The modern household typically contains a variety of floor types including carpeting, tile, laminate, hardwood, and/or linoleum. Each of these surfaces has their own cleaning requirements and if you want to keep your home free from dirt or other grime then you need to have a weekly gameplan. If you have smooth flooring then that gameplan needs to include a hard floor cleaner, preferably one that can both vacuum and wash the surface. The Hoover FloorMate Jet and Bissell CrossWave are two models that do just that.
There are a lot of similarities between the FloorMate and CrossWave but also some differences. They both can perform vacuuming and washing cycles at the same time, speeding up your weekly cleaning tasks by several minutes. You don’t have to switch between attachments in the middle of your session, or even worse have multiple cleaners for each job. The technology exists to combine them into one do-it-all hard floor cleaner. However, while the Hoover is fully cordless the Bissell gives you the option of corded vs cordless.
Before we start comparing them side by side in a variety of categories, here is a rundown of the main features of each one so you have a general feel for what each model is designed to do.
Hoover FloorMate ONEPWR Jet – Main Features
The FloorMate is just one model in Hoover’s ONEPWR lineup of cordless machines that are designed to do a variety of tasks around the home. They all share the same lithium ion battery which gives you a lot of flexibility as you move from room to room, and even outside. The FloorMate is designed to simplify and speed up the cleaning of your hard floors as well as area rugs. Here are the main features you get when you guy the capable Hoover:
- Vacuums and Washes simultaneously means one step instead of two which saves time and energy
- Lithium Ion Battery provides fade-free power that lets you move around your home without the hassle of a long cord
- SprayClean™ Solution Control has a nozzle and trigger system to give you complete control over administering the cleaning solution
- Tool Free Cleanup by removing the nozzle and brush roll without tools so you can easily wash them
- Rinse and Storage Tray assists in cleaning the dirt and grime from the FloorMate without touching any dirty water
- Microfiber Brush Roll is engineered for multiple surfaces to clean up a variety of messes including those left by your pet
Bissell CrossWave – Quick Feature Rundown
The Bissell CrossWave is also a versatile, dual purpose hard floor cleaner from a highly recognized brand in the industry. It comes in either corded or cord-free configurations along with a variety of other options. If you have pets you can buy pet specific models that are equipped with different cleaning solution and brushroll. Each model performs the same though, with the ability to vacuum and wash at the same time. These are the main features you get with the CrossWave:
- Tangle-Free Brush Roll (pet versions) minimizes hair and other things from getting wrapped around the spinning brush
- Two Tank Technology keeps the clean and dirty water separate to make sure you always use fresh solution during cleaning
- Dual Action Brushroll works similar to the FloorMate by picking up debris while mopping the surface
- Pet Hair Strainer (pet versions) keeps hair and larger debris separated from the liquid to help reduce clogging and speed up clean-up
- Bissell Pet Foundation makes a donation for each purchase to help save the lives of homeless pets
Now that we have looked at the main features of the Bissell and Hoover, it’s time to compare them head to head in a variety of categories so you have the information you need to pick the best cleaner for your home.
Multi Surface Cleaning
Being able to clean a variety of floor types is the biggest advantage to a hard floor cleaner like the FloorMate or CrossWave. Both cleaners are able to vacuum light messes off the surface and put down the cleaning solution at the same time. They have spinning brushes that gently scrub away the dirt, leaving the floor renewed. Both are safe for use on tile, sealed wood floors, linoleum, laminate, and even area rugs.
The trigger system on the Hoover FloorMate ONEPWR Jet gives you a lot of control over when you need the cleaning solution and how much. The Bissell seems to leave behind more water when you are using it but both dry in a quick amount of time. It may take a couple times of use to really get the technique down, but once you are used to using a hard floor cleaner the surface will dry quickly. Both brands operate in a similar manner across the same types of surfaces, so there is no clear winner in this category.
Cordless (Battery) Technology
Cordless vacuums are all the craze today. You can buy full sized machines that can deep clean carpets just as good as their larger (and heavier) corded counterparts. The technology is quite amazing. Thus it’s no surprise that you can buy a quality hard floor cleaner that operates on lithium ion batteries with enough run-time on a single charge to get all the cleaning done around your home.
The Bissell CrossWave is available as a cordless model that comes with a 36 volt lithium ion battery. This technology gives you about 30 minutes of use on a full charge, though this will be less if using the vacuum mode to pick up debris. It also comes with a unique 3 in 1 docking station lets you store the CrossWave Max, run the self cleaning cycle, and charge it at the same time. This means it will be fully cleaned and ready to go whenever you need it.
The Hoover FloorMate comes as part of their ONEPWR family of machines that all share a 4.0 ah lithium ion battery. These batteries are removable and inter-changeable between models should you have them. You can also purchase an extra battery or two to give you an almost unlimited runtime should you need it. While both the Hoover and Bissell come with lithium batteries, the Hoover is removable and shares between an entire family of home products. This nice feature gives a slight edge to the FloorMate ONEPWR in this category.
Pet Specific Models
The Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro builds on their standard model with a couple of extras to help remove animal hair and odor from your home. You get a tangle-free brush roll that reduces hair wrapping around it, resulting in better performance in the vacuum mode (especially on area rugs or low pile carpets). The strainer removes any debris and hair from the dirty water before it is emptied which helps keep your drain free from clogs. Also, this model comes with pet specific cleaning formula which is ideal for stubborn stains on all surfaces. And when you buy a CrossWave, Bissell will donate $10 to their pet foundation to help save homeless animals.
The Hoover ONEPWR does not have a dedicated pet model but instead comes standard with a couple of features that are useful for animal owners. The microfiber multi-surface brushroll attracts fine dust and pet hair so it ends up in the collection bin instead of blown around the floor. It also has a bit more suction than the CrossWave so it can pull dander and dust mites out of lower pile carpets but obviously won’t deep clean thicker carpeting. The FloorMate does a great job on all surfaces but it isn’t a dedicated pet cleaner like the Bissell is, so the CrossWave gets the nod for homes with multiple pets.
Final Thoughts
Both the Hoover FloorMate and Bissell CrossWave do a great job on hard floors but each has an advantage in a certain area, so the best one for your home will depend on your situation. The CrossWave is a better choice for homes with pets, especially those with more than one. It has a dedicated model with a few features designed specifically to rid your house of hair and odor. If this describes you then click here to learn more about the Bissell and to check current pricing.
The FloorMate ONEPWR Jet is a much better cordless cleaner as it has removable batteries that are high output in all modes. You are not tethered to electrical outlets and there is no degradation in performance over their corded models. With a variety of features and an affordable price, the Hoover makes sense for the majority of homes that have multiple floor types. To check price levels and read consumer reviews, click here to visit our recommended online supplier.