Still, I chuckle at the thought of reviewing a product where it sucks would be considered high praise.
I guess not that much has changed, after all.
Two vacuums, one box
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Our biggest complaint with robot vacuums is that they often miss under low-hanging surfaces, or corners.
Even the best-of-the-best in the space are still guilty of skipping over certain areas.
Its simple geometry; Try fitting a large hockey puck into a 90-degree corner.
Its a nice touch that fits neatly into the two-in-one charging station.
The R85 isnt as good as a Shark upright.
Aside from the convenience of not having to pull it out of a closet, that is.
The design is also clever.
It was seldom, if ever, ensnared by the obstacles that have a way of impeding larger models.
This is a welcome change that we hope others will latch on to in future products.
Sharks R85 works well on both tile floors and carpeted surfaces.
It did, however, struggle with smaller, grain-like particles.
Sand, for example, was a bit of a problem area, as was sugar.
In both cases, we found ourselves needing to grab the wand, which finished the job.
I was actually a bit surprised that I ended up using the wand as much as I did.
Overall, its a great addition that puts the S87 cleaning system into a category of its own.
Its a $130 value that works well, and plugs into the same charging system as the robot.
All-in-one is where its at.
Meaning, we didnt need to empty it nearly as often.
Artificial intelligence is relative, I guess
Unfortunately, thats not where the complaints end.
While the R85 is a good start, it doesnt quite come across as a finished product.
And its good at avoiding obstacles, it really is.
But where it suffers is in not relying on the same visual maps others create when analyzing a space.
Needless to say, its not going to clean a floor in a single pass.
A product suited for Shark loyalists
Performance-wise, Shark has a great product.
Itll need multiple passes to clean an entire room.
Full disclosure: we havent tried the latter but hear great things.
Story byBryan Clark
Bryan is a freelance journalist.Bryan is a freelance journalist.
