PowerDetect Self-Empty
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →A vacuum-only Shark that empties into a bagless base and boosts power on dirty patches. It's a simple pick for one floor with no bags to buy. Its app is thin, though, and its base is loud.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Shark’s range
- Navigator Self-EmptyCheaper, simpler self-emptier with basic object avoidance
- AI Ultra Self-EmptyOlder vacuum-only laser-mapping model
- PowerDetect Self-EmptyThis model
- Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Self-EmptySimilar self-emptier that adds a vibrating mop pad
- PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1Adds mopping; dock refills water and cleans the pad
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What reviewers found
Two home tests, both of the model when it was called the Detect Pro Self-Empty. Top Ten Reviews used it for over three weeks in a multi-level home with several floor types, and Reader's Digest ran it for about ten days. Both liked the cleaning and both disliked the loud emptying and the limited app. They disagree about navigation: Reader's Digest saw no crashes at all, while Top Ten Reviews found it unpredictable around obstacles and watched debris fall out on the way back to the base.
Top Ten Reviews, hands-on, Over three weeks, Oct 2023 (tested on the Detect Pro Self-Empty (RV2820AE)) · Reader's Digest, hands-on, About 10 days (tested on the Detect Pro Self-Empty)
Hard floors
Mixed resultsReader's Digest found it thorough, even under beds. Top Ten Reviews saw sprinkles cleared from laminate at low power, but some flour and oats left behind at every setting.
Carpet and rugs
Reviewers rate it highlyTop Ten Reviews found it did better on rugs than on laminate, with its dirt sensor boosting suction over concentrated mess, and Reader's Digest was impressed by its suction on carpet.
Pet hair
Not enough evidenceOnly Top Ten Reviews tested hair: it picked up dog fur well from hard floors but left finer hair in rugs.
Navigation and obstacles
Mixed resultsReader's Digest saw it clean without bumping into anything, even in dark rooms. Top Ten Reviews found it unpredictable, giving a dog toy a wide berth but running over the tester's feet several times.
Dock and upkeep
Mixed resultsReader's Digest found the bagless base and filters quick and easy to empty and clean. Top Ten Reviews saw oats and sprinkles fall out of the robot near the base, which needed sweeping up by hand.
App and software
Mixed resultsTop Ten Reviews found the app confusing and short on features, saving only one map. Reader's Digest liked scheduling and no-go zones, but could only schedule the whole house, not chosen rooms.
Noise
Reviewers found problemsThe base is loud. Top Ten Reviews measured 75dB when it empties, and Reader's Digest compared the sound to a plane taking off a few blocks away.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long-term or judged Shark's support yet.
Value
Not enough evidenceThe reviews we use don't say enough about value for money yet.
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
Navigation: flawless or erratic
Reader's Digest reported zero crashes or bumps thanks to its mapping, and found it thorough under beds and in awkward spots. Top Ten Reviews saw something different: it left at least six inches around a dog toy but ran over the tester's feet several times. It did recognise stairs, and usually freed itself when stuck on a toy or rug. Clutter and pets moving around may explain the gap, so clear the floor for the first few runs and watch how it behaves.
Good pickup, weaker on fine dust
Top Ten Reviews found it cleared sprinkles on laminate even at low power, but left some flour and oats behind at every setting. It did better on rugs, and its dirt sensor appeared to boost suction over concentrated mess. It picked up dog fur well from hard floors but left finer hair in rugs, and it doesn't boost power automatically on carpet. Reader's Digest called it incredibly thorough and useful a few times a week, though not a replacement for a full-size vacuum.
Loud base, occasional spills
Both testers found emptying noisy. Reader's Digest compared it to a plane taking off a few blocks away, and Top Ten Reviews measured 75dB. Top Ten Reviews also saw oats and sprinkles fall out of the robot as it crossed thresholds on the way back, and more drop from the brush area when it docked, so some mess needed sweeping up by hand. The base is bagless, so there are no bags to buy.
A thin app
Top Ten Reviews found the app confusing and short on features. It couldn't save more than one map, so the tester had to delete the downstairs map to clean upstairs, and the map itself didn't separate rooms clearly. Reader's Digest could send it to specific rooms but couldn't schedule a clean of just a few rooms, only the whole house. If you want detailed room control, other brands' apps do more.
Long runs, slow charging
Top Ten Reviews got about two hours on normal power, enough for the whole lower level of the house, and it took about four hours to recharge. Reader's Digest listed slow charging as a drawback, at up to six hours. It took about an hour to clean that tester's single-level home. For a typical single floor, one charge should do.
Both reviews tested this robot under its earlier name, Shark Detect Pro Self-Empty (RV2820AE). Shark now lists it as the PowerDetect Self-Empty; the retail version is AV2820AE.
Our take
Should you buy the PowerDetect Self-Empty?
Best for: Homes wanting a vacuum that empties itself without dust bags. Skip it if: You need separate maps for several floors.
a straightforward self-emptying vacuum for one floor, with no bags to buy and no mop. For mopping too, the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro handles the pad for you, and the AI Ultra Self-Empty is a similar older vacuum-only Shark.
This is the vacuum-only member of Shark's PowerDetect family, sold in the US and first reviewed as the Detect Pro Self-Empty. It maps with a laser, spots dirtier areas and makes extra passes there, and lifts itself over doorway thresholds and onto thick rugs. After each run it empties into a bagless base that Shark says holds up to sixty days of dirt. There's no mop.
Both home testers liked the pickup. Reader's Digest found it thorough even under beds, and Top Ten Reviews found it did better on rugs than on laminate, where some flour and oats were left at every setting. They disagree on navigation. Reader's Digest saw it clean without bumping into anything, while Top Ten Reviews found it unpredictable, giving a dog toy a wide berth but running over the tester's feet several times. Top Ten Reviews also saw oats and sprinkles fall out of the robot on its way back to the base. Both found emptying loud, at 75dB by Top Ten Reviews' measure, and both found the app thin. Top Ten Reviews could save only one map, and Reader's Digest could schedule the whole house but not chosen rooms.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
Don't rely on it. Top Ten Reviews found its obstacle handling unpredictable, giving a toy a wide berth but running over feet. Reader's Digest had no crashes at all. Neither tested pet waste, so keep accidents and loose cables out of its way.
Does it work on more than one floor?
Not easily. Top Ten Reviews couldn't save more than one map, so it had to delete the downstairs map to map the upstairs. If you have two or more storeys and want the robot on each, pick a model that stores several maps.
How often do I have to empty or refill anything?
Rarely. Shark says the bagless base holds up to 60 days of dirt, per the specifications, and Reader's Digest notes real-world use will vary. There's no mop or water tank. Top Ten Reviews did have to clean up debris that fell out of the robot near the base.
Can it cross rugs and raised thresholds between rooms?
Shark says it lifts itself over thresholds and onto thick carpets, per the specifications. Top Ten Reviews found it usually freed itself when caught on a rug or toy, but some debris fell out as it crossed thresholds. Neither review measured how high a step it can climb.
Does it fit under low furniture?
Gaps of about 9cm or more. Top Ten Reviews measured the robot at 13 x 13 x 3.3 inches, and Reader's Digest found it cleaned under beds more thoroughly than the tester managed by hand.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
AI Ultra Self-Empty
Why consider it: An older vacuum-only Shark with laser mapping and a bagless base that picks up well on hard floors.
The compromise: It bumps into small objects and struggles with hair pressed into carpet.
PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1
Why consider it: Adds mopping, and its bagless dock empties the robot, refills it and cleans the pad for weeks.
The compromise: It leaves floors wet and the app gives you little control.
Q8 Max+
Why consider it: A self-emptying vacuum that reviewers rate for pickup and mapping, with a basic mop added.
The compromise: Edges and small obstacles still catch it out, and long hair tangles on its rollers.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the PowerDetect Self-Empty?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- Top Ten Reviews: Shark Detect Pro Self-Empty Robot Vacuum review ↗Hands-on, Over three weeks · Tested on the Detect Pro Self-Empty (RV2820AE)
- Reader's Digest: We tried the Shark Detect Pro Self-Empty Robot Vacuum ↗Hands-on, About 10 days · Tested on the Detect Pro Self-Empty
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Shark PowerDetect 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.