Wet-dry floor cleaners: the downsides, first

Good Housekeeping calls it the priciest on its list ($799), and Vacuum Wars says it is one of Tineco's most expensive hard-floor cleaners even on sale. Amazon owners are divided on whether it's worth the price difference.

Vacuum Wars measured 6,148 g (13.5 lb), the second heaviest it tested; self-propulsion offsets this but sets the cleaning pace, which some users may not like. Good Housekeeping lists 9.48 lb.

Vacuum Wars says that even with self-cleaning you must empty and rinse the dirty tank after each use, the tank is slightly smaller than average, and it isn't for deep carpet cleaning. Amazon's summary notes some owners say it doesn't deep clean.

Amazon's review summary says cleaning feedback is mixed: it doesn't handle stuck, dried or sticky messes well, and the water drainage leaves water on the floor. Wirecutter found it needed an extra pass on dried-in mud and pasta sauce compared with its other picks.

Wirecutter says the filter meant to separate dry and wet debris in the dirty tank didn't work well, leaving nasty mixes in the tank, and that it expected better from Bissell.

Wirecutter's paid testers found it rigid when turning the head and reaching into tight spaces, and it is tethered to an outlet. Amazon's summary says some owners note it can't be used as a standalone vacuum, while Wirecutter says it works as a vacuum in a pinch with the clean tank removed.

Wirecutter says its dirty-water tank has one of the worst debris separators it tested, so you'll be sorting through a slurry after cleaning, and the clean-tank setup is less elegant than its upgrade pick's.

Vacuum Wars measured the F25 Ultra at 5,506 g (about 12.1 lb) with usable suction of 1.05 kPa against a 1.17 kPa average, and says runtime drops to about 15-25 minutes in steam or hot-water modes.

Amazon's review summary says durability is mixed, with some owners reporting it broke within a year; streak-free results and value for money are also mixed.

Homes & Gardens found eggshell pieces left behind and cereal pushed backward, so it had to lift and drop the head onto individual pieces; it blames the floorhead's narrow opening.

Homes & Gardens says the clean tank sits in the floorhead so it can lie flat, which means you can't hold it under a faucet and have to fill it from a separate container.

Amazon's review summary says battery feedback is mixed, with some owners reporting only about 35 minutes, and durability is mixed, with some reporting complete failure after three uses.

Tom's Guide got about 50 minutes against a 72-minute claim, and only about 15 minutes in heat mode (rated 20). Amazon owners give mixed battery feedback, with some saying it falls short.

Good Housekeeping's only con is its 13.6-lb weight. Tom's Guide (13.7 lb) says it gets heavy with a full tank, the wheels can run away, and pulling it back is hard, like walking an excited puppy.

Tom's Guide spent two hours failing to connect it to Wi-Fi and says this seems to be a common issue. It also found the suction mode picks up almost nothing on anything beyond very short carpet.

Good Housekeeping's con is that the self-propulsion can make tight turns difficult and occasionally unruly.

Amazon's review summary says performance and value get mixed reviews, with some owners disappointed and saying it isn't worth the price.

Shark lists the WD551 with a standard self-cleaning dock and 40 minutes of runtime; heated drying comes with the WD561/WD563 or a separate dock. Shark lists 12.61 lb for the WD551; Good Housekeeping weighed the Pro at 12.8 lb. Vacuum Wars lists a 0.6-liter tank.

Good Housekeeping lists 30 minutes. Reviewed says it runs up to 30 minutes, estimates 15-20 minutes on higher settings, takes about four hours to charge, and suits homes under about 1,500 square feet. Amazon owners are split between a long charge and one that doesn't last.

Amazon's review summary says reliability is a concern, with the vacuum stopping working after a month, and owners are divided on whether it is worth the price.

Good Housekeeping says it pushed larger pieces around in its cereal-and-milk test, and its self-clean doesn't dry the brush. Reviewed saw visible water droplets on the highest settings (dry in about 30 minutes) and measured peaks around 71 dBA. Amazon owners give mixed feedback on debris pickup.

Wirecutter says the 0.6-liter clean tank is small and the debris filter is small and easily overwhelmed, leaving a gross dirty tank. Vacuum Chef lists a 600 ml clean and 500 ml dirty tank, both smaller than average.

Wirecutter found a small but noticeable gap at both ends of the mop head, so you must approach baseboards head-on. Vacuum Chef says it leaves edges and corners unmopped.

Wirecutter got about 30 minutes per charge and Vacuum Chef about 20. Wirecutter says the battery isn't replaceable and the two-year warranty doesn't cover capacity loss with age.