Shark Matrix robot vacuum Review

Despite the absence of LIDAR in the Roomba i3, its lower price point makes it a natural competitor to the Shark Matrix. However, when it comes to performance, the Shark Matrix truly shines. In our comprehensive bench tests, measuring factors like suction power and airflow, the Shark Matrix performed significantly above average in terms of airflow. This superior power was also evident in the Krebus pickup test, where it outperformed the Roomba i3 by a considerable margin.

Moreover, the Shark Matrix delivered exceptional results in the carpet deep clean test, surpassing the performance of robot vacuums that cost two or even three times as much. The Shark also demonstrated excellent debris pickup capabilities on hard floors and carpets. While both the Shark and the Roomba performed well in this aspect, I was particularly impressed by the Shark's sweeping ability, making it the best pickup test I've witnessed from a Shark robot vacuum.

Let's now discuss navigation. In our new navigation test, we subjected each robot vacuum to various modes and power settings on a fixed floor plan. The Shark Matrix offers a fast mapping mode, allowing it to map a 350 square foot area in just over 5 minutes, compared to the Roomba i3, which took 26 minutes. We also measured navigation efficiency, taking into account the speed at which each robot cleaned an area and the square footage covered. The Shark outperformed the Roomba by covering approximately 15% more area in about 28% less time. Clearly, the inclusion of LIDAR navigation made a noticeable difference for the Shark.

In terms of battery efficiency, the Roomba had a slight advantage, providing an average of 1.41 minutes of runtime per battery life percentage point, while the Shark averaged 1.29 minutes per percentage point across its three power levels. However, despite the Roomba's superior battery efficiency, it couldn't compensate for its less efficient navigation. Therefore, the Shark outperformed the Roomba in terms of coverage, offering approximately 1000 square feet per charge compared to the Roomba's 820 square feet. However, it's important to consider that these numbers may vary due to several factors. Additionally, both models feature a recharge and resume function, allowing them to return to their base, recharge, and seamlessly resume cleaning from where they left off on the map.

Moving on to features, let's focus on the Matrix mode, after which the Shark model is named. This mode can only be activated during spot cleaning or room select mode. Instead of its usual back-and-forth pattern, the Shark Matrix cleans in a crosshatch or matrix pattern. This mode is particularly effective in heavily trafficked areas that tend to be more soiled, such as around cat litter boxes or door entryways. While it does work well for spot cleaning, it has limited usefulness as the target area cannot be expanded on the map. Now, let's discuss the app features.

Shark offers some advanced features through its app, including the ability to set no-go lines to prevent the vacuum from accessing certain areas. This feature is a significant advantage over the Roomba i3 Plus, which lacks this capability. Both models, however, provide room select and zone cleaning options, as well as versatile scheduling features. Another notable feature of the Shark Matrix is its anti-hair wrap brush roll, which utilizes comb-like structures to actively remove hair from the brush roll. While this is a popular feature in Shark's upright and cordless vacuums, its impact on robot vacuums may not be as pronounced.

In conclusion, the Shark Matrix is an impressive robot vacuum, offering exceptional power, superior performance on both carpets and hard floors, and efficient navigation through its LIDAR technology. Considering its price, it provides excellent value for money. In our scoring system, it outperformed the Roomba i3 Plus EVO without any difficulties.