What Is a Shark Robotic Vacuum?
Shark or SharkNinja is a relatively new company that has already got its name in the cleaning industry. It became famous for its high-quality classic upright vacuum cleaners, which it still produces and does very well at that.
But now, Shark is diversifying their product range, taking the robot worlds by storm. The brand is pushing the boundaries with its innovative, 5-star robotic vacuums designed to improve and simplify your life.
Shark sweats the details to deliver you reliable cordless robots that can solve your above-floor and on-floor problems. Shark robotic vacuum cleaners are powerful, capacious, and maneuverable enough to keep your floors spotless, day after day.
And in case you want to remove not only dirt but also bacteria, bed bugs, fleas, and other nasties lurking in your house, you may be interested in Shark steam mops. This relentless innovator isn’t limited to vacuums. Their steamers can do a great sanitizing job, ridding you of need to deal with buckets, chemicals, and regular mops.
What Features to Compare
Intelligence
When it comes to robotic vacuums, the very first thing you need to consider is its intelligence. By this, we mean the number of sensors and navigation technology used. Today Shark robots use Smart sensor navigation 1.0 and Smart sensor navigation 2.0 technologies.
The earlier Shark vacuums use Smart sensor navigation 1.0 technology that utilizes a big number of IR sensors to detect objects. They are called proximity sensors that help a vac to avoid hitting furniture or other obstacles on its way. Take note that vacs move in a random pattern, so they deliver a thorough cleaning at the expense of efficiency. This technology can also be found in iRobot Roombas, DEEBOTs, and EcoVacs.
Models working on Smart sensor navigation 2.0 technology are usually more sophisticated and pricey accordingly. They use more sensitive sensors that won’t allow robots to crash into furniture or walls as it may happen with older models.
Collision sensors inform a cleaning robot if it’s near or in contact with some object; drop sensors prevent it from falling off a ledge; dirt sensors notify the robot of areas requiring a deeper clean. These super-intuitive sensors direct the vac in a random wall-to-wall pattern.
Connectivity Options
One more feature to take into account is the compatibility. Top-tier Shark robotic vacuums are featured with built-in Wi-Fi and can be paired with your phone or other smart devices. These robots are also usually compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control services. By choosing one of them, you’ll be able to accomplish the vacuuming tasks with zero effort from your side. And the special Shark app will let you give commands and schedule your cleaner using your smartphone wherever you are.
Extras
Sometimes, you may want to keep your robotic vacuum away from certain objects or even rooms. That’s why all Shark vacs are provided with BotBoundary strips – magnetic strips that are adjustable in size. You can simply place them across a doorway or form a halo around pet dishes to limit access to them.
Among other extras, we can highlight additional attachments and nozzles. For example, the most up-to-date model in Shark’s robots lineup comes with an additional handheld vac that can be used just anywhere in your house and out of it.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR GREATER PERFORMANCE
Here we provide some useful tips from the manufacturer, which can help you achieve the best cleaning results.
As you already know, all Shark robotic vacuum cleaners are designed with Smart Sensor technology (either version 1.0 or 2.0) so they can clean all your house and navigate their way out of tight spaces. However, during the first few cleanings, you can take some simple steps to get the most out of a robot’s performance.
Cords and other obstacles. You should make some adjustments to prepare your house for the first cleaning. Remember that loose cords, pet feeders, and other obstructions can create problems for your vacuum. That’s why you should clear away wires and other odd objects out of its way. Or you can simply block off the tricky areas with the included BotBoundary™ strip
Ultra low furniture. Almost all Shark robots may find their way under low-profile furniture but not all of them will be able to free themselves. If you can, use furniture risers to increase the clearance. But if it’s not the option in your house, it’s advisable to create no-go zones, using BotBoundary strips.
Doorway thresholds. Actually, all Shark robots easily climb over standard thresholds. However, it may be challenging for them to cross rather high thresholds. If that goes for your house, the manufacturer recommends setting the included BotBoundary strips in your doorways to block off tricky areas.
And here are the basic instructions on how to prepare your home using BotBoundary strips.
- Take the BotBoundary strip and cut it to the needed length. 18 inches is the minimum acceptable length. It can cover the whole perimeter of an obstacle or span the length of the doorway that you don’t want your robot to cross.
- Simply lay the strip flat on the surface. You can lay it right on the floor or under a carpet. Make sure that the BotBoundary strip is completely flat against the floor.
- All Shark vacs come with special connectors that can help you create the angles so as to adjust the BotBoundary strips to fit your room. You can use them if needed.
Tip: When setting up the BotBoundary strips, it’s better to either make a loop around a no-go zone with the included connectors or to directly place the strips between stationary objects, like door frames or legs of your sofa.
