- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is a robot vacuum with an external dustbin. It's well-built, quite maneuverable, and offers superb battery performance. Cleaning performance on bare floors is good, and it does a great job of sucking up debris on high-pile carpet too. That said, its overall performance on low-pile carpet is mediocre, especially when sucking up fine debris like baking soda from this surface. Many parts need to be regularly cleaned or replaced, so recurring costs are high.
Our Verdict
The Shark AV911S is okay for bare floors. It clears pet hair and small debris like rice without an issue, though it struggles somewhat with bulky material like cereal. It feels well-built, has a long battery life, and offers a fairly wide range of automation features, including its self-emptying dustbin. Unfortunately, many parts need regular cleaning. Recurring costs are also high, with many components needing periodic replacing. Also, while it can do a good job of maneuvering itself, it can sometimes identify objects like electrical cords as obstacles to be avoided.
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Fantastic pet hair cleaning performance.
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Automatically empties dirt compartment into large external dustbin.
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Long battery life.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need to be cleaned regularly.
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Can get caught on electrical cords.
The Shark AV911S is mediocre for cleaning low-pile carpets. It has no issue clearing pet hair and large debris like sand, but it might take an extra pass to remove fine material like baking soda from this surface type. While it feels sturdily built, it's demanding in regular maintenance requirements, with many parts that need regular cleaning. Recurring costs are also high since many components need periodic replacing, too.
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Fantastic pet hair cleaning performance.
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Automatically empties dirt compartment into large external dustbin.
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Long battery life.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need to be cleaned regularly.
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Struggles with fine debris like baking soda.
The Shark AV911S is a decent choice for cleaning high-pile carpet. It doesn't have any trouble maneuvering on this surface type, though rug tassels can occasionally get caught in its brushroll. It does a fantastic job of sucking up pet hair from this surface type and delivers very good overall performance when cleaning both fine and large debris like baking soda or sand. It comes with a broad range of automation features, including its self-emptying function. However, many parts need to be cleaned or even replaced regularly, so recurring costs are high.
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Fantastic pet hair cleaning performance.
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Automatically empties dirt compartment into large external dustbin.
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Long battery life.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need to be cleaned regularly.
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Rug tassels can occasionally get stuck in its brushroll.
The Shark AV911S is great for sucking up pet hair. It has no issue sucking up pet hair on a wide range of surface types, from bare floors to high-pile carpet. It also has a removable brushroll, making it easier to remove any tangled hair wraps. It has a long battery life, though this can vary depending on settings and usage patterns. That said, it's demanding in terms of regular maintenance and has high recurring costs. It also lacks a HEPA filter to trap allergens as it cleans.
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Fantastic pet hair cleaning performance.
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Automatically empties dirt compartment into large external dustbin.
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Long battery life.
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Removable brushroll.
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High recurring costs.
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Many parts need to be cleaned regularly.
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No HEPA filter.
The Shark AV911S is a robot vacuum and therefore isn't designed to clean stairs.
The Shark AV911S is a robot vacuum and therefore isn't designed to clean the inside of your car.
- 7.1 Bare Floor
- 6.1 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.2 High-Pile Carpet
- 4.8 Pets
- 5.8 Stairs
- 4.6 Cars
- 4.2 Workshop
- Updated Sep 15, 2022: Updated 'Quality Of Life Features' field to include a link to the newly-reviewed Shark AI Ultra Robot AV2501S as an alternative with LIDAR mapping.
- Updated Aug 03, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Jun 16, 2022: Updated 'Filter Part Number' and 'HEPA Filter Part Number' fields in 'Recurring Cost' section to include correct component model codes, which are now available on Shark's website.
- Updated Mar 18, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Jul 16, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jul 13, 2021: Early access published.
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Test Results
The Shark AV911S is well-built. It's similar in design to other Shark robot vacuums, like the Shark AI Robot, with a matte-finish hard plastic body and twin drive wheels with rubber treads. Conversely, its hard plastic dirt compartment feels a little flimsy and could break if you drop it. It's easy to assemble out-of-the-box, requiring that you snap its two side brushes into place and place the self-emptying dock station on the including mat. Note that the manufacturer recommends only placing the mat on carpets, as it can slip around on bare floors.
The Shark AV911S is quite hard to maintain as it has many parts that require regular maintenance. Luckily, most parts are easy to access.
- Dustbin: You can remove the dustbin by pressing the two release buttons at the back of the part. The vacuum automatically dumps accumulated debris into the external dirt bin on the charging dock, but you can empty it yourself if you feel that it's necessary.
- Dust bin filter: The dust bin filter is located inside the dust bin. You can lift it out by pulling on its release tabs. You should remove any stuck-on debris by hand regularly, but make sure not to wash it under water.
- Base station dust bin: To access this part, you can press the release button on the top left of the dirt compartment then pull it out from the side. Another button on the side of the dirt bin empties it. According to the manufacturer, it can hold up to roughly 15 days worth of collected debris.
- Base station dust bin pre-motor filters: To access these filters, you can lift the housing lid on the right side of the base station dust bin and then pull both components out. You should clean them using only cold water once a month. Make sure to let them dry for at least 24 hours before putting it back in its place.
- Base station post-motor filter: The post-motor filter in the base station can be found behind a filter door on the base station. You should rinse it with cold water once a year. Leave it to air dry completely before reinstalling it.
- Brushroll: The brushroll can be accessed by removing the brushroll cover. You can remove any stuck-on debris or tangled hair by hand whenever it's necessary.
- Side brushes: The two side brushes can be simply pulled from their sockets. Check for any accumulated debris once a week and clean them as necessary, either by hand or with a dry cloth.
- Drive wheels: The drive wheels and their housings should be cleared of any accumulated debris whenever necessary. Make sure to rotate the wheels to ensure full coverage.
- Front wheel: The front wheel can be simply pulled from its housing, but you may need another tool to get enough leverage. Remove any accumulated dust, dirt, or hair from the wheel and the socket when necessary.
- Sensors and charging pads: You should dust the sensors and charging pads whenever you notice a buildup of debris.
The Shark AV911S has many recurring costs.
- Pre-motor filter: There isn't a specified replacement time for this filter.
- Base station dust bin pre-motor filters: This filter should be replaced every two and a half years.
- Base station post-motor filter: The base station's post-motor filter has an estimated service life of three years.
- Brushroll: The brushroll should be replaced every six to 12 months, depending on your usage.
- Side brushes: The side brushes should be replaced if bent or damaged.
All parts are currently available for purchase on the manufacturer's website.
The Shark AV911S is very easy to store. The vacuum itself isn't very big, and its external dustbin is much shorter than that of the iRobot Roomba i7+.
The combined capacity of the Shark AV911S's internal dustbin and base station dirt compartment is decently large. The external dust bin has a clear plastic window that gives you a rough estimate of how full it is.
- Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S
- Robot 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 filters (felt and foam)
- Base station dust bin post-motor filter and cover
- Base station mat for use on carpets
The Shark AV911S' range is limited only by its remaining battery life. That said, it can't climb or descend stairs.
The Shark AV911S is impressively portable. It's slightly lighter than alternatives like the iRobot Roomba i7+, though it lacks a carrying handle to make it easier to pick up and lift from room to room.
The Shark AV911S offers superb battery performance. In its high-power 'Max' power mode, it supplies roughly 70 minutes of cleaning time. You can stretch it to over 140 minutes if it's run in 'Eco' mode. Unfortunately, the vacuum doesn't remember the power setting it was set to on previous cleaning sessions, so you have to make that adjustment manually every time. Like the Shark AI Robot, a set of indicator lights on the top surface of the vacuum give you a rough estimate of how much charge is remaining.
The Shark AV911S has a couple of quality-of-life features. There are three suction power modes: 'Normal', which is the default mode that you can only change once the vacuum is up and running, the more energy-efficient 'Eco' mode, and the high-power 'Max' mode. Still, unlike the Shark AI Ultra Robot AV2501S, it doesn't have a LIDAR mapping system, which is helpful for navigation in darker environments.
The Shark AV911S has a pair of side brushes that move debris from the outside edges of the vacuum into the path of its main brushroll.
The Shark AV911S delivers good performance on bare floors. It clears pet hair and small debris like rice without any issue. That said, unlike the yeedi vac station, it struggles somewhat with bulky material like cereal.
Note: All testing was completed when the dirt compartment was empty, with the data for the 0.25L and 0.75L tests being copied from the 0L test. Since this vacuum automatically empties its internal dirt compartment when docked after completing its job, it doesn't lose suction performance.
The Shark AV911S delivers okay performance on low-pile carpet. It has no trouble sucking up pet hair and clears most larger debris like sand. However, it has a hard time cleaning finer debris like baking soda from this surface type.
Note: All testing was completed when the dirt compartment was empty, with the data for the 0.25L and 0.75L tests being copied from the 0L test. Since this vacuum automatically empties its internal dirt compartment when docked after completing its job, it doesn't lose suction performance.
The Shark AV911S delivers impressive performance on high-pile carpet. It sucks up pet hair without an issue and does a great job when it comes to clearing larger debris like sand. Even though it might take an extra pass to fully clear finer debris like baking soda from this surface type, its performance in this respect is still good.
Note: All testing was completed when the dirt compartment was empty, with the data for the 0.25L and 0.75L tests being copied from the 0L test. Since this vacuum automatically empties its internal dirt compartment when docked after completing its job, it doesn't lose suction performance.
The Shark AV911S has good maneuverability. It cleans in an efficient, organized pattern and can even return to areas that require more cleaning. It's also small enough to clean under most couches and tables. It can clean most rugs, though tassels can get caught in its brushroll on some rare occasions. Unfortunately, it struggles with low-lying obstructions like electrical cords, which the vacuum may identify as obstacles to avoid.
The Shark AV911S has excellent automation features. One of its most notable features is its self-emptying capability, which does reduce hands-on maintenance requirements. It requires a 2.4ghz Wi-Fi connection to control the vacuum via the SharkClean companion app. You can use the app to change the vacuum's suction power mode, command it to clean or return to its dock, schedule cleaning sessions, check cleaning history and charge status, update the vacuum's firmware, or enable push notifications. It can also be connected to Alexa or Google Home devices if you'd prefer using voice commands to control the vacuum. All that said, the app itself isn't intuitive and may freeze intermittently. There aren't any physical boundary strips included with the vacuum, and you can't set up virtual no-go zones through the companion app, unlike the Shark AI Robot. You can use the vacuum without an internet connection, but this results in a serious loss of overall functionality.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Shark AV911S is only available in one color variant: Gray; you can see its label here.
Let us know if you come across another variant of the Shark AV911S, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Shark AV911S is a fairly versatile robot vacuum. Like the iRobot Roomba i7+, it has an external dustbin mounted to its docking station, so you don't need to empty the vacuum manually whenever it gets full. It delivers good performance on bare floors and does an impressive job of cleaning high-pile carpets. However, it has demanding maintenance requirements and incurs high recurring costs, even by the standards of other robot vacuums.
If you're looking for alternatives, take a look at our list of recommendations of the best robot vacuums, the best robot vacuums for carpet, and the best robot vacuums for pet hair.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is slightly better than the Shark IQ Robot RV1001. The EZ has an automatic dirt disposal feature, charges a lot faster, gets caught on rug tassels less frequently, and delivers better overall cleaning performance on low and high-pile carpets. Conversely, the RV1001 struggles less with bulky material, like cereal, on bare floors, incurs fewer recurring costs, and is easier to maintain.
The Shark AI Ultra Robot AV2501S is better than the Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S, though the two vacuums are similar in some ways. The AV2501S has a LIDAR sensor for faster, more precise room mapping, though it can also register common household objects as obstacles to avoid. Performance on bare surfaces is pretty similar, though the AV2501S has an easier time dealing with pet hair and clears more debris on low and high-pile carpet.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S and Shark AI Robot both have advantages, meaning one may suit you better depending on your own needs. The EZ has a much greater dirt compartment capacity because of its external dustbin and delivers superior performance on low and high-pile carpet, especially when dealing with pet hair. Meanwhile, the AI incurs fewer recurring costs, has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, and maneuvers over obstructions like electrical cords with less difficulty. In addition, you can use its companion app to set up virtual boundary lines that the AI won't cross.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is better than the Shark IQ Robot AV992. The EZ has an automatic dirt disposal function, charges slightly faster while offering similar overall battery life, maneuvers over tasseled rugs with less difficulty, and delivers better cleaning performance on bare floors and low and high-pile carpet. Meanwhile, the AV992 has fewer parts that need regular cleaning and incurs lower recurring costs.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is better than the Shark ION Robot 2020 for most uses. The EZ delivers better performance on bare floors and carpets, maneuvers itself with less difficulty, and has a broader range of automation features. Its external dustbin also gives it a larger, more effective debris capacity. However, the ION has fewer parts that need periodic replacing or maintenance and has a longer maximum battery life, though it does take notably longer to recharge than the EZ.
The iRobot Roomba i7+ is slightly better than the Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S. The iRobot feels better built, is easier to maintain, delivers slightly better performance on low-pile carpet, maneuvers itself more efficiently, and allows you to set up virtual boundary lines through its companion app. Its external dustbin has a larger total capacity than that of the Shark too. Meanwhile, the Shark incurs fewer recurring costs, clears more debris on bare floors and high-pile carpet, and has a considerably longer maximum battery life, though the iRobot does charge a lot faster.
The iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO and Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S each have advantages, meaning one may suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. The iRobot has a larger external dustbin mounted to its base station, feels better-built, has fewer parts that require periodic maintenance, maneuvers itself more effectively, and delivers superior performance on bare floors. It also charges much faster, though it doesn't last as long as the Shark on a single charge. The Shark also outperforms the iRobot on carpeted floors, especially with pet hair, and incurs fewer recurring costs.
The yeedi vac station is better than the Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S. The yeedi feels better-built, is less demanding in terms of maintenance, delivers a wider range of automation features, including virtual boundary markers, and is more maneuverable. Meanwhile, the Shark clears debris more effectively on low-pile carpet and takes less time to recharge, though its maximum battery life is slightly shorter.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is better than the eufy RoboVac 11S. The Shark is better-built, has a larger dirt capacity thanks to its large external dustbin, delivers superior performance on all surface types, and maneuvers itself more effectively. Conversely, the eufy is easier to maintain and incurs fewer recurring costs.
The Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S is better for more use cases than the iRobot Roomba 694. The Shark has a self-emptying feature that lets it dump any accumulated debris from its internal dustbin into an external dirt compartment mounted on its charging station. The Shark does a better job maneuvering itself and clears more debris on carpeted floors. However, the iRobot feels better-built, has fewer parts that need regular cleaning, and incurs lower recurring costs.