty Vacuum Review”
- Vacuum Wars, “We Tested 100+ Cordless Vacuums—These 5 Are Best for Pet Hair (2026)”
- Just A Dad Approved, “Dyson V16 Piston Animal: Buy or Skip?!”
- The French Glow, “Shark PowerDetect Cordless vs Dyson V15 – Features, Performance, and Review”
- Amazon listings for each linked model, from Amazon at time of writing
Related: Dyson V16 Piston Animal Review | Shark PowerDetect Cordless Review | Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair | Best Cordless Stick Vacuum Under $300
Notes and disclosure
Note: Prices come from Amazon listings at time of writing. Runtime, weight, bin capacity and filtration are the manufacturers’ listed figures unless a reviewer is credited. Listed runtimes are on the lowest power setting. Test results come from the YouTube creators credited above, not hands-on claims from me.