Shark IQ vs Roomba i7: Which is the Right One for You?

Shark and Roomba are two of the most trustworthy manufacturers on the robot vacuum market. Both offer exceptional cleaning performance and come packed with impressive features.

If you’re torn between the two brands, this guide will assist you to decide which one is right for your home.

We’ll compare Shark IQ vs Roomba i7 in terms of price, features, and cleaning performance so that you can make an informed decision about which vacuum cleaner is best for your home.

Comparison Table

Feature	Shark IQ RV1001AE	iRobot Roomba i7+ (7550)	IROBOT ROOMBA I7
Size	12.9 x 12.6 x 3.5 inches	13.34 x 13.34 x 3.63 inches	13.34 x 13.26 x 3.63 inches
Weight	6 pounds	7.5 pounds	7.5 pounds
Customer Reviews	4.4 out of 5 stars	4.5 out of 5 stars	4.4 out of 5 stars
Uses For Product	Hard floor and Carpet	Hard floor and Carpet	Hard floor and Carpet
Navigation	IQ NAV	iAdapt	iAdapt
Filter	High-Efficiency Filter	HEPA	HEPA
App & Voice Control	YES	YES	YES
Wifi	YES	YES	YES
Scheduled Cleaning	YES	YES	YES
Virtual Walls	YES	YES	YES
Charge time	4 hours	1.5 hours	1.5 hours

Tip: For other Roomba models ideal for multipurpose cleaning, check our iRobot 980 vs 880 comparison review.

Shark IQ vs Roomba i7 – Vacuums with a self-emptying base

When it comes to these two top-tier devices, there are some key differences and similarities you’ll want to consider before making your purchase. Both the vacuum cleaners have the self–emptying feature. However, the IQ is bagless while the i7 is bagged.

The Roomba i7 and the i7+ have similar advanced features. The only notable difference is that the i7+ comes with the automatic dirt disposing of the clean base station, while it can be purchased separately for i7.

Dirt collection & Self-emptying bin system

Winner: Roomba i7

The dirt compartment of the IQ does not hold a lot of debris and pet hair. The vacuum has self-emptying technology meaning that the cleaner empties the dirt into the dirt compartment in the docking station, which has a much larger holding capacity of about 30 cleaning cycles worth.

The Roomba i7+’s dirt bin holds more debris in comparison and self-empties the dirt into the dirt compartment in the docking station, which has a much larger carrying capacity of about more than 30 cleaning sessions.

Moreover, the light indicator on the docking station lets the user know when the bag is full or if there’s an obstacle. The iRobot Home app also can inform the user when the load has reached its capacity.

Battery performance

Winner: Shark IQ

The Shark IQ robot vacuum cleaner offers a more impressive battery power than the Roomba I7+. It can run for about 3 hours on the ECO mode and over 60 minutes in the high suction mode, which is impressive.

A full recharge may take about 4 hours. It has a low battery indicator light that turns red when it starts running out of juice, and as the device charges up, the light turns blue.

Other vacuums under the Shark brand, like the ION R77, offer better battery life with faster charging time.

The Roomba i7+ battery lasts about 70 minutes long before it goes back to recharge itself. The i7+ automatically adjusts its cleaning depending on the type of floor it is working on, which may slightly affect battery life.

There’s a low battery indicator, and the iRobot home app can display battery levels. It takes around 80+ minutes for a full recharge.

The newer version of the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner, like the S9, have even more battery juice for more extended operations.

Navigation & Mapping

Winner: Roomba i7

Shark iq robot vs roomba i7, who has better navigation & mapping?

The Shark IQ’s navigation technology is different from that of the Roomba i7 plus. For starters, it uses infrared technology and sensors to detect objects, edges, and cliffs, so it doesn’t fall down flights of stairs. Moreover, it uses an optical sensor that enables the cleaner to create a single map at a time.

This is perfect for small apartments or single-story homes with a one-floor plan. You can also interact with the map through a smartphone. The compact design is ideal for under furniture cleaning. Be mindful that the optical sensors work best during the daytime, requiring light to navigate.

The Roomba i7 plus, however, can take care of multi-story or larger homes. The Imprint Smart Mapping and imprint link technology enable it to remember more than one map.

The Roomba i7+ uses sensors to detect obstacles and avoid them. You can set a virtual barrier utilizing the map to restrict vacuum operations.

Both the appliances have some similarities in their mapping technology. For instance, both options are equipped with an onboard camera, straight-line navigation, and digital mapping, but the I7+ has many advanced features.

Suction Power

Winner: Shark IQ

The iRobotHomeapp is probably the most impressive feature of the Roomba. Many other models of the same brand use the iRobot home app. They have refined their application with periodic updates for better usability and advanced features.

You can teach the Roomba to recognize your house’s layout using the app as well. Further, the app allows you to view performance logs, instruct your cleaner to vacuum specific rooms, make cleaning schedules, control suction etc.

Shark does not have as many vacuums compatible with the companion app. Though the app supports some beneficial features, including scheduled cleaning, smart mapping, and zoned cleaning. It lacks the long history of app updates that the iRobot offer.

Both the apps have voice control compatible with Alexa and Google home assistant.

Maneuverability

Winner: Roomba i7

The Roomba has superior mobility than the IQ. It cleans a room in an organized fashion using iAdapt 3.0 and visual navigation, with a coverage area viewed on the map via the app.

It can easily access under furniture and sofas without getting tangled in carpets or rugs.

The IQ’s also follows an organized pattern for cleaning, and its performance under furniture is also satisfactory.

Cleaning comparison on different floor types

High Pile carpets

Winner: Roomba i7

Both the vacuum furnished decent results on high pile carpets. The I7+ was slightly better. Both the cleaners picked up most pet hair and larger objects, but there were some leftover smaller objects.

Tip: For thick plush carpet floor, we performed a Bissell 86t3 vs bg10 comparison to review which on is better.

Low Pile Carpets

Winner: Roomba i7

The Shark IQ Robot was not as good on low-pile carpets. It’s easily removed pet hair and larger debris, but it struggled with smaller objects like rice. While the Roomba i7 was comparatively effective.

Hard Floors

Winner: Shark IQ

Cleaning the floor is a difficult job. Both the vacuums are equipped with the required features, but the IQ Robotic vacuum has the edge in this department. It performed slightly better than the Roomba i7 on bare or hard floors.

iRobot picked up most debris quickly, but it struggled more with sand or larger objects which might also get stuck on the brush roll.

At the same time, the IQ robot sucked up most debris and pet hair. Larger things tend to get stuck inside the vacuum, so you may need to intervene.

Tip: More on robot vacuums for hardwood floors that are suitable for home and office use.

Pet Hair

Both the vacuums have decent performance on different floor types for picking up pet hair in general.

Vacuum Brushes

Winner: Roomba i7

Furnished with a self–cleaning brush roll, the Shark IQ has two side brushes for bringing debris into the path of the primary brush roll. The Roomba i7+ has a side brush that helps it push debris in its way, and it also has two flexible rubber multi–floor brush rolls.

Noise Comparison

Winner: Shark IQ

IQ is lesser noisy than the two. I7 models are a bit louder in comparison.

General Maintenance Tips

Like any other appliance, robot vacuum cleaners require some maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Here are the most important tasks to remember:

Clean the primary brush and side brush at least once a week. Hair and dirt can accumulate on these parts and cause problems with performance.

Vacuum filters should ideally be replaced every two to three months as the robot vac filters in time become clogged.

Empty the dustbin and dock regularly. If you don’t, the accumulated dirt can cause problems with the robot’s performance.

Keep the drop sensors clean. Wiping them once a month will help keep the robot from getting stuck and ruining your floors.

Wipe down the entire robot vacuum cleaner every week with a clean, microfiber towel to remove fingerprints and dust.

The docking station should be cared for as well. Check it occasionally for any debris/ clogs etc.

How We Tested

Our approach for product testing is mentioned below

For the first step, we decided to compare Shark IQ vs Roomba i7 comparison by checking for their abilities to detect barriers and obstacles. We looked at how well they can clean under furniture and how good of a job either robot vacuum would do against walls.

Afterward, we compared the shark iq robot vs roomba i7 further by checking for their performance on carpets and hard floors. We monitored how well each robot can pick up pet hair, dirt, and debris and how easy it is to maintain them.

Conclusion

Shark iq robot vs roomba i7 is a common question. The iRobot is an established brand with more high–end models of robotic vacuum cleaners. In contrast, the Shark is recognized for its budget–friendly models packed with impressive features.

The i7+ was better in performance than the IQ due to lower maintenance cost, better-built quality, HEPA filtration, app features, and better performance on carpets.

Both Roomba i7+ and Shark IQ are excellent top-of-the-line robot vacuum cleaners that will not leave any hair behind and remove most debris from your floor.

The i7+ excels with its ability to remember more than one map and the large capacity of the dustbin, but it also costs quite a bit more than IQ.

The SharkIQ can be a great choice if you want an advanced robot vacuum cleaner without spending too much and still get excellent results.

Both these devices have voice control compatibility with Alexa and Google assistant.

In conclusion, the Shark IQ and Roomba i7+ are great, but some factors make it better than others, like product cost, number of cleaning modes, etc.

I hope this article helps you choose the best robot vacuum cleaner for your house.

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Thank You for your time!