Why you should trust us
I’m an associate staff writer on Wirecutter’s appliance team, focusing specifically on vacuums and floor care. We’ve been covering mop-vacuum combos since 2022. For this guide:
- We tested mop-vacuum combos for over 60 hours, including assessing 11 models on multiple surfaces in 2025.
- We spoke with a variety of appliance experts, cleaning specialists, and product designers, including Mike Luyckx and Lawrence Chu, who both worked in product design at Bissell in the past. We also trawled forums and reviews across the internet.
- We hosted paid testers with diverse backgrounds, ages, heights, and mobility levels to assess our picks at our office in Long Island City, New York.
- Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.
- In accordance with Wirecutter standards, I return or donate all products I’ve tested once my assessment of them is complete, which may involve longer-term testing by me and my colleagues. I never hang on to “freebies” once testing is done.
Who this is for
If you have a home full of sealed wooden floors or tile, and you frequently face tough wet-dry messes whipped up by children or pets, a mop-vacuum combo may be for you. These machines vacuum and wet-mop bare floors simultaneously — a theoretically convenient and quick approach to tackling a spill or a splatter.
Mop-vacuum combos have suction like a regular vacuum. But they also dispense cleaning solution, automatically scrub floors with a spinning brush, and are equipped with tanks to hold clean and dirty water. While most models can safely suck up and store solids and liquids alike, some don’t work as standalone vacuums at all. And many of them don’t separate wet and dry messes for disposal, which can lead to some pretty gross and arduous cleanups at the end of a session.
Most people don’t necessarily need a mop-vacuum combo; using a standalone vacuum and a good old-fashioned mop often works just as well, if not better. But a mop-vacuum combo could make life easier in some households.
Because they use soft mop rolls rather than textured brush rolls in their cleaning heads, any model’s vacuuming abilities won’t match the cleaning performance of even an average cordless stick vacuum, or come close to the prowess of the best upright and canister vacuums. If you have carpets or rugs in your home, a combination mop-vacuum won’t keep them fresh, though a select few are good at sucking up very fresh stains from carpets. (For wet carpet cleaning, an upright carpet cleaner or a portable upholstery cleaner are your best bets.)
All the mop-vacuum models we tested were easy to set up and proficient at picking up combination messes like cereal and milk or pasta and sauce, as well as pure liquid spills. They also left our test floors looking shiny and clean. That being said, the maintenance required after using these machines can quickly sap any edge in convenience they provide.
We call these machines mop-vacuum combos to delineate them from wet/dry vacuums (or “shop vacs”), which can handle both solid and liquid debris but do not mop floors.
If you want a hands-off, ultra-convenient mop-vacuum experience, you could try a robot vacuum-mop combo; though we don’t think they perform well enough yet to justify their high prices, they are improving rapidly.
How we picked and tested
We surveyed the most popular mop-vacuum combos from a number of brands and tested 11 models. Here are the factors we prioritized:
Cleaning ability: Given enough passes, all the models we tested were able to tackle a gauntlet of annoying-to-clean messes — milk and cereal, pasta and sauce, dried egg yolk, spilled coffee, mud. We looked for machines that cleaned these substances efficiently, without missing debris, spreading it around, or dumping it back on the floor; made quick work of dried-on stains; and, most importantly, left our test floors looking bright and fresh. We also took note of how wet the floor remained after cleaning.
We used each model’s manufacturer-recommended cleaning solution. Most come with a bottle of it, but if you don’t like the smell of a certain formulation, you can likely switch to another without issue (just check the manual). None of these formulas performed appreciably better than another.
Ease of use: Since mop-vacuum combos are meant to speed up the process of vacuuming and mopping, we evaluated how quickly we were able to set them up, and how long it took to clean them after. We appreciated those with large water tanks that were easily detachable and fillable, as well as models that had easy-to-swap mop rollers and cleaning modes that were intuitive to toggle through.
We had paid testers vet our picks as well, to get a sense for how well they worked for people with limited mobility and dexterity, differing grip strengths, and varied heights and body types. None of the mop-vac combos we tested were especially elegant or light, but we favored those that maneuvered with ease and didn’t strain our arms and wrists after prolonged use. A number of the machines (including all of our picks) had motorized wheels to help propel them across the floor; when the force didn’t overwhelm, it was a nice feature.
Unlike standard vacuums, there isn’t a huge performance difference between corded and cordless mop-vac combos, but we took note of how long a machine could operate before needing to recharge its battery.
Water tanks: All mop-vacuum combos collect the water used to wet the mop rolls and clean the floors in a tank. If the machine slurps up a puddle of liquid, that goes in too; add solids and you’ve really got a stew. A couple of the models we tested filter out solids into a separate tray that can be emptied over a garbage can and then washed off. (Unless used in a vacuum-only mode, these pieces of debris will be wet.)
All non-tray models put solid and liquid waste in the same tank, and each has its own mechanism for separating the two within that tank. Nearly all of them fail to some degree. Absent a sink with a food-grinder, emptying these dirty water tanks involves filtering out the solids yourself, as you might after handwashing dishes. (Keep that sink strainer handy!) After that, you’ve got to clean the dirty water tank itself, making sure it air-dries completely so as not to form mold. We found both the separate tray and the unified dirty water tank a bit gross to empty and clean, so we generally prioritized models that made the process as quick and clean as possible.
Vacuum-only ability: Some models can operate as a standalone vacuum (like our top pick), either with a special mode or when their clean water tank is empty. We made sure that mop-vac combos with this function could handle basic cleaning on hard floors and carpets (though none of them are strong enough to replace a full-time vacuum cleaner).
Effective mop-brush cleaning: A mop-vacuum combo’s mop brushes need to be cleaned occasionally, especially after picking up anything beyond regular floor grime. All the models we tested featured swappable, hand-washable mop rolls, but we preferred models that also had easy-to-use self-cleaning features that wash and dry the mop brushes hands-free. This typically involves a tray or charging dock that allows the brush roll to spin in place and be washed with water and solution from the clean water tank (runoff is sucked back into the dirty water tank).
Build quality: We looked for models that felt sturdy and had easily replaceable parts. We also kept our eye on mechanisms that seemed especially prone to leakage or failure.
Price: Using a mop-vacuum combo might be more convenient than dragging out a vacuum and a mop, but not so much so that it justifies paying more than you would for a reasonably priced cordless stick vacuum and a good mop. Our picks range from around $230 to $500 and are often on sale for less.
Longevity: We looked for models with good warranties — two years is standard — and valued brands with good service reputations. We logged performance issues we encountered in testing and scanned user reviews to note any recurring problems. We think a corded model, despite being a little less convenient, has a better chance of lasting longer than one equipped with a rechargeable battery.
Top pick: Bissell CrossWave Edge
Top pick
If you want a consistent and simple-to-use workhorse to clean your hard floors, the Bissell CrossWave Edge is a solid choice. This corded mop-vac combo handled tough combination messes in our testing with relative ease and left floors sparkling clean.
It’s dead simple to set up. The CrossWave’s clean water tank, which has an ample 0.75-liter capacity, is easy to detach and fill and shouldn’t need to be refilled during longer cleaning sessions (you can continuously clean for about 20 minutes before needing to refill the tank). Choose between its two cleaning modes (hard floors or rugs) and you’re set to go.
It’s an able cleaner with a smartly designed mop head. The CrossWave Edge can pick up any mess with enough passes. While it didn’t rank the highest on everything we threw at it — it took an extra pass to fully clean dried-in mud and pasta sauce stains compared with our other picks — it consistently got the job done eventually and performed particularly well on wet stains and less-set fresh spills. In general cleaning, it left our testing surfaces notably shiny and fresh looking.
The right side of this model’s mop head is designed to sit flush against floor edges, which results in better cleaning coverage than most of the other mop heads we tested provide.
It’s a decent standalone vacuum. You can run the CrossWave Edge as a vacuum only, with its clean water tank unattached or empty. Dry debris will end up in the dirty water tank, and you can knock it out over a trash can. This won’t replace a standard vacuum, but it works in a pinch.
You plug it in. Since this is a corded model, you won’t need to worry about keeping your unit charged, the battery running out during a cleaning session, or the battery dying altogether.
Its parts are easy to detach and clean, and it comes with a self-cleaning stand. A cover over the mop roll prevents splattery wet messes from spreading during mopping, and it can be detached and washed off along with the dirty water tank, which is also fairly easy to detach and clean. Because it’s corded, the machine doesn’t self-clean in a charging station: It comes with a stand where you can park the CrossWave Edge while its self-cleaning cycle runs.
It has a strong warranty. Bissell covers the CrossWave Edge for two years, which is standard among the higher-end models we tested. Bissell’s products are also widely available, including solution refills.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s corded. While we see this as a benefit — no battery to contend with — we know some people hate being tethered to an outlet while cleaning. If that’s you, consider our cordless pick.
It’s not especially nimble. Our paid testers noted that the CrossWave Edge feels a little rigid compared with other models, particularly when it comes to turning the mop head and reaching into tight spaces.
The debris separator on the dirty water tank isn’t great. The CrossWave Edge has a filter that attempts to separate dry and wet messes, but it doesn’t work all that well, leading to nasty mixes within the dirty water tank. This isn’t unusual among mop-vacuum combos, but we’d expect better from Bissell.
Top pick: Tineco iFloor 3 Breeze
Top pick
If you prefer a cordless mop-vacuum combo, the Tineco iFloor 3 Breeze is a quick and efficient cleaner. Though it outperformed more expensive cordless models in our testing, it has a small clean water tank and debris separator, and its edgework could be better.
It’s very simple to use. The iFloor 3 Breeze is a barebones machine; just fill the clean water tank, press a button, and it’s off, constantly dispensing cleaning water and ably sucking up messes.
It’s a nimble and efficient cleaner. The iFloor 3 Breeze is light and easy to handle without feeling flimsy, and its motorized wheels moved it along smoothly (a number of our paid testers noted that it didn’t tug their arms too much).
It impressed us in our cleaning tests, picking up a full milk and cereal spill in only one pass and tackling a tough dried-on mud stain in only two passes — among the best results across our testing and superior to some models double or triple its price.
The iFloor 3 Breeze has two cleaning modes: eco and max, both of which worked fine. It will run for about 30 minutes before needing to recharge, which is short when compared with our cordless stick vacuum picks, but it’s still in the acceptable range.
It has a self-cleaning mode. This model can be connected to its dock and run through a quick self-clean cycle, which helps keep the mop roll fresh.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The clean water tank is relatively small. With a 0.6-liter capacity, the iFloor 3 Breeze’s clean water tank is on the small side, which means you may need to refill it over long cleaning sessions. (Though the machine is such an efficient cleaner, you should be able to tackle a lot of your flooring before needing to do so.)
The debris separation isn’t great. The iFloor 3 Breeze’s debris filter is small and easily overwhelmed by combination messes, so you’ll have to deal with a gross dirty water tank at the end of your session.
Its edgework could be improved. This model has a small but noticeable gap at both ends of its mop head, which means you have to orient the machine head-on for it to reach corners and along baseboards. (Our Bissell pick handles edges better.)
Its battery won’t last forever. The iFloor 3 Breeze’s battery is not replaceable, so when it dies, you’ll have to replace the entire machine. While its two-year warranty is strong, it does not cover a reduced battery lifespan that comes with age.
Upgrade pick: Narwal S20 Pro Vacuum Mop
Upgrade pick
The cordless Narwal S20 Pro Vacuum Mop is an upgrade in nearly every way, and it’s (almost) a pleasure to use, thanks to smart design features. But it’s expensive — you need to be committed to mop-vacuuming your home to make it worthwhile.
It’s an effective and adaptive cleaner. The S20 Pro has five different cleaning modes (smart, suction, turbo, quiet, and max enhancement); smart mode consistently left our test floors looking clean, shiny, and not overly wet. In smart mode, the S20 Pro ramps up its suction and pressure power to tackle tough messes, and ramps down for regular floor cleaning. There’s also a smartly designed trigger on the inside of the handle that allows you to boost to the max enhancement mode if you encounter a particularly grimy spot.
The S20 Pro can lay flat while it cleans — a rarity — and it didn’t tire out our arm over long cleaning sessions, thanks to its relative light weight and smooth, self-propelling motorized wheels. Depending on the setting you use, the S20 Pro will run for about an hour before needing to recharge.
It has the best debris separator we’ve tested. The S20 Pro’s debris separator extends to the edge of the dirty water tank and creates a seal, preventing debris from falling through to the watery abyss below. The separator consistently caught small solids and even in-between debris like dried jam, making cleanup the easiest (and least-disgusting) among the models we tested by far. (The S20 Pro does not, however, have a vacuum-only mode.)
The clean water tank is especially easy to detach and fill. Unlike other latched systems, the S20 Pro’s clean water tank attaches to the unit’s mop head with magnets, making removal and refills a breeze. And the tank has a capacity of nearly 0.8 liter, which is one of the largest we tested.
It cleans and dries itself elegantly. Reattaching the S20 Pro to its charging dock after cleaning will begin the machine’s self-clean cycle, which includes automated drying of the mop roll.
It has helpful accessibility features. One of our paid testers with low vision appreciated the S20 Pro’s bright, high-contrast screen, which is located on the handle and is easy to read. This model also has audio assists that announce switches between modes.
It looks pretty good. Unlike the utilitarian style of most mop-vacuum combos, the S20 Pro is a sophisticated neutral gray color with scant purple accents. Since its clean water tank sits over its brush roll, the machine has a svelte silhouette. (But that positioning can cause the S20 Pro to feel awkwardly heavy when the tank is full.)
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s expensive, and availability is variable. At $500, the S20 Pro costs nearly twice as much as our corded top pick. Narwal is also a relatively new company (its first products debuted in 2019), so you may experience extended wait times once you order it, as we observed a few times as we wrote this guide. And replacement parts may be harder to come by than with some other brands; Narwal parts are not available in stores, only online.
It’s a tall machine, and its assistive pull can be a bit much. Though some of our paid testers didn’t mind the assist that the S20 Pro’s motorized wheels provide, others felt that it was too strong for their liking. The machine is also about 3 inches taller than our other two picks, which wasn’t comfortable for some shorter users.
It’s a bit rough around the edges. Narwal is a Chinese company, and there are some small translation errors on the machine’s menus; its functionality wasn’t affected, but it is odd to put your machine into “max enchancement” mode.
It’s got a short warranty. The S20 Pro has a one-year warranty, which is less than the standard two years for these machines. You can pay an extra $50 to extend the warranty for an additional year.
The battery is not replaceable. As with all cordless models, the battery will wear out over time — and it is not replaceable.
Other good mop-vacuum combos worth considering
If you want to spend a bit less on an upgraded mop-vacuum combo: The Roborock F25 has all the trappings of a high-end model but with a slightly less high-end price. It can clean while laying flat, has a good self-clean cycle, and ably picks up combination messes and dried messes in its auto mode (it has four cleaning modes). However, its dirty water tank has one of the worst debris separators we tested, and its clean water tank setup is not quite as elegant as that of our upgrade pick, the Narwal S20 Pro Vacuum Mop. If you don’t mind sorting through a slurry at the end of cleaning, you can save about $100 against the S20 Pro. But if you’re going to spend in this price range, we think the S20 Pro has the edge.
The competition
The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge costs more than our corded and cordless top picks. Though it’s cordless and has a better debris separator than our top pick, the plug-in Bissell CrossWave Edge, it’s not a better cleaner. In our testing, it snowplowed spilled cereal and milk, making pickup that much more difficult.
The Dreame H14 Wet and Dry Vacuum didn’t clean meaningfully better than our picks — and it’s expensive. It’s also a very chatty and loud machine, and its motorized wheels practically dragged us across our testing space as we cleaned.
The Dyson WashG1 is also expensive, and we found it finicky to set up and break down. The debris tray effectively filters out solids before the dirty water is brought to the tank, but cleaning that tray isn’t pleasant. We also ran into some mop-head leakage issues, presumably caused by an obstruction from the debris tray blocking the water intake. (You can read more about our time with the WashG1.)
The Karcher FC 7 Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner features four removable mop rollers, a separate debris tray, and a self-cleaning stand. With so many moving parts, we found it difficult to set up and maintain; its spinning mop rolls shot Cheerios around our testing space rather than directing them toward the vacuum. And its four rolls are spread far apart on the base, necessitating extra passes to cover the gaps.
The Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Swiftclean Wet/Dry Stick Vacuum Kit has an elegant self-cleaning station, and if you already own some Ryobi tools, this model will work with their removable battery. This mop-vac combo is a bit bulky, however, and it didn’t outperform our picks enough in testing to justify paying up for it.
Tineco’s higher-end models — the GO H20 SENSE Cordless Smart Floor Washer and the Floor One S7 Pro Floor Washer — performed inconsistently across the board in our testing and didn’t rival our pick, the Tineco iFloor3 Breeze.
Care and maintenance
It’s distressingly easy for mold or mildew to grow in your mop-vacuum combo if you don’t thoroughly clean the machine’s dirty water tank, filter, and brush rolls. After each use, run your machine through its self-cleaning function, if it has one. (If it doesn’t, you can usually run the machine upright as it sits in its charging position, letting the mop roll get wet and allowing any runoff to collect in the tank.)
After that, empty the dirty water tank over your garbage and/or sink, and then clean out both the tank and filter with clean water. Both the tank and filter should be left to air dry while disconnected from the machine.
The mop rolls should be removed, hand-washed, and air-dried every month or so, then swapped out for a fresh roll every couple of months — or after a particularly nasty mess.
Liam McCabe wrote a previous version of this article, which was first published in 2022. This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Marguerite Preston.
Sources
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Mike Luyckx, design and user experience consultant at Insightfuel LLC, phone interview, June 23, 2025
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Lawrence Chu, global director of consumer design at Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning, video interview, June 24, 2025
Why you should trust us
I’m an associate staff writer on Wirecutter’s appliance team, focusing specifically on vacuums and floor care. We’ve been covering mop-vacuum combos since 2022. For this guide:
- We tested mop-vacuum combos for over 60 hours, including assessing 11 models on multiple surfaces in 2025.
- We spoke with a variety of appliance experts, cleaning specialists, and product designers, including Mike Luyckx and Lawrence Chu, who both worked in product design at Bissell in the past. We also trawled forums and reviews across the internet.
- We hosted paid testers with diverse backgrounds, ages, heights, and mobility levels to assess our picks at our office in Long Island City, New York.
- Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.
- In accordance with Wirecutter standards, I return or donate all products I’ve tested once my assessment of them is complete, which may involve longer-term testing by me and my colleagues. I never hang on to “freebies” once testing is done.
Who this is for
If you have a home full of sealed wooden floors or tile, and you frequently face tough wet-dry messes whipped up by children or pets, a mop-vacuum combo may be for you. These machines vacuum and wet-mop bare floors simultaneously — a theoretically convenient and quick approach to tackling a spill or a splatter.
Mop-vacuum combos have suction like a regular vacuum. But they also dispense cleaning solution, automatically scrub floors with a spinning brush, and are equipped with tanks to hold clean and dirty water. While most models can safely suck up and store solids and liquids alike, some don’t work as standalone vacuums at all. And many of them don’t separate wet and dry messes for disposal, which can lead to some pretty gross and arduous cleanups at the end of a session.
Most people don’t necessarily need a mop-vacuum combo; using a standalone vacuum and a good old-fashioned mop often works just as well, if not better. But a mop-vacuum combo could make life easier in some households.
Because they use soft mop rolls rather than textured brush rolls in their cleaning heads, any model’s vacuuming abilities won’t match the cleaning performance of even an average cordless stick vacuum, or come close to the prowess of the best upright and canister vacuums. If you have carpets or rugs in your home, a combination mop-vacuum won’t keep them fresh, though a select few are good at sucking up very fresh stains from carpets. (For wet carpet cleaning, an upright carpet cleaner or a portable upholstery cleaner are your best bets.)
All the mop-vacuum models we tested were easy to set up and proficient at picking up combination messes like cereal and milk or pasta and sauce, as well as pure liquid spills. They also left our test floors looking shiny and clean. That being said, the maintenance required after using these machines can quickly sap any edge in convenience they provide.
We call these machines mop-vacuum combos to delineate them from wet/dry vacuums (or “shop vacs”), which can handle both solid and liquid debris but do not mop floors.
If you want a hands-off, ultra-convenient mop-vacuum experience, you could try a robot vacuum-mop combo; though we don’t think they perform well enough yet to justify their high prices, they are improving rapidly.
How we picked and tested
We surveyed the most popular mop-vacuum combos from a number of brands and tested 11 models. Here are the factors we prioritized:
Cleaning ability: Given enough passes, all the models we tested were able to tackle a gauntlet of annoying-to-clean messes — milk and cereal, pasta and sauce, dried egg yolk, spilled coffee, mud. We looked for machines that cleaned these substances efficiently, without missing debris, spreading it around, or dumping it back on the floor; made quick work of dried-on stains; and, most importantly, left our test floors looking bright and fresh. We also took note of how wet the floor remained after cleaning.
We used each model’s manufacturer-recommended cleaning solution. Most come with a bottle of it, but if you don’t like the smell of a certain formulation, you can likely switch to another without issue (just check the manual). None of these formulas performed appreciably better than another.
Ease of use: Since mop-vacuum combos are meant to speed up the process of vacuuming and mopping, we evaluated how quickly we were able to set them up, and how long it took to clean them after. We appreciated those with large water tanks that were easily detachable and fillable, as well as models that had easy-to-swap mop rollers and cleaning modes that were intuitive to toggle through.
We had paid testers vet our picks as well, to get a sense for how well they worked for people with limited mobility and dexterity, differing grip strengths, and varied heights and body types. None of the mop-vac combos we tested were especially elegant or light, but we favored those that maneuvered with ease and didn’t strain our arms and wrists after prolonged use. A number of the machines (including all of our picks) had motorized wheels to help propel them across the floor; when the force didn’t overwhelm, it was a nice feature.
Unlike standard vacuums, there isn’t a huge performance difference between corded and cordless mop-vac combos, but we took note of how long a machine could operate before needing to recharge its battery.
Water tanks: All mop-vacuum combos collect the water used to wet the mop rolls and clean the floors in a tank. If the machine slurps up a puddle of liquid, that goes in too; add solids and you’ve really got a stew. A couple of the models we tested filter out solids into a separate tray that can be emptied over a garbage can and then washed off. (Unless used in a vacuum-only mode, these pieces of debris will be wet.)
All non-tray models put solid and liquid waste in the same tank, and each has its own mechanism for separating the two within that tank. Nearly all of them fail to some degree. Absent a sink with a food-grinder, emptying these dirty water tanks involves filtering out the solids yourself, as you might after handwashing dishes. (Keep that sink strainer handy!) After that, you’ve got to clean the dirty water tank itself, making sure it air-dries completely so as not to form mold. We found both the separate tray and the unified dirty water tank a bit gross to empty and clean, so we generally prioritized models that made the process as quick and clean as possible.
Vacuum-only ability: Some models can operate as a standalone vacuum (like our top pick), either with a special mode or when their clean water tank is empty. We made sure that mop-vac combos with this function could handle basic cleaning on hard floors and carpets (though none of them are strong enough to replace a full-time vacuum cleaner).
Effective mop-brush cleaning: A mop-vacuum combo’s mop brushes need to be cleaned occasionally, especially after picking up anything beyond regular floor grime. All the models we tested featured swappable, hand-washable mop rolls, but we preferred models that also had easy-to-use self-cleaning features that wash and dry the mop brushes hands-free. This typically involves a tray or charging dock that allows the brush roll to spin in place and be washed with water and solution from the clean water tank (runoff is sucked back into the dirty water tank).
Build quality: We looked for models that felt sturdy and had easily replaceable parts. We also kept our eye on mechanisms that seemed especially prone to leakage or failure.
Price: Using a mop-vacuum combo might be more convenient than dragging out a vacuum and a mop, but not so much so that it justifies paying more than you would for a reasonably priced cordless stick vacuum and a good mop. Our picks range from around $230 to $500 and are often on sale for less.
Longevity: We looked for models with good warranties — two years is standard — and valued brands with good service reputations. We logged performance issues we encountered in testing and scanned user reviews to note any recurring problems. We think a corded model, despite being a little less convenient, has a better chance of lasting longer than one equipped with a rechargeable battery.
Top pick: Bissell CrossWave Edge
Top pick
If you want a consistent and simple-to-use workhorse to clean your hard floors, the Bissell CrossWave Edge is a solid choice. This corded mop-vac combo handled tough combination messes in our testing with relative ease and left floors sparkling clean.
It’s dead simple to set up. The CrossWave’s clean water tank, which has an ample 0.75-liter capacity, is easy to detach and fill and shouldn’t need to be refilled during longer cleaning sessions (you can continuously clean for about 20 minutes before needing to refill the tank). Choose between its two cleaning modes (hard floors or rugs) and you’re set to go.
It’s an able cleaner with a smartly designed mop head. The CrossWave Edge can pick up any mess with enough passes. While it didn’t rank the highest on everything we threw at it — it took an extra pass to fully clean dried-in mud and pasta sauce stains compared with our other picks — it consistently got the job done eventually and performed particularly well on wet stains and less-set fresh spills. In general cleaning, it left our testing surfaces notably shiny and fresh looking.
The right side of this model’s mop head is designed to sit flush against floor edges, which results in better cleaning coverage than most of the other mop heads we tested provide.
It’s a decent standalone vacuum. You can run the CrossWave Edge as a vacuum only, with its clean water tank unattached or empty. Dry debris will end up in the dirty water tank, and you can knock it out over a trash can. This won’t replace a standard vacuum, but it works in a pinch.
You plug it in. Since this is a corded model, you won’t need to worry about keeping your unit charged, the battery running out during a cleaning session, or the battery dying altogether.
Its parts are easy to detach and clean, and it comes with a self-cleaning stand. A cover over the mop roll prevents splattery wet messes from spreading during mopping, and it can be detached and washed off along with the dirty water tank, which is also fairly easy to detach and clean. Because it’s corded, the machine doesn’t self-clean in a charging station: It comes with a stand where you can park the CrossWave Edge while its self-cleaning cycle runs.
It has a strong warranty. Bissell covers the CrossWave Edge for two years, which is standard among the higher-end models we tested. Bissell’s products are also widely available, including solution refills.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s corded. While we see this as a benefit — no battery to contend with — we know some people hate being tethered to an outlet while cleaning. If that’s you, consider our cordless pick.
It’s not especially nimble. Our paid testers noted that the CrossWave Edge feels a little rigid compared with other models, particularly when it comes to turning the mop head and reaching into tight spaces.
The debris separator on the dirty water tank isn’t great. The CrossWave Edge has a filter that attempts to separate dry and wet messes, but it doesn’t work all that well, leading to nasty mixes within the dirty water tank. This isn’t unusual among mop-vacuum combos, but we’d expect better from Bissell.
Top pick: Tineco iFloor 3 Breeze
Top pick
If you prefer a cordless mop-vacuum combo, the Tineco iFloor 3 Breeze is a quick and efficient cleaner. Though it outperformed more expensive cordless models in our testing, it has a small clean water tank and debris separator, and its edgework could be better.
It’s very simple to use. The iFloor 3 Breeze is a barebones machine; just fill the clean water tank, press a button, and it’s off, constantly dispensing cleaning water and ably sucking up messes.
It’s a nimble and efficient cleaner. The iFloor 3 Breeze is light and easy to handle without feeling flimsy, and its motorized wheels moved it along smoothly (a number of our paid testers noted that it didn’t tug their arms too much).
It impressed us in our cleaning tests, picking up a full milk and cereal spill in only one pass and tackling a tough dried-on mud stain in only two passes — among the best results across our testing and superior to some models double or triple its price.
The iFloor 3 Breeze has two cleaning modes: eco and max, both of which worked fine. It will run for about 30 minutes before needing to recharge, which is short when compared with our cordless stick vacuum picks, but it’s still in the acceptable range.
It has a self-cleaning mode. This model can be connected to its dock and run through a quick self-clean cycle, which helps keep the mop roll fresh.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The clean water tank is relatively small. With a 0.6-liter capacity, the iFloor 3 Breeze’s clean water tank is on the small side, which means you may need to refill it over long cleaning sessions. (Though the machine is such an efficient cleaner, you should be able to tackle a lot of your flooring before needing to do so.)
The debris separation isn’t great. The iFloor 3 Breeze’s debris filter is small and easily overwhelmed by combination messes, so you’ll have to deal with a gross dirty water tank at the end of your session.
Its edgework could be improved. This model has a small but noticeable gap at both ends of its mop head, which means you have to orient the machine head-on for it to reach corners and along baseboards. (Our Bissell pick handles edges better.)
Its battery won’t last forever. The iFloor 3 Breeze’s battery is not replaceable, so when it dies, you’ll have to replace the entire machine. While its two-year warranty is strong, it does not cover a reduced battery lifespan that comes with age.
Upgrade pick: Narwal S20 Pro Vacuum Mop
Upgrade pick
The cordless Narwal S20 Pro Vacuum Mop is an upgrade in nearly every way, and it’s (almost) a pleasure to use, thanks to smart design features. But it’s expensive — you need to be committed to mop-vacuuming your home to make it worthwhile.
It’s an effective and adaptive cleaner. The S20 Pro has five different cleaning modes (smart, suction, turbo, quiet, and max enhancement); smart mode consistently left our test floors looking clean, shiny, and not overly wet. In smart mode, the S20 Pro ramps up its suction and pressure power to tackle tough messes, and ramps down for regular floor cleaning. There’s also a smartly designed trigger on the inside of the handle that allows you to boost to the max enhancement mode if you encounter a particularly grimy spot.
The S20 Pro can lay flat while it cleans — a rarity — and it didn’t tire out our arm over long cleaning sessions, thanks to its relative light weight and smooth, self-propelling motorized wheels. Depending on the setting you use, the S20 Pro will run for about an hour before needing to recharge.
It has the best debris separator we’ve tested. The S20 Pro’s debris separator extends to the edge of the dirty water tank and creates a seal, preventing debris from falling through to the watery abyss below. The separator consistently caught small solids and even in-between debris like dried jam, making cleanup the easiest (and least-disgusting) among the models we tested by far. (The S20 Pro does not, however, have a vacuum-only mode.)
The clean water tank is especially easy to detach and fill. Unlike other latched systems, the S20 Pro’s clean water tank attaches to the unit’s mop head with magnets, making removal and refills a breeze. And the tank has a capacity of nearly 0.8 liter, which is one of the largest we tested.
It cleans and dries itself elegantly. Reattaching the S20 Pro to its charging dock after cleaning will begin the machine’s self-clean cycle, which includes automated drying of the mop roll.
It has helpful accessibility features. One of our paid testers with low vision appreciated the S20 Pro’s bright, high-contrast screen, which is located on the handle and is easy to read. This model also has audio assists that announce switches between modes.
It looks pretty good. Unlike the utilitarian style of most mop-vacuum combos, the S20 Pro is a sophisticated neutral gray color with scant purple accents. Since its clean water tank sits over its brush roll, the machine has a svelte silhouette. (But that positioning can cause the S20 Pro to feel awkwardly heavy when the tank is full.)
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It’s expensive, and availability is variable. At $500, the S20 Pro costs nearly twice as much as our corded top pick. Narwal is also a relatively new company (its first products debuted in 2019), so you may experience extended wait times once you order it, as we observed a few times as we wrote this guide. And replacement parts may be harder to come by than with some other brands; Narwal parts are not available in stores, only online.
It’s a tall machine, and its assistive pull can be a bit much. Though some of our paid testers didn’t mind the assist that the S20 Pro’s motorized wheels provide, others felt that it was too strong for their liking. The machine is also about 3 inches taller than our other two picks, which wasn’t comfortable for some shorter users.
It’s a bit rough around the edges. Narwal is a Chinese company, and there are some small translation errors on the machine’s menus; its functionality wasn’t affected, but it is odd to put your machine into “max enchancement” mode.
It’s got a short warranty. The S20 Pro has a one-year warranty, which is less than the standard two years for these machines. You can pay an extra $50 to extend the warranty for an additional year.
The battery is not replaceable. As with all cordless models, the battery will wear out over time — and it is not replaceable.
Other good mop-vacuum combos worth considering
If you want to spend a bit less on an upgraded mop-vacuum combo: The Roborock F25 has all the trappings of a high-end model but with a slightly less high-end price. It can clean while laying flat, has a good self-clean cycle, and ably picks up combination messes and dried messes in its auto mode (it has four cleaning modes). However, its dirty water tank has one of the worst debris separators we tested, and its clean water tank setup is not quite as elegant as that of our upgrade pick, the Narwal S20 Pro Vacuum Mop. If you don’t mind sorting through a slurry at the end of cleaning, you can save about $100 against the S20 Pro. But if you’re going to spend in this price range, we think the S20 Pro has the edge.
The competition
The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge costs more than our corded and cordless top picks. Though it’s cordless and has a better debris separator than our top pick, the plug-in Bissell CrossWave Edge, it’s not a better cleaner. In our testing, it snowplowed spilled cereal and milk, making pickup that much more difficult.
The Dreame H14 Wet and Dry Vacuum didn’t clean meaningfully better than our picks — and it’s expensive. It’s also a very chatty and loud machine, and its motorized wheels practically dragged us across our testing space as we cleaned.
The Dyson WashG1 is also expensive, and we found it finicky to set up and break down. The debris tray effectively filters out solids before the dirty water is brought to the tank, but cleaning that tray isn’t pleasant. We also ran into some mop-head leakage issues, presumably caused by an obstruction from the debris tray blocking the water intake. (You can read more about our time with the WashG1.)
The Karcher FC 7 Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner features four removable mop rollers, a separate debris tray, and a self-cleaning stand. With so many moving parts, we found it difficult to set up and maintain; its spinning mop rolls shot Cheerios around our testing space rather than directing them toward the vacuum. And its four rolls are spread far apart on the base, necessitating extra passes to cover the gaps.
The Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Swiftclean Wet/Dry Stick Vacuum Kit has an elegant self-cleaning station, and if you already own some Ryobi tools, this model will work with their removable battery. This mop-vac combo is a bit bulky, however, and it didn’t outperform our picks enough in testing to justify paying up for it.
Tineco’s higher-end models — the GO H20 SENSE Cordless Smart Floor Washer and the Floor One S7 Pro Floor Washer — performed inconsistently across the board in our testing and didn’t rival our pick, the Tineco iFloor3 Breeze.
Care and maintenance
It’s distressingly easy for mold or mildew to grow in your mop-vacuum combo if you don’t thoroughly clean the machine’s dirty water tank, filter, and brush rolls. After each use, run your machine through its self-cleaning function, if it has one. (If it doesn’t, you can usually run the machine upright as it sits in its charging position, letting the mop roll get wet and allowing any runoff to collect in the tank.)
After that, empty the dirty water tank over your garbage and/or sink, and then clean out both the tank and filter with clean water. Both the tank and filter should be left to air dry while disconnected from the machine.
The mop rolls should be removed, hand-washed, and air-dried every month or so, then swapped out for a fresh roll every couple of months — or after a particularly nasty mess.
Liam McCabe wrote a previous version of this article, which was first published in 2022. This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Marguerite Preston.
Sources
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Mike Luyckx, design and user experience consultant at Insightfuel LLC, phone interview, June 23, 2025
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Lawrence Chu, global director of consumer design at Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning, video interview, June 24, 2025
