Shark’s new robot vacuum uses UV light to show you just how dirty your floor really is

Watch out, Eufy – Shark has just debuted its latest robot vacuum cleaner and mop with UV light detection. The new Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal is the first robot vacuum and mop to use a combination of UV light and an RGB colour camera to show you just how dirty your floor really is – but the price will shock you.

One of my favourite vacuum cleaner features is the built-in light in the floorhead that illuminates your floors so you can see what dirt you’ve missed. But the new Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal takes this one step further with its new UV light detection that spots spills and stains that are invisible to the human eye.

To detect these stains, the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal has on-device sensors, cameras and uses its NeuroNav AI algorithm to help the robot move around your home, even at night. When looking for hidden spills, the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal uses visible lighting cues to find it before it starts to vacuum or mop.

Once the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal has detected a mess with its UV light, its HyperSonic Mopping starts to scrub and remove stains. The robot vacuum will verify that the mess has been cleaned before it moves onto different areas of your floors and home.

Packed full of sensors, the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal has eight PowerDetect technologies that senses different floor types, edges and objects. It can also lift itself over obstacles and small boundaries with its wheels, a newer robot vacuum trend that many other brands have been exploring, including Roborock and Dreame.

For those who hate emptying their vacuum – who doesn’t?! – the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal comes with its ThermaCharged NeverTouch Pro Base which self-empties, cleans and sanitises it for you. It cleans the mop pads after each use to keep everything hygienic, and seals dirt in its bagless base without releasing allergens.

Aside from clean-up, the base of the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal also charges it. The robot vacuum-mop runs for up to three hours, and if it needs recharging, the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal will return itself to the base for a top-up before continuing your clean.

The PowerDetect UV Reveal is available to buy now for $1,299 at Shark. As of writing, it’s not yet available in the UK or Europe. Compared to other robot vacuum-mops, this is a pretty high price so we’ll have to see if it’s worth the price tag – stay tuned!