(checked 2026-10-10)
Amazon's best-selling robot vacuum, with a bagless self-empty base, but RTINGS found it bad at pet hair on carpet, demanding to maintain and paired with a slow, buggy app. Owners report it getting stuck and dropping Wi-Fi.
Top complaints
- Weak on pet hair, edges and fine debris
RTINGS found it bad at pet hair: the brush presses hair into low-pile carpet instead of lifting it. It also does a poor job in corners and along walls, and its side brushes scatter debris. Amazon's review summary says some owners find it doesn't clean the entire floor.
- Gets stuck, ignores no-go zones, drops Wi-Fi
Amazon's summary says owners report it getting stuck on rugs, needing frequent Wi-Fi reconnection, and in some cases stopping working after two weeks. A 2-star Walmart review says it ignores no-go zones and sucks up cords. RTINGS calls the SharkClean app slow and buggy, and it needs a constant 2.4 GHz network.
- Messy, frequent upkeep
RTINGS says the robot's dustbin is incredibly small, so it empties after almost every job. The bagless dock is messier and less hygienic than bag docks, and the AV2501S base is rated for only 30 days. Many parts need regular cleaning, the pre-motor filter shouldn't be washed, and recurring costs are high.
Source: RTINGS review
What owners love
- Quiet robot
RTINGS calls it remarkably quiet, peaking at 63.7 dBA in Max mode, though the dock reaches 69.2 dBA.
Source: RTINGS review - Self-empties, no bags to buy
RTINGS lists self-emptying and decent bare-floor performance as pros, and notes the bagless base cuts ownership costs.
Source: RTINGS review - Handles rug tassels; owners like it for pet hair
RTINGS says it climbs over tasseled rugs without often getting stuck, which is rare. Amazon shoppers say it picks up pet hair and debris well, which conflicts with RTINGS' carpet test.
- You have shedding pets and carpet
- You want a smooth app with room-by-room control
- You want a mop
- Mostly bare floors
- Rugs with tassels (it climbs over them)
- Skipping disposable dock bags
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- RTINGS: A decent feature set, but cheaper models perform similarly. Cons: demanding maintenance, high recurring costs, trouble with solid debris and pet hair on low-pile carpet, and an unremarkable, buggy app (test bench updated 2025-07-02).