About this deal
For the last nine years of my tenure there, I was Popular Photography’s tech editor and then senior tech editor, responsible for maintaining and refining the lab testing for cameras and lenses. The only downside to its small size is the small dust bin, which may have to be emptied more than once if you have a sizable spill.
Don’t get too excited if you want to use that feature while submerged—Wi-Fi doesn’t travel well through water. I was glad to see that the dishwasher was able to clean the center of the plate because I had assumed it wouldn’t be able to reach. CR’s take: Not all handheld vacuums can tackle pet hair with aplomb, but the Shark Ion aces that task.
Tough cameras don’t capture images that look as nice as what you get from a mirrorless camera—or even your smartphone—but if you need a camera that can deal with rough treatment, they’re the best you can get. Despite that, I found that the first test went surprisingly well, and the plate was thoroughly cleaned in 10 seconds. It comes with a number of attachments that make it more versatile than many handhelds, including an extension wand, a floor nozzle, a crevice tool, and a flexible extension hose. Whether you're dealing with dinner plates, soup bowls, or coffee mugs, this device has got you covered.
You can operate the camera remotely or send images to your smartphone through the OM Image Share app ( Android, iOS). The engineering is interesting, with lots of small parts that indicates a lot of thought was put into making the gadget actually work. And its 4x zoom covers a full-frame-equivalent focal-length range of 25–100mm, which is enough to handle the majority of common shooting situations.
Once again, my expectations were exceeded, as the bowl was cleaned pretty handily after only one cycle. It also comes with a rubber pet-hair attachment that helps remove more hair because it doesn’t stick to the rubber and goes directly into the suction tube.