Shark AV1010AE IQ Vacuum Cleaner with Self-Emptying Base: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The Shark AV1010AE IQ is a robotic vacuum with a self-emptying base station that empties the robot's dust bin after each cleaning session. This shark robovac was designed for homes with pets and combines strong suction power with advanced navigation and mapping.

The AV1010AE IQ features Shark's intelligent mapping system to methodically clean room-to-room and row-by-row. It uses powerful suction and a multi-surface brushroll to deep clean carpets and hard floors. The self-emptying base holds up to 30 days of dirt and debris so you don't have to manually empty it for weeks at a time.

Overall, the Shark AV1010AE IQ is a high-end robotic vacuum with advanced mapping capabilities and a convenient self-emptying base. It's a great option for keeping floors clean in homes with pets that tend to track in a lot of dirt and debris.

Design

The Shark AV1010AE has a unique design that is distinct from other robot vacuums. It has a circular shape and stands 3.62 inches tall. Weighing around 16 pounds, it is bulkier and heavier than many other robot vacuums due to the self-emptying base that is integrated into the design.

The top surface has a matte black finish with some chrome accents around the control buttons. The self-emptying base has a similar matte black color. There are no bright colors or flashy elements on this vacuum. The overall look is quite sleek and modern.

Aesthetically, the Shark AV1010AE will blend in nicely with most home décor due to its simple, minimalist appearance. It does not look clunky or toy-like. The all-black color scheme gives it a sophisticated look. Those wanting a robot vacuum that doubles as a decorative piece may be disappointed by the plain design. However, buyers focused purely on function over form will appreciate the straightforward, subtle look.

The Shark AV1010AE has a very practical design optimized for cleaning performance rather than visual appeal. With its self-emptying base, it can clean for weeks without needing manual maintenance. The circular shape allows it to get into corners and navigate under furniture. While it may not stand out visually, it excels at doing its job efficiently. For those seeking a robot vacuum that cleans well without requiring constant oversight, the Shark AV1010AE is an excellent choice.

In terms of size, the Shark AV1010AE is fairly average for a robot vacuum with a self-emptying base. It is not the smallest or most compact model on the market, but still fits under most furniture and can access confined areas. Larger homes may require two units for full coverage. The all-black color allows it to blend into room décor seamlessly. Overall, the design balances form and function quite well.

Features

The Shark AV1010AE IQ comes packed with features to make cleaning your home a breeze. With its powerful suction, long battery life, advanced navigation, and self-emptying base, this robot vacuum makes keeping your floors spotless incredibly easy.

• Powerful Suction: With a whopping 1800Pa of suction power, the AV1010AE IQ can easily pick up dust, dirt, pet hair and large debris from carpets and hard floors. The strong suction allows you to deep clean different surfaces.

• Long Runtime: A large 5200 mAh battery provides up to 120 minutes of runtime, so you can clean multiple rooms in one go without having to stop and recharge frequently.

• Advanced Navigation: The robot uses laser navigation and mapping to methodically clean room to room while avoiding obstacles. It can map multi-level homes and remember specific rooms.

• Self-Emptying: The self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of dirt and debris, so you don't have to manually empty it after every cleaning. Once docked, the robot automatically empties itself into the base.

• App Connectivity: Connect the robot to the SharkClean app to schedule whole home cleanings, target specific rooms or spots, check cleaning history, and customize settings.

With these features, the Shark AV1010AE IQ takes the effort out of vacuuming. You don't have to constantly monitor the robot or empty it - it can clean your whole home independently and empty itself as needed. The powerful suction lifts debris other robots might leave behind, resulting in a deeper clean.

The Shark AV1010AE IQ competes directly with the popular iRobot Roomba i5+. Like the Shark, the Roomba i5+ has a self-emptying base that holds up to 60 days of dirt. It also has app connectivity for remote control, scheduling and customization. The Roomba matches the Shark's 120 minute runtime as well.

However, there are some key differences between the robots. The Roomba i5+ has 10 times the suction power at 1800Pa. This allows it to better deep clean carpets. The Roomba also uses advanced 3D sensors to map the home and identify objects, while the Shark relies on laser navigation. Finally, the Roomba empties itself by sealing and cutting the dust bag, while the Shark uses a bagless system.

For shoppers deciding between the Shark AV1010AE IQ and the Roomba i5+, the main considerations are suction power and navigation technology. The Roomba provides more thorough carpet cleaning and advanced mapping, while the Shark offers robust navigation and a bagless self-emptying system at a lower price point. Both make maintaining a clean home extremely convenient.

Cleaning Performance

The Shark AV1010AE IQ excels at cleaning all types of flooring. Its dual brushroll system is designed to deep clean carpets and lift debris from hard floors.

On carpets, the self-cleaning brushroll removes embedded dirt and pet hair with ease. Reviewers note the vacuum picks up debris that their previous vacuums left behind. The strong suction power delivers a thorough clean even on high pile carpets.

It performs just as well on hardwood, effortlessly sucking up dust, dirt and crumbs. Customers mention the hard floor attachment does a great job getting into corners and along baseboards.

Pet hair is no match for the AV1010AE IQ. The self-cleaning brushroll prevents tangles and sends hair directly to the dust bin. Users say it's the best vacuum they've found for removing pet hair from carpets and furniture.

Ease of Use

The Shark AV1010AE IQ is designed to be extremely user-friendly. Set up is straightforward - just charge the robot, connect it to your home WiFi network, and use the app to perform an initial mapping run.

The robot vacuum has several modes that are easy to control via the app or clean button on the top:

• Cleaning mode for regular vacuuming
• Max mode for deeper cleaning
• Self-Empty mode to automatically empty the dustbin

Maintenance is also simple. The dustbin is conveniently located on the top of the robot, making it easy to remove and empty as needed between self-empty cycles. The high-efficiency filter only needs to be cleaned every 2-3 months.

The robot intelligently maps your home and allows you to designate no-go zones and cleaning schedules through the app. Overall, the Shark AV1010AE IQ's thoughtful design and smart home integration make it a very user-friendly vacuum option.

Noise Level

The Shark IQ Robot AV1010AE operates quietly, registering around 60 decibels according to most customer reviews. This is comparable to the volume of a normal conversation and allows the robot vacuum to clean without causing disruption.

Some users note that it seems slightly louder on higher power modes or when transitioning between floor types. But in general, the vacuum produces a consistent, unobtrusive hum while operating. Its noise level makes it suitable for everyday cleaning, even when people are home in rooms nearby.

The volume is aided by the robot's carpet and hard floor detection. This allows the SuctionIQ technology to automatically adjust power between surface types while maintaining a steady, quiet operation. Overall the Shark AV1010AE manages noise well and does not disturb households during daily cleaning cycles.

Battery Life

The Shark AV1010AE has excellent battery life, thanks to its large 5200 mAh lithium-ion battery. On a full charge, it can run for up to 120 minutes on hard floors and 90 minutes on carpets. This is more than enough time to clean even large homes in a single session.

When the battery starts running low, the vacuum will automatically return to the base station to recharge. A full recharge takes around 3-4 hours. The base station holds a second removable battery, so you can quickly swap them out instead of waiting for a full recharge each time.

The battery is designed to last over repeated charges for the lifetime of the vacuum. Overall, the excellent battery performance is a major plus for the AV1010AE. You don't have to worry about interruptions or having to frequently recharge while cleaning.

Accessories

The Shark AV1010AE comes with a few handy accessories to optimize cleaning performance.

• Extra Side Brushes: The robot has two removable side brushes that sweep along baseboards and into corners. Shark includes an extra set of these brushes so you can replace them when they get worn down.

• Extra Filters: Debris and dust accumulate in the filter so it needs regular cleaning. Shark provides an extra filter so you always have a clean one on hand for optimal suction.

• Multi-Surface Brushes: The bristle brush is suited for carpets while the soft brush is designed for hard floors. Shark includes both brush types so you can swap them based on the floor type.

• Charging Dock: The self-emptying charging dock sucks debris from the robot's bin after each cleaning run. The robot returns to the dock on its own when power is low.

• Dust Bag: The dock holds an enclosed bag to store all the debris removed from the robot's bin. Shark provides an extra disposable bag.

• Cord: The charging dock needs to be powered on at all times, so Shark includes a long cord to give you flexibility in placement.

App

The Shark IQ Robot comes with the SharkClean app for Android and iOS which allows you to control the robot, schedule cleanings, view cleaning history and access other features.

The app is easy to set up by connecting to your robot's WiFi network. Once connected, you can start, stop or pause a cleaning session from anywhere. Scheduling is simple with options to set cleaning times for specific days or recurring daily, weekly or monthly cleanings.

The app provides a cleaning history so you can see when and where past cleanings occurred. There's also an option to name different rooms which allows you to direct the robot to clean specific areas on demand.

One handy feature is the ability to locate your robot if it gets stuck somewhere out of sight. The Find My Robot option will make the device beep so you can rescue it.

The IQ robot sends notifications to the app for various events like when cleaning is finished, if it gets stuck or when the bin needs to be emptied. This allows you to monitor status even when you're not home.

Overall the app works well for controlling the robot remotely and adds useful functionality over just using the physical controls. The connectivity is reliable and the interface is intuitive. It's a key part of the convenient automated cleaning experience the Shark IQ Robot provides.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Strong suction power and efficient cleaning on carpets and hard floors. The self-emptying base makes cleaning even easier.

• The AV1010AE has a bagless, self-emptying base that holds up to 30 days of dirt and debris before needing to be emptied. This is very convenient.

• Excellent navigation and mapping capabilities with vSLAM technology. The robot maps your home and cleans efficiently in neat rows.

• Easy to control and schedule through the SharkClean app. Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands are also supported.

• Automatically recharges when battery is low and resumes cleaning. Gets a full 2 hours of runtime per charge.

• Comes with a variety of useful accessories like a crevice tool and multiflex under appliance wand.

Cons

• The dustbin in the base needs frequent emptying if you have pets. The bagless design causes some debris to escape when emptied.

• Doesn't work well transitioning between different floor types. Tends to get stuck on high pile carpets.

• Initial mapping can take multiple cleaning cycles. May require some manual guidance at first.

• The self-emptying base is loud when activated. The vacuum itself is relatively quiet.

• Doesn't have advanced features like room recognition or no-go zones. The app is basic compared to some higher-end brands.

• More expensive than non-self-emptying robot vacuums with similar cleaning performance.