The Shark vs. Roomba debate is still boring, despite both brands trying to expand their vacuum lineups

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UPDATE: July 25, 2026, 5:00 a.m. ET Five new Roombas were released on July 7, 2026. I'm in the process of testing them at home and will update this comparison guide accordingly.

The conversation surrounding the best robot vacuums in 2026 is a starkly different one than it was in years prior.

In earlier versions of this story, I wrote that the Shark vs. Roomba conversation is the ultimate robot vacuum standoff. But between 2024 and early 2026, the duel between these two household names had turned into a competition of who can be the most mid.

As of July 2026, both brands have finally made some much-needed effort to keep their vacuums relevant. But whether Shark or Roomba is better might still be a moot point. The more realistic question is whether either is even in the running for top robot vacuum brands at all when competitors like Dreame, Roborock, Eufy, and Narwal continue to pump out more dominant robot vacuums.

Nonetheless, Shark and iRobot are still two of the most-searched robot vacuum brands on the internet. I've tested more than 15 models between the two brands, so I have some thoughts on the pros and cons of getting a Roomba or a Shark. For posterity's sake, here's how Shark and Roomba compare in 2026.

Is iRobot out of the bankruptcy hole?

When iRobot filed for bankruptcy in December 2025, the company insisted that a glow-up was in the works — but we didn't know when or if we'd actually see a new Roomba again. Well, it finally happened: In July 2026, iRobot released new Roombas in the U.S. for the first time under its new ownership. But are they smart enough cleaners at practical enough prices to outpace Shark, or serve as real competition with the rest of the best robot vacuum brands?

Let's break down why Roombas were considered the best for so long, where iRobot went wrong, and what the 2026 Roombas are doing to change the "overpriced and underwhelming" narrative.

Where Roomba wins: Small obstacle avoidance and more variety

Shark's family of robot vacuums is definitely growing. But the variety in the Roomba lineup offers slightly more flexibility for mixing and matching staple features like smart mapping, self-empty docks that also wash and dry the mopping pads, automatic cleaning boosts when a mess is detected, and most importantly, small obstacle avoidance technology.

Plus, there are just more Roombas to choose from than there are Shark robovacs. The last two Roomba drops haven't just introduced one or two new Roombas, as is the case with Shark announcements — we're used to getting at least five new Roombas at a time.

You can still buy a few of the 2025 Roombas that were released pre-bankruptcy, and they often go on sale. The best Roombas that I've tested recently include the Roomba 105 (a standalone model with smart mapping) that has permanently dropped to $159 and the Roomba Plus 505 Combo (self-washing and -drying mopping pads, small obstacle avoidance) for as low as $499 on sale.

iRobot thankfully diverted from the traditional flat mopping pad with its 2025 overhaul. Now, several mopping Roombas use dual spinning mopping pads — a design that the majority of iRobot customers prefer, iRobot told me in a press briefing. The Roomba Max 705 Combo was actually one of the first mainstream roller mop robot vacuums, which debuted months before that became a major trend at CES 2026. Still, the Max 705 Combo wouldn't be a worthwhile purchase over better roller mop robot vacuums like the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow or the Eufy C28.

Not for nothing, iRobot heard the cries of the anti-mop crowd on Reddit and answered with a vacuum-only version of one of its more powerful models, the Roomba Max 715 Vac. A lot of people simply don't want to deal with water tanks or anything soggy at all, but finding a vacuum-only robot vacuum typically means settling for a super basic model — all of the most advanced robot vacuums are automatically hybrids nowadays. But since it's completely skipping such a main feature, I think the Roomba Max 715 should be a little cheaper than $699.99.

iRobot's widespread application of small obstacle avoidance does provide some leverage over Shark. This staple feature is what keeps the vacuum from eating common floor items like cords, shoes, and toys — and that means less pre-tidying and less babysitting on the human's end.

The cheapest Roomba with front-facing obstacle avoidance cameras, the Roomba Plus 415 Combo, is now just $599.99. Only Shark's top three premium robot vacuums feature small obstacle avoidance cameras, and they're much more expensive than this.

Where iRobot loses: Forgettable vacuums, iffy finances

iRobot isn't exactly the pioneer it once was.

The self-emptying, smart mapping Roomba S9+ of 2019 and the 2021 Roomba j7+ that could avoid cords and pet waste were huge deals when they first hit the scene — they truly set the standard for the rest of the vacuum market. iRobot's star power was so influential that "Roomba" became the colloquial generic term for any robot vacuum.

But somewhere down the line, iRobot stopped innovating in the ways that once justified its steep price points. Roombas started costing way too much for the brainpower or cleaning performance they offered. The Roomba flop era was kind of inevitable.

iRobot has released new Roombas for the first time since filing for bankruptcy and handing ownership to its manufacturer, Picea. I'll give credit to iRobot for getting more practical with its prices, specifically in terms of expanding staple smart features like LiDAR, the self-washing mopping pad system, or small obstacle avoidance to more affordable models. But none of it is anything we haven't seen before.

At this point, iRobot is merely playing catch-up to budget-friendly behemoths like Dreame and Roborock. None of the 2026 Roombas have any overly exciting features that make them stand out in any given price range. Plus, we can't pretend like iRobot's recent financial blunder hasn't soured the trust of customers who heard about the bankruptcy news. Even though things are stable enough to continue manufacturing new products, that doesn't promise that iRobot's finances are in order. After all, iRobot filed for bankruptcy less than a year after releasing eight new Roombas in March of 2025.

Where Shark wins: Spot cleaning and the UV light

Shark robot vacuums haven't exactly been known for their innovation. Historically, it felt like the Sharks were several months to a year late on premium features that all of the other brands had. So the genius packed into the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 that dropped in March 2026 was a pleasant surprise. The UV Reveal uses a real UV light to detect invisible stains on the floor that a robot vacuum using AI cameras or plain LEDs may not see.

One memorable moment from my testing is the UV Reveal finding and mopping up dried cat puke that another premium robot vacuum mop combo didn't thoroughly scrub the week before. It's a game-changing feature for mopping hardwood floors.

In June 2026, Shark had the genius idea to release its two best vacuums in more colors than plain ol' black and white. The Shark UV Reveal is available in four chic earth tones that should better blend in with the room's decor: espresso, evergreen, deep harbor, and ivory. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the aesthetic color options alone were enough to convince someone to buy a Shark over a Roomba.

So yes, the Shark UV Reveal breathed life into an otherwise just OK lineup of Shark robovacs. But for everyone trying to spend less than $1,299.99 on a robot vacuum (or even $949.99, if it's on sale), are the other Shark robot vacuums worth it?

I've always found Shark to be in tune with what the average person is willing to spend on a robot vacuum. The brand consistently offers core capabilities like smart mapping and mopping at affordable price points, topped with a straightforward user experience that doesn't involve a million high-level app functions. It's a particularly enticing brand for first-time robot vacuum owners.

Shark's approachable price points don't necessarily mean it skimps on cleaning performance, though. Shark Matrix vacuums clean in a grid pattern, approaching the area several times from multiple angles to grab anything it may have missed in the first pass or two. According to Shark, Matrix mode dishes out 30 percent better carpet cleaning than the older RV Shark models. For Shark 2-in-1 robot vacuums, a mop in Matrix mode vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub at stains that likely wouldn't budge from a single pass of a cheaper robot mop or a paper towel. Matrix mopping always comes in clutch for keeping up with the constant layer of shoe prints by my front door.

Shark even extends the Matrix cleaning mechanism to most of its super-affordable models, making any of the RV2310 or RV2300 models a solid choice for a budget robot vacuum. Shark's spot cleaning has been such a streamlined, reliable feature in every Shark robot vacuum I tried. My ultimate spot cleaning test is the area outside either of my cats' litter boxes — even the cheap Shark robot vacuums always got to the right spot and cleared the kitty litter before I walked in there with bare feet.

Every other big brand had at least one model with self-washing and -drying mopping pads far before the Shark PowerDetect Pro series hit the scene in September 2024. They originally cost between $999.99 and $1,199.99, which seemed reasonable (at the time) compared to the models that cost $1,599.99. Both Pro models can now be found on sale for around $699.99.

For good measure, the PowerDetect models are also equipped with large wheels that hoist the vac over carpet to keep it dry during mopping mode. Those hydraulics put the PowerDetect robot vacuums in the small group of robot vacuums that have never gotten stuck on one of my rug corners or scrambled up my bath mats.

Where Shark loses: Small obstacle avoidance and slow releases

Shark's biggest shortcoming might just be that it takes forever to release new robot vacuums. Brands like Roborock and Dreame seem to drop new crops of robot vacuums twice in the time period that Shark introduces a single new model, making its lineup feel outdated quickly. The typical iRobot release introduces at least three new vacuums at once.

But there are smarter robot vacuums out there for that same $699.99 or less.

Overall, Shark's lineup outside of the UV Reveal feels a little basic compared to its competitors. For instance, the original PowerDetect line was in desperate need of a successor for a while. When Shark did finally "revamp" the series in fall 2025, the upgrades were criminally underwhelming. The major difference is heated mop washing and drying for improved sanitation between mopping sessions, hence "ThermaCharged" in the title. That's not exactly a front-page headline when the vacuum is still so far behind other brands' models in the same price range.

Another lesser-known late 2025 model, the Shark Stratos NeverTouch robot vacuum, is similarly bland. Its description mentions "ultra-powerful suction" and states that the Stratos delivers twice the suction power of the Roomba i5 Combo. A $799.99 robot vacuum is more powerful than an entry-level Roomba that came out in 2023? Yeah, I would hope so.

Shark is the lone major robot vacuum brand that hasn't really invested in small obstacle avoidance past its fanciest model. Multiple models feature Shark's NeverStuck technology to some degree, but the UV Reveal is the only one I've tested that actually felt like it was really perceiving items lying in front of it. Meanwhile, brands like Eufy, Roborock, Dreame, and now even iRobot have prioritized small obstacle avoidance in robot vacuums at the $500 to $700 range.

The lack of agility around common items like cords, laundry, or pet toys seriously cramps the "premium" feel. This is such a staple feature in my life, as I'm sure it is for anyone whose floor might be cluttered lived in from time to time. In my testing, the Shark ThermaCharged was so inept at diverting obstacles (even large ones) that it gave up on cleaning missions instead of simply driving around a tote bag of groceries or a cordless Dyson vacuum attachment lying on the ground.

In the same vein of too-basic navigation, only the most premium Shark robot vacuums automatically stop mopping when carpet is sensed. This means vacuum and mop mode aren't possible at the same time with any of the 2-in-1 Shark Matrix models, and a person needs to manually attach the water tank to switch to mopping mode. That's enough of a pain to make someone want to skip mopping altogether. Even the cheap Roomba 105 Combo can detect carpet — the first time in recent memory where a base-tier Roomba outshines a base-tier Shark.

For the first time in forever, I think iRobot has stronger cheap robot vacuum options than Shark does. You'd be able to squeeze stronger suction power, better edge mopping, and smarter navigation out of $300 or $400 with a budget Roomba or Roborock vacuum than you would with the $449.99 Shark Navigator or $299.99 Shark IQ, which doesn't even self-empty.

It's the same story on the premium end of the spectrum: UV Reveal aside, the fanciest Sharks cost too much given their skills. They don't necessarily have any glaring flaws, but they're certainly not the most competent or most autonomous robot vacuums you could find for between $500 and $900.

Shark is still locked into a single style of mopping pad

Shark also has yet to grow out of the D-shaped mopping pad, while every other major brand has graduated to dual rotating mops or roller mops. The sonic vibrations of the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro and PowerDetect ThermaCharged did a solid job of wiping up small spills and shoe stains on my apartment's hardwood, but they weren't able to scrub in corners and along edges as the Roomba 405 or 505 Combo's flexible spinning mops can.

Shark thankfully gave the PowerDetect UV Reveal's mopping pad some mobility. It can slide past the circular body of the vacuum to scrub against flat edges, much like the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic's design. I've personally witnessed the UV Reveal's extending mop pad scrub much closer to walls than other Sharks.

Unfortunately, the UV Reveal's mopping is only geared toward scrubbing dry stains or sticky droplets, not liquid spills. I'm still not 100 percent sold on the D-shaped pad design for that reason, and it's disappointing that Shark locks shoppers into that style of scrubbing. iRobot has branched out to spinning pads and even a roller mop, so people with different mopping needs have more options going with iRobot.

Shark doesn't do itself any favors by refusing to list its vacuums' suction power in Pascals (Pa). Almost every other major robot vacuum brand measures suction power in Pa (even iRobot now), which makes comparing options easy. Shark still insists on keeping an air of mystery by solely comparing suction power to other vacuums in its own family tree, or by making vague claims like "50% better suction than the best-selling iRobot."

Where iRobot and Shark both lose: Their apps suck

Ironically, two of the most longstanding names in the robot vacuum game have the two most outdated-feeling apps. The bare bones home maps in both the Roomba Home and Shark Clean apps are far less intricate than the color-coded maps that Roborock or Eufy offer. Pausing a clean or adding an extra room to the queue is similarly clunky on both.

Our winner: Shark

Neither Shark nor iRobot is in the running to be the best robot vacuum brand overall in 2026. But if you want to pit them against each other for old time's sake, Shark is the more reliable robot vacuum brand.

Revisiting the Shark vs. Roomba debate, my answer is pretty much, "Uh, is there a third option?" It's hard to get enthusiastic when one brand has a singular memorable robot vacuum and the other brand has... none. The Shark UV Reveal 2-in-1 is far more innovative than the latest Roomba 400, 500, and 700 Series Combo models that we have to choose from. Since the rest of the Shark and iRobot lineups are a wash, I think it's safe to give Shark the top spot based on the UV Reveal 2-in-1 alone.

The fact that Shark hasn't gone bankrupt is another bonus point by default, presumably putting it in a more cushioned financial position to keep putting out new products.

However, my mind could change once I'm able to test a majority of the newest Roombas at home.

There are other brands that deserve your attention

Overall, I still think that Dreame vs. Roborock is the new Shark vs. Roomba, and I highly recommend taking a look at all of the Dreame robot vacuums and Roborock robot vacuums within your budget. You're probably going to find an option that's smarter and more powerful than the Roomba and Shark vacuum cleaners in your cart.