- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a basic automated vacuum. It performs reasonably well on carpeted floors, has superb battery life, and can maneuver fairly effectively, even in a cluttered room. While it's well-built, it also has quite a few parts that require regular maintenance, not to mention frequent replacement, so recurring costs can add up quickly over time. Still, if you're looking for a reasonably versatile robot vacuum, this is a good choice.
Our Verdict
The Shark IQ Robot is decent for bare floors. It's well-built and maneuvers decently well. It also clears pet hair and debris like rice easily. However, performance drops noticeably as its dirt compartment fills since it can struggle to suck up bulky material like cereal. Recurring costs can add up quickly, as quite a few parts need to be serviced or replaced frequently.
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Outstanding performance on bare floors.
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Good build quality.
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Superb battery life.
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Demanding maintenance requirements.
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High recurring costs.
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Struggles to suck up bulky debris with a partially-filled dirt compartment.
The Shark IQ Robot is mediocre for low-pile carpets. It has no issue clearing pet hair and debris like sand but has a harder time picking up fine debris like baking soda. It also has demanding maintenance needs and fairly high recurring costs. However, it's a well-built vacuum.
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Good build quality.
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Superb battery life.
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Maneuvers effectively on carpeted floors.
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Demanding maintenance requirements.
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High recurring costs.
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Struggles to suck up bulky debris with a partially-filled dirt compartment.
The Shark IQ Robot is a reasonable choice for high-pile carpets. It clears most pet hair and a good amount of coarse debris like sand, even as its dirt compartment fills. However, it's not very effective at sucking up fine material baking soda. It also has quite a few parts that need routine replacement or maintenance.
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Good build quality.
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Superb battery life.
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Maneuvers effectively on carpeted floors.
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Demanding maintenance requirements.
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High recurring costs.
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Struggles to suck up bulky debris with a partially-filled dirt compartment.
The Shark IQ Robot is a satisfactory choice for dealing with pet hair. It has no issue picking up pet hair from low-pile carpets and also does a good job of sucking it up from bare floors and high-pile carpets. It lacks an allergen-trapping HEPA filter and incurs fairly high recurring costs but is equipped with a self-cleaning brushroll, which should reduce the risk of hair wraps building up.
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Very good pet hair cleaning capability.
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Good build quality.
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Superb battery life.
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Demanding maintenance requirements.
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High recurring costs.
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No HEPA filter to trap allergens.
The Shark IQ Robot is a robot vacuum that isn't designed for stairs.
The Shark IQ Robot isn't designed to clean car interiors.
- 7.0 Bare Floor
- 6.3 Low-Pile Carpet
- 6.8 High-Pile Carpet
- 7.4 Pets
- 6.1 Stairs
- 6.0 Cars
- Updated Apr 23, 2021: Corrected input error in the 'Remote Controller' field of 'Automation (Robot Vacuum)' section.
- Updated Feb 12, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Nov 19, 2020: Fixed Companion App field input error.
Test Results
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.
- Dustbin: The dustbin 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 incredibly easy to store. It's one of the more compact robot vacuums we've tested, and its charging dock is small and low-profile.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001's dirt compartment is mediocre. As with most robot vacuums, it's quite small, so you need to empty it fairly often. It holds more debris than some other models, like the Shark AI Robot, but doesn't have an indicator to let you know when it's full.
- Shark IQ Robot RV1001 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 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. For a robot vacuum that lasts longer on its 'Max' mode and charges more quickly, consider the Shark ION Robot R77.
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.
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.
The Shark IQ Robot has an okay performance on low-pile carpets. It has no issue clearing pet hair and does a good job with larger debris like sand as well. Unfortunately, it struggles with fine debris like baking soda on this surface type.
This robot vacuum performs decently on high-pile carpet. It clears most pet hair and coarse debris and does an overall fair job when it comes to dealing with finer material. Still, if you're looking for a robot vacuum that delivers better performance on this surface type, consider the Shark EZ Robot Self-Empty AV911S.
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. If you're looking for a robot vacuum that's better at maneuvering itself, take a look at the iRobot Roomba i3+, which has a smart pathing feature.
Update 04/23/2021: The 'Remote Controller' field has been set to 'Yes (App Only)', since the companion app does allow you to start and stop the vacuum. The score and text have been updated.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 has excellent automation features automation features. It works with a companion app that allows you to see the vacuum's remaining battery life, receive push notifications about its status, pause or resume cleaning, and control it with voice commands if you have an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device. You can also direct it to a specific room, change the power mode, and send it back to its dock. The vacuum also comes with physical boundary marker strips you can use to keep it out of certain areas.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 'Black' variant of the Shark IQ Robot RV1001, and you can see its label here. Another variant, referred to as the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty Vacuum, comes with an external dirt bin/charging station for automatic debris disposal. We can't confirm that this model performs similarly, as its automatic dirt emptying capabilities could have an impact on performance.
If someone comes across a differently-equipped variant, let us know in the discussions below so that we can update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a simple robot vacuum. It's well-built and has remarkable battery life, not to mention a great performance on surfaces like hardwood or linoleum. Unfortunately, it struggles more with finer debris on carpeted surfaces and loses suction performance when its dirt compartment fills up. If you're looking for alternatives, take a look at our list of recommendations of the best robot vacuums for hardwood floors, the best robot vacuums for pet hair, and the best robot vacuums for carpet.
The iRobot Roomba i7+ is slightly better than the Shark IQ Robot RV1001. The iRobot is better built, less demanding in terms of maintenance, maneuvers itself around obstacles far more easily, is equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter, and delivers better performance on low and high-pile carpets. The i7+ also comes with an external dirt compartment mounted to its charging dock that the vacuum can automatically empty its internal dustbin into. Meanwhile, the Shark clears more debris on bare floors and has a significantly longer maximum runtime, though it takes a lot longer to recharge.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 and iRobot Roomba i4 each have their own advantages, so one may suit you better than the other depending on your needs. The Shark has a bigger dustbin and performs better on both bare floors and low-pile carpet. It also has a longer maximum runtime, though this can vary in the real world. Meanwhile, the iRobot charges much faster, has an automatic surface type adjustment feature, feels better-built, and incurs fewer recurring costs. It also does a better job of maneuvering around obstacles.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a better-performing vacuum than the iRobot Roomba i3+. The Shark picks up more pet hair from bare floors and has a better overall performance on low and high-pile carpets. It also has fewer recurring costs. On the other hand, the iRobot is better-built and has an automatic dirt disposal feature.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 and the iRobot Roomba E5 have different advantages. The Shark performs better on all surface types, has a larger dirt compartment, and longer battery life. The iRobot is better-built, easier to maintain, and charges substantially faster. It also has a HEPA filter to trap allergens as it cleans.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a better vacuum than the Shark ION Robot R77. The IQ has a better cleaning performance on all surface types, especially for picking up pet hair. However, the ION has a longer battery life, which some users may prefer.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a better robot vacuum for most purposes than the Shark Robot AV992. They're very similar in most ways, except performance: the RV1001 delivers a significantly better cleaning performance on bare floors and does a better job on low-pile carpets. On the other hand, the RV992 has a better performance on high-pile carpets.
The Roborock S6 is better overall than the Shark IQ Robot RV1001. The Roborock has an allergen-trapping HEPA filter as well as superior build quality and battery performance. It also delivers better overall cleaning capability on bare floors and low-pile carpet while maneuvering far more effectively. That said, the Shark picks up a little more material on shaggy carpets.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a better robot vacuum than the Shark AI Robot. While both robot vacuums are well-built, the IQ Robot has superior overall performance on all surface types. However, the AI Robot has fewer recurring costs and has better maneuverability as well as longer battery life.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a better overall robot vacuum than the eufy RoboVac G30 Edge. The Shark does a better job of cleaning debris on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet, feels better-made, and maneuvers over obstructions like electrical cords more effectively. Meanwhile, the eufy is a little easier to maintain.
The Shark IQ Robot RV1001 is a better option for most use cases than the Shark ION Robot 2020. The IQ clears debris more effectively on all surface types, uses smart-pathing to plot more efficient cleaning routes, and comes with boundary makers to prevent it from moving into certain areas. Meanwhile, the ION has a much longer battery life while taking less time to recharge.
The Roborock S5 is a better vacuum than the Shark IQ Robot RV1001. The Roborock is better-built, easier to maintain, and has lower recurring costs. It also has better battery performance, with a longer overall battery life despite a shorter charging time. It performs better on bare floors and even comes with a mopping attachment to clear sticky messes, though we don't test for that. However, the Shark clears more debris on carpeted surfaces and is a little more compact.
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 Roborock S6 MaxV is better for most purposes than the Shark IQ Robot RV1001. The Roborock is easier to maintain, incurs fewer recurring costs, and comes equipped with an allergen-trapping HEPA filter. It delivers significantly better performance on bare floors and can automatically adjust its suction power depending on the surface type. However, the Shark is more lightweight and does a better job of cleaning carpets.
The iRobot Roomba 960 and Shark IQ Robot RV1001 have different strengths. The Shark performs better on bare floors as well as low and high-pile carpet and has longer maximum battery life. Meanwhile, the iRobot is better-built, easier to maintain, incurs fewer recurring costs, has a larger dust bin, and recharges in less than a third of the time.