Shark Power Detect Robot Vacuum
3.8
(4)
Bottom Line
Choose it for strong carpet and hard-floor pickup plus a rare bagless self-empty base; Skip if you need consistently long runtime for big homes or a feature-rich, reliable app with strong multi-floor support.
Best for
Pet owners and busy households that want strong day-to-day pickup and prefer a bagless self-empty dock to reduce ongoing costs, especially on carpeted areas.
Not for
Large homes that need one-pass, overnight whole-house cleans without long recharge pauses, or anyone who prioritizes robust app controls, multi-floor mapping, and dependable integrations.
Verdict
The Shark Power Detect Robot Vacuum delivers standout pickup for its class, especially on carpets, and the bagless auto-empty base is a real cost-saver for homes that hate buying bags. Navigation and mapping are generally fast and orderly, but coverage efficiency can be merely average. The biggest tradeoff is software and power management: app features are thinner and can be buggy, and larger homes may see recharge-and-resume interruptions with long recharge waits. Obstacle avoidance helps with common clutter, yet it is inconsistent with low-profile items and can still create messes in pet-accident scenarios.
Pros
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Crevice / Groove Pickup (Hard Floors) 4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8Crevice and groove pickup is described as excellent in lab-style testing, ranking near the top of large comparison pools, suggesting strong edge-adjacent intake capability when it reaches the area.
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Bin & Bag 4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.6The bagless bin/base system is a major differentiator and cost-saver, frequently praised for convenience; however, owners often dispute the advertised days of storage in pet-heavy homes.
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Suction & Airflow 4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.5Across sources, suction and airflow are repeatedly described as strong for the price class, with above-average deep-clean results on carpet and the ability to pick up heavier debris like pet kibble. A minority of owners report weaker-than-expected suction over time or on certain carpet situations.
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Assembly and Setup 4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.4
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Carpet — Medium-Pile Pickup 4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.4Medium-pile carpet performance is one of its best categories in testing-style reviews, including strong deep-clean outcomes; some households still report visible hair left behind depending on settings and battery constraints.
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Hard Floor — Large Debris Intake 4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.4Large debris intake on hard floors is commonly reported as very good, including pet food and tracked-in dirt, with occasional misses when the robot is distracted by obstacles or low battery behavior.
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Hard Floor — Fine Dust Pickup 4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.4Hard-floor fine dust performance is generally a strong point, helped by good airflow and frequent-pass patterns, though owners note it is not a perfect substitute for a full-size vacuum in corners/edges.
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Docking & Auto-Empty Reliability (Robot) 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.3Docking and auto-empty behavior is generally reliable, with many reports of consistent returns and empty-then-continue behavior, but some note failures when the bin is overly compacted or the base fills faster than advertised.
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Filtration / Dust Containment 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.3Filtration and dust containment are broadly viewed as strong thanks to HEPA-style sealing in the base and decent containment during normal operation, though filters and screens may need regular cleaning to maintain airflow.
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Carpet — Low-Pile Pickup 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.3Low-pile carpet pickup is typically rated positively, with consistent lines and solid pickup, though some owners still see periodic misses that require spot cleaning.
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Hair Pickup — Hard Floors 4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.3Hair pickup on hard floors is a strong point in many pet-owner reports, though some users still note occasional wads or missed strands that need spot cleanup.
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Price & Value 4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.1Value is often rated high when purchased on sale, especially given strong pickup and a bagless self-empty base; dissatisfaction rises when buyers compare app features, runtime, or reliability to premium competitors.
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Odor control 4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.1Odor control is generally seen as a nice-to-have feature in the base, with some users enjoying the scent and others preferring to disable or remove the odor component.
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Hair Pickup — Carpets 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.0Hair pickup on carpets is often praised for pet hair, but long-hair performance and consistency varies by household, settings, and maintenance frequency.
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Area Rug Handling 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.0Area rug handling is generally positive on low-to-medium rugs and transitions, but very thick rugs can be avoided or cause limitations depending on pile and thresholds.
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Map & Path Efficiency (Robot Vacuums) 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.0Mapping is often fast and coverage is systematic, producing straight, efficient patterns; however, navigation efficiency is sometimes described as slightly below average in timed coverage tests and can be disrupted by avoidance behavior.
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Emptying & Mess Control 4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.0Mess control during emptying is good in normal use, but heavy dust/hair loads can pack the robot bin and lead to errors or partial emptying, prompting users to run it more often or empty the base more frequently.
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Edge & Baseboard Cleaning (Hard Floors) 3.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 3.9Edge/baseboard cleaning benefits from the brand’s edge-blast concept, but real-world results are mixed: some users praise corners/edges while others say it leaves a buffer or misses patches near objects.
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Adaptive chassis lift 3.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.9The lift/threshold behavior is a noted advantage for handling bumps and some transitions, though it does not solve every real-world snag scenario and may require supervision on first runs.
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Carpet — High-Pile Pickup 3.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.9High-pile and very thick rugs are a mixed bag: some report easy transitions and decent pickup, while others note it avoids very thick rugs or struggles to fully clean them.
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Noise level 3.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.9During cleaning, noise is usually described as reasonable (especially on eco), but max power is louder and dock emptying noise is consistently called out as very loud.
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Stuck resistance 3.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.9Stuck resistance is often praised, with reports of fewer under-furniture traps than older robots and better threshold handling, though some homes still see hang-ups on floor registers, table bases, or unusual legs.
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Corner Cleaning (Robot) 3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.8Corner performance is inconsistent: some owners report it reaches corners well, while others say it misses corners or keeps a noticeable distance from furniture, leaving uncleaned wedges.
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Edge‑Following Accuracy (Robot) 3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.6Edge-following accuracy is generally decent with orderly perimeter passes, but several owners report it keeps extra distance from legs/frames or avoids under-table zones, reducing true edge contact in busy rooms.
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Hair‑Wrap / Tangle Resistance 3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 3.6Tangle resistance is mixed: some report minimal tangles and improved brush design, while others report jams and roller/brush buildup under heavy pet-hair conditions.
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Maintenance requirements 3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.6Maintenance needs are typical-to-high for pet homes: owners frequently mention cleaning sensors, screens, and brush rolls to keep performance strong and prevent errors.
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Support & Reliability 3.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.5Support experiences are mixed-to-positive: some owners praise quick, helpful assistance, while others report prolonged escalations or unresolved software issues.
Cons
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Clogging & debris prevention 3.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.4Debris and clogging prevention is good when the robot runs frequently, but several reports describe bin packing, brush-area clogging, or performance dropping unless filters/screens are maintained.
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Hair-removal channel issues 3.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.4Hair-channel and brush-area issues show up in a minority of reports, including clogging around the rotator/roller area and the need to clean after each run in demanding homes.
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Obstacle Avoidance (Robot) 3.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 3.3Obstacle avoidance is helpful but not elite: reviews describe it as effective around half the time versus flagship models, with mixed reports on cords and at least one clear failure case for pet accidents.
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Controls & UI 3.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.3Controls and UI are described as simple and usable by some, but many report a dated or clunky experience with map editing, room selection limitations, and occasional setup/registration friction.
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Dock noise 3.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.3Dock emptying is commonly described as loud, even by owners who find the robot itself relatively quiet during cleaning.
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Build quality & durability 3.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.3Build quality impressions range from solid and weighty to disappointing, with scattered reports of wheel issues, sensor parts coming loose, and units failing early under demanding usage.
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Overall durability/longevity 3.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.3Longevity is uncertain in the review set: some report months to years of strong daily operation, while others cite early battery failure, firmware-related problems, or breakdown around the 1-year mark.
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Runtime (Measured, Default) 3.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.1Default-mode runtime is adequate for smaller floor plans, but many reports imply the robot uses a large share of charge per run and may not complete larger areas without a recharge cycle.
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Battery & Charging 3.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 3.0Battery capacity and efficiency are a recurring drawback for larger homes: it may need recharge-and-resume cycles and some users report long recharge waits, though smaller homes (especially on eco) can finish without recharging.
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Under-Furniture Pickup 3.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 3.0Under-furniture pickup is polarizing: some like that it is taller and avoids getting trapped, while others criticize the size for not fitting under key furniture and leaving those areas to an older robot or manual vacuum.
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AI, Smart & App / Automation 2.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 2.9App and automation are widely criticized versus competitors: limited scheduling flexibility, missing live progress features in some experiences, bugs/logouts, occasional connectivity problems, and inconsistent smart-assistant functionality.
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Privacy controls 2.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 2.6A small but serious set of reports raise app security and account-access concerns, including suspicious login prompts and perceived credential-harvesting behavior, reducing trust for privacy-sensitive buyers.
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Software-update support / feature longevity 2.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 2.6Software updates are a risk point in the review set: at least one owner reports an update broke voice-assistant control and introduced errors, while others mention waiting on firmware fixes or fearing longevity impacts.
FAQ
Does it mop too?
The review set repeatedly treats this unit as vacuum-only in practice, and the lack of mopping is cited as a key reason it falls short of top-tier lists.
Is the self-empty base really hands-off for 60 days?
The bagless base is convenient, but multiple owners report real-world emptying can be far more frequent in pet-heavy or dusty homes, sometimes every few days.
How is it for pet hair and long human hair?
It is often praised for pet hair pickup, but long hair can still cause brush/roller buildup and may require routine maintenance depending on hair length and frequency of runs.
Will it avoid cords and pet accidents reliably?
Obstacle avoidance helps with common floor clutter, but real-world feedback is mixed, including reports of misses with low-profile items and occasional failures with pet messes.
Can I schedule specific rooms on different days?
Room targeting exists for manual runs, but scheduling flexibility is frequently criticized versus competitors, with common complaints about limited per-room scheduling and app feature gaps.
