diff --git a/src/element.js b/src/element.js
index 9ba04c3..cabaf10 100644
--- a/src/element.js
+++ b/src/element.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { isValidElement, cloneElement } from 'react';
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
 import ReactTestUtils from'react-addons-test-utils';
+import warning from 'warning';
 import createQueryCollection from './QueryCollection';
 import iQuery from './instance'
 import * as utils from './utils';
@@ -84,6 +85,11 @@ Object.assign(eQuery.fn, {
 
     if (!this.renderer)
       this.renderer = ReactTestUtils.createRenderer()
+    else {
+      warning(renderWarned,
+        'Calling `shallowRender` to update a collection is deprecated, use `update()` instead')
+      renderWarned = true;
+    }
 
     this.renderer.render(element);
 
@@ -107,12 +113,25 @@ Object.assign(eQuery.fn, {
       .filter(selector)
   },
 
-  text(){
+  text() {
     let isText = el => typeof el === 'string';
 
     return this.get().reduce((str, element)=> {
       return str + utils.traverse(element, isText).join('')
     }, '')
+  },
+
+  prop(key) {
+    return key ? this[0].props[key] : this[0].props;
+  },
+
+  state(key) {
+    assertRoot(this, 'Only "root" rendered elements can have state')
+
+    let state = this._instance().state;
+
+    return key && state ? state[key] : state
+  },
   }
 
 })
diff --git a/src/instance.js b/src/instance.js
index e835749..4f2d652 100644
--- a/src/instance.js
+++ b/src/instance.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
+import ReactUpdateQueue from 'react/lib/ReactUpdateQueue';
 import ReactInstanceMap from 'react/lib/ReactInstanceMap';
 import ReactTestUtils from'react-addons-test-utils';
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ Object.assign($.fn, {
     return $(this._subjects().reduce(cb, initial), this)
   },
 
-  unmount(){
+  unmount() {
     let inBody = this._mountPoint.parentNode
       , nextContext = this.context._currentElement;
 
@@ -58,10 +59,38 @@ Object.assign($.fn, {
     return eQuery(nextContext)
   },
 
-  dom(){
+  dom() {
     return unwrap(this._map($.dom))
   },
 
+  element() {
+    return eQuery(this._subjects().map(
+      inst => React.cloneElement(inst._currentElement)))
+  },
+
+  prop(key, value, cb) {
+    if (typeof key === 'string') {
+      if (arguments.length === 1)
+        return this._privateInstances[0].props[key];
+      else
+        key = { [key]: value }
+    }
+
+    this._subjects(inst => {
+      ReactUpdateQueue.enqueueSetPropsInternal(inst, props)
+      if (cb)
+        ReactUpdateQueue.enqueueCallbackInternal(inst, cb)
+    })
+  },
+
+  state(key) {
+    return this._privateInstances[0].state[key];
+  },
+
+  context(key) {
+    return this._privateInstances[0].context[key];
+  },
+
   text(){
     let isText = el => typeof el === 'string';
 
@@ -78,7 +107,7 @@ Object.assign($.fn, {
       .filter(selector)
   },
 
-  trigger(event, data){
+  trigger(event, data) {
     data = data || {}
 
     if (event.substr(0, 2) === 'on' )
diff --git a/test/shallow.js b/test/shallow.js
index c5fc707..42c5472 100644
--- a/test/shallow.js
+++ b/test/shallow.js
@@ -85,6 +85,22 @@ describe('Shallow rendering', ()=> {
     instance.children().length.should.equal(3)
   })
 
+  it('should get props', ()=>{
+    let counter = $(<Counter/>)
+
+    counter.shallowRender().prop('className').should.equal(0)
+  })
+
+  it('should get state', ()=>{
+    let counter = $(<Counter/>)
+
+    counter.shallowRender().state().should.eql({
+      count: 0
+    });
+
+    counter.shallowRender().state('count').should.equal(0)
+  })
+
   it('should maintain state between renders', ()=>{
     let counter = $(<Counter/>)
 
@@ -93,6 +109,44 @@ describe('Shallow rendering', ()=> {
     counter.shallowRender().context.props.className.should.equal(1)
   })
 
+  it('should update', ()=>{
+    let counter = $(<Counter/>).shallowRender()
+
+    counter.prop('className').should.equal(0)
+    counterRef.increment()
+    counter.update()
+    counter.prop('className').should.equal(1)
+  })
+
+  it('should throw when updating none root elements', ()=> {
+    let counter = $(<List/>).shallowRender()
+
+    ;(() => counter.find('ul').update())
+      .should.throw('You can only preform this action on a "root" element.')
+  })
+
+  it('should update root collections', ()=> {
+    let count = 0;
+    let Component = React.createClass({
+      componentDidUpdate(){
+        count++
+      },
+      render() {
+        return (
+          <div>
+            <span onClick={() => this.setState({ called: true })} />
+          </div>
+        )
+      }
+    })
+
+    let root = $(<Component />).shallowRender();
+
+    root.find('span').trigger('click')
+    count.should.equal(1)
+    root.state().should.eql({ called: true })
+  })
+
   describe('querying', ()=> {
     let FancyList = props => <ul className='fancy-list'>{props.children}</ul>
     let List = ()=> (