Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Shark Matrix Plus cost?

It’s usually priced between $350 and $400, often on sale under $350.

Does it have a self-emptying base?

Yes, it includes a self-emptying base that holds up to 60 days of debris.

What is the battery life like?

Battery life is up to 120 minutes on low power and about 60 minutes on max.

Is it good for pet hair?

The 1400 Pa suction is adequate for hard floors and low-pile carpet, handling pet hair like cat and dog fur.

Can it mop floors?

It has an attachable pad for light damp mopping, but it is not a wet vacuum.

Shark Matrix Plus Review: Best Budget Robot Vacuum Under $400?

Look, I’m not the kind of guy who gets excited about floor cleaning. But after a long week of spilled Goldfish, dog hair tumbleweeds, and the mystery crumbs that only appear when you’re barefoot, I needed help. My name’s Dave, Sparkles’ dad, and I own way too many vacuums. When I heard about the Shark Matrix Plus with its self-emptying base and sub-$400 price tag, I had to put it through the wringer. And you know what? Sparkles named it “Marty the Matrix” and insists it’s the family’s new pet. She might be right.

Key Specs and Features

  • Price: Usually around $350–$400 (often on sale under $350)
  • Self-emptying base: Holds up to 60 days of debris
  • Matrix Clean navigation: Crosshatch pattern for thorough coverage
  • Suction power: 1,400 Pa (adequate for hard floors and low-pile carpet)
  • Battery life: Up to 120 minutes on low, ~60 on max
  • Mopping: Attachable pad for light damp mopping (not a wet vacuum)
  • Edge cleaning: Side brush + “PerfectEdge” technology for corners
  • App control: Schedule, zone cleaning, no-go zones, voice control via Alexa/Google
  • Height: 3.5 inches – fits under most furniture

Who Is This Robot Vacuum For?

If you’re a parent with kids under ten, a couple of pets, and a budget that says “I can’t drop $800 on a Roombot” – the Shark Matrix Plus is aimed right at you. It’s for homes with mostly hard floors, low-pile area rugs, and a daily need for maintenance cleaning. It’s not for deep-cleaning shag carpets or for people who want a luxury mopping robot. It’s for real life: the kitchen floor after breakfast, the family room after a movie night, the hallway that collects all the cat hair.

My wife and I both work, so I wanted something that could run while we were out and not require me to empty a bin every day. The self-emptying base is a game-changer. It’s also a decent option for folks new to robot vacuums – the app setup is straightforward, and Shark’s customer service (I’ve used it once) was responsive.

Pros and Cons: A Dad’s Honest Take

What Works (The Pros)

  • Self-emptying base that actually works. After three weeks, I’ve emptied the dock bag once. It’s loud for a few seconds when it empties – our dog still barks at it – but I’ll take loud over daily bin emptying.
  • Matrix Clean pattern reduces missed spots. Instead of random bumping or straight lines, it does a crisscross pattern. On hard floors, I’ve noticed fewer streaks left behind. Sparkles once watched it zigzag and declared, “Dad, it’s playing connect-the-dots with dirt.”
  • Good at edges and under furniture. The side brush flicks debris from corners, and the body is low enough to slide under our couch and dressers. That’s where half the Legos were hiding.
  • App is actually usable. I’ve used robot vac apps that make you want to throw your phone. This one is simple: schedule, start, pause, send back to base. Zone cleaning (draw boxes) works well for kitchen spills.
  • Mopping pad for quick refreshes. It’s not a mopping robot – it’s a Swiffer-style damp pad that you attach. I use it after vacuuming on tile floors. It picks up light sticky spots from juice or coffee. Don’t expect it to scrub grout.
  • Price-to-feature ratio wins. Under $400 for self-emptying, app control, and edge cleaning? That’s hard to beat. You’d pay double for similar features from Roomba.

What Doesn’t Work (The Cons)

  • Navigation isn’t perfect. It uses a camera and gyro, not LiDAR. In bright daylight or very dark rooms, it sometimes gets confused. It’s bumped into my chair legs more than I’d like. It recovers, but you’ll hear a few clunks.
  • Suction is adequate, not amazing. On low-pile carpet, it picks up surface debris well. But for deep pet hair embedded in carpet, my upright Dyson does a better job. On max mode, battery life drops to about 60 minutes – that’s not enough for a whole house over 1,500 square feet unless you schedule runs.
  • Thresholds are a problem. It can handle up to about 0.6 inches of a lip. Our transition strip between tile and carpet is taller than that, and Marty gets stuck or rocks back and forth. I had to install a ramp.
  • Mopping can be messy if you’re not careful. The pad drips a little when it’s too wet. I’ve had a couple of puddles near the dock. Also, you have to remove the pad before it goes on carpet, or you get a wet rug. The app doesn’t auto-detect.
  • Self-emptying base is loud. When it empties, it sounds like a jet engine for about 10 seconds. If you run it while kids are napping, you might wake them up. I schedule it after we’re all awake.
  • No true obstacle avoidance. It doesn’t see cables or small toys. I’ve had to rescue it from a shoelace and a Barbie shoe. Sparkles now does a “clear the deck” routine before Marty runs.

Verdict: Should You Buy the Shark Matrix Plus?

Yes, if you’re on a budget and want a self-emptying robot vac that handles daily dust, crumbs, and pet hair on hard floors and low carpet. It’s not a luxury high-end machine, but it does its job without breaking the bank. For the price, the convenience of the self-emptying base alone makes it worth considering. I’ve had mine for three months, and it’s become part of our morning routine. Sparkles now cheers, “Go, Marty, go!” when she sees it docked.

If you have mostly high-pile carpet, lots of thresholds, or a house full of cables and tiny toys, you’ll need to do some prep work or consider spending more for a LiDAR-based robot with better intelligence. But for the typical family home with kids and a pet or two, the Shark Matrix Plus is a solid, affordable choice. It’s not the best robot vacuum on the market, but it might be the best one under $400.

My recommendation: Buy it if you can catch it on sale under $350. You won’t get perfection, but you’ll get a lot of help, and your floors will look cleaner than they have in weeks. And really, what more can a tired dad ask for?