Robot vacuums are one of the fastest-growing categories in the vacuum cleaner industry. Today's models are so much smarter and more efficient than the first models we tested in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab over 20 years ago.
In my over 40 years of experience testing cleaning products and appliances, I remember very well following the first iRobot Roomba as it bumped its way down the halls of the Good Housekeeping Institute and being amazed at what I was seeing. Now more than ever, robot vacuums are a hands-free way to keep floors and carpets clean so you can focus on more enjoyable activities.
From basic robot vacuums to self-emptying robot vacuums to combination robot vacuums and mops, there's a model suitable for virtually every household and need. And while we've tested everything from entry-level models to ones with all the bells and whistles and everything in between, our go-to picks are those that clean well, are easy to use and offer useful features at an affordable price. That's why I consider Shark's AI Ultra Self-Empty Robot Vacuum a great choice and a worthwhile investment.
Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum
At a glance
- Dust bin/base capacity: 60 days
- Cleaning pattern: Grid matrix
- Room mapping: Yes
- Run time: Up to 120 minutes
- App/Voice-enabled: Yes
- Notable features: Recharge and resume, ultra clean, edge cleaning technology
- Filter: HEPA (in the base)
- Warranty: One year
Why I like it
It moves smoothly
The Shark AI Ultra uses laser navigation to scan and map the areas you want to clean. It covers spaces in a methodical, grid pattern for more complete coverage than robots that pass randomly or bump around the room can achieve. It also “sees” objects in its path, like shoes or toys, and skirts them to avoid hang-ups. When I set it loose in my home, it had no problem cleaning under kitchen cabinets or figuring out how to navigate its way out of tight spaces, like chair legs. I especially like that it won’t ding and damage furniture legs or baseboards.
It cleans thoroughly
The dry oatmeal, rice and pet hair fuzz I scattered on both carpet and bare floors were no challenge for the AI Ultra. It not only picked up everything I put down, but it went back to find and suck up a straggler speck that it missed on its first pass. Impressive! And unlike other models we’ve tested, it didn’t struggle when going from one floor type to another. Lightweight throw rugs and mats were no challenge either. For especially dirty jobs, you can program it to UltraClean mode where it goes over the same area three times for the deepest clean. That's why we named it our best robot vacuum pick for carpets.
It empties itself
Robot vacuums can be messy to clean and maintain, but that wasn't the case for this Shark. When it finishes its cleaning task, it returns to the dock and automatically empties itself (albeit a bit loudly) into the bin in the base, saving you from this annoying step after every run. When the base does need emptying — every 60 days or so — the extra-large dust bin is very easy to remove and empties from the bottom right into the trash. It is bagless, so there are no replacement bags to buy and store but the base's sealed HEPA design means even the tiniest particles are contained. I especially like the low profile and compact design of the Shark's base. So many we've tested are big, bulky and eyesores in a room. It's nice to see one that knows its place.
It has advanced features
Download the app, and you can set cleaning schedules that match your day and time preferences, send the robot out to spot clean or deep clean high traffic or other areas that need extra attention and tell it where you want and don’t want it to clean. While it's possible to operate the robot without the app — which we applaud — the app does really help it do more, like recharge when it needs more juice to finish cleaning a large space and resume where it left off. Just a note, the app connects to 2.4 GHz networks.
It is easy to use
Shark’s robot vacuum with its automatic dirt disposal system is simple to set up and easy to use. And all by itself, it smoothly navigates through spaces and around objects and finds its way back to empty itself when it’s done. While I found the app very easy to activate and navigate, I really like the controls on the robot itself that indicate the charge and let you send it out to clean or send it back to the dock without having to go through the app.
Other Shark robot vacuums I like
Shark Matrix 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop
Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop
In addition to this model, Shark makes an assortment of robot vacuums and robot mops that both dry vacuum and wet mop, and fortunately, they are all well-priced. Many of the same features I've called out here, like the grid cleaning pattern, can be found in the Shark Matrix Self-Empty. While its dirt disposal bin is smaller and there's no HEPA filter, if neither of these are issues for you, you can get great cleaning for $100 less.
One thing I like about Shark robot mops is that they work with a floor cleaning solution instead of just plain water to better mimic how you would actually clean a floor. Both the standalone Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Vacuum and Mop and the Self-Empty Vacuum and Mop come with a 12-ounce starter bottle of floor cleaning solution to dissolve greasy soils and clean more deeply than water alone can. And there's more robot vacuum news coming from Shark. We just heard about a new model today that we hope to test soon.
How we test robot vacuums
Robot vacuum cleaners go where they want to, so we can't test them the way we do traditional upright, canister and stick vacuum cleaners. We had to design and build a test area for them that mimics the conditions they'd encounter in an actual home. Our two-room obstacle course contains carpets, bare floors, tables, chairs and random items like shoes and toys. In it, we check how well a robot navigates around furniture, reaches into corners, transitions across different floor surfaces, skirts objects and cleans up the debris and dirt we put down, wet mops and more. We enable the app and evaluate how easy it is to use and the breadth of the features it provides. Finally, we note how easy the robot is to clean and maintain.
The bottom line: Is the Shark AI Ultra Self-Empty Robot Vacuum worth it?
Definitely, yes! We are fans of Shark cleaning products, like Shark's Apex upright vacuum and this robot vacuum is no exception. For those who just want a robot to dry vacuum bare floors and carpets, it offers great performance and high-end features at a very affordable price. And because it's so easy to operate, you don't have to be a technology wizard to take advantage of all it has to offer. Shark offers a variety of other well-priced vacuuming robots, some that also wet mop and others that don't self-empty, but I think this model does everything you really want and need a robot to do.
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.
