Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE: True Hands-Free Robot Vacuum

The point of using a robot vacuum is to cut down on your housework, but most of these devices need to be emptied and cleaned often, adding at least one more chore to your list.

- ANGELA MOSCARITOLO

A lower-maintenance option, the Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL R101AE works quickly and efficiently, rarely gets stuck, and has a large dustbin in its base station that needs to be emptied only about once a month. You can control the robot from your phone or with your voice and set up cleaning schedules so it gets to work when you want it to. The vacuum maps your home as it cleans, so you can send it to specific rooms and create virtual no-go zones (features you don’t get with the similarly priced iRobot Roomba i3+). It’s also a compelling option for pet owners thanks to a self-cleaning brushroll and enough power to suck fur from carpeting. All of these features earn the R101AE our Editors’ Choice award.

HANDS-OFF CLEANING

The IQ Robot XL (R101AE) is the most expensive model in Shark’s lineup and features a bagless base that holds up to 30 days’ worth of dirt and debris. A more affordable alternative, the Shark IQ Robot ($449) has a smaller base that holds around two weeks’ worth of debris but is otherwise the same as the XL model.

As recently as a couple of years ago, you’d be hardpressed to find a sub-$1,000 self-emptying robot vacuum, but the prices for these models have been dropping. Last year, iRobot introduced the aforementioned Roomba i3+, which at $599 is the company’s most affordable model with a self-emptying dustbin. Other self-emptying vacuums in this price range include the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ ($699; it also works as a mop) and the Neabot NoMo ($599), both of which we plan to test.

Most self-emptying robot vacuums empty the contents of their bins into a bag, so you never have to come into contact with dust and debris. The downside is that you eventually have to buy more bags when you run out.