To test that out, I took the Roomba Combo J7 Plus home, where I have a mix of carpets and hardwood floors. It did a great job of identifying carpeted areas during its initial mapping run — from there, I never caught it vacuuming those carpeted areas without lifting the mop up and out of the way first. It’s just a better, more high-end approach to automated mopping, and one you won’t need to think about quite as much. On top of that, the S9 Plus aced our pet hair pickup tests, where we scatter clumps of actual pet hair donated from a friendly local groomer across all of our test floors. The lack of a self-emptying bin is a bit of a bummer here, but you’ve got other good options if that’s what matters most (and you can always step up to the Roborock S7 Plus, which adds it in). Apart from that, there’s not much that you’re missing here, making this an excellent midrange pick, especially for homes with an abundance of area rugs and other low-pile carpets.
But unlike most of its competitors, the Roomba i3 EVO is actually a sturdy, repairable appliance—and although longevity is never guaranteed, you can reasonably expect to own and use it regularly for years. It’s also better at cleaning rugs than most other bots, and hair doesn’t get tangled in its brushes as quickly. With the companion app and a Wi-Fi connection, you can remotely turn the robot on or off shark dustbuster and optionally set an automatic cleaning schedule. The downside is that it doesn’t work quite as fast as some competing models. The main drawback here is the lack of premium Roomba features (like an obstacle-detecting camera or super-powerful suction) and the loud volume of the vacuum as it’s cleaning. Compared to the other models on the list, this one is definitely the most obtrusive in terms of sound.
If you’re used to asking Alexa or Google to turn off the lights or tell you the weather, a model with voice integration will blend in nicely. You also might want to consider a model that can empty its own dustbin. Models with this feature typically cost big bucks, but it means you never have to come into close contact with collected pet hair and dust. With most other robot vacuums, you have to empty the dustbin after every cleaning. This small, practically silent robot is an ideal inexpensive option for a cozy apartment or to use as a second bot for an upstairs space or home office.
These are the two most common reasons that cause your shark robot vacuum to stop and beep. Try reconnecting your shark vacuum robot to the Wi-Fi network after the restart. Here is a complete guide on how to connect your shark robot vacuum to Wi-Fi. Shark Vacuum troubleshooting skills come in handy when fixing your robot vacuum.
If the dock is in a cluttered area or under a piece of furniture, there’s a good chance the bot will not re-dock. The Shark AI Robot VacMop is the only model on this list that doesn’t use a camera. That’s great, but it did not avoid any obstacles, nor did it even acknowledge in the app that it encountered any.
When compared side-by-side, the Ionvac SmartClean 2000 is virtually identical to the Eufy RoboVac 11S, yet it costs even less, retailing for less than $100. However, the Eufy edged out the Ionvac when it came to cleaning and navigation abilities, offering better dirt pickup and missing fewer spots around the floor. Still, the shark dustbuster Ionvac performed better than you might expect for a lower-price model, and it’s not a bad option for light cleaning in spaces with minimal obstacles. We’ve tested a handful of its laser-nav bots over the past few years, including the Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI (a higher-end but otherwise similar version of the N8 and N8 Pro).
For the past several weeks, I’ve been testing out the Shark ION Robot Vacuum AV751. The Shark ION Robot Vacuum AV751 is an older model, making it a budget-friendly option with name-brand recognition. That said, while it gets the job done in terms of suction power and cleaning ability, there are some notable drawbacks that you may or may not be deal breakers for you. But like an upright vacuum, your robot will require cleaning and occasional maintenance to stay in fighting shape. Over time, the brushes can bend or break, hair can clog the brushroll and the filter will need changing. VSLAM navigation is what you’ll find in iRobot’s high-end models (the j and s series).
The Roomba 694, on the other hand, was easy for us to strip down and then reassemble with just a screwdriver. The Roborock app has tons of features and customizations, and it gives you more control over navigation than you can find on other robot vacs. It also provides a better user experience and works more reliably than its closest competitors’ apps.
But I like how easy they are to repair, a crucial factor for an expensive gadget you’d like to use for many years. My in-laws still have a Roomba they bought in 2007, and it works great. While parts are costly, they are readily available, including mechanical bits like wheels and the entire cleaning module.
The Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI uses an artificial intelligence chipset and a camera to recognize things that can get in its way, and build a database of objects to avoid, so it works better over time. Most Shark robots fall into the budget / moderately priced category, with only the Shark IQ rising to the mid-range price. The Roomba 614 is the most basic vacuum model that is currently offered by Roomba. Coming in at an affordable price, this model has a simple design for easy usability and no-fuss add-ons. The 960 model also has the ability to generate cleaning reports, available on your smartphone via the iRobot Home app. The Shark RV871 has essentially become the new replacement to the ION RV850.