Bagless WiFi-Connected Robot Vacuum
This
bagless wifi-connected robot has an all-black, utilitarian design. Its price is comparable to other high-end smart robotic vacuums.
You can control the device by using the physical Clean & Dock buttons on top as well as the SharkClean App, or by speaking commands using Alexa or Google Assistant. It offers a wide range of smart features, such as home mapping and virtual no-go zones.
Matrix Clean
The most popular vacuum cleaner in America (based on NPD Group/Retail Tracking Services data). Matrix Clean features incredible suction power, Matrix & Precision Home Mapping and an auto-emptying base.
It's simple to connect the Matrix to your WiFi and start mapping your rooms using the SharkClean app that you can download on your smartphone. Once the mapping is complete, the app allows you to make a schedule for your robot to keep your home clean or select specific rooms to have the Matrix automatically start a cleaning session. You can also set 'no-go zones such as closets or beds that you don't want it to access.
The app also lets you use the "spot" cleaning on demand feature. You can select a dirty spot on your floor map, and the robot will traverse the area by repeatedly swiping its cleaning pad. It is able to take everything away from dog hair to weeds and small pieces of paper that were left from an upcoming craft project.
The Matrix will return to its dock when it has finished cleaning and empty itself into the bin included. This is an interesting feature because it reduces the amount of maintenance you need to do.
One thing to be aware of about this particular model is that the LIDAR mapping sensor is located right on top and could hinder it from getting under some of the lower furniture such as tables and sofas. If you're okay with being a little taller than other robots it's still a very good choice. Be aware that this model doesn't come with an HEPA filter like the other models on this list.
Precision Home Mapping
Shark's Matrix Clean Navigation uses a precision grid to leave no spot missed and incredible suction pulls dirt dust and debris into a self-emptying 60-day capacity
bagless robot sweeper base. Precision home mapping combines 360deg LiDAR vision with a precise home map in the SharkClean app to enable completely autonomous movement and intelligent object avoidance. At night or day, it generates an accurate map of your space to allow complete navigation without crashing into furniture and other obstacles. This means that your robot can be left to complete a cleaning schedule or you can initiate Matrix clean on demand and set specific targets for your room through the app.
"The team at Precision are fantastic, they know that building a house can be stressful, and they help you relax in a time where you're worried about permits, timing, weather, etc." Josh C. Josh C.
Powerful Suction
The RV2502AE is a solid mid-range robot vacuum that checks all the boxes. It is easy to use, generates precise home maps, and has a self-emptying
bagless robot vacuum mop base. It's also cheaper to run than many other robot vacuums.
It's also got plenty of power, sweeping up debris using its suction opening and relying on its side brushes to push carpet and hair threads into the brushroll. This stops the brushroll from clogging up and causing a mess as seen in other robotic vacuums. It also makes the machine more effective for removing pet hair.
Apart from its suction-boosting and self-emptying base, this robot features Matrix Clean Navigation for a thorough cleaning, Precision Home Mapping for objects to avoid, a high-efficiency HEPA filter that can snare 99 percent of odors dust mites, and allergens and has two power modes to suit different floor types and a remote control that gives you access to all of its functions. It's also compatible with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant which means you can begin a cleaning task without touching the robot.
It's a great choice for homes with a lot of space, but its navigation capabilities could be problematic for some. Contrary to other bump robots that can avoid stairs, this one had difficulty with them. It used LiDAR sensors and infrared sensors to map my home however, it kept mistakenly identifying the cat condo as stairs and asked me if I wanted to move it. It also had a shorter running time than the advertised time of 180 minutes.
Self-Empty Base
Some robots, such as this one, have self-emptying bases. These bases vacuum or dump debris from the onboard dustbin to an external dirt bin. This makes maintenance easier. They are referred to as Clean Base Dirt Disposal (iRobot), Auto Empty Station (Ecovacs) or Bagless Self-Emptying Base (Shark). They are a great option, but they can also be noisy and messy. They typically require special disposal bags.
This Shark model comes with a HEPA-filtered
bagless electric robots base and has a remarkablely large capacity. It can store debris for up to 60 days and does not require daily emptying like other models. Shark's suction is powerful enough to handle even the most difficult messes. The only issue is that the vacuum system used by the docking station to clean the onboard dust bin is surprisingly loud.
When the robot is plugged in and charging it will sound a beep and a green light on its top will blink to signal that it's ready to begin cleaning. When the battery of the robot is depleted, it will dock to its base until it is recharged. It is essential that the dock, or Self-Empty Base, is positioned so it is not blocked by furniture or other objects and is free of obstructions.
While it's somewhat more expensive than other mid-range robotic mops that we've tested, it feels well-built and has better performance on floors that are not bare as well as a longer battery life, less demanding maintenance requirements and a wider selection of automation options, including virtual boundary markers. The iRobot Roomba i7, however, is still our recommended choice because it feels more durable and more sophisticated, charges faster, gets caught on rug tassels less often and has a greater maximum battery capacity.
Easy Setup
The Shark AI Ultra has a simple to use Schedule that only requires just a few inputs. You can select the date and time of sunrise and sunset. You can also select the duration of the ramp times (increasing brightness or decreasing) and whether you want to turn the lights on at night.
It doesn't offer voice control or smart mapping like Alexa or Google Assistant, but it does feature a very useful free programming suite. This suite includes a number of Windows-based tools that allow for operating parameter settings and communication such as dmXLAN switch and node configuration and also live testing and fast replication to multiple installations.
The interface is simple to understand even for the most inexperienced user. The top tabs correspond with the screens that will be displayed by the installer. There are also tabs for playing around with various colors and messages. It is an extremely powerful tool that lets you build a quick and easy program installer. The program is just 1.3MB in size and is compatible with Windows 7 to Windows 95.