Bissell CrossWave Cordless – the story goes on with a twist

A cleaning device that sweeps and washes floors in one go saves you precious time. One such machine and one that does that powerfully is the Bissell CrossWave Cordless. This wet and dry vacuum is one of Bissell’s best I should say. It offers you excellent cleaning capabilities, making vacuuming and mopping your bare floors and rugs a breeze. Its cordless nature makes it such a versatile machine, and you can use it anywhere in your home.

I might also venture to say it’s very similar to the recent Hoover ONEPWR FloorMate Jet, which I’ve just reviewed. However, Bissell has been working on their CrossWave for at least 3-4 years, ever since they’ve released the first version of this wonderful cleaning appliance.

For an in-depth review of this upgraded wet dry vacuum from Bissell, read on. I will delve into everything there’s to know about the features it comes with. And towards the end of the review, I’ll do a comparison between it, a previous model meant for pet owners (the Bissell CrossWace Pet Pro) and Hoover ONEPWR FloorMate Jet. To start us off, lets take a quick look at the specs.

Bissell CrossWave Cordless – quick look

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How it works

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Specifications

Suction/ Cleaning Power

Powerful suction – Safe on sealed floors

A 36V battery runs the appliance, one of the most powerful to be used on a Bissell cordless cleaning device. With this kind of electric power, you can expect the Bissell CrossWave to clean every type of surface. And it does. It vacuums and washes a wide range of floors which include carpets, sealed hardwood, linoleum, laminate, and more.

As a dry vacuum, the CrossWave provides over 100 AW suction. You can use it to remove even the dirt that is set deep in carpets. On hard floors, it works impressively with its spinning brush roll and powerful air flow system. When used as a mop, it sprays cleaning liquid, loosens dirt and auctions it up into the dirty water tank with its strong vacuuming system.

Input Power

Bissell CrossWave Cordless run time

The 36V battery that the CrossWave cordless comes equipped with offers slightly more than 25 minutes of cleaning time. It charges for 4 hours and the manufacturer offers a charging station for that. One remarkable thing about this vacuuming mop from Bissell is that inspire of the battery being high capacity, you won’t be waiting for long before it charges fully. The battery is a lithium-ion, which means better performance and longer life.

Dust Capacity

Separated tanks

Since the Bissell CrossWave mostly washes floors, we will talk first about the tank which holds the dirty water. It’s a 14.5-ounce bin positioned in front of the vacuum’s body. The capacity is enough to allow for the cleaning of large areas before it needs to be emptied. However, that’s only if you are cleaning areas that don’t require you to use a lot of cleaning solution. These areas include bare floors that do not contain stuck on messes or hard-to-remove stains.

The reservoir that holds the cleaning solution or the clean water tank has a 28 oz capacity. That’s quite an ample space that makes the CrossWave suitable to clean the average home. Because the water in the two tanks doesn’t mix, you achieve the best cleaning results when using this device from Bissell. You’re always using clean and fresh solution which leaves surfaces looking sparkling clean and smelling pleasant. If you have pets, this is a feature you wouldn’t want your cleaning device to miss.

Filtration Efficiency

CrossWave filter, located on top of the dirty water tank

The vacuum comes with a standard filter that’s placed on the topside of the dirty water tank. It the same filter shared among all the CrossWave versions, costing around $10, depending from where you get it. The CrossWave mostly washes surfaces rather than dry vacuum them, and the efficiency of the filter may not matter much. Apart from the filter, the dirty water tank features a strainer that keeps away the debris that gets picked up from entering the tank. The manufacturer advises that you clean the filter periodically as clogging would reduce airflow strength and affect the unit’s ability to pull up dirt from surfaces.

Weight and Dimensions

Bissell CrossWave Cordless different views

Despite being a 2-in-1 cleaner, the Bissell CrossWave doesn’t weigh much. It’s a 12.5 pounds machine. That makes it averagely portable, and you will have no difficulty carrying it up or downstairs. It measures 10.5 inches length, 12 inches width, and 46 inches height.

Warranty

A 2-year manufacturer’s warranty backs the Bissell CrossWave Cordless. It’s one of the longest from Bissell, seeing that most of their devices carry 1-year guarantees. To access the warranty, you need to register your CrossWave with Bissell and make your purchase at an authorized outlet or online store.

Accessories

Package contents

The box that comes with the CrossWave cordless contains these items: the device’s body, a handle, brush roll tray and its funnel (to dry the brush roll in), docking station together with its adapter, two bottles of multi surfaces cleaning solution with each bottle carrying 8-ounces of liquid, and similar bottles of pet formula. You also get the a manual and warranty agreement.

Special Features

Now that we have seen the specs of the Bissell CrossWave cordless, let us have a look at the features that the device comes equipped with.

Multi-Surface Brush

Works on hardwood and area rugs

The brush roll on the CrossWave cordless is designed to work on different floor types. It’s soft enough yet effective at dislodging dirt. That means you won’t need to worry if your home is multi-floored or even if you have sensitive surfaces such as hardwood. You can only use the CrossWave brushroll on sealed hardwood, though. That’s because of its washing action that may be a risk to unsealed flooring.

The soft nature of the brush helps it to absorb the cleaning solution as it spins and enhanced its mopping action on surfaces. When used on carpets, the bristles help to agitate dirt for easier pick up by the suction inlet. When you have washed this device to wash the floors, the brush roll becomes sodden with the cleaning solution and needs to be rinsed and dried. There are a tray and drying rack supplied by the manufacturer for that.

Two Tank System

Two Tank System

The device uses separate tanks, and the dirty water and cleaning solution don’t mix. This offers many advantages. It ensures the cleaning solution reaching the surfaces is always fresh. It’s an indispensable feature that improves cleaning results, especially when washing carpets. The tanks require to be rinsed after every cleaning session which means detaching them from the unit. The manufacturer provides an easy way to do that.

3-in-1 Charging Station

Bissell CrossWave Cordless storage tray

What this means is that you can use the charging dock of the Bissell CrossWave cordless for three different tasks. Apart from charging the battery, the dock offers a place to clean the device as well as storage. It comes with a tray to hold water when rinsing out the machine after a cleaning task. Afterward, the docking station holds the device until you need it for another task. There’s also a rack to dry out the brush roll from.

Pivot Head

The body of the Bissell CrossWave swivels to offer you better control of the device when cleaning. You get to guide it around objects easily, which makes cleaning activities more comfortable and fast. The swivel is smooth, and you won’t be using a lot of effort to turn the handle.

Fingertip Controls

Ergonomic handle

The control buttons are placed within easy reach, on the handle. You get to operate the vacuum without struggling to find anything, which is a commendable design. The controls are also easy to interpret and only a few, which further eases the task to operate the vacuum.

Carry Handle

Bissell made carrying this vacuum a lot easier. It comes with a comfortable handle that lets you move the unit from one place to another. While this feature may seem insignificant, it’s pretty useful for users who have to clean surfaces on different floors of their homes.

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Usability

The CrossWave assembles in an instant and it’s ready to use in a few minutes. You only need to ensure the battery is fully charged before you begin cleaning tasks. It only takes 4 hours and you will have your device ready.

The first usability feature you will like about the Bissell CrossWave is its cordless nature. Unlike the earlier models that were corded, this new version allows you unlimited mobility. There are are no cable tangles to worry about and no sprawling cords to trip you. You can use it almost anywhere in your home, even in the places that don’t have an outlet that’s within reach.

Cleans hard floors and low pile carpets

The controls of the device are easy to access as they are placed on the handle. Besides the accessibility, the controls are easy to operate. There are only two options to change the cleaning mode, one for bare surfaces and another for area rugs. Choosing the rug setting releases more cleaning solution while selecting the hard floor option limits the amount. There’s also a solution trigger on the handle that lets you control the amount of cleaning solution released.

Being a mopping machine, the CrossWave is a bit tasking to maintain. You need to rinse it after every use as well as ensure the brush roll is adequately dried. The manufacturer makes all these tasks easy for you. The vacuum comes with a tray where you can safely rinse it without water spilling on the floor. You also get a rack to place the brush roll on to allow its drying.

Easy to maintain

For improved portability, the vacuum comes with an ergonomic carry handle. It makes transporting the unit around easy and the device usable by different members of your family. I should say that the CrossWave is an appliance that offers no challenge to operate. From maneuvering it around, carrying it upstairs and downstairs, to cleaning it after use, all the tasks are a breeze.

Also, the 12″ path width is OK, as I’ve seen many other mops with just 10″ on their clearance.

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Bissell CrossWave Cordless Pros and Cons

While the CrossWave is a great cleaning machine that delivers excellent results, there are areas that would need improvement. Here’s a summary of these ups and downs. These will give you a hint of what to expect from the device and whether it meets your preferences.

Pros

• It cleans by vacuuming and washing surfaces in one go, and you do have to perform the two tasks in different sessions
• It’s a cordless device which means improved mobility when cleaning
• The device’s engine is powerful and its vacuuming action strong. It ensures fewer passes to clean messes
• The vacuum comes with separate tanks for the dirty water and cleaning formula solution and your floors are left clean and fresh smelling
• It comes with a versatile charging dock that allows you to charge the device, clean it and even provide storage
• The cleaning path is wide enough, at 12 inches

Cons

• The run-time of the battery may be insufficient
• Suction is lower, as with any cordless product

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Bissell CrossWave Cordless Vs. Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro vs Hoover ONEPWR FloorMate Jet

As you can guess, the Pet Pro comes with features to help you clean the home of pet owners. It does and offers a few functionalities not found in the other vacuum. The brush roll of Pet Pro model is designed to be tangle free, resisting hairs as long as 8 inches. That allows you to clean after your pet without worries that hair will wrap around the brush. The Pet Pro also comes equipped with a unique pet hair strainer that catches pet hair and prevents it from reaching the dirty water tank.

Another significant difference between the two devices is power input. The Pet Pro is a corded device that offers unlimited cleaning time. The CrossWave Cordless runs on battery power and cannot clean large areas non-stop. The Pet Pro comes with two brush rolls compared to only one that you get with the CrossWave cordless. The Pet Pro comes with pet formula that contains Febreze freshness to mask odors left by your pets. The manufacturer also backs the Pet Pro with a 3-year guarantee compared to the two-year warranty of the CrossWave cordless.

In terms of design, the two Crosswave models are in many ways identical. They have similar dimensions, dirty water and clean water tank capacities, and several other features. While the Pet Pro is meant to be used by pet owners, the CrossWave cordless is an all-round device for the whole home cleaning needs.

As for comparing the Bissell CrossWave Cordless with the Hoover FloorMate Cordless, the table above speaks for itself. On one side, Floormate is cheaper, weighs less pounds, and has interchangeable batteries. On the other hand, it has smaller tanks and slightly less suction power.

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Final Comments

I find the Bissell CrossWave Cordless a cleaning machine worth considering. It cleans great. Being being cordless, the CrossWave offers you a versatile cleaning device that you can use anywhere. It vacuums, washes and dries, which makes it an all-in-one vacuum for your cleaning needs. Having it means your vacuuming and mopping tasks are taken care of. The fact that it works on all floors should another reason to consider the CrossWave cordless. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet cleaning device that can sweep and mop at the same time.