Shark's robot vacuum checks most of the boxes you'd expect from a midrange machine. It provides reliable cleaning performance and an easy-to use mobile app. It also creates accurate home maps.
It also features Matrix Clean Navigation, a system which does two passes back and forth, before moving to the side for complete coverage. And its base is bagless, unlike many other robot vacuums.
1. Roborock S4
This is an excellent robot vacuum for bare flooring with a large dirt container that can take in debris. Its smart pathing works very well, and the app lets you to manage cleaning and docking. The app also provides an easy overview of your cleaning needs, which includes an image of where the S4 has been cleaned, the cleaning duration, and battery life.
The S4's maximum suction is 2,000Pa which is comparable to some full-sized vacuums. With 19CFM, the S4's side and combo brush is situated closer to the front than in other Roborock models, which could be an effort to reduce the possibility of clogging.
The S4's advanced mapping system can map a home up to four levels deep. It can also keep track of the areas it has already cleaned. This makes it simple to create a cleaning schedule, without having to manually move robots between rooms. You can also mark off zones that are not allowed to enter, which will stop the S4 from entering these areas during a cleaning cycle.
It was able to clean all levels of our home easily and was very efficient on flooring that was not clean. However, it was not successful in cleaning up dog hair which is a typical problem for many robotic vacuums. Only 8.5 percent of the hair was collected in the dustbin. The remainder was clumped up around the brushes and the suction inlet.
The S4 is lighter and smaller than other Shark vacuums. This improves its maneuverability. It can turn more quickly and avoid obstacles that slow down other robots, and its low-profile design makes it easier to squeeze under furniture. It has improved climbing capabilities to navigate flooring transitions and different flooring heights. It can reach the lowest point of the stairs and is a great choice for homes with multiple levels. The app lets you set a schedule and also has the ability to control your vacuum manually. It can also return to its charging base to recharge between cleaning cycles. It comes with an enormous battery of 5200 mAh, which can run for 150 minutes in the standard mode or 2691 square feet between charges.
2. Shark Easy Robot Self-Emptying
This Shark robot vacuum is a fantastic option for pet owners who need an easy-to-use, smart machine. Its self-emptying base that is bagless is a major benefit particularly when compared to other models that utilize disposable dirt bags for their bases. It is easy to remove the bin and then empty it into a trash can; this can get messy, but it also saves you money on bags to replace.
The bin is also quite large, which means that the EZ Robot can handle a huge amount of garbage. It also does well on floors that are unfinished. However, it struggles with dirt embedded in low-pile carpet. It's got good navigation capabilities and a tiny footprint.
The EZ Robot may not be as effective as the Roborock S4, but it is still a great option for those who are looking for a robot that will perform well and is priced reasonably. It's built well, comes with a wide range of features for automation, and boasts outstanding cleaning performance on carpets with high pile and bare floors. However its maintenance requirements are a challenge, and it has high recurring costs.
Another fantastic feature of the Shark robot is its capacity to recharge and automatically resume where it was when it returns to its docking station following the full cleaning. This is an extremely useful feature particularly if you own a large house.
The IQ XL is also equipped with a variety of useful features, like the ability to remotely schedule whole-home cleaning and review reports through the SharkClean app. You can also control the device using voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to initiate and stop cleaning sessions. Its row-by-row cleaning mode is a big plus, too - it will clean your entire home in neat rows rather than the back-and-forth snake design of many other robots.
The IQ XL's biggest drawback is its inability to get over obstacles like power cords, which it could consider solid barriers and not climb over. It's also not as fast or effective at navigating rooms that are stuffed with pet hair, which can make its brushes tangled and slow it down.
3. Shark AI Robot
This is a solid robotic vacuum from Shark, offering a good combination of features. It has a base that can hold up to 30 days' worth of debris, and it also combines the cleaning power of a robot vacuum cleaner and a mop. It also offers a precise grid-based cleaning mode and advanced home integration that supports Alexa and Google Assistant. You can program it to clean, activate it at any time or set virtual boundaries to block the robot from entering rooms that contain rug or other items that are fragile.
The Shark AI Robot does a good job cleaning bare floors. It picks up debris easily, such as rice. It has a difficult time removing large, bulky particles from carpets with low pile and isn't able to maneuver around large furniture. It comes with a do not disturb mode so you can use it at home without it interrupting your routine.
Another benefit is that it uses LiDAR technology to map out your home, allowing it to detect and navigate obstacles more precisely than those that rely on gyroscopes and infrared sensors. This lets it avoid hitting delicate objects, and optimize dirt collection on various surfaces. The LiDAR system is also faster than gyroscopes which could cause robots to slow down or lose control when they encounter uneven surfaces.Other features include remote control, automatic mopping and multiple vacuum modes. It can even charge and recharge while it's working. The biggest flaw is that it only maps only one floor. If you have two floors it's going to need to be manually transported to those areas and then programmed to repeat.
It can also be a bit loud especially when in mopping mode. It also has a number of parts that have to be replaced or cleaned regularly which increases the cost of maintenance. The self-empty feature is a basic function that assists in reducing the cost of these items. It is also compatible with a bagless filter that further lowers the cost annually.
4. Shark ION Robot RV700 Series
The Shark ION Robot RV700 Series is a complete package that you would expect from a mid-range robotic vacuum. It offers dependable cleaning performance, a great mobile application that creates precise maps of your home, as well as a outstanding cleaning performance. It also has a bagless base which eliminates the need for annual replacement dust bags. In our test of cleaning it was able to remove 97.8% debris from low-pile and hardwood floors, but it wasn't quite as effective with high-pile. Its maneuverability is strong and it can move around furniture, climb on high-pile carpeting and go over objects like rug tassels and electrical cords without getting stuck.
Its helix-pattern high-tensile bristles are durable enough to manage and untangle long hair, string and other fibers The brushroll also has an adjustable edge that can be used when it encounters obstacles. Its thin design lets it slide under furniture, and proximity sensors assess and adjust to the surrounding obstacles. The app lets you schedule cleaning times or trigger the machine using the press of a button. Its sound levels are average, but it can be quieted down by using a do not disturb mode or a custom scheduling.
The RV700 is a little more manual than the Roborock S4 or iRobot Roomba J7+. This is to be expected from an item that doesn't self-empty. But, it is more durable and is easier to maintain, is faster in charging and gets rid of more debris on both bare floors and carpets with high pile. Its navigation system is able to create virtual boundaries, identify and avoid obstacles and can also create virtual boundaries. This makes it the ideal choice for robotic cleaners you can "set and forget".
The RV700 Series doesn't have a cliff sensor that prevents it from falling down stairs, which may be a problem for those living in homes that are taller. It's not able of mopping and vacuuming simultaneously and you'll need to switch between modes within the app. However the RV700 Series is a less expensive alternative to the more advanced Roborock and iRobot models that offer self-emptying capabilities and cliff detection. Its biggest selling point is that it can be emptied and recharged while docked in its base, which makes it an ideal option for those who don't want the burden of emptying the dustbin after each use.
