The Shark i Robot Vacuum

The shark i robot vacuum is one of the top mid-priced robot vacuums. It does a great job of cleaning and comes with neat features.

It cleans floors in a thorough way and uses a row-by-row pattern. It also performs well on rugs and can move over rug tassels.

Features

Shark i is a robot vacuum cleaner that has a variety of standout features. Its intelligent navigation system and self emptying robot vacuum-emptying dock. Its IQ navigation system uses a matrix grid for cleaning room-by-room. This ensures that no corner of your home is left unclean. It also emptys the dustbin into the baseless bagless after every cleaning.

The i can also be controlled by Amazon Alexa and the SharkClean App, which means there's no need for an additional remote. The vacuum also has a button on the top to manually operate the vacuum.

You can use the app to create a profile for your vacuum to name it, schedule cleanings and check your the history of cleaning. You can also design virtual boundaries to stop the i from getting into areas where it might get stuck in or smack over fragile objects. You can also select different power modes, to help you reduce energy consumption on tasks that are difficult.

It also has a pair wheels that are grippy to assist it in navigating obstacles such as floors or stairs. It also has the ability to detect and maneuver around obstacles like electrical cords, which is beneficial for pet owners who have small sheds on their cats or dogs.

The i comes with three power settings: an energy-saving Eco mode and the default Normal mode and a high-power max setting. You can also create custom cleaning schedules for individual floors or rooms, which is great if you have an enormous house that requires frequent cleaning.

The i is able to be programmed to automatically return to its dock and empty its dustbin However, you need to keep an eye on the battery life since it frequently underestimates the amount of runtime left. It could also get confused and restart when you tell it to clean the entire home which is why you need to be careful when you start or end it.

Design

The Shark i robot is sleekly designed and has a high-end appearance. Its main drive wheels are covered with rubber treads, which gives it exceptional maneuverability. It is small and can be placed under most pieces of furniture. Despite its size, it's able to climb over rugs with high piles and reach under couches.

The robot is fitted with a variety of sensors that include boundary and cliff sensors, that permit it to map your home. It also comes with a vision module which can detect and avoid obstacles. The app lets you manage the robot's settings, plan cleaning sessions and review its history of cleaning. The app is easy to use, but it isn't able to create virtual no-go zones.

While the Shark i robot is a good option for bare floors, it has trouble picking up large pieces of debris such as pet hair and can get stuck on surfaces that are cluttered. Its dirt bin can fill up and make it difficult to empty after a clean-up. The vacuum also doesn't have a self-emptying dock, so you'll need to empty its dust bin when it is full.

The vacuum's battery is very short and runs out frequently before it can return to the base. It is also a bit loud, and mop and vacuum combo robot the app does not allow you to select certain areas to clean. This is why it should be utilized in conjunction with another robot vacuum, not as a stand-alone machine. However, the benefit of being able to delegate your vacuuming to the robot is unquestionable. The iRobot Roomba, on the other hand, has superior navigation and mapping capabilities as well as self-emptying docks. It's also less expensive than the Shark i robotic vacuum.

Cleaning Performance

While it isn't easy to adjust to the robotic sound that comes with every robot vacuum, the Shark IQ seems to perform quite well in the vacuuming department. It doesn't wander off and have to retrace its steps as older Shark robots (like the ION 85 or the RV871). The iQ also does a great job of mapping your home by creating an app-generated map that lets you name rooms so that it can determine where to go, making it more efficient than ION 85 in terms of not having to go over the same areas again.

However, it struggles with carpets and floors that are not clean. It is able to pick up tiny particles but pet hair as well as bulkier objects like rice and cereals can engulf it. In addition, its dirt compartment is quickly filled and may begin to lose suction power as it fills up which makes it not the best choice for flat carpets or floors with high pile. It also has a tendency to get clogged when it comes across tangled or tipped furniture and lingering items like rug tassels mop and vacuum combo Robot electrical cords.

Fortunately, it's easy to clear these problems by emptying the bin in its base. The bin automatically empty into the bin when it's full. This means you don't have to worry about having to manually empty the bin at the end of each run. The extra-large bin requires emptying every 30 days. This reduces ownership costs in the long run.

The SharkClean App lets you set up different cleaning modes as well as check the battery's life, set up schedules, look up your cleaning history, and set virtual boundaries which keep it out of areas where it may be entangled or knock fragile items over. The iQ can be controlled manually with its remote, which has direction arrows to guide it through your home.

Battery Life

Even in its high-suction "Max" mode the vacuum has a great battery life. It can run up to an hour in this mode, which is more than enough time to complete most cleaning tasks. It also comes with an efficient energy-efficient Eco mode that allows for a runtime of over 160 minutes. This feature is useful if you frequently switch between rooms or are worried about running out of battery while using the robot.

This robot vacuum also has an array of amazing automation features. Its companion app lets you check its remaining battery, send it to a specific room, pause or restart cleaning, and choose different power modes. It also works with voice commands if you've got a compatible Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device and comes with physical boundary marker strips to ensure it stays out of certain areas.

While it has good maneuverability but this Shark model struggles to suck up bulky debris, especially when its dirt compartment is full. It also gets stuck on electrical cords and rug tassels. It can also get stuck between the legs and legs of chairs.

Overall all, the Shark IQ robot vacuum is a solid option for those looking for a basic robot that's easy to use and has decent mapping capabilities. It's not superior to the Roborock S7 in most cases. The Roborock S7 is more durable and comes with fewer maintenance requirements. It also has lower costs. It recharges faster, has a longer battery life, and is more efficient when used on carpets and bare floors.