T3's Shark Matrix Robot vacuum review in a sentence: wonderfully easy to use thanks to an excellent app with impressive performance on both the vacuum and mop fronts.
This is the brand-new Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop and, being a fan of this brand, I’ve been very eager to try it out. Having recently reviewed the impressive Roborock Qrevo Master robot vacuum, which did a little bit of everything, the Shark had to be pretty good in order to beat that. And, after using it for a while now, I’m pleased to say that it’s an excellent bit of kit.
As someone who has hard wood floors across the entire downstairs of my property, choosing one the best robot vacuums makes total sense for me. Wood and vinyl coverings are all well and good, but they really benefit from short and frequent vacuums due to the quick build-up of hair and fluff. It’s the big difference between a hard floor and carpet, which is why a robot vacuum is ideally suited to my needs.
Add on the tendency for many robot vacuums to now have mopping functionality and the appeal is even greater. The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop is another combination appliance, which can do a bit of both. It’s also a self-emptying vacuum, which means that once you’ve set it up and done all the mapping via the app, the Shark can be left to get on with the job. Here’s how I’ve been getting on with it…
Shark Matrix Plus review: Price and availability
The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop RV2620WAUK, to give it the full product description, is available directly from the Shark website, along with all of the other usual online outlets. It has a price of £499.99 in the UK, although there are also US models, which include the likes of the Shark Matrix Self-Empty Robot Vacuum for $499.99 or the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base. The latter appliance looks to be virtually the same as my review unit and costs $699.99.
Shark Matrix Plus review: Is it any good?
Anyone looking for a complete cleaning solution will find the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop fits the bill. It’s keenly priced for starters, but the features and functions are also very impressive. Plus, it’s a 2-in-1, which means you get vacuuming and the benefit of ‘sonic’ mopping, as Shark calls it.
Inside the box, there’s the circular vacuum unit along with a self-empty base, which also acts as the docking station, self-empty bin and mop attachments, filter, a side brush plus a spare, and two microfibre reusable mopping pads. In terms of size, I’d say this model has a fairly typical footprint with dimensions for the robot of 34cm wide x 34cm deep x 14.5cm high and 33.2cm wide x 22.7cm deep x 30cm high for the dock. Overall weight is 7.58kg.
There’s up to 110 minutes of runtime along with self-emptying and that boasts a capacity of up to 60 days before the bagless base needs to be emptied. On top of that, a supporting app allows owners to get the most from the 360-degree LiDAR capability. Shark also reckons that it can achieve up to 50% better edge cleaning too, thanks to the design, which gives off blasts of air at borders and corners in order to catch anything dust and debris that might otherwise be missed.
Although it’s hardly an exclusive feature of any vacuum, Shark also points out that the appliance offers an anti-allergen complete seal. Theoretically, this means the unit can capture and trap up to 99.9% of dust and allergens. This model also benefits from a self-cleaning brush roller, which is something Shark has offered for a long time now on its regular vacs. This makes it a good bet for anyone with tufts of pet or human hair to deal with on a daily basis.
Shark Matrix Plus review: Performance
Like other Shark appliances, this model seems well designed and nicely put together and it took me no time at all to get everything out of the box and setup. Ideally, you’re supposed to charge for six hours before putting it to first use. Once I’d done that, the initial setup was straightforward, especially thanks to the Shark app, which is well thought out and offers precise control of all the features and functions.
Having used robot vacs before, there wasn’t anything with the Shark that seemed much different. If anything, it is easier to get up and running than some rivals I’ve tried. The circular robot itself did a great job of the initial exploratory first trip of my downstairs floor area, without hitching itself on anything or coming unstuck at any point.
The auto empty feature is self-evident once the robot gets back to the base as there’s a sudden burst of extra noise as the dock receives the content of the robot’s bin. During normal vacuuming, the Shark is as quiet as any other model I’ve tested and gets on with the job in hand quite happily.
For mopping, there’s a small tank that needs to be attached to the robot unit after it’s been filled with water. I was very impressed with the mopping functionality itself, with thankfully not too much water coming out during the cleaning process.
My floors are susceptible to damp, so I’m always wary of using mopping functionality on them. The combination of the efficient mop system and the app on this Shark model seemed to work perfectly and I’d recommend it if you’re worried about delicate wood floors getting more water on them than necessary.
Shark Matrix Plus review: Verdict
Combination robot vacuums are generally pretty good these days and Shark’s example that I’ve been trying is certainly commendable. It’s keenly priced for something with such a decent specification and it gets both vacuuming and mopping done to a good standard.
It’s generally pretty quiet, very easy to setup and use, while the app is the best part of the package. Using this software makes a straightforward job even easier and full marks go to Shark for making it so intuitive.
Shark Matrix Plus review: Alternatives to consider
The impressive Roborock Qrevo Master robot vacuum I mentioned earlier has to be one of the best alternatives I’ve tried recently and it’s a model that’s bang up to date too. Other options include the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, which still sits at the head of our best robot vacuum guide and it’s easy to see why.
However, there are plenty of alternative choices if you’re not convinced with the Roborock brand, with the iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ being a solid option. It also does a little bit of everything.
Similarly, the Switchbot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ is a premium performer but also has the benefit of being a little bit more compact if space is tight for storage. I still like the eufy Clean X8 Pro machine too, which is a little older now but still represents good value and works really well too. Elsewhere, have a look at the eufy X9 Pro as well as the good value iRobot Roomba j7+.
