I want to be clear that this isn’t a paid review or a free trial — I bought these Shark robots myself. I picked up the Shark NeverTouch 2-in-1 in the Black Friday sale, and I also bought other Shark robot models (including the Max Pro and another unit) as gifts for family. In total, I’ve bought four Shark robot vacuums since November, so this review is based on genuine use and comparisons across the range.

Overall, the Shark NeverTouch 2-in-1 is probably the best value for money out of the ones I’ve tried so far. For the price I paid, it’s been ok. With a bit of patience (and sometimes a couple of attempts), it maps well and gets better over time at finding its way around. The cleaning performance is strong — it picks up dust and mess I didn’t even realise was on my floors.

Where this model stands out is the mopping. So far, the mop function on the NeverTouch 2-in-1 has been genuinely good, and it’s a big reason I rate it so highly. In my opinion, the Shark Matrix / Matrix Plus isn’t worth it if you’re buying it mainly for the mop — it feels more like a strong vacuum-first robot. This one, however, actually mops well as well as vacuums.

I also own the more expensive “thermostat” Shark (the higher-priced one), and honestly, for what you pay, the NeverTouch 2-in-1 feels just as good overall, especially when you factor in how well it mops. If I’d known that beforehand, I wouldn’t have paid extra for the pricier model — although I’m not disappointed with it, I just don’t think it offers better value. Battery is very good more than enough for my four rooms.

One practical issue I’ve noticed (and this applies to the Shark Matrix / Pro models) is how they handle a specific transition in my house: they can get into my conservatory, but they can’t reliably get back out into the living room. It’s not really a “step” as such — more like a small raised lip/threshold. Even though the robots lift well and look like they should manage it, they just don’t seem able to climb back over that edge consistently once they’re in the conservatory, so they end up stuck in there.

A few other negatives to mention: I wish it came in black rather than white because dust shows up on the unit easily. The app is also quite basic compared to competitors and lacks features you might expect — for example, you can’t reliably see exactly where it’s been, and sometimes it can miss areas so I end up sending it back out again. Spot cleaning is limited too, as it’s basically a standard-sized box you choose rather than a more precise option. There’s also no camera feature for viewing while it cleans (some competitors let you check in on pets, for example). Another limitation is you can’t properly map upstairs and downstairs as separate floors, so it’s not ideal if you want multi-level mapping.

Speaking of pets, it’s been fine around my dog — she isn’t bothered by it. I’m not sure whether the robot is “aware” of the dog, or whether my dog has simply learned to stay out of the way, but either way it hasn’t been a problem.

I do plan to try other brands too, and I’d recommend watching YouTube robot vacuum and mop reviews so you can see what the leading brands are — some of them are cheaper than Shark at full price. Because I bought this on a big reduction, I’m very happy with the purchase, but I wouldn’t pay full price.

Since I’ve bought four Shark robots and I’m still testing and comparing, I’ll update this review as I use them more and learn more, but so far the NeverTouch 2-in-1 is the best all-rounder for the money.

One last tip: don’t forget to register the warranty separately, as that part is important.