Ecovacs vs Shark

Which brand to buy

Owners of the now-discontinued Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 rank Shark's app below Roborock's, Dreame's and "even Ecovacs", and that aside sums up the robot half of this matchup: both apps draw steady complaints, and Ecovacs' is the less bad of the two. Owners of the Shark PowerDetect ThermaCharged NeverTouch Pro and PowerDetect UV Reveal say they can't set suction, water output or room order, while Ecovacs owners grumble about remapping but at least get the controls.

The robot most shoppers will weigh is the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal ($1,300) against the Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone ($1,100) or Deebot T80S Omni ($710). The UV Reveal hunts dried stains with UV light and a camera, but it lays down so much water that floors stay wet long after it finishes, a problem owners of the ThermaCharged model report too. The Ecovacs pair use roller mops that wash themselves as they go, and the X11's bagless dock means no dust bags. Shark doesn't publish suction figures, so raw power can't be compared on paper.

Off the robot aisle, Ecovacs has nothing and Shark has a great deal. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe NV360 ($150), which owners report running for 12 or 15 years, and the self-emptying Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty ($549) both carry 5-year warranties; the Shark Stratos Cordless is now discontinued, and Shark's replacement is the PowerDetect Speed Cordless Stick Vacuum ($430).

For a robot, Ecovacs is the better buy at each price, especially for mopping. Start with Shark if you also need an upright or stick, or if you'd rather buy from a store where returns are easy, which owners of the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 cite as the brand's real advantage.

Ecovacs vs Shark: common questions