Shark’s robo-vac ticks most of the features you’d expect from a midrange machine. It has reliable cleaning performance as well as a mobile app that is easy to use and produces precise home maps.
It also features Matrix Clean Navigation, a system that does two passes back and forth, before moving to the side for complete coverage. Its base is bagless unlike many other robot vacuums.
1. Roborock S4
This is an excellent robot vacuum for bare floors that can take up debris and has a large dirt compartment. The app lets you control cleaning and docking. Its intelligent pathing is extremely efficient. The app also provides a convenient cleaning overview including a map of where the S4 has cleaned, cleaning time and battery life.
The S4’s maximum suction is 2,000Pa, which is similar to larger vacuums. The S4’s side brush and combo brush are closer to the front of the machine than other Roborock models. This could be to prevent the possibility of clogging.
The S4’s advanced mapping system can map a home up to four levels deep. It will also keep track of areas it has already vacuumed. This makes it easy to create a cleaning schedule without the need to manually move robots from room to room. You can even mark off zones that are not allowed to enter, which will stop the S4 from entering these areas during a cleaning session.
It was able of cleaning the entire floor of our home easily and was very effective on floors that were not paved. However, it struggled with cleaning up hair from dogs which is a common problem for many robotic vacuums. Only 8.5 percent of the hair was collected in the dustbin. The rest was clumped together around the brushes and suction intake.
The S4 is smaller and lighter than other Shark vacuums. This makes it easier to maneuver. It is able to make more precise turns and avoid obstacles that bog down other robots. Its low-profile design makes it easy to get under furniture. It also has improved climbability to navigate flooring transitions and different levels of flooring. It can even reach the lowest point of the stairs and is a great choice for homes with multiple levels. The app allows you to set a timer, and also includes a manual vacuum control. It can also return to its charging base to charge between cleaning cycles. It is equipped with a 5200 mAh battery, which is expected to last for 150 minutes or 2691 square feet of space between charges in standard mode.
2. Shark EZ Robot Self-Emptying
This Shark robot vacuum is a great choice for pet owners who need an easy-to-use, smart machine. The self-emptying bagless base of this model is a great feature, especially when compared to other vacuums that have disposable dirtbags in their bases. It is easy to remove the bin and then empty it into the trash can. This may be messy, but it also saves you money on bags to replace.
The bin itself is also fairly large, meaning that the EZ Robot is capable of taking care of a lot of debris. It also does very well on floors with no carpet. However, it struggles with dirt embedded in low-pile carpet. It’s got good navigation capabilities and has a small footprint.
The EZ Robot may not be as efficient as Roborock S4, but it is still a great option for those looking for a robot that can perform well and is priced reasonably. It’s well-built and comes with many automation options. It also boasts an impressive cleaning performance, both on bare floors and carpets with high pile. Its maintenance requirements are very high and its ongoing costs are high.
Another fantastic feature of the Shark robot is its capacity to recharge and resume automatically where it began when it returns to its docking station following an entire cleaning session. This is a great feature particularly if you live in a large home.
The IQ XL also comes with various other useful features. It is possible to schedule whole-home cleanings remotely and also review cleaning reports using the SharkClean App. You can also use voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to begin or stop cleaning sessions. The row-by-row feature is an advantage. It will clean your home in neat rows, rather than a back and forth snake pattern as many other robots do.
The IQ XL has a major disadvantage in that it is unable to climb over obstacles such as power cords. It could think they are solid barriers and therefore not try to climb over them. It’s also less effective or fast at navigating a space if it’s stuffed with pet hair. This can cause tangles to the brushes and slow it down.
3. Shark AI Robot
This is a fantastic robotic vacuum from Shark that comes with a variety of features. It comes with a self vacuum robot-emptying base that can store up to 30 days of debris. It combine the cleaning power of both a robot vacuum and Best Shark Robot Vacuum a mop robot vacuum. It offers a matrix grid cleaning mode, and has advanced smart home integration that can work with Alexa and Google Assistant. You can set it to clean on a set schedule, activate on demand, or create virtual boundaries to prevent it from entering rooms that may contain fragile items or rugs.
The Shark AI Robot does a good job cleaning bare floors. It picks up debris with ease, like rice. However it has a difficult cleaning larger bulky debris from low-pile carpet and is not capable of moving around furniture. It is in a”do not disturb” mode which allows you to use it at home without it disrupting your daily routine.
Another advantage is that it makes use of LiDAR technology to map out your home which allows it to detect and navigate around obstacles with greater precision than devices that rely on gyroscopes and infrared sensors. This helps it avoid hitting delicate objects, and also optimize dirt collection on various surfaces. The LiDAR system is also more efficient than gyroscopes, which can cause robots to slow down or lose control when they encounter uneven surfaces.
It comes with a variety of other features, including the ability to control mopping with a remote, an automatic system and various vacuum modes. It can recharge and charge itself while it is in use. The biggest issue is that it only maps only one floor. If you have two floors it’s required to be manually transported to those areas and then programmed to repeat.
It can also be quite loud especially when it is in mopping mode. It also has a lot of parts that need to be replaced or cleaned regularly, which adds to its ongoing costs. Fortunately, the self-empty feature helps cut down on some of these expenses and is compatible with bags-free filters, which reduces the annual cost.
4. Shark ION Robot RV700 Series
The Shark ION Robot RV700 Series is a complete package that you would expect of a midrange robotic vacuum. It offers dependable cleaning performance, a great mobile application that creates accurate maps of your home, and great cleaning performance. It also has a bagless base that means no annual purchase of dust bags replacement. In our cleaning performance test it was able remove 97.8% of debris from carpeting with low pile and hardwood floors however it was not as effective with high-pile carpeting. Its maneuverability is strong and it is able to maneuver around furniture, climb onto high-pile carpeting and go over objects such as rug tassels and best Shark robot vacuum electrical cords without getting stuck.
The bristles that are high-tensile and in a helix pattern are strong enough to manage and untangle long hair, string and other fibers. The brushroll also has a retractable side that can be used when it encounters an obstacle. Its slim design lets it slide under furniture and proximity sensors detect and adjust to obstacles. It can be set to start cleaning with a click of a button or scheduled for a daily schedule through the app. Its sound levels are average however, it can be slowed down by using a do-not-disturb mode or a custom-designed scheduling.
The RV700 is a little more manual than the Roborock S4 or iRobot Roomba J7+. This is to be anticipated from a model that does not self-empty. It is nonetheless more durable and easy to maintain. It is faster in charging and eliminates more debris from both high-pile and floors that are bare. Its navigation system is able to create virtual boundaries and detect obstacles, making it the best option for “set it and forget it” robotic cleaners.
The RV700 Series does not have a cliff-sensor that would stop it from falling down the stairs. This could pose a problem for those who live in homes that are taller. It’s not able of mopping and vacuuming simultaneously and you must switch between modes in the app. However the RV700 Series is a less expensive alternative to the more advanced Roborock and iRobot models that have self-emptying and cliff detection capabilities. Its main selling point is the ability to be recharged and empty while docked at its base. This makes it an excellent choice for those who do not need to empty the dustbin each time they use it.