I tested Shark's new robot vacuum and mop - and only one thing wasn't perfect

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Shark has been making robot vacuums for a few years and, while they're very popular and I've even seen them in friends' homes, I'd never tested one -- until now. To say that the Shark UV Reveal is a great robot vacuum and mop is a true understatement. 

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I love testing a device and feeling like the manufacturer has thought of everything -- but that's rare in the smart home world. Manufacturers are challenged to balance performance, build quality, experience, and affordability, while also trying to make a profit. As a result, corners can be cut, features downgraded, and compromises made.

The Shark UV Reveal robot vacuum and mop is a flagship robot perfect for mostly hard floors and obstacle avoidance.

The UV Reveal, however, feels like one of those devices for which Shark has thought of everything. The vacuuming feature is excellent, with obstacle avoidance, strong suction, and bagless self-emptying. The dock washes and dries the detachable mop pad, features a deodorizer capsule for the dust canister, and has a light that changes colors depending on the vacuum's status.

The Shark UV Reveal's mop automatically detaches and reattaches as needed, without manual intervention. My robot vacuums the area rugs without the mop pad, then returns to pick it up and goes back out to vacuum and mop the hard floors. This is the first single mop pad I've used that can detach and reattach itself autonomously -- I've only ever seen it done with dual-rotating mop pads. 

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The proverbial cherry on top is the UV Stain Detect feature, which uses UV light to detect hidden messes on your floor and clean them up accordingly. The robot sees the mess and activates a deliberate scrubbing motion that delivers up to seven times the scrubbing power of traditional mopping. Shark says the UV Reveal robot offers twice the stain removal of the Dreame X40 Ultra, which I've also tested.

The Shark UV Reveal gives stains special attention when detected.

Compared to other robots, including the X40 Ultra, the UV Reveal is decidedly one of the best mops I've used. However, don't let that detract from its vacuuming functionality, which is also superb. 

The Shark UV Reveal features expert obstacle avoidance that rivals that of the Mova Mobius 60 and is better than the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow. This robot senses edges, objects, floor types, and environmental changes in real life, using AI to navigate your home and, when applicable, even navigate over obstacles. The robot uses on-device AI and processing, making it more future-proof than some competitors. 

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When the robot detects an obstacle it can overcome, such as a threshold, it lifts over it to continue cleaning. And to be quite honest, this feature is unbearably cute when the robot lifts its rear as it backs up into the dock to recharge. 

The Shark app is the only thing that didn't quite hit the spot for me. I have 12 robot vacuum apps on my phone right now, so I've tested plenty of options. The Shark app isn't the worst I've used, but it's neither intuitive nor easy to navigate. 

Making your way around the various options takes some getting used to, as the app does things in a different order than others. For example, most apps let you enter the robot's profile, edit its cleaning preferences, and send it out to clean. You can easily find maps, settings, routines, robot and dock functions, and additional features without leaving the robot profile.

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The Shark app, however, prompts you to start a cleaning session and then asks you to select your cleaning preferences. The extra features are somewhat hidden or hard to find, unlike other apps, but this is an issue that can be fixed with app updates. 

After running the Shark UV Reveal multiple times a week, I've never had to rescue it when it gets stuck on an obstacle. With up to three hours of battery life, the UV Reveal cleans my entire main floor, including the office and guest bedroom, in 94 minutes on a single charge. 

Whenever the robot detects a spill, stain, or sticky mess, it stops vacuuming and starts a scrubbing pattern. In my testing, this effectively removed dried juice, coffee, soda, and even maple syrup without leaving residue.

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Also, did you know that all Shark robot vacuums feature a bagless self-emptying dock? I didn't, and I've been testing rival devices for over two years. This feature alone makes the Shark UV Reveal a compelling option for consumers who don't want the ongoing cost of dust bags, which should be replaced every 6 weeks on other robots.