Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 cost?

It retails around $300 to $330 depending on sales, which is under $350.

Does it have a self-emptying base and how long does it last?

Yes, it comes with a self-emptying base that holds up to 30 days of debris and uses bagless cyclonic technology so you just dump the bin.

Is this vacuum good for pet hair?

Pet hair pickup is solid; the tangle-resistant roller reduces hair wrap, and in three months the brush only needed hair removal once.

Can it mop and how well does it work?

It has a 2-in-1 mop function with a separate water tank and reusable pad, decent for light duty like picking up sticky spots from juice spills on hard floors.

Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Under $350: Budget Vacuum Review

Look, I’ve been down the robot-vacuum rabbit hole longer than I care to admit. When Sparkles was a toddler, we went through three different robovacs in two years because they couldn’t handle Goldfish dust, hair ties, or the occasional puddle of spilled milk. So when I saw the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 sitting at a price point under $350, I was skeptical. But after three months of daily use in a house with two kids (ages 7 and 4), a shedding golden retriever, and a perpetually messy dining room, I’m actually impressed. Not everything is perfect, but for the money, this thing does a lot of things right.

Key Specs & Features

The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 is a robot vacuum and mop combo that retails around $300–$330 depending on sales. Here’s what you get:

  • Matrix Clean technology with a self-emptying base (holds up to 30 days of debris)
  • 2-in-1 capability: vacuum first, then mop with a separate water tank and reusable pad
  • LiDAR navigation for room mapping and no-go zones
  • Up to 120 minutes of runtime on a single charge
  • Suction power rated at 2,500Pa (not the strongest, but solid for this class)
  • Side brush + roller brush combo, with tangle-resistant roller
  • Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and the SharkClean app
  • Self-emptying base uses bagless cyclonic technology (you dump the bin)

One thing I love: the base is smaller than my previous Roomba’s. It fits under my kitchen cabinet without looking like a UFO landed.

Who Is This For?

If you’re a parent who needs a robot vacuum that won’t bankrupt you, but you still want self-emptying and mapping, this is your guy. It’s not for people with wall-to-wall shag carpeting or for those who expect professional-grade deep cleaning. But if you’re like me—constantly battling crumbs, pet hair, and the aftermath of “snack time”—the Shark Matrix Plus covers the basics better than anything else I’ve tried under $400.

Sparkles named ours “Sucky V.” She says it’s “not as loud as the old one that scared the dog.” That’s a win in my book.

Pros & Cons

What Works (The Good)

  • Self-emptying is a game changer. I only touch the base once every two weeks. The canister in the base is bagless, which means less waste. Just dump it into the trash—no bags to buy.
  • Mapping is fast and accurate. First run took about 15 minutes to map my main floor. Since then, it navigates around toy piles (mostly) and avoids the dog’s water bowl.
  • Mop function is decent for light duty. The water tank is small but enough for a single pass on hard floors. I use it after the vacuum run, and it picks up sticky spots from juice spills. Not a deep clean, but it keeps the floors from feeling gritty.
  • Pet hair pickup is solid. The roller is designed to reduce tangles, and I’ve only had to cut hair off the brush once in three months. That’s huge compared to our old Roomba.
  • App is straightforward. You can set schedules, draw no-go zones, and see cleaning history. No weird subscription fees.

What Falls Short (The Not-So-Good)

  • Suction power is adequate but not amazing. On thick area rugs, it struggles. My 4-year-old’s playroom rug (medium pile) requires two passes to get all the crumbs. If you have high-pile carpets, look elsewhere.
  • Battery life is good but recharging takes time. 120 minutes runtime sounds great, but if your house is bigger than 1,500 square feet, it’ll need to recharge mid-clean. And it takes about 3 hours to go from empty to full. Not terrible, but annoying when you want it done in one go.
  • Mop pad can get smelly if you forget to wash it. The pad is reusable and machine-washable, but if you leave it damp overnight, it develops a funky odor. I now rinse it immediately after each mop run.
  • No object avoidance. This is not an AI-powered robot. It will bump into shoes, cords, and small toys. Sparkles left a LEGO brick on the floor and the vacuum chewed it up. No damage, but the brick didn’t survive.
  • Side brush sometimes flings debris. On bare floors, the side brush can kick crumbs away from the cleaning path. It then misses them on the next pass. I’ve learned to do a quick visual check after it finishes.

Verdict: Buy or Skip?

I’m going to say buy, but with a clear head. The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 under $350 is the best value robot vacuum I’ve tested that includes self-emptying and mapping. It’s not perfect—it’s not a premium, AI-guided machine. But for a family with kids and pets who need daily maintenance cleaning, it delivers where it counts: it picks up most of the dirt, empties itself, and doesn’t cost a mortgage payment.

If you have mostly hard floors with low-pile rugs, this is a no-brainer. If you have expensive wall-to-wall carpet or a house full of clutter, you’ll find its quirks frustrating, but for the price you’re still better off than spending twice as much on a Roomba that might not be twice as good.

Sparkles gives it two thumbs up, but only because she likes watching the base “burp out dirt.” As long as I remember to pick up her LEGOs first, we’re all happy. And the dog? He’s stopped barking at it. That alone is worth the price of admission.