SharkNinja has unveiled its latest range of robot vacuums. There are three PowerDetect models and the most economical model is already available to buy from Shark.
What we love is that while we’ve seen some amazing robot vacuums with some really impressive features, they still tend to be very expensive.
The Shark PowerDetect RV2820VEUK Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum Cleaner has many of the same features and costs less than half the price of the market-leading models at £499.99. At the time of writing, you can buy it for even less on Amazon.
What it lacks is the ability to clean floors. The two most expensive PowerDetect models not only clean floors, but also automatically fill the onboard water tank from the dock. The top-of-the-line model also automatically washes and dries its cleaning pads.
If these cleaning features are important to you, you’ll have to wait until Shark releases the higher-end models.
But if you’re looking for an affordable dry robot vacuum with premium features, here’s what the PowerDetect Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum can offer you.
Monster Climbing Wheels
The dream of a robot vacuum cleaner is to schedule cleaning times and… well, that’s it. You forget about it. But that only works if the features allow your robot to continue its work. For that, you’ll need an automatic emptying station, which this one has (see below).
But it’s not a good idea if your robot vacuum gets stuck on a thick carpet at the beginning of each cleaning and can’t continue its work until you come to rescue it.
The PowerDetect Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum features what Shark calls NeverStuck technology. The robot is equipped with what looks like a set of mini-monster truck wheels, and it lifts itself up to navigate obstacles like door sills and carpets.
It’s not quite stair climbing, but if you have a room that a robot vacuum can’t reach for cleaning, it could break it.
Dirt, edge and floor covering detection
Not all rooms in our home require the same level of cleaning. For example, if your pet has a favorite sleeping spot, it may require a much more thorough cleaning than the rest of your floor. However, most robot vacuums will treat all areas the same.
The PowerDetect Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum will detect a dustier or furry spot and increase suction to tackle it, moving over the area in a figure-eight pattern until no more dirt is detected.
It will also distinguish between different floor types and give carpets the much-needed suction for a deep clean.
Finally, it has edge detection and when it comes to a wall, it will use jets of air to move dust and hair out of its way to be cleaned.
60 days of hands-free cleaning
As mentioned above, an automatic emptying station is essential for quick and hassle-free cleaning. Otherwise, you’ll have to remember to empty your robot vacuum’s small built-in bin every few days.
Shark’s self-emptying base only needs to be emptied every two months. Plus, it’s bagless, so you won’t have to constantly shell out for bags.
Pet-friendly features
The PowerDetect Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum has many features that make it a good option for homes with pets.
Its brushroll is self-cleaning and features anti-hair wrap technology. In our experience, this doesn’t always help with longer hairs, which you’ll still need to remove from time to time, but it does protect against the worst pet hair clogs.
It also has an anti-allergen seal, which traps 99.9% of dust and allergens inside the machine. Good news if pet dander makes you sneeze. However, as the base is bagless, we suspect you’ll likely encounter that dust again when you empty it into your bin – although this will only be necessary every 60 days. We’ll know more when we’ve tested it.
Finally, the robot has a slot for Shark’s odor-eliminating cartridges, which we tested and liked during our Shark Stratos Pet Pro upright vacuum review. You don’t have to use them, but if you do, they leave behind a pleasant, non-overwhelming scent.
Navigation and obstacle avoidance
Gone are the days of a robot vacuum wandering aimlessly around your room. This robot features a 3D sensor to avoid obstacles of all heights and 360-degree LiDAR mapping from a tower at the top of the robot.
Once a map of your home is created in the app, you’ll be able to set no-go zones if there are areas you want the robot to avoid and send it out for targeted cleaning of a spill or messy area.
We will review it as soon as possible, when we have more details about these features.
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