Best Wet Dry Vacuums: My Honest Review of 3 Popular Picks

Oct 18, 2024

In a statement that will surprise no one, kids are messy. As a mother of four, I clean up a lot of messes. It’s rare for a day to go by when I don’t need to vacuum up my kids’ snack crumbs, art project debris, and the occasional left-behind LEGO (shhh, don’t tell them). For years, I relied on a good vacuum and spot-cleaning my floors between mopping. This cleaning system worked but was time-consuming and imperfect. Until I discovered my household MVP: a wet-dry vacuum.

Getting a wet-dry vacuum—AKA a vacuum mop combo—saved me time and kept my house cleaner. When I had guests coming over, it was easy to take out my new gadget and do a quick pass over my floors to give my house a quick glow-up. Not to mention, I felt better knowing my little ones were crawling or playing on clean floors.

Over the years, my first wet-dry vacuum got so much use that I started looking for an upgrade. I recently tried three of the best wet-dry vacuums, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. A cordless wet-dry vacuum was essential for me, making it easy to vacuum and mop without having to unplug or worry about a child tripping over the cord.

I should mention that while I cannot live without a wet-dry vac, none of the models I tried were a complete substitute for mopping. Even with the most powerful wet-dry vacuum, I found I still had to do some spot-cleaning for sticky spots and stubborn stains. Nevertheless, a wet-dry vacuum cut my cleaning time down significantly. Read on to get the full scoop on three of the best wet-dry vacuums currently on the market.

Wet-dry vacuums have become an essential tool in my cleaning arsenal. I love how they can handle both wet and dry messes with ease, making them a versatile and convenient solution for various cleaning tasks. Whether it’s cleaning up spills, pet accidents, or everyday dirt and dust, a wet-dry vacuum is always up to the task. Plus, they’re often lightweight and easy to maneuver, making them perfect for quick cleanups and deeper cleaning sessions alike. The ability to switch seamlessly between vacuuming and mopping means I can tackle any mess my kids throw at me without missing a beat. From crumbs under the dining table to spilled juice in the kitchen, my wet-dry vacuum has me covered.

When shopping for a wet-dry vacuum, there are several key features to consider to ensure you get the best performance for your needs. First and foremost, look for a model with powerful suction that can handle both wet and dry debris effectively. A good wet-dry vacuum should also have a large capacity dirty water tank to minimize the need for frequent emptying, which can interrupt your cleaning flow. Additionally, consider a model with a self-cleaning feature, which can make the cleaning process easier and more efficient by keeping the brush roll in good shape. Other important features to consider include the type of brush roll, the availability of cleaning solutions, and the overall ease of use. A well-designed wet-dry vacuum should be intuitive to operate and maintain, making your cleaning routine as hassle-free as possible.

To find the best wet-dry vacuums on the market, I put several models to the test in real-world conditions. I evaluated their performance on various surfaces, including hard floors, carpets, and upholstery, to see how well they handled different cleaning challenges. I also tested their ability to manage different types of messes, from liquid spills to dry debris, ensuring they could tackle everything from spilled milk to scattered cereal. Additionally, I assessed their ease of use, including how easy it was to assemble, operate, and maintain each model. I considered factors like noise level, weight, and overall design, as these can significantly impact the user experience. By putting these vacuums through their paces, I was able to identify the top performers and provide recommendations for the best wet-dry vacuums for various cleaning needs.

Pros: Lower price point

Cons: Heavy, hard to clean

The first wet/dry vacuum I tried was the BISSELL Crosswave Cordless Max. I was very impressed with how well the vacuum picked up dry debris like crumbs while simultaneously washing my floors. A great feature of the Crosswave is that it’s easy to switch between modes for hardwood floors and rugs. It is also simple to give yourself a little more cleaning power by pushing a button to release more water when needed. Though I’d definitely place it as one of the best wet-dry vacuums, the Crosswave isn’t perfect. I still needed to hand-clean some spots while using it, but it was a big improvement. While using the Crosswave, I often referred to it as a lifesaver.

However, I found the Crosswave to be heavy and cumbersome. I also did not like cleaning the dirty water container and filter. Much of the dry debris that the Crosswave vacuums get caught in a small filter that needs to be hand-cleaned. While the vacuum is effective, I found the clearing process needed to keep the vacuum functional to be cumbersome and a little gross.

Nevertheless, this is a great entry-level wet-dry vacuum. If you aren’t sure if you will use a wet-dry vacuum much or can’t invest in a higher-end model, the Crosswave Max is still a great wet-dry vacuum that will get the job done. It packs a lot of power at a lower price point than other popular models. When using the BISSELL Crosswave Cordless Max, it is important to know how much cleaning solution to use. Only a small quantity, often indicated by a cap full or marked lines on the clean water container, should be added to the water.If you aren’t sure if you will use a wet-dry vacuum much or can’t invest in a higher-end model, the Crosswave Max is still a great wet-dry vacuum that will get the job done. It packs a lot of power at a lower price point than other popular models. When using the BISSELL Crosswave Cordless Max, it is important to know how much cleaning solution to use. Only a small quantity, often indicated by a cap full or marked lines on the clean water container, should be added to the water.

Pros: Light, powerful

Cons: Small water tank

The Tineco S7 Floor One is one of the versatile vacuum mop combos, combining traditional vacuuming and steam mopping in one device. As far as the best wet-dry vacuums go, I was struck by how much lighter it is than the BISSELL Crosswave. As much as I used the BISSELL, I found myself reaching for the Floor One even more often. The Floor One also has a self-propulsion system that I’ve come to like. It took a little while to get used to the slight pull the Floor One gives while cleaning, but once I became accustomed to it, I found that it helped me vacuum and mop more efficiently.

The Floor One uses auto-mode to detect how dirty your floors are and then switches to steam mode for heavy dirt and boost steam mode for very heavy dirt. It’s also possible to manually switch between modes if the Floor One doesn’t recognize automatically that more power is needed. The Floor One does a better job at cleaning sticky spots on the floor, such as spilled milk, than more basic models. However, I still need to spot-clean some particularly dirty spots by hand.

Maintenance is very easy. Unlike the Crosswave, not much debris gets caught in the filter, so very little cleaning is needed. I also like that Floor One prompts me to use the vacuum’s self-cleaning mode every time I put it on the charging base. This helps keep the brush in good shape.

One downside of the Floor One is that its clean water tank is very small. I often found that I needed to stop mid-cleaning to refill the clean water tank to keep going. Filling the tank doesn’t take very long, but it interrupts my flow.

Pros: Extremely powerful, versatile, light, and easy to use

Cons: High cost, mop attachment is hard to clean

I have two Dyson vacuums that I absolutely love, so I was intrigued when Dyson released a wet/dry vacuum, the V15s Dyson Detect Submarine. Dyson sets the standard for vacuums, so I had high hopes for this V15s despite the high cost.

The V15s is very different than the other two wet-dry vacuums I tried. Of the best wet-dry vacuums, V15s is a high-end, multi-purpose vacuum. It comes with a variety of attachments, including one that converts the vacuum into a wet-dry vacuum. That makes this a much more versatile machine than the BISSELL or Tineco, which can only be used like a traditional upright stick vacuum with a mop feature. Compared to a regular wet dry vacuum, the V15s offers superior functionality and versatility, especially with its specialized attachments designed for pet hair and tough stains.

For example, I used the attachments that came with the V15s to convert the vacuum into a hand-held that I used to clean my car and sofa. This isn’t possible with the other wet-dry vacs I tried. The V15s is also unparalleled when it comes to usability. It’s light and easy to maneuver. This vacuum also does a great job getting into hard-to-reach spaces, such as spots close to baseboards where crumbs always accumulate in my kitchen. Then, when I wanted to mop, I switched out the head on the V15s for the “submarine” mop attachment. This attachment contains a clean water tank and reservoirs for dirty water and dirt, whereas the other models have these tanks built into the body of the vacuum.

The head on the V15s is big, making it easy to cover a lot of ground with fewer passes. The head also swivels, which makes it easier to get into some hard-to-clean spots. For example, in my house, there is a space several inches wide between the arm of my sofa and the wall. It’s not big enough for me to push a vacuum into, but it is large enough so that dust and other debris that gather there are visible. The V15s swivels to fit into awkward spaces like that one, making cleaning much easier.

The V15s has a smaller water tank than the other two models I tried. I worried the water would run out quickly. However, because of Dyson’s efficient engineering combined with a bigger brush head, I found that I was able to cover a large area before the tank ran out. One tank of water was more than sufficient to clean my entire first floor with some leftover.

Unlike the other wet/dry vacuums I tried, there is no way to change the amount of water that comes out of the mop attachment for deeper clearing. Even the basic BISSELL model I tried has a button users can press to get more water to come out when passing over harder-to-clean spots. I missed this feature when using the V15s, especially when trying to clean some stubborn stains I thought would have come out with a little more power.

Another downside to the Dyson is that it’s hard to clean. The other two wet/dry vacs I tried both had tanks to collect dirty water. Dirty water and debris in the V15s go under the brush head. Dirty water goes into a small tank that is dumped out, and solid debris goes into a different small section. I found that a lot of dry debris got caught on the brush head, making it hard to clean. The process of maintaining the V15s is a little more complicated than the other wet dry vacuum cleaner models.

Given how much more functionality the V15s offers over other wet-dry vacuums, it was my choice as it could replace other tools in my cleaning arsenal. If it’s in your family’s budget, it’s an ideal vacuum for busy parents who want one of the most powerful vacuums with the ability to vacuum and mop at the same time between deep cleanings.