Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty
4 independent reviewsRead the findings →A budget Shark that empties into a bagless base, with a clip-on vibrating mop. It maps fast and suits hard floors and short carpet. The mop is only a light wipe, though, and you swap parts by hand.
Updated
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Where it sits in Shark’s range
- Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-EmptyThis model
- AI Ultra Self-EmptySimilar laser-mapping robot, vacuum only
- ThermaCharged PowerDetectDock washes and heat-dries the mop · £679.99
- PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1Dock refills water and handles the mop pad
- PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1Shark's flagship with a stain-finding UV light · £1,039.99
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What reviewers found
Four tests: TechRadar used it daily for a month, T3 lived with it at home, and Trusted Reviews and TechGearLab ran it through their own test rooms. They agree the mapping is quick, the self-emptying base saves effort and the mop only suits light cleaning, though T3 liked the mopping most. They disagree sharply on pet hair and on the app, and TechGearLab found real gaps along edges and in corners.
TechRadar, hands-on, 1 month at home, Sept 2024 (tested on the RV2620WAUK) · T3, hands-on, Sept 2024 (tested on the RV2620WAUK) · Trusted Reviews, hands-on, Oct 2024 (tested on the RV2620WAUK) · TechGearLab, lab test, Sept 2024 (tested on the RV2610WA)
Hard floors
Mixed resultsOpen floors are fine, edges vary. TechRadar found its side brush pulled dust from skirting boards and cabinet corners, but TechGearLab measured wide bands of poor pickup along walls and in corners, and Trusted Reviews found edges not spotless.
Carpet and rugs
Mixed resultsShort pile is fine, deep pile isn't. TechGearLab saw it lift most rice from short carpet but push debris into high pile, and Trusted Reviews only cleared flour from a rug using the double-pass Matrix mode.
Pet hair
Mixed resultsTechRadar found it highly effective on two spaniels' hair, with the brush staying mostly tangle-free for a month. In a measured run, TechGearLab saw it leave about two-thirds of its test hair after the first pass.
Mopping
Mixed resultsA light wipe. T3 was impressed that it didn't over-wet floors, but TechRadar found it no match for a real mop, and Trusted Reviews saw coffee and wine lifted but dried ketchup left behind.
Navigation and obstacles
Reviewers rate it highlyTechRadar got an accurate map in under ten minutes and watched it climb rugs, thresholds and chair legs that stranded other robots. T3 found that once set up it simply got on with the job.
Dock and upkeep
Mixed resultsThe bagless base saves effort, but TechRadar needed to empty it every two weeks with children and dogs, not every 60 days. Trusted Reviews and TechGearLab note it won't empty the bin while the mop module is fitted.
App and software
Mixed resultsT3 called the app the best part of the package. TechRadar found it slow to connect and prone to freezing, and Trusted Reviews called it basic, with fiddly room editing and fixed-size zones.
Noise
Mixed resultsQuiet while cleaning, loud when emptying. TechRadar measured 46dB on low and TechGearLab about 64dB, but T3 and TechRadar both noticed a loud, short burst each time the base empties.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long-term or judged Shark's support yet.
Value
Reviewers rate it highlyTechRadar rated it excellent value for a mid-range robot that mops and self-empties, and T3 found it keenly priced for its specification.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Good vacuuming, weaker on deep carpet
Trusted Reviews found the double-pass Matrix Clean mode made a big difference: a normal run left flour in its test rug, a Matrix run removed most of it. TechGearLab measured 91.5% of rice lifted from short carpet but only 52.8% from high pile, where it tended to push debris into the fibres. On hard floors and thin rugs it does the job; deep carpet is its weak spot.
Pet hair results split
TechRadar found it highly effective on the fine, stubborn hair of two spaniels, with the self-cleaning brush staying mostly tangle-free after a month. TechGearLab measured it leaving about two-thirds of its test hair behind after the first pass. The two tests aren't alike: the lab spreads a fixed amount of hair for one measured run, while the home test was daily upkeep. With a heavy shedder, run it often rather than expecting one pass to clear everything.
Edges and corners are hit and miss
TechRadar was pleasantly surprised by its single side brush, which pulled dust from skirting boards and cabinet corners. TechGearLab measured bands of about 4 inches of poor pickup along walls and up to 7 inches in corners, and saw no sign of the air blasts Shark says push debris out of edges. Trusted Reviews found edges cleaner in Matrix mode, but still not spotless. Keep a handheld vacuum for the borders.
The mop is a light wipe
T3 was very impressed and liked that it didn't over-wet damp-prone floors, and TechRadar said it didn't flood its engineered wood. TechRadar still found it no match for a real mop, and Trusted Reviews saw coffee and red wine lifted but dried ketchup left behind. Because the pad can't lift, Trusted Reviews and TechGearLab both point out you swap modules by hand, and the base won't empty the bin while the mop is on.
Quick mapping, divisive app
TechRadar got an accurate map in under ten minutes and watched it climb chunky rugs, wooden thresholds and chair legs that had stranded other robots. On the app, reviewers split: T3 called it the best part of the package, while TechRadar found it slow to connect and prone to freezing, and Trusted Reviews called it basic, with fiddly room editing and fixed-size zones. TechGearLab and TechRadar both note it keeps only one map.
Covers the self-emptying Matrix Plus 2-in-1. TechGearLab tested the US RV2610WA; TechRadar, T3 and Trusted Reviews tested the UK RV2620WAUK. The version without the self-emptying base is a different listing.
Our take
Should you buy the Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty?
Best for: Homes with carpet and hard floors on a single level. Skip it if: Pet hair embedded in carpet is your main cleaning problem.
buy it for mostly hard floors or short carpet on one level, if you want self-emptying without bags at a low price. For daily mopping without swapping parts, or deep carpet full of pet hair, the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is the step up, and the Roborock Q8 Max+ suits you if you only need mapped vacuuming.
The Matrix Plus 2-in-1 is Shark's budget self-emptying robot. It maps with a spinning laser, can go over a room twice in a criss-cross grid, and tips its dirt into a bagless base. The mop is a pad that vibrates as it goes. It can't lift for rugs, so you clip the mop module on only when you want to mop, and the base won't empty the bin while it's fitted. The app holds one floor's map.
TechRadar got an accurate map in under ten minutes and watched it climb rugs, thresholds and chair legs that had stranded other robots. Vacuuming is fine on hard floors and short carpet, but TechGearLab measured it pushing debris into high pile, and it found wide bands of poor pickup along walls and in corners. Pet hair splits them. TechRadar found it highly effective on two spaniels' hair over a month, while TechGearLab saw it leave about two-thirds of its test hair after the first pass. The mop is a light wipe. T3 liked that it didn't over-wet floors, but Trusted Reviews saw dried ketchup left behind and TechRadar found it no match for a real mop. TechRadar also had to empty the base every two weeks with children and dogs, well short of Shark's claim, and found the app slow to connect, though T3 called the app the best part of the package.
Where to buy
Where to buy the Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty in United Kingdom
No United Kingdom price checked in the last 21 days. We re-check daily.
We’re still looking for more United Kingdom retailers for this model.
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Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Can it leave the mop off for carpet?
Only if you take it off. The mop pad can't lift, so Trusted Reviews found it poor for homes where rugs block access to hard floors, and TechGearLab notes the base won't empty the bin while the mop module is fitted. Plan to swap modules by hand and set carpet zones in the app.
How often do I have to empty the base?
Shark claims up to 60 days, per the specifications. TechRadar found two weeks was the most it could manage in a home with two children and two dogs. There are no bags to buy, but expect to empty it more often than the box suggests if you have pets.
Will it cope with pet hair?
It depends on your floors. TechRadar found it highly effective on spaniel hair in everyday use, while TechGearLab measured about two-thirds of its test hair left after the first pass. The self-cleaning brush helps with tangles, but thick carpet with embedded hair is where it struggles.
Can it cross rugs and raised thresholds between rooms?
Shark doesn't give a climbing height. TechRadar saw it get onto chunky rugs and over wooden thresholds and chair legs that stopped other robots, and T3 had no trouble on its first run. TechGearLab measured it at about 4 inches tall, which helps with transitions but may stop it fitting under low sofas.
Is it noisy?
Not while cleaning. TechRadar measured 46dB on low, Trusted Reviews 65.3dB and TechGearLab a 64dB average. The base is another matter: T3 and TechRadar both noticed a loud but short burst each time it empties the bin.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1
Why consider it: Shark's step up, with a dock that refills water and looks after the mop pad for you.
The compromise: Testers found its mopping and edge cleaning less convincing than the dock suggests.
Q8 Max+
Why consider it: A self-emptying vacuum that reviewers rate for pickup and mapping.
The compromise: Its drag-behind mop is also only a light wipe, and long hair tangles on the rollers.
RV20 Max Plus
Why consider it: A compact self-emptying robot with laser mapping that suits smaller homes.
The compromise: Its mop doesn't lift either, and it can get caught under low furniture.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
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Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- TechRadar: Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum review ↗4 / 5Hands-on, 1 month at home · Tested on the RV2620WAUK
- T3: Shark Matrix Plus Robot Vacuum and Mop review ↗4 / 5Hands-on · Tested on the RV2620WAUK
- Trusted Reviews: Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty Robot Vacuum and Mop RV2620WAUK review ↗3.5 / 5Hands-on · Tested on the RV2620WAUK
- TechGearLab: Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 review ↗68 / 100Lab test · Tested on the RV2610WA
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-Empty ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.