Product Features and Description
- Powerful Cleaning: The Shark vacuum delivers intense suction power, effectively lifting dirt and debris from all types of floors, ensuring even the most stubborn messes are addressed.
- Thorough Coverage: Utilizing Matrix Clean Navigation, the vacuum systematically covers your home in a grid pattern, ensuring no spot is missed and performing multiple passes for a comprehensive clean.
- Self-Emptying Convenience: The vacuum features a bagless, self-emptying base that can contain up to 30 days of dirt and utilizes true HEPA filtration to capture 99.97% of dust and allergens as small as 0.3 microns.
- Advanced Home Mapping: Equipped with 360° LiDAR vision, the vacuum accurately maps your home for efficient cleaning, skillfully avoiding obstacles and adapting to changes in the environment.
- Pet-Friendly Design: The vacuum is ideal for pet owners, with strong suction, a self-cleaning brushroll, and a HEPA filtration system that easily handles pet hair, dust, and allergens.
- Voice-Activated Operation: Users can effortlessly control their vacuum using voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, setting schedules or initiating on-demand cleaning.
- Long Battery Life: With up to 120 minutes of runtime, the vacuum can clean the whole home on a single charge, and will recharge and resume cleaning if necessary to finish the job.
- Brand: Shark
- Model Name: AI Ultra
- Special Feature: Self-Cleaning Brushroll, Pet Hair Pick Up, Bagless, Self-Emptying
- Color: Dark Grey
- Product Dimensions: 13.7
- Included Components: (2) Side Brushes, Filter, Shark AI Robot, HEPA Self-Empty Base
- Filter Type: Foam
- Battery Life: 120 minutes
- Power Source: Battery Powered
- Are Batteries Included: Yes
- Control Method: Voice
- Compatible Devices: Amazon Alexa, Google Home
- Form Factor: Robotic
- Item Weight: 14.42 pounds
- Manufacturer: SharkNinja
- ASIN: B09H8CWFNK
- Item model number: AV2501S
- Batteries: 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included)
- Best Sellers Rank: #49,321 in Home & Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen) #64 in Robotic Vacuums
- Number of pieces: 5
- Warranty Description: 1 year limited warranty.
- Batteries required: Yes
Discover the latest in home cleaning technology with our comprehensive roundup of advanced robot vacuums, including the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra. This innovative device boasts Matrix Clean, home mapping, and a 30-day capacity HEPA bagless self-empty base—ideal for pet owners. Dive deeper into its features and compare with similar products by exploring our detailed reviews here.
The Good, the Bad, and the Product: An In-Depth Review
The vacuum in question has garnered some positive feedback from users who appreciate its functionality and the convenience it offers. Notably, a user named J Jones found the mapping feature of the vacuum to be incredibly efficient, allowing for the labeling and selective cleaning of rooms via an app. This level of automation, combined with the ability to schedule cleaning sessions, provides a significant convenience factor. Users like Kevin Toomey have observed an impressive amount of pet hair collection, attributing this to the device’s advanced navigation capabilities, such as LiDAR mapping. This technology is praised for its precision in navigating around furniture and other obstacles.
The product seems to be relatively quiet, as noted by Taylor Carthas, and is effective on a variety of surfaces including hardwood, tile, and low-profile area rugs, according to Chester H. Leckner. The absence of tangled hair in the brushes is a unique selling point mentioned by deweyduo, which can be particularly beneficial for homes with pets. The device’s self-emptying feature, despite being noisy, is a highlight for some customers, eliminating the need for frequent manual intervention.
Furthermore, for individuals with mobility issues or those who simply detest vacuuming, like Chris D., the robot vacuum offers a hands-off approach to maintaining clean floors. The ease of removing and cleaning the dust bin, as mentioned by Susan H., and the aesthetic of neat carpet lines left behind add to the appeal of the vacuum.
However, the product also has its fair share of criticism, with a number of users reporting significant drawbacks. A common complaint, highlighted by Amanda Lipesky, is the vacuum’s inefficiency on carpet and its inability to effectively handle pet hair. This suggests that the product may not be suitable for homes with pets or those with carpeted floors.
The longevity and durability of the vacuum have been questioned by users like rich, who experienced a breakdown of the unit shortly after the warranty expired and faced challenges with the lack of available replacement parts or repair services. Similarly, patioelf’s experience with a unit that failed to charge and self-empty, despite its high cost, points to reliability issues. Additionally, issues with the device’s software and Wi-Fi connectivity, as described by Sumit@AWS and other users, seem to hinder the full utilization of the product’s smart features, which is a significant downside for a technology-oriented device.
Furthermore, customers like David C. have raised concerns about the product’s lifespan, indicating that the vacuum may not last as long as expected. Others, such as Stephani Perriman and Shelby Loftin, have encountered quality control issues, including receiving units that were previously used or malfunctioned after a brief period of satisfactory performance. User deweyduo’s frustration with the product’s multiple filters, the app’s lack of error notifications, frequent errors, and the high maintenance demands echo the sentiment of unreliability and inconvenience.
In summary, while the vacuum has features that are praised by some, such as its mapping and cleaning abilities, the overall sentiment from users indicates that the product may struggle with pet hair, carpets, and reliability over time, which could be potential deal-breakers for prospective buyers.
What do the stars speak of?
Opinions about this product were divided in such a proportion among the buyers.
The most helpful positive feedback Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2023 by RJMALLAK, and is titled “How did I live without it?”
We have a long haired cat and need daily cleaning. We have had great service from this vacuum. Transitions easily from hardwood to low profile area rugs.
Customer Rating: 5
Helpful Rate: 2
Variation purchased: B09H8CWFNK
People find the following negative one quite helpful. Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2023 by Amanda Lipesky, titled “Idea for non pet owners with no carpet”
Not good for pet hair or Carpet
Customer Rating: 2
Variation purchased: B09H8CWFNK
MMiller –
Works harder than I do
Great cleaner, picks up everything! Have 2 large dogs and the amount of hair it picks up from tile and carpet is amazing! Maped house fairly accurately. Timed cleaning function is awesome, set and forget!
EAC –
Best shark ever
My old shark finally died and I needed a new one and purchased this during prime days. It is so amazingly, quiet, and it’s great at mapping and stabilizing. I wanted to know how well it worked so I vacuumed my floor with my regular vacuum, then turned on, the shark. It came up with dirt and Hair that was underneath my furniture and did excellent job not getting stuck everywhere. I cannot believe how wonderful this is.
Brittany Camara –
Shark Robot Vacuum
I must say, I love this vacuum! It’s clean & efficient and works amazing! My only downside is that it’s kind of loud, but that’s basically it! It cleans well & it’s worth it! I got it for half the cost on prime day & im so happy I did!
Randi Don Hartwick –
Not as great as you would expect
I bought the iLife twice, and love it both times, it just didn’t last. So the last time I bought a vacuum we splurged and bought the “expensive brand”. It won’t get the edges, and as a pet owner who struggles with dog hair, that’s what I need. The places that it covers it does great, but it doesn’t even almost pick up as much as my “cheap” vacuum because it doesn’t get edges, and it only cleans what it maps out. When a vacuum turns 1’ in front of a wall or piece of furniture, there is so much that gets left behind.
Joshua Barger –
I was so excited
I was so excited and received, had issues charging at first finally after 2 days I was able to use. It “mapped” the area and didn’t properly return to the dock so when I went to start it it was dead again. I now have to wait for it to charge again to use. It was supposed to be a convenience and it’s more hassle than I wanted.
Johana Zevallos –
Defective
Robot was defective and it wouldn’t charge nor go back to the dock. Very dissapointed.
TEN –
Not as sophisticated as I expected
TLDR: Meh I thought for the price this would be “smarter”. I had a heck of a time getting it to connect to my wifi and I have connected a great many devices before so it’s not like I’m inexperienced in such things. I hope it doesn’t lose its connection because I have no idea what I did to finally get it to connect. I was so disgusted I initiated a return but I guess the threat worked and it decided to connect so I’ll keep it for now. The scheduler only allows for one cleaning per day – why? My much cheaper vac lets you schedule multiple cleanings per day. The power level parameter can only be set by manually initiating a cleaning. Again – why? I have two robot vacs that each cost less than half of what this one cost and the app is so much more powerful and the wifi connection was easy! The suction is stronger and it does a much better job on my area rugs than the cheaper vacs which is a huge pro. It can also climb over thresholds the cheaper ones get hung up on. This was on sale on Prime Day but I’m thinking it wasn’t much of a bargain after all.
Scott L MIller –
Easy to Set up
The Shark AV25015 AI Ultra Robt Vacuum was so easy to set up and it does a good job picking up dog hair on hardwood floors. I am very happy with this purchase!
Nick –
Quality
This does a great job cleaning up , way better then old roombas smashing off of stuff and missing the charge port . Laser technology for sure . Would recommend if you want to lighten your workload during week ! (Not for replacing regular plug in vaccum though) does as good of a job just obviously doesn’t move the furniture for you lol . Very intelligent 👌 mapping is great , covers 1200 Sq ft with 50 % battery left .
Sharon L Davidson –
Quit working after 2 mos
This unit quite working after 2 mos. Tried trouble shooting unit, rebooted unit and all it does is come on the start cleaning and within 10 seconds it says error and cannot clear error. No obsticals or anything in its way. Tried factory reset and reconnect unit and still nothing. This is a piece of junk for $300!!!
Chasernelson –
Amazing until it completely stops working
I’ll keep it short. I absolutely love this thing. I have zero issues with it UNTIL it randomly throws up an unfix-able error. This has happened 3 times. Each time, Shark sends me a new one at no cost. So I am not too upset. But there is something fundamentally wrong with this thing.
Timothy –
Easy to set up
Vacuum is easy to set up, easy to map your house but it really honestly doesn’t suction that well. My floors are still dirty when it’s done. Very disappointing
BARBIE Novinger –
Great product
Gave one to each of my four nieces and they all love them. Takes a but to get used to how to clean all the parts and filters but allows one to vacuum every day while you relax. Kids love watching “the robot” and leaves beautiful stripes of clean carpet and floors wherever it goes. Make sure bowls of water for pets are behind sonething and ni wires or small objects should be on the floor or carpet. Use a yard blower to clean outside after 2-3 uses. The roller csm easily be removed and hair gathers at one end for easy removal. I love mine and it’s several years old. Does not to edges so well and I recommend you buy the replacement parts from china as they do wear out after about a year and they are so cheap to buy online using the product name and model number. Amazon was very helpful if offering them when you buy this product online from them. Very great product. Makes my house clean every day. Easy to use. I just turn it on and it learns the house parameters quickly and will vacuum every room until it is done. Even if it runs out of juice it will fo to its home base blow out the dirt and recharge and them continue cleaning until the whole house is done. Love how it goes under beds and gets all the dust there too. Great if you have pets and/or allergies. Needs no remote control. Turn it on at its home base and let it go. Must empty the receptacle after about 10 days and wash the filters once a month. But it is way better than the old ones you have to push. Great performance. If it gets stuck it talks to you and tells you what it needs. Love it!!!
George M. Hart –
House Nesting Gift
Gifted loves it
ruth –
How well it cleans
So far i have liked it. It is pretty quiet. I have 8 dogs and it really does well with dog dirt. 🐕. Only negative is i have to pick all their toys and chewing things
Kristen –
Game changer
I will never use a stand up vacuum again. I have 3 kids a dog and a cat. This is clutch
Priscilla Reich –
Does not pick up dog hair!
Got this with the intention of running it daily to help with lab puppy shedding. It does not pick it up well but rather puts it in piles all around the floor, in which have to be picked up manually. If you are wanting to pet hair, skip on this one. I just missed the return window by a few days too, money wasted!
ALICE KENNEY –
Zero stars – sadly disappointed with Shark!
Bought unit end of March, constant issues with side wheels multiple calls to customer service. Shark sent me another unit with no battery or bin – that unit failed. Shark promised to replace fully and sent fedex label. I went into the abyss – zero follow up repeated calls asking for Supervisor, now on hold for Manager. Was just told the unit is out of stock could be 3 weeks before shipped. I paid almost $400 and 4 months into the one year warranty with very little use. I don’t think I would ever purchase this brand again. Sad. Where is customer service and product guarantee? 🙁
Amazon User –
3 Dog Household – 2 Years out from purchase review
We have had this Shark for over 2 years. We have a 3 dog household, all tile house. We schedule this bot to run every single day. It’s a workhorse, and we couldn’t live without it. We have had a Roomba, Eufy, and a Shark, and this vacuum has been the best yet. The brush doesn’t tangle, and we rarely have to maintain it. Once per month, I’ll take the roller off and clean all of the filters. As long as you maintain that, the Shark should do a great job. It is a bit loud, but I’ll take a louder vacuum that does the job consistently rather than a quiet one that you have to maintain more often.
Desstx –
Noisy but efficient i
Very happy with the vaccum, it is a little noisy but that doesn’t stop the performance.?
RickiDoo –
The Battle of Pet Hair, Won! (On hard surfaced floors)
I owned an intelligent robot vacuum for 5 years so I am very familiar with capabilities and expectations. My old vac was pretty good, but this Shark is pure perfection when it comes to flat surface floors (and baseboards, btw). (I don’t have a single rug in my house and haven’t for years so I can’t speak to on-rug performance) My two dogs one a golden and the other a lab mix ignore shedding season and instead like to shed 365 days a year. 366 on leap year. I have about a 1000sf of my home where frequent vacuuming is desired. That 1000sf has never been so clean, thanks to Dr. Beaker. (my robot). It does it all in 90 minutes time. Quietly (in eco mode) and efficiently. When it is full of hair, it comes back to home base, dumps it, and gets back to work until the cleaning is done. I am super delighted. But a word of advice. This particular model works for me, because I don’t have kids or guests in the house who will leave small objects scattered about. Dr. Beaker can detect objects higher than 4 inches, and it can avoid smaller objects by physically contacting them and setting off a bump switch. HOWEVER. if the object is even smaller, or moveable, it will simply be pushed by Beaker or worse run over. Shark has more expensive units that CAN detect very small objects and (I feel) these should be considered if you got kids or sloppy guests or better halves. IT all depends on how much “prework” you want to commit to before cleaning. So what I have to do is a quick walk though of the house and pick up any small objects on the floor. Not a big deal, for me. I can’t speak to the longevity of the unit, yet.But as for its performance of flat floors against the ravages of dog hair, it is fur-tastic!
Carolyn A. Winson –
Works nice
Quiet.. good for surface cleaning
Ian –
Highly recommended a robo vacuum for everyone & anyone
I’ve had the Shark Vacuum for 2 years now, and it still works great! This vacuum keeps my floors spotless and handles pet hair phenomenally, even with two shedding pets at home. The durability is remarkable; despite frequent use, it performs like it’s brand new. I particularly appreciate the scheduling feature, which allows me to set cleaning times effortlessly, ensuring the house is always tidy without any manual intervention. The mapping and navigation technology is top-notch, accurately covering every corner of my home. It never misses a spot, and the efficient pathing saves both time and energy. Additionally, the docking mechanism is reliable and convenient; it docks perfectly every time, making it easy to maintain and charge. This vacuum has made my cleaning routine so much easier and more efficient. Whether you’re dealing with everyday dust or heavy pet hair, the Shark Vacuum handles it all with ease. I highly recommend it to anyone in need of a reliable, powerful, and durable cleaning solution. It’s truly worth every penny!
Dolley D. –
Clean floors
I have tile throughout my house and I love being able to walk barefoot when I get home from work. Chummy works while I’m away. Being able to set a start time is great for me. It’s disappointing that you can schedule specific area by day but he manages to do the whole house in about 4 hours every day.
Deanna Sylvia –
Waste of Money
Not even 18 months old and a sensor is out on the unit and it will not work. Repeatedly says error 7 “cliff error.” Nothing happened to it and we have no “cliffs” on the first floor of our home where it’s used. Shark is 0 help bc it’s out of warranty but there are plenty of forums online with this same issue. The sensors are defective if that many are going out. Don’t waste your money, buy the Dyson instead.
Amazon Customer –
Product support not reliable
I am on my 3rd replacement since buying my shark robot vacuum. After the first quit they sent a replacement and it was not compatible with the self empty tower. They sent another after I had to send the unit and tower back. It took 2 weeks to receive replacement. The replacement was a unit that did not have the 45 day self empty tower. It was only a charger. I called again. Hopefully the 4th one will work out. My 90 day warranty has been spent sending units back and forth through the mail. I am not a happy customer.
McPMT –
So Far Very Happy
Finds the base every time, unlike my previous one that kept getting lost. Very consistent. Good battery life. I like that it separates dusk from trash in its bin. I wish it would display the location on the map in real time.
Gurry D. –
If you have dogs that shead don’t buy this one
This vacuum keeps clogging up with dog hair.
John Griffin –
Mixed Feelings
The robot vacuum itself does a 4.5 out of 5 job. We still find a few missed things on our hardwood floors, but overall it works fine. The app that is used to control it.. that could use some work. Important things to know: 1. You can only have one scheduled cleaning time 2. For the scheduled cleanings, the rooms are a Yes or No. I was hoping to do the living area at night and the bedrooms during the day when we aren’t sleeping. Nope, during the scheduled time it will do all rooms listed unless it’s a No-Go room. 3. When it docks and sucks all of the dirt out of the vacuum and into the holding area, that’s rather loud… in the middle of the night which is my fault but that’s when I want it to clean. Overall, I’m on the fence if I like it or not, especially for the price.
Sue –
LOVE IT!
Best robo vaccum I’ve had!!
james l barker –
Needs frequent cleaning
Works very well but needs cleaned frequently to keep up with dog hair.
Amazon Customer –
Stopped working.
Product model number is not even on the support option in the app they tell you to load.
Anitastamp –
Easy to set up
This goes where physically challenged people cannot (under beds, low tables, etc). It found lots of dust initially and has been doing its job biweekly since then. Easy to program and change routine and paths as needed with phone app.
Kazune –
Recurring error after 45 ish days of use
It was working phenomenally! But then suddenly I got “error 6: front bumper is stuck”. Haven’t been able to use it since. Of course it happened right after the return window closed.
Eric –
Good when it works. Annoying most days with errors
A lot of days, it’ll get errors with dust bin errors and hair gets caught in between the vacuum and dust bin. I usually have to manually remove hair 3-4 days a week.
Tony –
Exelente
A sido de bendición
Kendall –
DON’T BUY! IT WILL NOT FOLLOW THE MAPPED OUT AREA AND WILL PICK UP STUFF IT SHOULDN’T AND RUIN IT!
I liked this vacuum until it went into an area that it wasn’t mapped to go into. Unfortunately for us, one of our dogs got sick earlier that morning and the vacuum went into the unmapped area and proceeded to spread poop all over our house ruining the $300 vacuum in the process.
viveee –
Sharp floor robot
Next month will be a year of use. It’s been great up til 5-6 weeks ago. It began to make some noise so I sent it back to base and I checked it. Seemed fine; but there is no suction, the motor even sounds weak. Disappointed. I live alone so no abuse. I kept the filters and cup emptied. Just see no reason for this problem. And return policy ended in September 2023. So I hope Sharp will improve upon this unit. I’m back to lugging around my Oreck.
H Iverson –
“Sharkie” is doing great!
We named our machine “Sharkie” We just set up the bar stools, move the dogs dish and set Sharkie to clean the whole area or just a room! No complaints two months in! Well done Sharkie!
Alfa Geek –
Problem solved
UPDATE 6/18/24: I have finally solved the issue with all 3 of my sharks ignoring commands. Apparently, that happens when cleaning is started on “max”. When I turn it to “normal” and start it up it goes where I tell it to. After it gets going, I turn it up. Since it remembers its last speed setting (you can unclick this setting), I do have to turn it back down every time before starting it. I have one that will obey well for a while and then starts going wherever it wants after a dozen runs. I reboot the base and the vacuum and it will go where I tell it once again… for a while.
Ashley Nelson –
Works great
Super easy to set up and use. Brushes work great on carpet and tile. Only thing is I wish I could program both my upstairs and downstairs
Lauren Wilfer –
Best addition to my house
My first ever robot vacuum and I love it. setup is super easy and it does a phenomenal job at vacuuming….i was grossed out the first time I ran it, only a few days after I had last vacuumed. I didn’t think my house was that dirty! I love the app, so easy to use, you can turn it on from anywhere.
Dr Vader –
Great once it maps every corner
Easy to use and configure The suction is very good and cleans quite well. Helps a lot with pet hair, but you may need to run it daily if your pet sheds a lot. This is a supplement to a regular vaccum so you keep your house clean. I run it 3 times a week. Maybe if you run it daily, you may not need to vacuum yourself. But in my mind, None of the robot type vacuums are a replacement to a regular vacuum. The app could be better. Should allow you to map additional rooms and add them. The spot clean works well but you should be able to configure the area. Love the fact that it empties itself and does not use bags. That is one of the reasons why I got it Performance in terms of navigation is really good. It got stuck once in a large blanket someone left on the floor, otherwise no issues. During cleaning it may come back to base to empty itself and then resume. If the area is too large, it will com to base to recharge and resume once it has full battery again. For the price and features, and I got it $150 cheaper at Amazon warehouse, it has everything I need. I do have a Wyze vacuum I use on my bedroom, that one does not have a base, so not great for larger areas. Lastly, I tried a iRobot Roomba J8+ from costco and although the mapping seemed a bit better, and the app has more features , it uses bags and dis not seem much better in terms of performance.
Alpha Ballard –
It does what you want to.
It makes the carpets and floor look freshly cleaned.
Amazon Customer –
So EASY
I love how it maps my entire home. I can create rooms and send it to clean them from my phone, even when I’m not home. It’s very slim and not an eyesore too! It’s not super loud either, I even put it on before bed some days. It’s very easy to clean, but I recommend cleaning it out more frequently than once a month because it picks up SO MUCH
Lou W. –
Wish I could return it.
For almost a year, I was happy with this vacuum. Worked Great! For the past eight months it has given me grief. It keeps losing the wi-fi signal, won’t reconnect & will not go on manual if you just press “clean”. I’ve spent HOURS deleting, re-installing & rebooting everything I can. I even upgraded to a stronger wi-fi company. Nothing works! I’m tired of having to re-map & it only works a couple of times. I ended up buying another brand that doesn’t have All the bells & whistles as this one, but it Works!
Moose –
Don’t last, no support from Shark.
After having this vacuum for a little over a year I have a pretty good idea of the quality of this little vacuum. At first it worked fairly well. We treated it well and kept it clean. It mapped one of our floors with little trouble and the app worked well to manage it. The first issues began at about 6 months. As is common the suction reduced over time. We started having to run it over spots again and noticed it leaving behind more dirt. Now after 16 months the LIDAR sensor is failing. I tried all the troubleshooting steps. Finally I called Shark. They have no support at all. The offered to give us a fair price on another, but I can’t even pay to have it repaired. They want us to spend $300+ on a replacement that may again provide us with only a year of cleaning? No chance I’m falling for that trap again. Great idea but it simply doesn’t last. I’ll never but another Shark product after paying $500 for a years vacuuming off 900 sq feet.
Ogla –
Worst vacuum ever. Only 3 months old it’s not working.
This is the worst vacuum !! It’s all clean doesn’t have any hairs or debris and keep getting this error message.
Jobe –
Constant errors after a couple of times using it
This robot vacuum cleaner was great when I started using it initially. However, after a couple of times using it, it kept stopping and stated it could not move the side wheel and had error number 18. On the app under product support it said to clean any hair or dirt that could be catching on the wheels and make sure the wheels can move freely. I checked the wheels and there was nothing entangled with them and they can move freely; but it still kept stopping and giving me the error. Would not buy this product.
Barb j –
Awesome robotic vacuum
I just love this vacuum! I’m 78 years old live in my own home, but was having trouble vacuuming, trying not to trip over the cord, etc. so I decided to get a robotic vacuum , liked the reviews and price of the shark. I even recommended to my daughter so I’m sure she will be buying one soon