Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S Vacuum Review

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.

Note: At the time of this review, no replacement parts for this vacuum are listed on Shark'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.

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.