Navigator Self-Empty
Shark's entry-level mapping robot with a bagless self-emptying base, sold in the US. It cleans in rows rather than bouncing around, but nobody has published a finished independent test of it yet.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
The short version
The Navigator sits between Shark's basic bump-and-turn ION robots and the laser-mapping AI Ultra. It maps your home with a small spot laser and cleans in rows, avoids objects in its path, and empties itself after every run into a bagless base. It's vacuum-only, with one brush roll that Shark says cleans itself of hair and a single side brush.
It comes in a few versions. The RV2120AE has a base Shark rates for up to 60 days of dirt, while the white 2025 AV2110S has a smaller one; Vacuum Wars says the 2025 base options are 30 or 60 days. There's also a charge-only Navigator without a self-emptying base, which this page doesn't cover.
The trade-off is evidence. We couldn't find a finished hands-on review, so everything here comes from Shark and from Vacuum Wars' guide to the range, which describes the features rather than testing them.
Our take: Wait for a proper test before buying if you can. If you want a tested, vacuum-only Shark with a bagless base now, the AI Ultra Self-Empty has laser mapping and published reviews. For a little more, the Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty adds a basic mop and has been tested by several outlets.
Where it sits in Shark’s range
What we know so far
Limited evidence No independent, finished hands-on review of this robot yet. What follows comes from the maker's specifications and early coverage, and says where something is untested.
No finished, independent hands-on review of the Navigator Self-Empty had been published when this page was written. Vacuum Wars covers it in a guide to Shark's range but describes features rather than test results. The review pages we found either repeated the spec sheet or contradicted it on basics such as the type of dust base, so we haven't cited them. Until a real test arrives, treat everything here as Shark's claims.
Maps and cleans in rows
Shark says the Navigator maps your home with spot laser technology and cleans in a row-by-row pattern, per the specifications. Vacuum Wars explains that this makes it far more orderly than Shark's ION robots, which bounce around at random, and that it can recharge mid-job and carry on where it stopped. Neither source measured how much floor it covers or how long a charge lasts.
Basic obstacle avoidance
Vacuum Wars describes its object detection as basic, and Shark only says it detects and avoids objects in its path, per the specifications. There's no camera. Until someone tests it, assume cables, socks and pet mess need picking up before each run, as with most robots at this level. Shark's pricier PowerDetect models add features aimed at not getting stuck.
No bags to buy
The base is bagless, and Shark rates the RV2120AE's for up to 60 days of dirt, per the specifications. Vacuum Wars notes that not having to buy bags is a favourite feature among Shark owners. The robot's own bin is small at 0.2 quarts, so the base does matter. Nobody has measured how loud emptying is.
Covers the self-emptying Navigator (RV2120AE, and the 2025 AV2110S with a smaller base). The charge-only Navigator RV2110 is a different listing. No qualifying review yet.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
Don't count on it. Shark says it detects and avoids objects, per the specifications, but Vacuum Wars calls the avoidance basic, and it has no camera. Nobody has tested it with cables or pet waste, so tidy up first.
Can it mop?
No. Vacuum Wars confirms the Navigator is vacuum-only, with one brush roll and one side brush. If you want a wipe as well, look at Shark's Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty, which adds a vibrating mop pad.
How often do I have to empty or refill anything?
Shark says the RV2120AE's bagless base holds up to 60 days of dirt, per the specifications. Vacuum Wars says the 2025 versions come with either a 30-day or a 60-day base, so check which one you're buying.
Does it work on thick carpet?
Shark says it performs on carpets and hard floors and claims up to 50% more suction than an iRobot Combo Essential, per the specifications. Vacuum Wars notes Shark doesn't publish a suction figure. Nobody has measured its carpet pickup yet.
Compare with
AI Ultra Self-Empty
A vacuum-only Shark with laser mapping and a bagless base that picks up well on hard floors.
It bumps into small objects and struggles with hair pressed into carpet.
Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty
It maps quickly and vacuums well on hard floors and short carpet, and empties into a bagless base.
The mop is a light wipe and you swap parts by hand.
RV20 Max Plus
A compact self-emptying robot with laser mapping that suits smaller homes.
It can get caught under low furniture and on loose objects.
Full specifications
Figures come from the manufacturer’s product page unless a source is named. A blank means nobody we trust has confirmed it.
Owner reviews
Own a Navigator Self-Empty?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner reviews are shown separately from expert tests and never mixed into the score.
Sources
Everything cited on this page. Expert scores are shown as the reviewer gave them.