Shark IQ Robot Vacuum Review

The Shark IQ Robot vacuum has good build quality. Its body is made of dense plastic, accented with a rubber front bumper. Its dirt compartment is made of hard plastic, but it scratches easily and could break if it's dropped. Its main drive wheels have a thick rubber tread. It doesn't require too much assembly out-of-the-box, requiring only that you snap in the two included side brushes and place the appliance on its charging dock.

The Shark IQ Robot is a bit difficult to maintain, due to the high number of parts that need maintenance, but they're easy to access.

• Dust bin: The dust bin can be removed by pressing the release button on the rear. There's an anti-tangle comb attached to the dust bin that can collect hair wraps, which can later be removed by hand. The bin itself should be emptied after every use.
• Pre-motor filter: The pre-motor filter is located inside the dirt compartment and can be pulled out via its release tabs. It should be cleaned regularly by tapping it against the side of a garbage bin, as it can't be rinsed under water.
• Brushroll: The brushroll can be accessed via a door under the vacuum and then removed. While it's advertised to be self-cleaning, you may still have to cut out tangled debris with scissors or by hand.
• Side brushes: The side brushes can be simply pulled out of their socket for maintenance. They should be cleaned with a dry cloth whenever you notice a buildup of debris.
• Drive wheels: The drive wheels should be dusted regularly. Be sure to rotate them in their housing.
• Front wheel: The front wheel can be simply pulled from its housing, though this may take a bit of effort and the assistance of a tool. It should be cleared of debris regularly.
• Sensors: The sensors on the vacuum should be cleaned periodically with a dry cloth.
• Charging pads: The charging pads under the vacuum and on top of the dock should be dusted whenever you notice debris buildup.

This vacuum has quite a few recurring costs.

• Pre-motor filter: No replacement interval is specified for the filter, though the user manual does state that it's best to clean and replace it regularly to maintain peak performance.
• Brushroll: The brushroll should be replaced whenever you observe visible wear or every six to 12 months.
• Side brushes: The side brushes should be changed when bent or damaged.
• Front wheel: The front wheel requires replacement after 12 months.

You can purchase any one of these parts, as well as additional accessories, on Shark's website.

The Shark IQ Robot is exceptionally easy to store. Its body is compact and low to the ground while its charging dock doesn't take up much space.

The Shark IQ Robot has an unremarkably-sized dirt compartment. It holds more debris than alternatives like the iRobot Roomba 675, but it lacks a level indicator and doesn't have a fill sensor to let you know when it has reached max capacity.

• Shark IQ Robot vacuum
• Dust bin
• Filter
• 4x Side brushes
• Brushroll
• Brusroll door
• Charging dock
• Boundary strip
• User guide

The Shark IQ Robot vacuum has an effectively unlimited range for as long as it has room left in its dirt compartment and remaining battery life, but it can't climb or descend stairs.

This robot vacuum is quite portable. It doesn't weigh too much, but it lacks a carrying handle to lift it from room to room.

The Shark IQ Robot's battery performance is remarkable. On its high-suction 'Max' mode, it yields over an hour of continuous runtime. On its more conservative 'Eco' mode, it can run for over 160 minutes, which should be more than enough to clean big rooms. Unfortunately, it takes over four hours to completely recharge, which is very long. The lights on top also clearly indicate the remaining battery life. When both lights are blue, the vacuum is at max battery capacity. At a partial charge, one of the lights will turn off. At low battery levels, one of the lights turns red.

This vacuum has few quality of life features. It has three power modes. The energy-saving 'Eco' mode, the default 'Normal' mode, and the high-power 'Max' mode. You can swap between these modes in the companion app only when the appliance is running.

The Shark IQ Robot has two offset side brushes that bring debris on the edges of the vacuum's body into the path of the main brushroll.

The Shark IQ Robot has no alternative configurations.

This vacuum delivers great performance on bare floors. It clears pet hair as well as debris like rice and bulky material like cereal with ease. However, once its dirt compartment fills up, it struggles with sucking up large debris and pushes it around instead. If you want something that can suck up bulky debris even as its dirt compartment fills, check out the Yeedi K650.

This vacuum's performance on low-pile carpet is alright. It has a better performance on this surface type than the Shark AI Robot, as it easily picks up pet hair and clears most coarse debris, such as sand. However, it struggles a lot more with finer material, like baking soda.

This robot vacuum performs decently on high-pile carpet. It clears most pet hair and coarse debris, and does a fair overall job when it comes to dealing with finer material.

The Shark IQ Robot's maneuverability is satisfactory. It cleans thoroughly and shouldn't miss any parts of a room. It's low enough to squeeze under couches and tables and doesn't bump into furniture. It can clear low-lying obstructions like electrical cords without getting stuck, but rug tassels can get caught in its brushroll.

Update 11/19/2020: Fixed input error in the Companion App field. The score and text have been updated.

The Shark IQ Robot has a mediocre range of automation features. The SharkClean companion app provides you with a battery life indicator, push notifications concerning the vacuum's status, firmware updates, and a voice control function if you have an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device. It also lets you change its power mode, command it to head to a specific room, or have it return to its charging dock. Unlike the Shark ION Robot 2020, it comes with physical boundary marker strips, which can be used to prevent it from entering certain areas. Unfortunately, it can't be remote-piloted through its companion app, which is a feature that alternatives like the eufy RoboVac G30 Edge do have.