Bissell PowerClean FurGuard 4039 vs Shark PowerDetect Cordless IP1251

Both of these are pet-focused cordless vacuums, but they sit at different feature tiers. The Shark PowerDetect IP1251 is the more capable machine on paper, with a 380 W motor, a 70-minute runtime, and automatic floor and dirt sensing. The Bissell PowerClean FurGuard 4039 answers with a lighter 7.3 lb body, a self-standing design, and a deliberately stripped-down approach. The deciding question is whether smart detection and longer runtime earn their keep in your home, or whether you just want something light that grabs pet hair and parks itself in the corner. Most of the spec table tilts toward the Shark, but the gaps are not all created equal, and a couple of them favor the Bissell in ways you actually feel.

Where the FurGuard earns its place is weight and simplicity. At 7.3 lbs it sits nearly a pound under the Shark’s 8.11, and that gap shows up fast when you lift it onto stairs or carry it between rooms. It also stands on its own. A quick pause to answer the door doesn’t mean propping it against a wall or laying it flat on the floor, and that small convenience adds up over a full clean. The self-cleaning FurGuard brushroll cuts through long hair instead of letting it wrap the bar, which matters in any home with a shedding dog or long-haired cat. Its sealed HEPA allergen system traps fine dust on the way out rather than puffing it back into the room. No sensors. No modes to learn. You pull the trigger and it cleans, and for a lot of people that is exactly the appeal.

The Shark counters with raw capability across nearly every spec that matters. Its 380 W motor outmuscles the Bissell’s 280 W, and the 70-minute eco runtime beats the FurGuard’s 50, which is the difference between finishing a big home on one charge and stopping to recharge. PowerDetect is the real headliner. The vacuum reads the floor type and adjusts brushroll speed, ramps suction along edges and corners, and pushes harder the moment it senses hidden dirt. The DuoClean Detect dual brushroll digs into carpet pile and polishes hard floors in the same pass, which is why pet owners with mixed flooring tend to land here. A 0.66 L dustbin holds noticeably more than the Bissell’s 0.4 L too, meaning fewer trips to the trash during a deep clean. The extra 100 W of motor power also holds suction higher as the bin fills, where lighter machines tend to fade. None of this needs a single button press from you once you start.

Picture a Saturday clean in a 1,500 sq ft home with two cats and a mix of rugs and tile. With the Shark, you start in eco, let PowerDetect bump the power on the rugs and ease it back on tile, and run most of the floor before the battery fades. You empty the bin once and you’re done. With the FurGuard, you’re reaching for turbo on the heavier messes, and that drops you to roughly 13 minutes of full power, so you ration the battery and empty the smaller 0.4 L bin sooner. Neither machine makes you cut hair off the brushroll by hand, which is the headache both are built to solve. The practical difference is mental load. The Shark lets you stop thinking about settings; the Bissell asks you to manage them, but rewards you with less to carry.

Get the Shark PowerDetect IP1251 if you have a multi-room home, mixed flooring, or you simply want the vacuum to handle power adjustments for you. The 70-minute runtime and automatic detection are the features you’ll notice every week, and the larger bin and stronger motor back them up. The Bissell PowerClean FurGuard 4039 is the better buy for smaller spaces and anyone who prizes a light, self-standing body over extra modes. Pick it if you do short, frequent pet-hair cleanups and would rather own one less thing to fuss with. Both share removable lithium-ion batteries and neither includes an auto-empty dock, so whichever you choose, emptying the bin stays a manual job. For most pet households the Shark is the safer all-rounder. The Bissell wins the narrower case where light weight and a no-menu design matter more than peak performance.