Shark AI Ultra Robot [AV2501AE, AV2501S, AV2511AE, RV2502AE] Robot Vacuum Review

The build quality is decent. The body is primarily a matte-finish hard plastic, giving it a reasonably upmarket, if nondescript, appearance. However, there are sturdier feeling models from Shark, like the Shark Matrix Robot. It uses the same 'self-cleaning' brushroll design as the cheaper Shark AI Robot, with pronounced vanes meant to reduce hair buildup over time, though pet hair can still get tangled around the roller. The vacuum itself doesn't flex or creak to a significant degree when picked up, though the hard plastic covering the top of its LIDAR sensor scratches very easily. If you're looking for a self-emptying robot vacuum that feels a little more premium, the bObsweep Dustin is worth a look.

The out-of-the-box assembly is quite simple; you only need to snap the two side brushes into place and plug in its docking station.

While this vacuum has many parts that need periodic cleaning, they're easy to access.

• Dustbin: You can remove this part by pressing its release button. The vacuum's self-emptying capability ensures that you won't have to empty it yourself very often, which is good, as the dustbin itself is quite small and opens from the top, allowing debris to spill out pretty easily.
• Pre-motor filter: The pre-motor filter is located inside the dirt compartment and can be pulled out by its release tabs. You can tap this part over your garbage to dislodge dirt and dust after each use, though it shouldn't be washed underwater, which is a pretty big inconvenience should the filter ever get really dirty. The manufacturer recommends clearing away any stuck-on debris periodically to ensure peak performance, though no specific time frame is given.
• Brushroll: You need to remove the brushroll guard underneath the vacuum to access this part, which isn't too hard. While it's billed as 'self-cleaning,' long hair can still get tangled around the brushroll, forcing you to pull it away with your bare hands or cut it free with a pair of scissors. Hair can also get caught around the brushroll bearings, which aren't as easy to clean.
• Side brushes: The side brushes can be pulled out of their sockets. You should check them weekly and clean them as needed by removing hair or debris. You can also wipe them with a damp cloth.
• Drive wheels: The drive wheels and their housing need periodic cleaning, as hair can get wrapped around them pretty easily. In light quantities, this won't have too severe an impact on performance, but you should still get into the habit of cleaning the wheels periodically.
• Front wheel: You can pull the front wheel from its housing, but this can be hard, and you might want to use a screwdriver for a bit of added leverage. You should clean it periodically and take it out of its housing to clear it of debris.
• Sensors and charging pads: The sensors and charging pads are on both the robot and its charging station. You should clean them regularly by dusting off the sensors and pads with a dry cloth.
• Self-Emptying Dustbin: You can remove the dustbin from the vacuum's charging dock by pressing the button on top of the dock. A small observation window gives you an idea of how full it is.
• Self-Emptying Dustbin Filters: The self-emptying station has two filters. The foam pre-motor filter can be found under the top cover of the docking station, while the post-motor HEPA filter is located on the right side of the dock. The pre-motor filter should be rinsed with water once a month, while the HEPA filter needs rinsing once a year. Make sure to avoid using soap when cleaning either filter.

Any part you can rinse under water should be left to dry for at least 24 hours before reinstalling them into the vacuum. You can access the User Manual directly from Shark's website.

The Shark AI Ultra Robot Self Empty XL incurs high recurring costs.

• Pre-motor filter: There isn't a specified replacement time for this filter, as it's washable. That said, you can buy a replacement from Shark's website.
• Brushroll: You should replace the brushroll every six to 12 months, depending on your usage. This product is no longer available directly from Shark's website.
• Side brushes: You should replace the side brushes if they're bent or damaged. See Shark's website for replacements for the three-armed side brushes.
• Self-Emptying Dustbin Filters: No replacement time is given for either the pre-motor or post-motor HEPA base station filters. You can buy a replacement pre-motor filter directly from Shark's website, but will have to look elsewhere for a compatible HEPA filter. It's worth mentioning that the manual for the Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty, which has a similarly designed dustbin post-motor HEPA filter, advises replacing this filter after three years of use.

The Shark AI Ultra Robot's internal dustbin is incredibly small. Even when using it to clean up small messes, the vacuum will need to empty its dustbin at the end of almost every cleaning job.

This vacuum comes with a self-emptying station. Unlike most other models on the market, the Shark AI Ultra Robot doesn't use disposable dirtbags, with debris instead being sucked into a bagless compartment. This cuts down on ownership costs but also makes for a messier, less hygienic debris disposal process. Also, the dock has a much smaller capacity than other robot vacuums with bagful or bagless docks. As per the manufacturer, you'll need to empty out this dustbin every 60 days. If you purchase the AV2501S model variant instead, note that it uses a different docking station with an advertised capacity of 30 days instead.

Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum

• Vacuum body
• Internal dust bin
• Pre-motor filter
• 2x side brushes
• Brushroll
• Brushroll door
• Owner's guide

Base Station

• Self-Empty Station/Charging station
• Base station dust bin
• Base station dust bin pre-motor filter
• Base station dust bin post-motor HEPA filter and cover

The Shark AI Ultra has a few quality-of-life features. There are three power settings: an energy-saving Eco mode, the default Normal mode, and a high-power Max mode. However, it's worth noting that the vacuum defaults to the Normal mode whenever it turns on, even if you selected a different mode the last time you ran the vacuum. As you can only adjust the power settings using the app once the robot is running, this can be rather annoying. There's also an on/off switch for its self-emptying base station.

The hard floor performance is decent. Larger debris, like cereal, is generally no problem for the vacuum, but its side brushes tend to scatter some debris around the floor; the vacuum needs multiple passes to pick up everything. Unfortunately, this vacuum does a poor job of handling any debris trapped in corners or along walls.

This vacuum performs decently on high-pile carpets. It's good at dealing with medium-sized and large debris like rice or cereal, though it struggles with debris against walls or in corners. Finer debris, like sand, is its biggest weakness; it can't clear it consistently and will require multiple passes to get the job done.

Its low-pile carpet performance is okay. Though larger debris like cereal isn't a problem, the side brushes tend to toss around medium debris. The vacuum needs to make a few extra passes to pick it up. Again, walls, corners, and finer debris are pain points, as the vacuum can't clean them very effectively.

The Shark AI Ultra is bad at picking up pet hair. The brushes tend to press the hair into low-pile carpet fibers rather than lifting it away. You'll need to run the vacuum multiple times to collect pet hair.

This vacuum's suction is bad, like most robot vacuums. Its suction inlet is positioned too high above the contact surface to generate a tight seal on bare surfaces.

This vacuum's airflow performance is actually quite good for a robot vacuum, delivering comparable performance to more expensive models like the iRobot Roomba S9. It's powerful enough to lift heavier debris without issue.

This vacuum is remarkably quiet. You'll hear nearby conversations even with the vacuum running in its Max mode, whose peak volume reaches 63.7 dBA. The multi-function dock is significantly louder than the vacuum, reaching 69.2 dBA.

This vacuum has decent overall maneuverability. While it cleans in an organized pattern, its room coverage isn't actually any better than cheaper, non-LIDAR Shark models like the Shark AI Robot. It may interpret some common household items, like thicker carpets or power cords, as objects to avoid, so it's best to ensure that its cleaning area is free of any obstacles before letting it run. Unlike high-end robot vacuums like the Roborock S7 MaxV, it doesn't have a camera or an actual AI system that would allow it to see and identify the sort of obstacles that fall beneath the view of its LIDAR sensor. Its LIDAR sensor is also somewhat tall, and the vacuum can't clean under low-lying couches and TV stands. Still, it can climb over tasseled rugs without getting stuck too frequently, which is rare among other robot vacuums.

The Shark AI Ultra has good air filtration performance, even though it lacks an on-board HEPA filter. Its base station has an allergen-trapping post-motor HEPA filter that the manufacturer advertises can capture 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in size. We don't evaluate particle filtration for self-empty docks, so we can't verify the dock's performance.

The Shark AI Ultra does a poor job sucking up fine debris like baking powder from cracks and crevices using its Normal power mode. Thankfully, it doesn't spread lightweight debris around either, like its sibling the Shark IQ Robot.

The Shark AI Ultra has terrible stain-clearing performance; this variant lacks mopping functionality to scrub away dried-on stains.

This vacuum isn't designed to clean liquid spills.

The Shark AI Ultra Robot Self Empty XL has excellent physical automation capabilities. Its headlining feature is its self-emptying capability, which reduces hands-on maintenance requirements. The Clean button starts a cleaning session, while the Dock button simply sends it back to its base station.

The SharkClean app is unremarkable. It's slow and rather buggy, with the app occasionally reporting incorrect status information. You need a constant 2.4GHz network to connect to the vacuum.

In terms of features, the app allows you to check the battery life, set different cleaning modes, or schedule cleaning times, though not necessarily for specific rooms. You can also check the cleaning session history and create no-go zones to prevent the vacuum from entering certain areas or prevent it from maneuvering around delicate objects.