There seems to be an undying debate on iRobot Roomba vs Shark Ion topic circulating on the web. While iRobot, the makers of Roomba, paved the way to make smart robot vacuums popular, new players are giving them a run for their money. Today, Shark is becoming a force in the industry that introduces unique innovations and designs.
In this blog, we will discuss different features of the two brands and see how each one fits your needs. We will also cover the history of each company to establish its credibility. For additional information on these brands, you can also read Cleanup Expert pick for best robot vacuum cleaners.
iRobot
iRobot pioneered the smart robot cleaning industry. Founded in 1990 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology roboticists, the company has sold more than 30 million home robots worldwide. Today, the iRobot is still providing consumers with smarter ways to clean their homes and offices.
Design
Roomba robot vacuums come in almost the same size and shape. They are round in shape, although the 600 and e series have bigger bumpers than other models. The s series has a unique D-shape design to give Neato Botvac a worthy competition.
Roombas are black and gray. Some are solid black, while others feature a two-tone combo. The s series is the only model that comes in black and copper.
Technology
Roomba comes with the following features:
Wi-Fi Support
Roomba lets you connect to the Wi-Fi farther than other brands out there. When connected to Wi-Fi, you can use the smartphone app or voice commands with Google or Alexa to control the robot. Pre-installed software responsible for navigation, mapping, and other technologies updates automatically when connected to the internet.
Vacuum Technology
Most Roomba series have five to forty times suction power than other brands. Meanwhile, it’s sophisticated navigation and mapping technology allows it to scan the room and guide it as it moves around the house. Through its Clean Maps technology, you can track the cleaning progress and see how efficient the cleaning was.
Navigation
Imprint Smart Mapping lets the machine identify each room and allows you to program when it cleans each one. On the other hand, Imprint Link Technology enables the robot to activate Braava mapping for deeper cleaning.
Roomba robot vacuums have a three-stage cleaning system using various types of brushes to loosen up and lift deep-seated dirt, pet hair, and floor stains.
Filtration
Most Roomba series are equipped with high-efficiency filters that can trap 99% of allergy-causing elements like pet hairs, mold, and dust.
This feature makes Roomba an excellent choice for families with pets, allergy sufferers, and kids.
Some models come with AllergenLock bags to reduce the number of allergens that goes back into the air.
Recharge And Resume
Roomba has an automatic charging feature that enables it to return to its dock to charge and proceed cleaning where it left off afterwards. However, not all models have this ability. The basic models do return to their docks to recharge but cannot resume their cleaning automatically.
Floor Types
Most Roomba models can clean all flooring types without a problem. They have flexible brushes that can flex their bristles to run smoothly on any surface. They can seamlessly transition from one kind of floor to another so that you’ll never miss a spot.
Battery
The average runtime for Roomba models is anywhere between two to three hours, which might be sufficient to clean a big house. If this is not enough, its recharge and resume capability can guarantee that it can continue cleaning after it charges itself. In short, you don’t need to worry about unfinished cleaning for long.
Shark Ion
SharkNinja, the company behind Shark Ion, has rapidly carved out a big market share in the houseware industry. It’s known for producing cutting edge home tools, including robot vacuums designed to make cleaning fast and efficient.
Design
The design is similar across the board: round with a little variation in size and height. All models have a sleek design and come in black color. There are three buttons on the top that you can press to initiate a cleaning cycle, send the device back to the dock, and set-up a Max cleaning mode.
Technology
Each shark series has its lineup of features that dictate the pricing. Generally, most models have the following features:
Wi-Fi Support
Most Shark Ion robot vacuums support Wi-Fi connection, except R7. Connection to the Wi-Fi enables you to link the machine to other devices in your home network. You can also use the app while online to schedule the cleaning program and track its progress when you’re not home.
Voice command options also work when Wi-Fi is on. Simply use Alexa to command the vacuum when to start, pause, and stop cleaning.
Vacuuming Technology
Shark Ion provides a variety of suction modes to choose from; suction, eco mode, and turbo mode. While all of these are good suction mode, they are almost similar to each other. It’s challenging to detect the difference between each suction mode.
All Shark Ions have Max mode, a category that provides deeper cleaning to take away stubborn spills and dirt. However, using Max mode can drain the battery faster than when using a regular suction.
Navigation
Shark Ion’s most advanced models come with Navigation 2.0. This technology makes the sensors more sensitive to recognize obstacles.
All other models use the original Smart Sensor Navigation (SSN) to assess surroundings on all flooring types. SSN allows the robot to roam around and avoid bumps while it cleans. Watch this video to listen to an opinion about Shark Ion R76.
Filtration
Shark Ion uses a basic filtration system. Replacement filters are inexpensive and easy to find.
Recharge And Resume
Unfortunately, Shark Ion cannot recharge and resume cleaning on its own. When the battery gets low, the robot returns to its dock to
recharge, but it will not automatically continue cleaning where it left off.
Floor Types
Shark Ion robots work on any floor. Its Max mode has three times the suction, which makes it ideal for cleaning deep pile carpets and tough stains.
Battery
A Shark Ion battery typically lasts about an hour. Some series last a little longer but still not enough to finish a large room in one cycle.
Conclusion
Here are the main differences based on our discussions above:
- Shark Ion is more affordable since it uses inferior technology than Roomba.
- Shark Ion is a new player, while Roomba is already an established company.
- Shark Ion runs for about an hour, while Roomba can run for more than two hours.
- Shark Ion has a power-suction mode for deep cleaning, and so with Roomba.
To see how different series works, check out this video comparison of Shark Ion Robot R75 and iRobot Roomba e5.
If you are interested in even more technology-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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