**UPDATE 8 months later-4/22/25: I stand by everything I said in my original review below. Still works great, still easy to use, and Bissell would get 10 stars if the battery lasted just a bit longer.
As a 60+ senior woman, I find this mop (Bissell Spinwave Pet, cordless) VERY easy to use. I haven't had it long, so I can't say how it will hold up over time, but I wanted to give my first impression of it. It really does propel itself gently along without being hard at all to manage. It's practically effortless. For real.
The only time I had any issue was when I tried to get it to go up on my kitchen floor/gel mat. The mat has tapered edges, and the mop didn't like trying to make that incline. It acted like my dogs do when it's bath time, and I had to pull it backwards up onto the mat (which was easy to do). Otherwise, it is very easy to guide and use. It literally takes more strength to pull the pads off than it does to operate the mop (they really do stick on there well). If you're older or have some limitations in strength, i believe you'd have no problems using this mop. It is a bit 'heavy' for us older folks if you have to go up stairs or carry it very far -not really because of the actual weight which is only like 10 lbs., but because it's a bit awkward even with the carry handle, like trying to carry a vacuum or similar appliance.
As far as the battery life, I let it charge the full 4 hours before use. I mopped my kitchen (about 30' x 5') and another area that's about 14'x14' before it started running out of juice. I don't think that's too bad, really. To be fair, I went pretty slow with it, especially when I discovered that it will do a great job up against my shoe molding. My robot vacuum leaves about an inch of grime, a 'stain' so to speak, on the floor about 1" out from the baseboards. A regular mop really won't get it and I have to get on the floor with a rag to clean that; even worse, I have to get up off of the floor afterwards. This is not something I do often. Rarely, in fact. Each year that passes, I do it less often than 'rarely'. But this mop did the job, and it cleaned the shoe molding as well. I set it longways up against the baseboard (and the toe kick of my kitchen cabinets), let it slowly scoot along, and it really did a good job. I was surprised. It can't get in the corners of course, but nothing really does that very well (including me). It even wiggled itself around and between my dining table & chairs without much guidance.
After mopping I took the pads off and hosed them off outside, and those filthy pads came clean. I can't bring myself to put them in the same washing machine where I wash my underwear to be honest, so I can't say how well they wash. Four pads come with the machine, and two small sample bottles of cleaner that I haven't tried. I’ve used some of the less expensive “no-name” pads and they work perfectly fine.
I used a spray bottle with a cleaning solution in it rather than putting a solution in the canister of the machine (the “Chapin 48 oz Multi-purpose sprayer” is ideal for this. Not heavy, no squeezing a trigger repeatedly, holds ample cleaner. And since you can use this machine with one hand 99% of the time, it’s easy to carry the sprayer in your other hand). I'm not certain what you can or can't use in it and most of these appliances warn you not to use anything other than their solutions...or else. Since I don't want to create a black hole, cause the machine to malfunction, or otherwise disrupt the matrix, I just use a spray bottle with my cleaner of choice.
As far as how well it cleans, all I can say is that the pads were filthy, so it obviously got dirt off of the floor...something I have plenty of with two Golden Retrievers running in and out of the house 20 times a day. Did it get *all* of the dirt? Probably not. I think only a pressure washer might accomplish that. I pick my battles, and a battle for a completely sterile, spotless floor isn't one I will win.
I'm using this mop on ceramic tile floors. I can't say if it leaves streaks or not. I can't see them if it does (no surprise there), but I suspect the type of cleaner used or how you've mixed it may play a part in that, for anyone who's having that issue.
For a quick, easy, 'everyday' mop job, this is does the trick. I have an O Cedar mop (similar to Swiffer), and I'd say this gives similar results, but with less effort - none of that back and forth motion needed. I'll still keep that OCedar (which I still like) around for quick spot cleaning, but for a larger area I'm liking this Bissell, so far. And, it's very, very quiet.
I don't know how well it does on 3-day old mud or ketchup stains and such, as I haven't had that issue. But it did do well on those shoe molding/floor stains, so there is that.
Just keep in mind, this is not a commercial-grade floor cleaner with the power of a diesel engine and pads made of pumice stone that will clean two years of grime off of your floor or out of those stained grout lines, so set your expectations accordingly. If you want a floor cleaner with a battery that will last through mopping your entire house, this isn't it (a cottage or small apartment maybe, but probably not your whole house). Or, if you're looking for a device that will sterilize your floor with powerful, aggressive scrubbing action, dragging you across the room as you hang on for dear life, keep looking.
So far, I like it. I'll be sure to update my review if needed though.
Made with chemicals safer for human health and the environment.
As certified by
U.S. EPA Safer Choice
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice certified products are made with safer ingredients for the health of families, pets, workplaces, and the environment. Products have been evaluated by EPA scientists and every ingrediant must meet safety criteria for both human health and the environment while ensuring they meet performance requirements. Safer Choice is an EPA Pollution Prevention (P2) program, which includes practices that reduce, eliminate, or prevent pollution at its source, such as using safer ingredients in products.
