Shark - RV1001AE (XL Self-Empty Base)

I’ve had a shark in I think 1001ae for like 3-4 years. I have replaced parts, but I also bought it used

It's crazy because you can get the Shark Refurbs that auto empty for sub $100, and they do more for less. I don't need the mopping function so long as it can reliably vacuum and not get stuck it was a vast upgrade from my Roomba.

Woot has them regularly. This one was 90 [https://home.woot.com/offers/shark-iq-app-controlled-self-emptying-robot-vacuum-sd](https://home.woot.com/offers/shark-iq-app-controlled-self-emptying-robot-vacuum-sd) but it's sold out. They normally have 24 hour deals for them. This was 29 days ago. This one was $119. [https://forums.woot.com/t/shark-ur2360s-matrix-robot-vacuum-s-d/2113574/4](https://forums.woot.com/t/shark-ur2360s-matrix-robot-vacuum-s-d/2113574/4) but yeah you can normally find them in the $100\~ range. I got mine for $80 when they had a coupon running at the same time as the deal. They have the shark vacuums on there about once every month or two.

Shark RV1001AE, been a great vacuum until about 3 weeks ago. There is a constant message to empty the dust cup, but this vacuum has a base station where it ends itself. There are also no sensors for the dust cup so I have no idea what this error is about. We have emptied and cleaned everything to no avail. This seems to be a widespread issue.

I found a very reasonably priced refurbished [iRobot Roomba j7+ (7550) Self Emptying](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK7FC9KD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1) There have been some complaints about Amazombie refurbs, but I can return. We have two *Shark Shark RV1001AE IQ Robot Self-Empty XL* that are both wearing out. They worked more or less for first two years (way better than nothing) and they are not difficult to disassemble (good thing since they will happily run over poop). I intend to keep using the Shark that works "best" and use the other for repair parts. The Dutch Shepherd mix sheds more than the two Danes combined.

Got one of these the other month, working great!

My Shark XL has been amazing on hardwood with 4 dogs. It maps your house instead of just wandering aimlessly.

Six weeks ago I bought my first ever robot vac from Sam's Club -- a Shark EZ Robot Vacuum with Row-by-Row Cleaning -- for $92. Low charging doc, works great, deal with cat hair from my 2 cats. Love it!

I have three floors of primarily hard flooring to clean. Sweeping has largely ceased to be a thing due to my robot vac. It does area rugs decently as well. It’s not heavy enough to really get down in the fibers so I pull out the real vacuum every couple weeks and do over the rugs.  I don’t use the damp cloth “wiping” feature because my upper floors are slippery and the robot spins in circles over its own tracks once it has wet the floor. In my basement, my tiles are kind of rough and I don’t think damp wiping would be effective so I don’t use that part either. When it’s time to unleash the robot vac, I do a quick run around for any large enough items or debris that it’s gonna choke on and remove them. I sweep dust and debris out of the corners where the robot wouldn’t fit out onto the main floor. Then I run the bot and come back later to empty. (Usually done before 90 mins) They make ones with vacuum bases that empty themselves. It’s convenient. If you get a vacuum base, get one with washable base filters instead of a vacuum bag that needs replacing after every fill. My friend bought an expensive one that vacuums and mops with spinning pads that self empties, self rinses, and dries its mop pads back on its base with heated water. He seems to like it. His house is all wood-look tile. Unfortunately his has vacuum bags as consumables. I also worry spinning action might swirl some missed grit around on any more delicate flooring. I’ve got a Shark IQ with the self-emptying base(vacuum only),  a secondhand Roomba 890(vacuum only, manual empty every use), and a Yeedi K700 in white and rose gold coloring(he’s pretty). Yeedi has the optional mop bin with the wipe cloth I don’t use. And is manually emptied every use. They make it simple to pass a mop myself after the robot does its run. 

I have had two of the shark iq ones that auto empty themselves for 5 years. Had to replace the batteries this year but they have been the longest lasting robot I’ve had. They’re only $130 or so refurbished on Amazon.

Don't get a roomba. I got the J7+ for the pet and toy friendly avoidance options and half the time it isnt running because of a clog in the vaccuum bin or base station. The bin is usually easy to fix, but this last time it was the tube that goes to the bag (another expense i didnt have with the shark) and that required disassembly. It also burnt out its suction fan in the first month I had it, prompting a warranty replacement of the part which meant had to disassemble the unit, install the new part, and send back the defective part. Incredibly frustrating. Comparatively, my shark IQ that I sent to the basement for eating too many toys runs consistently and clogs *maybe* once every 3 months, but the shark app sucks nuts, and the model I have uses the black strips for keep-out zones so it just ran everywhere and I prayed it didnt eat any cables. Its very robust about going up and doen ledges, but it is also way more prone to tracking pet messes about, that happened once with a pile of cat vomit and I was a little traumatized.

I have the J7+ and it does get up pet hair well on hard floors, BUT it clogs constantly. It can't handle any debris larger than a quarter in diameter at most without it getting stuck in the bin due to the size of the emptying tube. I have a kid whose paper scraps freqently end up on the floor and those clog it about once every 2 weeks and prompt me to have to take apart the base. If I dodnt spend so much on it Id have thrown it away by now. My shark IQ did not have that problem, but its app sucked and it runs over a lot more stuff. It has eaten and unloaded barbie shoes into its base, wheras the roomba i always find the shoes in the unit when it throws an error.