Product Features and Description
- Powerful Cleaning Ability: This vacuum boasts remarkable suction capabilities, allowing it to pick up large and small debris, as well as pet hair, from both carpets and hard floors.
- Anti-Hair Wrap Technology: The self-cleaning brushroll is specifically designed to prevent hair from wrapping around it, ensuring continuous, hassle-free cleaning, particularly beneficial for pet owners.
- Smart Home Compatibility: Users can conveniently schedule cleanings using the SharkClean app or through voice commands with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, making this vacuum a smart, user-friendly device.
- Systematic Navigation: The Shark IQ Robot vacuum is programmed to clean systematically in rows and then navigate across rooms, ensuring thorough coverage of the entire home.
- Intelligent Operation: With the recharge and resume function, the vacuum returns to its dock to recharge and is capable of continuing the cleaning job from where it left off, maximizing efficiency.
- Optimized for Pet Owners: The vacuum is equipped with an extra-large dust bin, a self-cleaning brushroll, and a high-efficiency filter, making it an ideal choice for homes with pets by effectively capturing pet dander and allergens.
- Edge Cleaning: The inclusion of dual spinning side brushes allows the vacuum to capture debris from edges and corners, ensuring a comprehensive clean.
- Brand: Shark
- Model Name: Shark AV970 IQ Robot Vacuum
- Special Feature: Bagless
- Color: Black
- Product Dimensions: 12.91
- Included Components: (1) Filter, (2) Side brushes, (1) Shark IQ Robot, (1) BotBoundary strips, (1) Charging dock
- Filter Type: Non Washable Filter
- Voltage: 16.8
- Capacity: 0.6 Quarts
- Power Source: Battery Powered
- Are Batteries Included: Yes
- Control Method: Voice
- Compatible Devices: Amazon Echo, Google Home
- Form Factor: Robotic
- Item Weight: 6.22 pounds
- Manufacturer: SharkNinja
- ASIN: B08635WSWF
- Item model number: AV970
- Batteries: 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included)
- Best Sellers Rank: #151,997 in Home & Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen) #141 in Robotic Vacuums
- Specific instructions for use: hard floor, carpet
- Assembly required: Yes
- Number of pieces: 5
- Warranty Description: 1 year limited warranty.
- Batteries required: Yes
Discover the ultimate home cleaning solution with the Shark IQ Robot Vacuum AV970. This innovative device boasts a self-cleaning brushroll, sophisticated navigation, and is engineered to tackle pet hair with ease. Equipped with Wi-Fi and Alexa compatibility and featuring an extra-large dustbin, the AV970 offers a sleek black finish to complement your home decor. Check out our comprehensive roundup of this and similar high-tech vacuums in our latest article, where we delve into features, performance, and user experiences.
Balancing the Scales: The Pros and Cons of the Product
The product in question seems to have a number of advantages that have left several users satisfied. One of the most frequently mentioned positives is the “super cleaning power” of the vacuum, especially for those with pets. Users have noted its effectiveness in picking up hair and debris, making it an ideal choice for homes with furry friends. It is reported to handle hair without it getting twisted around the roller, a significant plus for maintenance.
Many have found the robot vacuum to be a game-changer, with one user stating, “It cleans very well.” and another exclaiming, “Love this vacuum! Cleans up great and uninterrupted!” For those looking for convenience, this product seems to deliver, with its ability to run on a schedule and its compatibility with smart home systems like Alexa for voice control.
The noise level of the vacuum has also been praised, with one user mentioning it is “much quieter than a different brand” they owned, which could be a significant advantage for those who prefer a quieter cleaning experience. Furthermore, its mapping capabilities, while not perfect, have been satisfactory for some, with the vacuum being able to navigate around obstacles and find its charging dock independently.
The battery life, under certain conditions such as normal suction during mapping, has been sufficient for cleaning entire houses, and the unit’s ability to resume after recharging is a noted benefit. Additionally, the larger dirt compartment has been appreciated for requiring less frequent emptying, especially in homes with pets that shed a lot.
However, there are several downsides to the product that potential buyers should consider. The most significant issues relate to the inconsistency in performance. Some users have experienced “Inconsistent battery life” where the vacuum would die halfway through cleaning, failing to complete the task in one go. Others have reported problems with the unit getting stuck or failing to find certain rooms, with one user frustratedly stating, “Couldn’t find the master bedroom, kept going over the same areas and getting stuck in corners.”
There are also complaints regarding the unit’s intelligence and navigation system. Users have described it as “bereft of common sense” with the robot failing to adhere to no-go zones and damaging furniture due to constant bumping. The app’s functionality has also been criticized, with users finding it buggy and unresponsive, sometimes leading to the inability to use the scheduling feature effectively.
Furthermore, there have been instances of the product having difficulty with certain types of furniture or obstacles, resulting in it getting stuck and needing human intervention. The noise level, while lower than some other brands, has been reported as loud on hardwood floors, which could be disruptive.
The maintenance of the unit seems to be a concern as well, with users noting that the trash tray is difficult to open and sometimes falls off during cleaning. Additionally, the robot’s inability to clean corners effectively has been a point of dissatisfaction for some customers.
In conclusion, while this robot vacuum cleaner seems to have impressed many users with its cleaning power, especially for pet hair and on various surfaces, it also has its fair share of drawbacks. Potential buyers should weigh the convenience of everyday cleaning and quiet operation against issues with navigation, battery life, and maintenance to determine if this product will meet their specific needs.
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 July 21, 2023 by Julio Nunez, and is titled “Better than my last roomba.”
This little guy has an appetite for charging cords and nerf darts but he cleans his buns off. Much quieter than my last roomba, and smarter. He maps as he goes and cleans in a pattern, not like roomba, who cleaned like a drunk maid. This critter hardly gets stuck and he can clean specific rooms via Alexa. The dirt bin is pretty big and the rollers don’t get tangled up with hair like roomba did. Overall, way better experience than roomba for much less than a roomba.
Customer Rating: 5
Helpful Rate: 18
People find the following negative one quite helpful. Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2023 by Helen Jane McLean, titled “The app is aggravating”
Has picked up all manner of dust and hair from places I can’t get the regular vacuum like under beds. Super helpful. Has only gotten stuck once! I hate the app. I had to restart my phone bc the app got stuck in a loop due to the map. I hit approve and it just decided I needed to edit the map anyway over and over. I am having to use the alexa app to control the vacuum now. Hate the app. If it wasn’t for the alexa app work around I would have returned the vacuum.
Customer Rating: 3
Helpful Rate: 5
Janice M. –
Disappointed
I bought this vacuum as it was listed as good for pet hair. But I have found this not to be the case. With two dogs, I need something powerful. In addition, it doesn’t always follow the map.
godin léa –
Disappointed
I bought brand new shark AI vacumm robot only to receive an open box and used vacuum. There was pet hairs in there and was super dirty. I returned it right away.
Jared –
Stops sucking well after 7 months or so
Doesn’t suck well or do as good as a job. Replaced filters and no change.
Kelly Webb –
Not great if you have pets
This is probably the worst robot vacuum I’ve had. I wish I hadn’t bought it. The only redeeming quality is that the dust bin is larger than the ones I’ve had in the past. I have to retrace the route with a hand vac to pick up dog hair that it just randomly spits out all over the house. If it moves from the hardwood to an area rug, ugh, a line of dog hair in on the carpet now. What’s the point of this vacuum if I have to vacuum again with another vacuum??
Sheri –
Upgrade from Roomba e5
3rd robot vacuum, previous 2 were Roombas but after both just decided to randomly stop working (suspect phased obsolescence) despite proper care and maintenance opted to try a Shark. Very happy with this model – longer run time, actually returns to its docking station, comparable bin size (2 GSDs worth of fur give this a workout), AND doesn’t get stuck under my coffee tables every day. Very pleased with purchased, better buy than the Roomba in my opinion.
Ahb –
Product will cease to function after apx. 13 months.
This is my second robot vac. Both ceased to function after approximately 13 months, which is conveniently out of the warranty period. Customer service, via video call, advised that the roller motor is likely to blame. They refused to replace the item and offered only a 30% discount toward the purchase of a third robot. If you only desire a product that will function for apx. thirteen months then this product is for you. If you desire a product that will function for longer and will be replaced if and when defective, then I recommend shopping for another robot vac.
Sabrina Gomez –
Best thing ever!!
The media could not be loaded. I love this vacuum it is super efficient. I mainly wanted a robot vacuum that works on hard floors with a lot of pet hair. It doesn’t bump into random things and you can use it at night with the lights off. Its also easy to clean!!
sheryl –
Gets the job done
I have used I-robot vacuums for over 20 years. I find them to be noisy, rough with my furniture, ineffective angled cleaning pattern, and time-consuming to clean. I decided to try the Shark. It is so much quieter, lighter, and easier to clean. No razzle-dazzle, less attention seeking!
Moo –
Severely Flawed
Has not worked properly since we installed the vacuum. It keeps disconnecting from our Wi-Fi. I do NOT recommend purchasing this product.
Dan –
Great robot vacuum for the price, slightly intelligent scanning
I was looking for a Roomba alternative and found these Shark Ion robots. I got the “zig-zag” one and then this slightly upgraded model. This one does a pretty good job–sucks up a shocking amount of dirt, is reliable enough, needs some babysitting, has just enough battery to cover my entire upper floor (though that will change as it ages), and has basic integration with Home Assistant. It maps my rooms but doesn’t get it perfect, and the only intelligence that really comes in handy is that it vacuums in rows rather than zig-zags. I wouldn’t rely on its keep-out features and instead just make sure there’s nothing on the floor it can get stuck on when I send it out to clean. There’s a really big price difference between this and the Roombas, and I’m still quite happy with this as the alternative I went with.
FSH –
The App does not work well
The unit maps well and cleans well. It has trouble finding the doc. If you activate it to clean a chosen room, you can’t pick the unit up and move it or you lose all control of app functions except to “return to doc”. The app is frustrating. It continues to have trouble finding the doc even when the doc is directly in front of it.
Amazon Customer –
Sharkira will be missed…
I loved this vacuum when I got it- I have 2 huskies and the hair tends to be terrible- I’d usually pop this on during the day while at work and it cleaned very efficiently. However, one day… my dog may have had an accident and Sharkira didn’t know… let’s just say the poo trails were not fun to clean up. That being said Shark via Amazon was EXTREMELY helpful when this mishap occurred. Would recommend if you do not have pets who may have accidents!!
Phillip C. –
Shark AV970
Purchased June of 2021. It’s worked well over the 2-1/2 years I’ve had it but I think it’s become blind or senile. It just seems to wander around in no particular pattern & goes over the same area multiple times. Thinking of replacing but not sure with what. It seems all on the market have good & bad reviews.
MRH –
Error #9 all the time
I have gotten very little use out of this product. Despite my looking at the manual, and YouTube videos, it keeps saying error #9.
Kendra Conley –
Crap
I was not told I was sold a refurb unit until I called because I wouldn’t charge. No option for a different unit – the same one is $100 more now. I can only return and be inconvenienced. Amazon returns suck now!!!
Customer –
Works as advertised
This vacuum works very well. It leans the homes layout flawlessly and remembers the map. This little marvel cleans the floors spotlessy.
max vovk –
Terrible device stops working.
Customer support refusing to replace the unit under warranty makes you go through ridiculous troubleshooting steps. Hang up on their customer will never buy another shark product.
ksyennie –
Love this robot vacuum!
The shark was easy to assemble, and it works great! I love the self-cleaning brush rolls. I Don’t have to untangle any hair.
Grnspd –
Worst robot vacuum ever
I bought this thinking it would be an improvement to my other robot vacuum. I have 2 border collies and hair is an issue. I couldn’t even get it to clear a room before it errored out and needed help. I reset and it didn’t make it 3’ before it happened again. It’s sensitive like a woman and cleans like a 12 yr old boy. Had it on one trial and the first product I’ve returned in 3 years. I’d suggest you consider another product
MommaCed –
Not impressed
I’m not impressed with this vacuum. I had a generic before and wish I would have just bought another of them. It’s cleaned the house 30 times or more and never generates a cleaning map. It will go from one side of the house to the other then back but can’t finish cleaning without recharging (it will only run an hour then have to recharge even though there’s a lot of battery left.) it won’t clean up next to anything including baseboards so it kisses at least an inch of floor everywhere. Max power seems no different than regular. The app is always logging me out too and when logged out the scheduled cleaning won’t happen. You can’t have it clean a room twice. It is really behind many competitors that are much cheaper. I wouldn’t recommend it.
CONSUMER IN Ohio –
App no good
This is my second shark. The old one works. This model does not respond to the wifi or does it see the robot on the clean ap. Cant go forward at all. So it does not work for me at all. Customer service is also no help since they dont speak english and wasted my time. Return is the best option.
J. Bohnen –
9 months and vacuum stopped working
Purchased shark AV970 worked well until following November. Began to get E2 error blockage. Ordered replacement pack from Amazon including brush and filters. Replaced all those parts. Shark worked 1 time and E2 error code started again. Replacement brush broke right away. Shark customer support page shut down. Have to work out time to talk with shark about fixing the problem after just 9 months of use. Rethink purchase of this vacuum.
Dad dude –
Long-term not great
I returned the first one (with a hassle about it). The 2nd also problematic. The little brushes break off often, forcing the purchase of replacement parts. The brush thing wears out quickly. The primary filter requires replacement constantly. I don’t have carpets, and the brush would wear out in a couple months, forcing the purchase of replacement parts. It gets stuck on the stupidest little things, and leaves so many other stops little things behind. Now it’s just past 2 years for the vacuum, runs only once a week, and one of the drive wheels won’t turn anymore. It errors out without even getting fully off the charging base. Not a great purchase for the price at all. I still have vacuums from the 80s that have better cleaning power and reliability than this thing.
TG –
This is a follow up review for a previous one I left
On 11-21-23 our Shark robot vac arrived. The next 2days we tried it out. It was amazing. We have no cell phones so I can’t program it properly, but that’s not a big deal it works well. I did not want it to go into certain areas and remembered that there was supposed to be a bot ???? strip that was supposed to be in the box. I still have the box and figured I just missed it. I went thru everything and it simply is not there. I just contacted Amazon and spoke with a Tamera who was an amazing help. She was able to give us a refund on our order and I’ll just order the strips I need. Thanks very much to Amazon for taking care of this so easily and quickly. I’m supposed to have the refund in 5 to 7 days. Thanks again for the amazing service Amazon.
Theo –
Cleans well on carpet and hardwood
Does very well cleaning both carpet and hardwood. Will say tho it seems to randomly clean on its own at times thats not what I programmed into the schedule. As an update I would love the option to clean certain rooms only on certain days instead of a whole clean every time.
Teri –
Won’t map correctly
This product cleaned my entire house the first time but hasn’t since. It keeps going into or two rooms and the hall then goes back and does the same bedrooms again. It’s been doing one bedroom for an hour now. I have reset it and it does the same thing. I missed my window to return it since I kept working with it but regret not sending it back when the issue first started. I would not recommend this product.
Sara –
Best purchase we’ve made for our new home
I am amazed by this product and how easy it is to use and how much it picks up with each cleaning. We’ve had it for a few months now and the awe has yet to diminish, works great!!
Niecy –
Lost its steam
Wanted to love this vacuum, but it couldn’t keep up. Started off good, but eventually it began to just go random places, re clean the same area over and over. Half jobs in some areas. It honestly acted confused. Now after having it for 30 days , it has gotten worse. It will literally charge overnight and clean for 20 minutes in the same random spots and re- dock itself.
Dawn Stewart –
I’ve have never been disappointed with a shark!
High performance with smart IQ navigation. Works amazingly
Barbara M. Hart –
First I had my doubts but none now.
My husband got this and I had my doubts. However it works great for the entire upstairs. Have it working every other day when we are out. Got stuck couple times but rarely.
Kristen –
Life Changer
10/10 recommend this product. It cleans very well.
Amazon Customer –
Inconsistent battery life.
The battery life will vary. When it was doing mapping of the house the battery would last for the whole house under normal suction. However when it did a normal house cleaning with normal suction. It would die halfway through cleaning the house and have to go back to dock. It did not make sense.
Marilyn Doyle –
Shark
I love it. Work’s great. Didn’t know what I was missing until I got it.
Loren –
Great
Honestly so good. Cleans perfectly. The lines it makes are pretty to look at. Definitely worth the extra money to buy this one instead of the less expensive non intelligent one.
Dee –
Terrible, avoid at all costs
If I could give this thing zero stars, I would. From the moment I took it out of the box, it had issues. Mapping was an issue. It couldn’t find the dock and kept docking itself under my sofa. Sometimes, it would spin itself in a circle until it turned itself off. After getting support to help with that, where in the past it could navigate around my chairs in the living room, it then proceeded to constantly get itself stuck. The chair legs are metal and flat, and it had difficulty navigating this. Instead of stopping and turning around when it banged against them, it just tried to roll over them eventually causing itself to go airborne. Often times, it would drain its battery out because it would run when I was not home. To remedy this, I added the area as a no go zone. Unfortunately, the robot doesn’t always follow those guidelines and every now and then I see it stuck there yet again. What really aggravates me is that it is ruining furniture by bumping against it constantly. My round drum coffee table has scratches on the bottom because this thing is idiotic. Shark needs to coat the bumper in silicone to avoid damaging people’s furniture if it’s going to make the AI bereft of common sense. Scheduling in the app does not work. One day, it just randomly stopped running at the scheduled time for no rhyme or reason. As a work around, I had to add this device to my google home and set up a routine for it to run. A lot of work. Finally, you endure all of that for only so so suction. Like most of Shark’s items, I’d say the quality is subpar. You’d be better off getting the off brand robovacs for much cheaper. In the meantime, I’m stuck with this beep beep shortbus of a robovac impatiently awaiting when Dyson releases its own.
Victoria Morris –
Doesn’t vacuum the entire room
Couldn’t find the master bedroom, kept going over the same areas and getting stuck in corners. Shark tech never called me back to help. Will be returning.
Jeremy H. –
Great vac for pet hair with word of warning!
Great vac for pet hair with word of warning! It cornered our older golden retriever and scared the poo out of her, literally. It also did not detect previously mentioned “accident” and proceeded to wax the floor with it. Had to toss the vac as it was not cleanable/serviceable and had floors steam cleaned.
Irma –
Funciona bien
Aspira muy bien y no me a fallado
Oscar H. –
Does a great job
This vac is much quieter than a different brand that we have. They both do a very good job, long battery life, easy to dump the dirt and dog hair tray. The noise factor is a definite plus.
Paula –
Not as good as I expected.
I thought I was going to love this vacuum but I do not. It is taking 2 hours to vacuum my 1100 square foot house, and it is not even finishing before it has to go back to the dock for a recharge. It does not resume after recharging, so my living room is never getting finished. I wish I had just stuck with the model that navigates randomly.
rjlj –
Great vacuum
We have a Lab and a cat. Good news is this little robot picks up all the hair. We have to empty it midway in cycle & after completion. More than worth effort for our floors & are rugs.
ACos –
It’s loud on hardwood floors
It does a good job as far suction and picking up hair and debris. But it is very noisy on hardwood and tile floors. I don’t know if this is normal or if mine is defective. My iRobot was quiet. I love my Shark cordless vacuum. So when I needed a new robotic I thought I would give this one a try. But I’m probably sending it back.
d –
So easy
Love this vacuum! Cleans up great and uninterrupted! I have 2 dogs, one that sheds and it does great
Lindsey Nicole –
The best thing I have ever bought myself
If I had to do it again the only thing I would get it the one that self empties because I have 2 German Shepherds but this is the first time my floors have been clean consistently for last 2 weeks since I started running this thing and I’m simply amazed and mad I didn’t buy one years ago!!
Placeholder –
Perfection!
I was given a Shark Robot floor cleaner 4 years ago and just loved it. It was worn out, had to discard of it. This one seems to be a step above. It is very thorough and has a larger area for the dirt and dog hair to go which is nice. The dog hair doesn’t get twisted around the roller like my old one. I’m very pleased with this unit.
Megan Hargrove –
Does not get the job done…
This robot vaccuum has been living rent free in my house. It does not do anything. I run the shark vaccuum almost everyday and I had the feeling that it just wasn’t picking up enough. Hair DOES get caught on the roller and the cleaning brissels fall off. I bought another vaccuum to test and I can confirm that the shark robot was doing practically nothing for me. Unfortunately I am past the point of being able to return it but I wish I never bought it. A waste of money.
RW_MI –
Great overall
I have a 100 lb dog who sheds…a lot. I can’t vacuum enough to keep up. I have an eufy for my bedroom, and love it (despite its random pattern) because it’s thin enough to go under all of my furniture. But in my great room, it gets stuck on every single thing. The shark does a good job (on carpet) and doesn’t get stuck on anything. Goes over an area rug with no issue. Today when it was done, I got out my upright to see if I’d get more hair. Virtually zero!! Once in a while it seems to spread vs. pick up some hair, but it’s been rare. It always finds its base, even though I have it in a fairly narrow and hard-to-get-to place. PROS: Does a good job overall. Decent vacuum pattern (usually). MY ROOM GETS VACUUMED EVERY DAY AND I DON’T HAVE TO DO IT!!! COULD IMPROVE: No way to add a second map for a different level or floor. You can run it manually, but it doesn’t seem to cover as well. There’s also nothing in the instructions to tell me whether a second robot could be added with its own map, or if I’d have to set up two different app accounts. At first it did the long open areas in my room with a long even path. Lately it will come back and criss-cross over that in a weird random pattern. Still beats having to vacuum, but I don’t understand why it does that. It’s disconnected twice in the 30 days I’ve had it. Once I had to reinstall the robot (it did save my map though), and the second time it fixed itself when I turned it off and on again.
Joyful 1 –
Great Cleaning Power, Terrible Mapping Software
This robot had super cleaning power and dual cleaning brushes compared to Roomba Combo i5. However, if you want mapping software to isolate rooms this robot is practically non-existant & not for you…. The Roomba mapping software and that of the Shark RV2310 (LIDAR mapping) are far superior
Dana D. Kern –
Shark is noisy
This particular Shark had a loud noise that was not normal to the machine. Customer support sent me a different brush as that’s what they diagnosed when trouble shooting. It didn’t help. UPDATE: It could definitely be this particular machine. I bought the upgraded model and it doesn’t have the loud noise so I am thinking it’s this particular vacuum.
Judy Bolen –
Love this vacuum!
I just watch as this vacuum cleans my floors. Highly recommend.