Shark AI Robot Vacuum

It can be. It only connects on 2.4 GHz, and dropped connections and a clunky SharkClean app are frequent complaints, though some setups go smoothly. Once it's connected, scheduling and single-room cleaning work as they should, so expect the setup to be the hard part.

Often not. It recharges and resumes where it stopped, and in smaller homes it can run a long time, but larger homes regularly need two goes. A few batteries also fade after some months. Shark's listing here doesn't give a runtime figure to plan around.

In rows. It maps the home with LIDAR and works in straight lines instead of bouncing at random, and the app can send it to a single room. Shark says it detects and avoids objects 4 inches or taller, which helps around furniture.

It picks up most daily dog and cat shedding on both carpet and hard floor, and the self-cleaning PowerFins brushroll often stays free of wrapped hair. The bin holds only 0.31 liters, though, so in a shedding home you'll be emptying it often.

Yes. It's gentle around furniture, but cords, socks and loose bath mats trip it up, so clearing the floor first is part of the routine. Door thresholds and area rugs are less of a problem, since its tall wheels climb over them without trouble.

Fairly quiet for most, quiet enough to leave running during a phone call. A few find it as loud as a regular vacuum, though, so it depends a little on your floors and your tolerance. Shark doesn't publish a decibel figure for this model.