The Shark i Robot Vacuum
The shark i robot vacuum is one of the top mid-priced robot vacuums. It is capable of cleaning and has some interesting features.
It cleans floors in a thorough manner and uses a row-by-row pattern. It is also good on rugs, and can be used to move over rug tassels.
Features
Shark i is a robot vacuum cleaner that has a variety of standout features. Its smart navigation system, as well as its self-emptying dock. Its IQ navigation uses an array of grids to clean room-by-room, meaning every area of your home is overlooked. It also emptys its dustbin into the bagless base after every cleaning, making it totally hands-free.
The i is controlled via both the SharkClean app and Amazon Alexa, so you can control it with your voice, without the need for an additional remote. The vacuum also has a button at the top of the unit to control the vacuum.
The app lets you create a vacuum profile, name it, best self-emptying robot vacuum schedule cleanings and check the history of cleaning. You can also design virtual boundaries to prevent the vacuum from entering areas it could get stuck in or knock over objects that are fragile. You can also choose different power modes to conserve energy when doing tough jobs.
It also has a pair grippy wheels to assist it in navigating obstacles such as the stairs or floor transitions. It can detect and avoid obstacles such as electrical cords. This is useful for pet owners with small shed cats or dogs.
The i comes with three power settings including an energy-saving Eco Mode, a default Normal mode, and a high-power max mode. You can also make custom cleaning schedules to individual floors or rooms, which is ideal if you live in an extensive home that requires frequent cleanings.
The i is able to be programmed to automatically return to its dock and empty its dustbin However, you need to be aware of the battery’s life as it frequently underestimates how long it has left. It could also get confused and restart when you tell it to clean the entire home, so you have to be aware when you start or stop it.
Design
The Shark i robot has a elegant design and a stylish look. The main drive wheels are covered with rubber treads, giving it exceptional maneuverability. It’s small and can fit under most pieces of furniture. It is able to climb over high-pile carpets and reach under couches despite its size.
The robot has multiple sensors that help it to map your home including boundary and cliff sensors. It also has a module that detects and eliminates obstacles. The app allows you to manage the best robot mop for laminate floors‘s settings and schedule cleaning sessions and view its history of cleaning. The app is simple to use, however it’s not able to create virtual no-go zones.
While the Shark i robot is a ideal choice for floors with no floor, it has trouble picking up large pieces of debris such as pet hair, and it can get stuck on surfaces with a lot of clutter. Its dirt compartment can also fill up and make it difficult to clear out after a cleaning session. The vacuum does not have a self emptying dock. You’ll need empty the bin manually once it is full.
The vacuum’s battery life is limited and often it will run out before it is able to return to its home base. It’s also loud, and the app does not allow you to choose particular areas to clean. It’s Best Auto Vacuum used in combination with another robot vacuum, not as a standalone machine. However, the value of being able to delegate your vacuuming duties to an automated machine is evident. The iRobot Roomba has superior mapping and navigation capabilities as well as an automatic dock that empty itself. It’s also a bit cheaper than the Shark i robotic vacuum.
Cleaning Performance
While it can be tricky to get used to the rumbling noise that comes with any robot vacuum, the Shark IQ seems to perform pretty well in the vacuuming department. It doesn’t lose its way and have to retrace its steps as older Shark robots (like the ION 85 or the RV871). The iQ does a fantastic job at mapping your home’s layout by creating maps in the app that allows you to name rooms so it knows where to go, making it more efficient than ION 85 in terms of not wasting time going over the same areas repeatedly.
It is a struggle with floors or rug. It is able to pick up tiny particles but pet hair as well as bulkier objects like rice and robot mop vacuum Combo cereals can overwhelm it. Moreover, its dirt compartment is quickly filled and can start to lose suction power as it gets full and makes this robot less than ideal for bare carpets or floors with high pile. It can also clog up when it comes in contact with furniture that is tangled or furniture that is tipped.
Fortunately, it’s easy to eliminate these issues by emptying the bin from its base. It also automatically empties itself into the bin once it’s full, which saves you the hassle of manually emptying the bin after each run. The large dust bin only requires emptying it every 30 days. This reduces ownership costs in the long run.
You can also use the SharkClean app to set different cleaning options and monitor its battery life, make schedules, look at your history of cleaning and set virtual boundaries that prevent it from entering rooms where it could be entangled or knock over fragile objects. The iQ is also controlled manually by its remote control, which features directional arrows for guiding it around your home.
Battery Life
This vacuum cleaner has exceptional battery performance even in its high-suction “Max” mode. It can run for up to an hour in this mode which is more than enough time for the majority of cleaning sessions. It also comes with a more energy-efficient ‘Eco’ mode that allows for a runtime of more than 160 minutes. This is an excellent feature to have if you frequently switch between multiple rooms or worry about running out of battery power while using the robot.
This robot vacuum also has numerous impressive automation features. The companion app lets you view its remaining battery and then move it to a certain room, pause or restart cleaning, and choose different power modes. It can also be controlled by voice commands if you have an Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa device compatible with it. It is equipped with physical boundary markers to ensure that the robot is kept from certain areas.
This Shark model is great at maneuvering, but isn’t able to handle massive debris, especially when its dirt compartment gets stuffed. It also gets stuck on electrical cords and rug tassels. It also gets stuck between the legs and the legs of chairs.
Overall overall, the Shark IQ robotic vacuum is a good option for those looking for a basic robot with good mapping capabilities and user-friendly features. However, it’s not a better choice than the Roborock S7 for most purposes. The latter feels sturdier and more robust, is less prone to maintenance requirements, is able to bear lower recurring costs, recharges faster, offers a longer maximum battery life, and performs better on floors that are not bare and carpets, and moves through obstacles with ease.