The Shark Ion Robot 750 vs. The Roomba 980: Which One is Best?

Roombas remain to be the gold standard when it comes to robot vacuums. It does seem that when you say robot vacuums, Roombas would be the first thing you think about. The Roomba 980 is the best Roomba available right now.

Meanwhile, Shark Ion Robot 750 is a relatively new model, but it comes from a reputable company that has made a name manufacturing small appliances and cleaning solutions. How does the Shark Ion Robot 750 compare with the Roomba 980?

The Shark Ion Robot 750

Design and pricing

Both the Shark ION 750 and the Roomba 980 have the same hockey puck design, but the dimensions are different. The Shark Ion Robot 750 measures 12.6 inches in diameter and 2.6 inches in height, while the Roomba 980 measures 13.8 inches in diameter and 3.6 inches in height.

With a wider diameter, the Roomba 980 is able to cover more area in one pass, and it can clean your entire floor in a lot less time. However, the higher profile of the Roomba 980 means that it is more likely to get stuck under more furniture than the Shark Ion Robot 750.

If you have low-lying furniture, the Shark Ion 750 is a better choice in making sure that the areas under them are also cleaned regularly.

As far as looks go, the Shark Ion Robot 750 uses a silver gray and black combination with gold and metallic trims. Outward appearance is sleek and modern, with noticeable silhouettes accentuating the round robot vacuum.

On the whole, however, especially when you compare it with the Roomba 980, the Shark ION 750 is more or less flat.

The Roomba 980 looks more tiered. With a tan outer covering, the control panel that contains the three physical buttons is black. The small screen is recessed while the camera protrudes at the top.

The tiered look of the Roomba 980 is more of a necessity because it provides the camera with the needed clearance to get a comprehensive look at your floors. But it does make it problematic when going under furniture because the camera could get stuck.

The Shark Ion Robot 750 sells for $379.99 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here) while the Roomba 980 will set you back a whooping $899.99 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).

Who wins? Choosing which design appeals to you is a matter of personal taste, and the design used for each robot vacuum brings with it some advantages. When it comes to price, however, the Shark Ion Robot 750, with its wallet-friendly price tag, is a clear winner.

Cleaning technology

Both robot vacuums use a three-stage cleaning system. The Shark Ion Robot 750 uses a main brush roll and two side brushes to loosen up dirt and sweep it. The powerful vacuum will then suck the dirt and debris up and deposit it into the dustbin.

The Roomba 980, on the other hand, makes use of brushless debris extractors, a side brush, and a very powerful vacuum to clean your floors. The Roomba 980 has the most powerful motor among all Roombas, ensuring a pretty thorough clean for your floors.

What’s more, it has the carpet boost feature that you can turn on if you have carpets that need extra care. The carpet boost feature will double the Roomba 980’s suction power for that hard-to-reach dirt that nestles inside carpet fibers.

Cleaning modes. Roomba 980 has the clean mode, which sends the robot vacuum to clean the entire level of your home. Spot cleaning mode is when the Roomba 980 focuses on an area 3 feet in diameter.

The Roomba 980 also has a special edge cleaning mode that gives wall edges special attention after it has completely cleaned your entire floor. Shark Ion Robot 750, on the other hand, offers spot cleaning and normal cleaning modes.

Dustbin filter. The Roomba 980 uses the Aeroforce high-efficiency filter that can trap 99% of pollen, allergens, and dust particles that are at least 10 microns in size.

The Shark Ion 750 uses a HEPA filter, which is a better filter that can screen 99.97% of dust, dander, pollens, and allergens that are 0.03 microns or bigger. That said, the HEPA filter on the Shark Ion 750 traps more and smaller particles than the filter you see on the Roomba 980, helping you get cleaner air.

Who wins? The Roomba 980 not only has a more powerful motor and suction power, it also uses the debris extractor. Because it is brushless, it is less prone to getting tangled with hair, strings and other debris.

You would need to spend less time maintaining the debris extractors compared to the brush roll you see on the Shark Ion 750. The Shark Ion 750, however, has a better filter, which might be a consideration for those people who are prone to allergies or suffer from asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Navigation control

Navigation control helps keep a robot vacuum from leaving a room if you want it to stay inside one to clean it thoroughly. You can use these to direct the robot vacuum where to go.

Shark Ion Robot 750 uses Botboundary Strips, which you unroll on areas that you do not want the robot vacuum to pass. For instance, if you place the strips on a doorway, the Shark Ion 750 will not leave the room. You can also use it to cordon off certain areas within the room.

The Roomba 980, on the other hand, uses the dual mode virtual wall barrier which can function as a virtual wall that can keep the Roomba 980 inside the room or outside a room that you do not want it to enter.

For instance, you can set up a dual mode virtual wall barrier outside your bathroom doors, so the robot vacuum would not get wet. It also has a halo mode, which protects certain objects inside a room, such as your pet’s food bowl, valuable pieces of furniture, or your kids’ play area.

Navigation technology

The Shark Ion Robot 750 makes use of sensors to move around your floors. These sensors can help the robot vacuum to avoid crashing into walls or furniture. It can also detect dirtier areas of your floor and give it a more thorough clean.

The Roomba 980, on the other hand, relies on both acoustic and optical sensors, as well its onboard camera. The Roomba 980 uses visual simultaneous localization and mapping to create a map of your room, allowing it to determine the best cleaning pattern for your floors.

It will then rely on the sensors to figure out which parts of your floor needs more attention, and to help it avoid any obstacles.

Who wins? The Roomba 980 can see and create a map of your floors, allowing it to clean more comprehensively.

The Roomba 980

Wi-Fi connectivity and mobile app

Both robot vacuums connects to your Wi-Fi network and comes with a free mobile app that you can use to operate the robot even when you are not home. The mobile apps also allows users to create cleaning schedules and get trouble shooting tips  when are errors with the robot.

You can use voice commands to control both robot vacuums if you have either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

The Roomba 980, however, offers more functionalities with its mobile app, however. The Home app for the Roomba 980 allows you to set custom cleaning preferences, and a map showing you where the Roomba 980 has cleaned.

Who wins? The Roomba 980 offers a mobile app that allows you to do more with the robot vacuum other than the standard features offered by the Shark Ion 750.

Battery, charging, and runtime

Shark Ion 750 and the Roomba 980 have lithium ion batteries. Both robot vacuums can find its way back to the charging dock when the battery runs low to recharge.

However, the Roomba 980 wins in this area because it has a longer run time. The Roomba 980 runs for up to two hours on a single charge, compared to only an hour for the Shark Ion 750. What’s more, the Roomba 980 will resume cleaning after recharging.

This means that you do not have to wait for it to finish charging and then manually restart the cleaning process. The Roomba 980 will get its batteries fully charge, launch itself off the dock and then continue cleaning where it left off.

If you have larger rooms to clean, the Roomba 980 will make sure that it would clean an entire level of your house without you minding it too much.

What’s in the box

Each package of the Roomba 980 includes:

• Home base charging station
• Line Cord
• 2 dual-mode virtual wall barrier with 2 AA batteries
• Extra filter
• Extra side brush
• Owner’s guide
• Documentation package

Meanwhile, the Shark Robot 750 includes:

• Charging Dock
• 2 side brushes
• HEPA filter
• Lithium-ion battery
• 9 feet of Botboundary strip and 2 Botboundary connectors
• Cleaning tool

Final recommendation

The Shark Ion Robot 750 is a good choice for those who want a robot vacuum that they could control from their smartphones, deliver an efficient clean, and does not cost too much.

The Shark Ion 750 would be perfect for those who have smaller homes or rooms to clean, or those who are looking for a way to keep their floors clean in between cleaning sessions with an upright vacuum cleaner.

On the other hand, the Roomba 980 has more advanced features and it cleans a whole lot better than the Shark Ion Robot 750. This makes the significantly higher price tag justifiable.

If you do not mind that, then you should really get the Roomba 980 and get the chance to own a robot vacuum that has all the latest technologies and conveniences.

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