If you’re looking to upgrade your deep cleaning routine, you can benefit from one of the best robot vacuums or best robot mops to do all the hard work.
And while Shark has been a brand leader for some of the best vacuum cleaners, also has a line of robot vacuums.
However, if you're unsure of a suitable model, you might be wondering which Shark robot vacuum to buy? Despite looking almost identical, there are key differences between each model.
What’s more, your decision will ultimately depend on your home, needs and priorities. Do you want a 2-in-1 vacuum and mop combo to tackle both carpets and hard floors? Or is a self-emptying base a top priority? More importantly, what’s your budget?
While there are obvious benefits of having a self-emptying base, such as saving you from the chore of emptying the dustbin so often, these can be quite expensive. These start from about $500 and can go as high as $1,400 with the latest features. So you’ll need to weigh out the pros and cons of each model.
To help you decide, we break down everything you need to know about each robot vacuum to suit every home, lifestyle and budget.
Best overall
What you need to know
✅ You want to do minimal work. The Shark PowerDetect is a powerful, all-in-one robot vacuum and mop
✅ You need handy features
✅ You own pets and need to get rid of pet hair quickly
❌ You want a reliable app that won't lose connectivity at times
❌ You need to clean large debris on carpet, as the vacuum struggled with pick-up power
If you're after a great, all-in-one robot vac that can do just about everything, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop is our favorite option.
This comes with a self-emptying 'Never Touch' base that basically washes its mops, and refills the tanks (without you literally having to touch it). It also has a dustbin with a handy 0.33-liter capacity, and a refillable odor-neutralizer capsule to leave your home smelling fresh.
If you're new to the world of robot vacs, setting up is pretty straightforward. And the PowerDetect offers button-based cleaning functionality without Wi-Fi, if you wish to abandon the app for another time. In any case, you can use Shark's app to name rooms, set no-go zones, and send the robot out to spot-clean a 5x5 area just by dropping a pin on the map.
Shark’s 2-in-1 Combo has three cleaning modes; vacuum only, mop only or deep clean, which first vacuums your carpets then returns to the dock to attach its pad to vacuum and mop simultaneously on hard floors.
Additionally, the Shark PowerDetect boasts some impressive features. A favorite is the ActiveLift leg that helps it crawl over obstacles, and effortlessly glide from carpets to hard floors. This is ideal if you have both carpeting and hard floors in adjoining room or areas. Plus, its onboard AI is smart enough to detect heavy-duty messes or stains and boost suction power accordingly.
In our Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum review, it excelled in deep cleaning, with an overall score of 95% on hardwood and 90% on carpet. It particularly scored high for pet hair pick-up , which is good news for pet owners who are constantly dealing with fur around the home.
It did score lower when picking up larger debris such as kitty litter on carpet. The app was also a little unreliable with connectivity issues at times. However, outside of a little more prowess on carpet, the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 is a powerful, hybrid robot vacuum that will handle all your daily cleaning chores.
Best for carpets
What you need to know
✅ You have high or low-pile carpets that need regular cleaning. The Shark IQ has powerful suction power to handle large debris.
✅ You want advanced mapping features
✅ You want a self-emptying dock that can store up to 45 days of dirt and debris
❌ You value your piece and quiet
❌ You have several floors in your home to clean
If you want your carpets to stay looking brand new, the Shark IQ robot vac is a great option.
It comes with all the things you'd normally get in more premium models. Features like advanced mapping features, a multi-surface brushroll to tackle ingrained dirt and pet hair and a convenient self-emptying base.
The easy-to-use Shark app makes automating straightforward, and is responsive to any issues the bot runs into. You can simply set and forget it for over a month, thanks to its advanced scheduling capabilities and self-emptying dustbin that can hold up to 45 days worth of debris. Always handy if you don't want to get your hands dirty after each cleaning session.
During our Shark IQ review tests, it scored exceptionally well when cleaning high and low pile carpets (99%) and hard floors (96%). It also gave high scores for pet hair pick-up, and handling larger debris such as kitty litter.
We were also impressed by the effectiveness of its 'IQ' navigation, which is a row-cleaning pattern. This meant that it thoroughly picked up fur and debris even if it blasted them to the sides on an initial passthrough.
The only downside is that the Shark IQ lacks multi-level floor mapping, which may not be ideal if you have a larger home with several floors. It's also a very loud operator, so you might need to consider how often and when you'll be using it in the home.
In any case, the Shark IQ has powerful pick-up, and plenty of great features, such as the self-emptying base, all under $500.
Best for hard floors
What you need to know
Those who struggle with keeping their hard floors clean and mark-free will benefit from the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop. This is mainly thanks to its 'Sonic Mopping' feature that oscillates to scrub hard floors at a fast, 100x per minute, to tackle those stubborn, stuck-on stains.
And while we are waiting to get our hands on this robot vacuum to test ourselves, Amazon customers have praised its cleaning power, with one stating that it "does a fair job of vacuuming and mopping, especially for pet owners." It also has 'Matrix Clean', which is essentially cleaning in a grid-like pattern to ensure that no spots are missed.
Besides excellent mopping abilities, it comes with 360-degree LiDAR sensors that quickly detects obstacles, and 'precision mapping' to accurately map out your home.
Another notable feature is its CleanEdge abilities, which works by blasting air to remove dust and grime hiding in baseboard edges and corners, and put it in its cleaning path. And if you have a large home or plenty of rooms to tackle, its dust canister can hold up to 60 days worth of dirt, so you can forget about it after cleaning.
Overall, the Shark Matrix Plus is highly rated for giving a powerful clean, especially on hard floors. It's also a convenient, all-in-one robot vacuum for those who have pets, and will make light work of heavy-duty chores.
