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Sometimes you want a robot vacuum with all the bells and whistles, with all the best features and cutting-edge technology. If you’re tired of looking through affordable vacuums and you want something truly powerful, then you’ve probably seen the Shark IQ RV1001AE XL. This self-emptying Shark vacuum has a ton of features, works on pet hair, boasts advanced navigation, and even works with Alexa and WiFi.
But, there’s something else we have to grapple with. Yes, the Shark IQ Robot Vacuum RV1001AE with XL Empty Base is a premium automated vacuum, but there are plenty of other premium models to choose from. Is this vacuum good, or will our Shark IQ Robot reviews show that others might be better suited for your needs?
Read on and find out. We’ll dive deep into the navigation, suction power, battery life, software, and noise.
Navigation
Shark boasts that the RV1001AE robot vacuum uses IQ navigation and Room Select home mapping to intelligently go exactly where you need it. So, how well does the navigation work?
Let’s start with the house mapping. This is a step you’ll have to go through with nearly every automated vacuum and it’s done through the Shark app. It quickly understands the perimeter of your home and you can set each room on the app. Be sure to label them properly, especially if you intend on using voice commands.
You can then either tell the Shark RV1001AE to go to a certain room, or you can select it through the app. One thing you should know about Shark vacuums is that they initially navigate by bumping along the walls. This helps the vacuum understand the exact boundaries and improves the internal mapping, but it is annoying to see at first.
You’ll probably expect the vacuum to elegantly glide to the designated room, and it will after better understanding where the walls are, but the first few times it will be hitting walls. It doesn’t hit them hard, so don’t expect scuffs, but it will be annoying to watch. We suggest not looking the first few times.
Once it gets to the right room, it will clean row by row. This is where the RV1001AE really shows what makes it a premium robot vacuum. It neatly goes in tight rows to completely clean a room. If the battery gets low, then it will return to its base to recharge before coming back and finishing the job.
You also get BotBoundary strips with this vacuum. This allows you to set a boundary that the vacuum won’t cross. You’ll find this useful is rooms with cords or other small things that the vacuum should stay away from. It’s also great around stairs, especially if you set the vacuum upstairs.
While the navigation is hard to watch at first, it does get better and it does a wonderful job of cleaning up.
Shark IQ RV1001AE XL Suction Power
Next on our Shark IQ RV1001AE review is suction power. Some people most have hard floors, others have carpets, and some people need to worry about pet hair. You want the robo vacuum to effectively suck up any dirt and debris, so how well does this robot work?
Honestly, the suction power is among the best. Not only does the RV1001AE have extra power, but it also works on all surfaces. Some robot vacuums require you to change the brush to better work on hard floors or carpets. The Shark RV1001AE has a dual-action brush that works equally well on all surfaces. It also effortlessly picks up pet hair without getting tangled. Whether you have a big or small mess on any surface, the RV1001AE will have no problem picking it up. It also deep cleans and gets out all those little particles that other vacuums miss.
Battery Life
The Shark IQ RV1001AE has a Lithium Ion rechargeable battery. The vacuum will be charging whenever it’s docked and it will also return to the docking station if its battery is running low. This ensures that it can completely clean the home without stopping dead in a room somewhere.
While the vacuum should recharge itself, having a better battery life ensures that it can clean more space before recharging. So, how long does the Shark IQ RV1001AE last? The Self-Cleaning XL vacuum lasts about 90 minutes on average before needing to recharge. This will differ based on the power setting and how full the vacuum is.
In most cases, the RV1001AE XL should have no problem reaching its base before completely dying. However, as with most other automated vacuums, there is a chance it will die on its way back. This happens most often when the vacuum is still learning how to navigate your home. If this happens, simply pick the unit up and return it to the dock.
While some vacuums have a better battery life, 90 minutes should be enough to clean rooms without dying.
Self-Emptying Vacuum
One of the best things about the Shark Self-Empty XL Vacuum is that it has a bagless, self-emptying base. The vacuum will pick up dirt and debris. It will then deposit it into the charging base until it fills up, which normally takes 30 days.
Most digital vacuums need to be emptied every day or so, but not this one. You only have to empty the base once a month, and it’s easy. There’s a handle on the base. Just pull up, bring to a trash can, and empty. You’ll get an alert through the app when the base is starting to fill up.
We love this feature and it does great against other premium vacuums. If you don’t like the idea of emptying the robot vacuum every few days, then you’ll love this.
Software
The Shark Robot RV1001AE connects either to WiFi or Alexa. This means you can control it either through the app or with your voice. The app is honestly amazing and is packed with features. As we said before, it’s essential for mapping the house. Not only can you set each room, but you can also label them for better integration with Alexa.
You can also set the power mode (light, medium, max) depending on the mess. Want to make a cleaning schedule? The Shark app lets you set days and times, plus it gives you alerts about battery life, when cleaning is finished, and if the vacuum is having any problems.
The Alexa integration is fantastic for those with smart homes. Alexa keeps getting better and better, and the voice commands are simple with this vacuum. For example, just say, “Alexa, tell Shark vacuum to clean the master bedroom.” It will get to work navigating towards the room and cleaning the floor.
The integration should only take a few minutes. Your Alexa device and Shark vacuum should immediately find each other and properly work together. Most users report that this is one of the easiest integrations they’ve done.
Sound
Every automatic vacuum makes noise, that’s how you know it’s working. You’ll hear the vacuum as it moves and when it’s sucking up dirt and debris. However, some vacuums are louder than others. In general the Shark IQ is fairly quiet. You’ll definitely hear it if you’re in the same room, but the sound quickly dissipates as you move away from it.
If you’ve owned other robot vacuums before, like Roomba, then you might notice the vacuum sounds different, like it’s at a different pitch. This is fine and you should get used to it within a few days.
The self-emptying base is a little loud. You’ll hear a whoosh as the debris is sucked into the base, and many users report this as surprising at first. Like with the vacuum itself, it should only take a few days until you’re used to this.
While the sound might be a little strange at first, the noise level is quite good and you should hardly notice this vacuum, especially if you set it to clean when you’re at work or not at home.
Final Thoughts
So, with all that said, is the Shark IQ RV1001AE with XL Empty Base Self-Cleaning Brushroll any good? We definitely think so. It works equally well on all floor types, effortlessly picks up pet hair without getting tangled, has fantastic software, the large self-emptying base, and works great with Alexa.
The navigation is good once the vacuum gets used to your home, but expect it to bounce into walls at first. This is intentional, so it’s going to happen, but it shouldn’t leave scuff marks and it will happen less and less as the vacuum better understands your home.
In general, this is a fantastic vacuum and definitely deserves to be in the premium tier.
Shark IQ RV1001AE XL FAQ
How to Reset Shark IQ Robot?
Resetting the Shark IQ RV1001AE, or any other Shark IQ vacuum, is simple. Turn the vacuum around and locate the power button. Push the button for 10 seconds to turn the vacuum off. Push it against for another 10 seconds to turn the vacuum back on.
Can Shark IQ Map Multiple Floors?
Unfortunately Shark IQ vacuums cannot map multiple floors. It can only map one floor at a time. You can get around this by moving the vacuum to another level and then mapping that level, but then you’ll lose the original map. You can also have the vacuum run without a map. Place it in the room you’d like cleaned and it will start vacuuming.
How to Empty Shark IQ Robot?
The RV1001AE comes with a self-emptying base where it deposits all the dirt and debris. Simply push the tabs at the side, pull up on the base’s handle and move the waste basket to your trash can to clean it out. You can empty the vacuum itself by opening the bottom section, but be careful. All the dirt will spill right out, so have a bag nearby to catch it.
How to Update Shark IQ Firmware?
You can’t manually update the RV1001AE firmware, but you can prompt it by ensuring that you have the latest version of the Shark app and seeing if there are any updates for the vacuum. Updates should be automatically downloaded and installed, but sometimes there might be a problem with WiFi that prevents this. Simply check the app to see if updates are available.
How to Connect Shark IQ to WiFi?
Connecting your Shark IQ to WiFi is easy. Load the app on your phone and ensure that both your device and vacuum are on the same network. Push the Dock and Clean buttons simultaneously and the WiFi light will start blinking. Select the robot name from your app and the program will do the rest. It should only take a minute or two until the vacuum is connected.