Comparison · 2 robots

iRobot Roomba e5 · Shark ION Robot 750

All robot vacuums. Every measure below is plotted against the full class, so a difference can be read against how much the class itself varies.

iRobot Roomba e5
Shark ION Robot 750

iRobot

iRobot Roomba e5

Autonomy: II Assisted Autonomy
Score: 56/100 Capable
Readiness: Ready Now
Price: $449list

Shark

Shark ION Robot 750

Autonomy: II Assisted Autonomy
Score: 55/100 Capable
Readiness: Ready Now
Price: $349list

Up to three

01 Classification

What each one does on its own.

The Autonomy Ladder is the same five rungs for every robot on the site. A rung describes the conditions a robot handles without you, not how good it is.

Generalized

Any task, any setting

Environmental

Handles new obstacles without help

III

Conditional

Finishes familiar jobs on its own

Assisted

Runs preset routines, needs rescue

iRobot Roomba e5Shark ION Robot 750

Manual

One action, on command

02 Assessment

Where they actually differ.

The Robovations Score is nine inputs across three pillars, each weighted as shown and each scored so that more is better. A robot can lead on one and trail on another, which is the point of showing them apart. Cost of ownership and data handling are reported on each robot's own page and are never averaged into the score.

Capability

Task completion16% of score

Does it finish the job it is sold to do, unattended

5845

iRobot Roomba e558
Shark ION Robot 75045

18median 72 across 354 scored robots100

Coverage and navigation10% of score

Does it work the whole area, and hold that between runs

4425

iRobot Roomba e544
Shark ION Robot 75025

15median 70 across 344 scored robots100

Edge-case recovery10% of score

Does it recover from the failures its category presents

5553

iRobot Roomba e555
Shark ION Robot 75053

18median 50 across 261 scored robots100

Operating envelope4% of score

How far conditions can vary before performance drops

6835

iRobot Roomba e568
Shark ION Robot 75035

25median 70 across 320 scored robots100

Dependability

Field failure rate16% of score

Documented hardware failures per owner-year

6485

iRobot Roomba e564
Shark ION Robot 75085

6median 70 across 344 scored robots100

Software stability14% of score

Whether updates fix more than they break

8182

iRobot Roomba e581
Shark ION Robot 75082

15median 65 across 275 scored robots100

Support longevity10% of score

Committed parts, service and updates, with dates

4340

iRobot Roomba e543
Shark ION Robot 75040

0median 63 across 354 scored robots100

Ownership burden

Routine maintenance12% of score

Hands-on time it asks for in normal operation

4843

iRobot Roomba e548
Shark ION Robot 75043

22median 68 across 355 scored robots100

Consumables8% of score

Parts that must be bought to keep it working

7683

iRobot Roomba e576
Shark ION Robot 75083

30median 69 across 354 scored robots100

03 Measured against the class

How far apart is a long way?

A number only means something next to the spread it sits in. Each track below is the real range across every classified robot in the class, with the median marked.

Price193 with a published figure

$449$349

iRobot Roomba e5$449
Shark ION Robot 750$349

$129.99median $699.99$1,799

Runtime168 with a published figure

90 min60 min

iRobot Roomba e590 min
Shark ION Robot 75060 min

60 minmedian 180 min360 min

Charge time150 with a published figure

120 min300 min

iRobot Roomba e5120 min
Shark ION Robot 750300 min

90 minmedian 240 min420 min

Noise148 with a published figure

70 dB64 dB

iRobot Roomba e570 dB
Shark ION Robot 75064 dB

43 dBmedian 67 dB80 dB

Weight171 with a published figure

7.9 lbs5.1 lbs

iRobot Roomba e57.9 lbs
Shark ION Robot 7505.1 lbs

3.3 lbsmedian 8.2 lbs36.4 lbs

Height189 with a published figure

3.5 in2.6 in

iRobot Roomba e53.5 in
Shark ION Robot 7502.6 in

2.6 inmedian 3.8 in21.4 in

Not compared, because fewer than two of these robots carry a published figure: Suction.

04 Ownership

What the numbers leave out.

The trade-off

What each design gives up to be good at what it is good at.

iRobot Roomba e5

Random navigation is simpler mechanically and lower-cost than mapping, but it cannot prioritize high-traffic zones and will waste battery on repeated passes in some rooms.

The washable dust bin cuts consumable cost versus filter-only models, but the fixed main filter still clogs and must be replaced regularly, creating a partial-maintenance contradiction.

Shark ION Robot 750

App scheduling and voice control arrived early for the price tier, but navigation is sensor-reactive, so coverage is approximate and cleaning order is not controllable.

Who each one is wrong for

Stated by the record itself. A robot being wrong for a household is a fact about fit, not a fault.

iRobot Roomba e5

Large or multi-room homes over 1,500 sqft: Random navigation on 1,500+ sqft homes results in uneven coverage; some rooms receive multiple passes while others are skipped for hours until battery depletion.
High-pile carpet or shag flooring: The robot's brush design and suction profile are optimized for hard floors and low pile. Owner reports document poor debris extraction on carpets thicker than 0.75 inches.
Homes with substantial step transitions or uneven thresholds: Cliff sensors can misfire on dark transitions; the robot risks tipping on unexpected floor-height changes. No mapping means no memory of problem areas.
Owners with Wi-Fi dependence or voice-control expectations: The e5 supports Wi-Fi and app scheduling but lacks room mapping and zone control. Targeted room cleaning and virtual boundary configuration are not available.
Allergy-prone homes requiring frequent filter cleaning: The washable bin is convenient, but the main filter cannot be washed and clogs with fine dust within 2-3 weeks. Manual filter taps or replacement is necessary.

Shark ION Robot 750

Homes needing room-targeted or zoned cleaning: With no mapping, the 750 cannot clean specific rooms or honor virtual zones; physical BotBoundary strips are the only containment tool.
Users wanting multi-floor persistence without manual intervention: The 750 stores no map on any floor, so there is nothing to save, switch or resume. Each run is an independent random pass over whatever the robot reaches.
Owners prioritizing hands-off maintenance: No self-emptying dock; manual bin emptying required every 2-3 sessions in typical homes.
Homes with thick or high-pile carpet and heavy pet shedding: Shark publishes no suction rating for the ION 750, so there is no manufacturer figure to compare it against other machines on. Owner reports document clumping on deep carpet with pet hair.
Owners wanting the latest firmware support: Shark has moved focus to newer ION models; older firmware updates are infrequent.

What stays your job

The upkeep ownership hands back to you, whatever the autonomy level says.

iRobot Roomba e5

Weekly: Wash dust bin in warm water; tap main filter to clear loose dust; visual inspection of brush roll.
Every 3–6 months: Replace primary filter if clogged despite weekly taps (aftermarket $15–$25).
Every 5+ years: Replace dust bin gasket if seal hardens; full bin replacement available (~$50).
As needed: Wipe cliff sensors if robot shows false-positive stops on dark carpet edges.

Shark ION Robot 750

Weekly: Empty dust bin; check primary brush for hair tangles.
Monthly: Wipe sensor windows with a soft cloth; clean wheel undercarriage.
Every 3-6 months: Inspect charging dock contacts and clean with dry cloth.
Annually: Replace primary brush (~$30); replace secondary side brush (~$15).
As needed: Reposition BotBoundary strips when the furniture layout changes; there is no map to update.

05 Evidence

How much each of these is standing on.

Classifications rest on different depths of evidence. A pre-release assessment and a verified one are not the same kind of claim.

Evidence behind each classification
Robot	Evidence status	Sources reviewed	Last assessed
iRobot Roomba e5	Discontinued	8	Apr 2026
Shark ION Robot 750	Discontinued	6	Aug 2026