The Shark vs. Roomba debate is old news. Heres how both robot vacuum brands got dethroned.
But first, the elephant in the room
The lukewarm rivalry between Shark and iRobot heated up for a second in March 2025, when iRobot went rogue and overhauled the entire Roomba lineup outside of its usual release schedule. But the last ditch effort to get people excited about Roombas again didn't work. Once iRobot's lack of acquisition interest dwindled down to zero potential buyers, iRobot filed for bankruptcy in December 2025. Ownership of the brand was surrendered to its manufacturer Picea.
Let's break down why Roombas were considered the best for so long, and where iRobot went wrong.
Where Roomba wins: Small obstacle avoidance and more options
iRobot simply has more robot vacuums than Shark, and that variety alone will make it a more palatable brand to more people. The variety in the Roomba lineup offers flexibility for mixing and matching staple features like smart mapping, mopping pads that automatically avoid carpet, self-empty docks that also wash and dry the mopping pads, and small obstacle avoidance technology.
There are more Roombas to choose from because iRobot releases new robot vacuums more frequently than Shark — for the past few years prior to bankruptcy, at least. The Roomba range seriously widened when iRobot randomly overhauled the Roomba lineup with eight new models in March 2025. That was certainly an interesting move, considering new Roombas had typically been announced in August in years past.
iRobot released a bleak financial report that same week, and I couldn't help but feel like the surprise spring drop was tainted with a sense of urgency. Still, at the time, I thought it'd be interesting to see if these new Roombas could make iRobot a competitive brand again.
Yes, you can still buy a Roomba online despite the bankruptcy filing. Here's a quick look at the main new models that were all introduced last March:
Roomba 105 for as low as $149 on sale (standalone model with smart mapping)
Roomba 205 Combo for as low as $269.99 on sale (space-saving dust-compacting model with smart mapping)
Roomba Plus 405 Combo for as low as $399.99 on sale (self-washing and -drying mopping pads, no small obstacle avoidance)
Roomba Plus 505 Combo for as low as $599 on sale (self-washing and -drying mopping pads, small obstacle avoidance)
Roomba Combo 10 Max for as low as $599.99 on sale (stronger suction power, self-washing and -drying mopping pads, and small obstacle avoidance)
Roomba Max 705 Combo for $1,299.99 (self-washing roller mop, stronger suction power, and small obstacle avoidance)
iRobot thankfully diverted from the traditional flat mopping pad with its 2025 overhaul. Now, the Roomba Plus 405 and 505 Combo 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 of the best robot vacuum and mop combos out of CES 2026.
Not for nothing, iRobot heard the cries of the anti-mop crowd on Reddit and released a vacuum-only version of one of its more powerful models, the Roomba Max 705 Vac. A lot of people simply don't want to deal with tanks or anything soggy at all, but finding a vac-only robot vacuum typically means settling for a super basic model — all of the most advanced robot vacuums are automatically hybrids nowadays.
iRobot's mastery of small obstacle avoidance gives it serious leverage over Shark — it's some of the best small obstacle avoidance I've experienced from any brand I've tested at home. The Roomba Combo 10 Max, the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, and both 705 models have the special small obstacle detection camera system, which helps to avoid small obstacles that less-advanced robot vacuums would typically eat, like a phone charger, extension cord, rogue sock, or pet waste. In short, it solves the main gripe that many robot vacuum non-believers have: robot vacuums get stuck so often that they're more trouble than they're worth. I first experienced it when reviewing the Roomba j7+ and Combo j7+ and could never go back to the habit of pre-tidying.
Where Roomba loses: No recent innovations, still too expensive
iRobot isn't the pioneer it once was.
The self-emptying, smart mapping Roomba S9+ was a huge deal when it came out in 2019, and the Roomba j7+'s small obstacle avoidance set a new standard for robot vacuum navigation in 2021. Its 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 justified its steep price points. Roombas started costing way too much for the brainpower or cleaning performance they offered. I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away. iRobot tried to rectify its overpriced tendencies with the eight new Roombas in March, but even those didn't sell well enough to save iRobot from bankruptcy.
Neither basic nor premium Roombas are super cost-efficient
So while I'll give credit to Roomba for getting more practical with its prices, Shark still does budget-friendly better. For instance, I think that the perfect starter robot vacuum is one with smart mapping and self-emptying, with suction power being less of a priority as long as it's sufficient for light daily upkeep. In Roomba world, the cheapest option for this is the Roomba 105 + AutoEmpty Dock, going for $449.99 at full price or around $299.99 on sale. In Shark world, the same capabilities can be secured for as low as $199.99 on sale with the Shark IQ RV2302AE.
Either way, there are definitely more powerful cheap robot vacuums than both of those out there. It's the same story on the premium end of the spectrum: The fanciest Roombas still cost way too much given their skills. The Roomba Plus 505 Combo that I tested comes to mind, which retails for $999.99 but goes on sale for $849.99. While it didn't have any glaring drawbacks, it also doesn't exist in a vacuum — $849.99 could get you significantly stronger suction power with Roborock or Dreame, plus extras like a livestream pet camera in some cases.
Even the most powerful Roomba doesn't stand a chance against the most powerful contenders from other brands. On its face, the Roomba Max 705 Combo sounds like a beast: It has "175 times the suction power of a 600 Series Roomba" and is coined as the most powerful 2-in-1 Roomba. But iRobot, who is quietly revealing Pa suction power measurements for the first time, has confirmed that the Roomba Max 705 Combo has 13,000 Pa suction power.
That means that even the best Roomba for pet hair or carpet is significantly weaker than the other flagship robot vacuums out there — still a relevant point, even if it's not a direct comparison to Shark. The 2025 Roborock Saros line had 22,000 Pa, while the 2026 Roborock and Dreame flagship vacuums both hit a new record of 35,000 Pa. It's not hard to find a robot vacuum with 15,000+ Pa with self-washing and drying mopping pads for less than $700. As a refresher, the Roomba Max 705 Combo costs $1,299.99.
Will my Roomba still work now that iRobot went bankrupt?
iRobot does not expect the company's restructuring to disrupt app functionality, customer programs, or ongoing product support. That's comforting news to people who already have a Roomba. But for those still deciding if they should buy a Roomba, that's not a worthwhile option right now.
Where Shark wins: Spot cleaning and affordability
Shark has historically been 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 more 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.
In September 2024, Shark finally caught on to the whole "self-sustaining mopping pads" thing with the release of the Shark PowerDetect robot vacuums. They originally cost between $999.99 and $1,199.99, which seemed quite reasonable (at the time) compared to the models that cost $1,599.99. They can often be found on sale between $499.99 and $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 also helped the PowerDetect to be one of the only robot vacs I've tested that's never gotten stuck on a rug corner or scrambled up my bath mats.
Where Shark loses: Small obstacle avoidance and slow releases
Shark's biggest shortcoming is that it takes forever to release new robot vacuums, and that staggered schedule often leaves it playing catch-up with other brands. 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. Overall, Shark's entire lineup feels a little basic compared to its competitors.
The 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, and that 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 laying 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.
Shark's sonic mopping system feels outdated now
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 like the Roomba 405 or 505 Combo's flexible spinning mops can.
If Shark doubles down on the D-shaped pad design in its next release, it should at least give the pad more mobility to scoot out past the circular body of the vacuum — similar to what Roborock did with the Saros 20 Sonic that it announced at CES 2026.
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: Neither
Still not sure which side to take in this debate? Here's my take as a professional robot vacuum reviewer: Neither iRobot nor Shark is the best robot vacuum brand. 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.
Before I knew just how bleak things were looking for iRobot, I crowned iRobot as the better robot vacuum brand for most people. Shark takes forever to release new robot vacuums, so there are simply more Roombas to choose from. Those Roombas offer more meticulous mopping and accurate obstacle avoidance than Shark's array, making Roombas the more capable robot vacuums from a technical standpoint. Plus, even Shark's most premium robot vacuum feels basic compared to flagship vacuums from most other brands.
But Shark recently earned an inherent leg up on iRobot: Shark isn't bankrupt. In fact, SharkNinja is a brand is flourishing. It just needs to divert some attention from cordless vacuums, beauty tech, kitchen tech back to its robot vacuum line. While the premise of new Roombas under Picea ownership hasn't been ruled out, Shark is clearly in a more cushioned financial position to keep putting out new products. If the next new Shark robot vacuum masters small obstacle avoidance and corner mopping, it'll have officially regained the traction lost to the Roomba 405, 505, and 705 Combos.
