Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Shark IZ163H Rocket Pro good for pet hair in small apartments?

Yes, it picks up pet hair like a dream, and the self-cleaning brushroll prevents hair from wrapping around the roller, which is ideal for multi-pet homes in spaces under 1,200 square feet.

How heavy is the Shark IZ163H vacuum and is it cordless?

It is cordless and weighs under 8 pounds, making it easy to carry up stairs and maneuver around furniture in small spaces.

Does the Shark IZ163H have a self-cleaning brushroll?

Yes, it has a self-cleaning brushroll that prevents hair from tangling around the roller, so you don’t need to cut hair off with scissors.

How long does the Shark IZ163H battery last for larger homes?

The article warns that for homes over 1,500 square feet or with thick wall-to-wall carpet, the battery life might leave you frustrated.

Can the Shark IZ163H be used as a hand vacuum?

Yes, it converts instantly from a stick vac to a hand vac for cleaning couches, car interiors, or corners where cat hair hides.

Look, I’ve owned more vacuums than I care to count. When you’ve got two kids, a dog that sheds like a conspiracy theorist, and a cat that treats every surface like a fur depository, you become something of an expert. Add an 800-square-foot apartment to that equation, and you realize pretty quickly that size matters nearly as much as suction. After years of trial and error (and a few vacuums that now live in the back of a closet), here’s what actually works for multi-pet homes in small spaces.

The Vacuum That Finally Broke the Cycle

We’re talking about the Shark IZ163H Rocket Pro Cordless. Sparkles named it “The Furminator Jr.” because it’s smaller than our old upright but still eats hair like it’s going out of style. And yeah, after a year of daily use across pet fur, kid crumbs, and the occasional mystery spill, I can tell you exactly where it shines and where it stumbles.

Key Specs That Matter in a Small Space

  • Cordless, lightweight (under 8 pounds) — essential when you’re weaving around furniture and carrying it up stairs.
  • Self-cleaning brushroll — this is the feature that sold me. No more cutting tangled hair off the brush with scissors.
  • Multi-surface cleaning — transitions from hardwood to area rug without missing a beat.
  • Two-speed power settings — a gentle mode for hard floors and a max mode for carpet and pet zones.
  • Works as a stick vac and converts to a hand vac for couch crevices (where cat hair hides like a fugitive).
  • HEPA filtration — because tiny lungs matter, especially when you vacuum up dander.

Who This Vacuum Is For

If you live in an apartment, condo, or any home under 1,200 square feet and you share it with a dog, a cat, or (heaven help you) both, this is your machine. It’s also great if you’re tired of hauling a heavy upright around and you don’t want to deal with cords. But it’s not for everyone. If you have wall-to-wall thick carpet throughout the whole house, or if you have a home bigger than 1,500 square feet, the battery life might leave you frustrated.

What Works (and What Doesn’t)

Pros

  • It picks up pet hair like a dream. The self-cleaning brushroll? Actual witchcraft. After a week of the dog sleeping on the rug, I ran the Shark over it and the hair disappeared. No wrapping around the roller. No manual cleanup. Just hair dumped into the bin.
  • It’s quiet enough to use while the kids are napping. Not silent, but not the roar that used to wake my toddler. The difference is real.
  • It converts to a hand vac instantly. Pop the wand off and you’ve got a grab-and-go for the couch, the car, or that corner where cat hair balls accumulate. Sparkles uses it to suck up glitter after art projects — it handles small debris better than I expected.
  • Easy to empty. The dustbin pops out with one button. No touching the mess. There’s even a little slide to push the dirt out instead of dumping it by hand.
  • Maneuverability is top-notch. Swivels around table legs, under the sofa, around the coffee table. In a small space, you need a vacuum that doesn’t ask you to move furniture.

Cons

  • Battery life is just okay. On standard mode, I get about 30 minutes of actual cleaning. That’s enough for a small apartment if you’re efficient, but if you dawdle, you’ll run out. On max mode? Maybe 10 minutes. For a full deep clean, I have to charge in between rooms.
  • The dustbin is small. I empty it after every full-floor clean, sometimes twice if the pets are shedding heavily. In a tiny home, it’s not a dealbreaker, but borderline.
  • No self-standing mode. You have to lean it against something when you stop. I’ve gotten used to it, but it’s a minor annoyance when your hands are full of dog hair.
  • Doesn’t deep clean tough carpets. On the lower setting, it’s fine for maintenance cleaning. But if your apartment has Berber carpet and a dog that sheds goldendoodle fluff, you’ll need to use max mode, which chews up battery life quickly.

The Kid and Pet Test

Sparkles, who is seven, uses this vacuum voluntarily. That alone is a miracle. She calls it “the friendly vacuum” because it’s light enough for her to push around. The other day she vacuumed up the cat’s favorite toy mouse — the machine didn’t even flinch, and the toy survived. That’s real-world durability.

As for the pets: the dog used to run and hide whenever I pulled out the old upright. Now he barely looks up. The quiet operation and the lack of cord make this thing less scary, even when I’m vacuuming right next to their beds.

Verdict: Buy This If You’re Me

If you live in a small space with pets and you’re sick of wrestling with a full-size upright or picking hair off a brushroll by hand, the Shark IZ163H is the right call. It’s not perfect — the battery could be longer and the bin could be bigger — but for everyday pet hair management in an apartment, it’s the best I’ve used. I’d recommend it over a Dyson V8 for the self-cleaning brushroll alone. That feature saves me real time and frustration.

One more thing: don’t buy the most expensive version if you don’t need it. The IZ163H hits the sweet spot between price and performance. Skip the model with extra tools unless you actually use them. In a small home, less is more.

Sparkles says the Furminator Jr. gets four out of five sparkles because “it doesn’t make loud scary sounds and it can ‘vacuum the dinosaurs’ under the couch.” That’s a kid’s logic, but honestly? That’s exactly what I need.