What is the best Shark robot vacuum? Here are my top 3 picks after testing at home.
As Black Friday approaches, shoppers are eagerly on the lookout for the best deals on robot vacuums, and Shark is making a significant splash this year. Renowned for its budget-friendly options, Shark offers a range of robot vacuums that excel particularly in spot cleaning. With retailers like Best Buy showcasing record-low prices on popular Shark models, consumers have a prime opportunity to invest in a reliable cleaning solution. The Shark app enhances the user experience, allowing for easy zone cleaning by simply dragging a square over the desired area. Shark’s innovative Matrix cleaning system ensures that these spots receive thorough attention, often performing multiple passes from different angles—something that many competitors in the same price range do not offer without requiring additional user input.
However, while Shark robots shine in certain areas, they do have notable limitations, particularly in obstacle avoidance technology. Unlike competitors such as iRobot and Roborock, which have models adept at navigating around cords and pet waste, Shark vacuums have lagged behind in this regard. Despite this shortcoming, there are whispers of a potential update to Shark’s lineup that could introduce more agile models capable of better obstacle navigation. When comparing Shark to Roomba, the verdict is nuanced. While Roomba offers a broader range of models and features, Shark consistently delivers excellent value for money, especially in the sub-$300 category. A Shark vacuum priced at $300 typically outperforms its Roomba counterpart in that range, making it a compelling choice for budget-conscious consumers. Although Shark may be slower to introduce cutting-edge features, when they do release new models, they often come at a significantly lower price point than equivalent Roomba products, making them an attractive option for savvy shoppers this Black Friday.
Shark robot vacuum deals are always big for Black Friday
No
Black Friday robot vacuum deals
list would be complete without a few good Shark options thrown in. 2025 is no different — I’ve already caught multiple versions of my number one Shark robot vacuum at new record-low pricing at
Best Buy
, which has become my go-to retailer to find Shark deals as of late (outside of the
SharkNinja website
itself, of course. Black Friday deals are popping off there too.)
Shark vacuums shine at spot cleaning, but have a big blind spot
Sometimes, there’s an unexpected mess that you want to clean
without
messing around with full room cleanings in the app. In my at-home testing, Shark robot vacuums are consistently reliable when it comes to spot cleaning. Setting a zone for a one-time clean in the Shark app is as easy as dragging a square in the designated spot cleaning tab, and Shark’s Matrix cleaning system automatically goes over the spot multiple times from multiple angles. Many other similarly-priced robot vacuums won’t take a second look unless you remember to toggle the number of cleaning passes from one to two. Matrix cleaning automatically covers one of my tips for
making your robot vacuum work better
.
Is accurate smart mapping and black-and-white spot cleaning a Shark-only skill? Of course not. But Shark robot vacuums do it while staying firmly in the
budget-friendly robot vacuum
category, and they’re on sale frequently.
SEE ALSO:
The Roborock Saros 10R aces one thing that most other robot vacuums can’t
On the other hand, Shark’s one big blind spot — literally — is small obstacle avoidance technology, and that’s been the case for a few years now. Shark is forever being upstaged by new releases from the likes of iRobot, Roborock, and Eufy, who all have models at Shark prices that
can
steer clear of obstacles like cords and pet waste. Based on my experience, Shark hasn’t mastered this skill yet. But Shark is due for a major update to its lineup, and I feel like a totally new, highly agile Shark robot vacuum is coming very soon.
Are Shark robot vacuums as good as Roomba?
The short answer?
It’s complicated
. That’s not the definitive one-word answer you were hoping for, but making an unequivocal call between the two brands just wouldn’t make sense. Both vacuum brands are constantly improving their product lineups and introducing new features. Both brands have several options with mopping, smart room mapping, and automatic emptying, including vacs that can do all three or offer some mix-and-match combo of those features.
So, where does Shark outperform the
best Roombas
? While Shark has way fewer options to choose from after iRobot
randomly overhauled its Roomba lineup
in March 2025, Sharks are more likely to be a bang for your buck than Roombas. Shark consistently puts out more budget-friendly robot vacuums, often without skimping on the most crucial features. If you were capping yourself at $300, the $300 Shark vacuum is going to be more competent than the $300 Roomba (unless you’re finding a premium Roomba on sale for that price).
Admittedly, Shark takes a little longer to roll out new features and doesn’t have product drops very often. (For instance, it was late to self-emptying, self-washing, and self-drying compared to iRobot — and everyone else, for that matter.) But when Shark does release a model with new in-demand features, it’s typically at a much more digestible price than the competition. Even Shark’s most premium robot vacuum, the
Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 with NeverTouch Pro Base
, debuted at around $400 less than the most premium Roomba, the Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash Dock, despite them being nearly identical in capabilities.
