Buying tips for Mop Vacuum Cleaner: What you should look out for!

Vacuum wipers are becoming increasingly common in German households. This is not surprising. After all, these practical cleaning helpers make cleaning hard floors so much easier. But how does the combination of vacuum cleaner and mop actually work? What should you look out for when buying? And are the appliances suitable for every household? We want to answer these and other questions in our guide and give you buying tips for Mop Vacuum Cleaner.

• Are you determined to buy a squeegee? You might find the perfect model for you in our list of the best 2024 squeegees!

Buying tips for Mop Vacuum Cleaner: What is a squeegee?

For extensive cleaning of hard floors such as tiles, parquet or vinyl, you don’t just need a powerful vacuum cleaner. In order to remove even the most stubborn stains, the additional swinging of a mop is essential. This can take a lot of time on large surfaces. So why not combine a vacuum cleaner and a mop?

That’s probably what the inventors of the so-called vacuum mop thought. Strictly speaking, this is a combination appliance that attempts to represent the optimum compromise between a vacuum cleaner and a mop. In terms of basic functionality, the appliances are very similar. This applies not only to the convenient battery operation.

On top of this, the manufacturers all rely on one or more cleaning rollers. These rotate and are moistened with fresh water. The dirty water produced during cleaning is then sucked up and ends up in the dirty water tank. Once cleaning is complete, most appliances offer a self-cleaning function.

This involves rinsing the cleaning brush in the charging station thoroughly with water. Of course, this also produces dirty water. This also ends up in the waste water tank. However, there are sometimes significant differences in the individual functions and features from model to model. We will explain which features are important later.

Buying tips for Mop Vacuum Cleaner: When are vacuum wipers suitable?

Vacuum wipers are rarely inexpensive appliances. If you want good quality and solid performance, you should expect to pay at least 300 euros. The higher the performance, functions and features, the higher the price. It is therefore all the more important that you clarify in advance whether a squeegee is the right appliance for your household.

Only suitable for hard floors

Vacuum sweepers are only suitable for hard floors. So if the majority of your household consists of parquet, tiled or other hard floors, these appliances are perfect for you. However, if you have a lot of carpeted floors or even entire rooms with carpeting, you should probably refrain from buying one of the practical combi appliances. Newcomers to the world of vacuum cleaners may not be aware of this.

After all, many people automatically think of a steam cleaner when using water for cleaning. In contrast to squeegees, these can of course be used on carpets without any problems. Some manufacturers, such as Tineco, now offer special carpet cleaners that are similar in basic concept to vacuum sweepers, but have significantly more power. The best example is the Tineco Carpet One, which we tested not only on carpets but also on a sofa.

No substitute for a vacuum cleaner

One thing should be said up front: If you buy a squeegee, you should not throw away your vacuum cleaner any more than you should throw away your mop. This is not because a squeegee as a combination appliance cannot perform the basic tasks that the other two appliances are capable of. However, squeegees do have a few peculiarities that, in the long term, make you miss the vacuum cleaner and mop.

When it comes to vacuum cleaners, this doesn’t just apply to the fact that you can clean carpets and upholstered furniture. Battery-powered vacuum cleaners in particular are generally much more flexible and lighter, allowing you to easily reach places that are usually out of reach for vacuum wipers. This applies not only to small corners, but also areas under furniture.

Disadvantages with spontaneity

Sometimes it can even be helpful to keep the classic mop. Because this also has a big advantage over vacuum mops. And this clearly lies in its spontaneity. When you put a squeegee into operation, you set a whole procedure in motion. Not only do you have to fill the fresh water tank, you also have to empty the waste water if this has not been done after the last use.

There are also one or two essential to-do’s after the cleaning itself. You should start the self-cleaning function after each use. This is, of course, a real power guzzler, which means that wiping away a small stain can almost be described as ‘expensive’. You should also empty the dirty water tank again afterwards. The spontaneous use of a mop saves a lot of time.

Special cleaning agent

Many manufacturers include a suitable cleaning agent with their vacuum mops. However, as soon as this is empty, many users return to using their appliance without it. This not only reduces the cleaning power of the squeegee. On top of that, you have to do without a pleasant smell if there is no cleaning agent. But why should you do without the additive in the first place?

This is simply because many buyers of squeegees do not want to incur follow-up costs due to the high basic price. If this is also the case for you, then you can also use the squeegee without the cleaning agent. However, you will then have to accept the disadvantages. On the other hand, you should keep your hands off normal floor cleaner.

It may smell good and perhaps improve the cleaning performance at first. But over time, conventional cleaners are poison for the vacuum cleaner. After all, the unadapted chemical components cause the appliance’s water pipes to clog up bit by bit. After a while, the pipes will become so clogged that water can no longer flow through them.

Tips for buying a Mop Vacuum Cleaner: Important parameters

Once you have decided to buy a squeegee, you will be confronted with many different models. It is impossible for a layman to keep track of everything. We have listed a few important parameters that you should keep in mind when buying a squeegee. This will make it easier to filter out the right model for you.

Cleaning roller

At the heart of cleaning with a squeegee is, of course, the cleaning roller that rolls across the floor. There are sometimes big differences between the models. This starts with the design of the roller. In the lower price range, you are more likely to find appliances that have a fairly thick edge, at least on one side. If you have more money to spend, you can opt for a premium model with a rimless roller design.

The advantages of a rimless design are obvious. You can clean along skirting boards without leaving an ugly dirty edge with residue. In practice, this ensures significantly better cleaning results. There are also differences in the way the rollers divert the dirty water. Some appliances come with a practical scraper, which ensures that the roller is freed from annoying dirt residues during cleaning.

The grated dirty water then ends up directly in the appropriate tank. If the roller automatically removes dirt residues during the cleaning process, this ensures that it is always freshly cleaned when it is used and that the floor that has not yet been mopped comes into contact with a much fresher roller. LEDs are also becoming increasingly important in the vacuum wiper sector. Installed directly above the roller, they ensure visibility even in dark areas.

Suction power

The name “squeegee” already suggests that suction power plays a major role in cleaning. Some manufacturers, such as Tineco, usually only specify a wattage. The majority, on the other hand, use the unit Pascal. Here you should make sure that the value is above 10,000 Pascal. Then you can assume that you will get a sufficiently good suction power.

Battery

The squeegee should have a sufficient battery life, especially for large floor areas. After all, you don’t want to send the appliance on an enforced charging break in between only to resume later. Cleaning in one go is always best. Unfortunately, some models are so weak that they run out of power after just a quarter of an hour. This applies, for example, to very inexpensive devices such as the Dream H11 Core(test).

However, this is really an exception, whose short battery life is clearly linked to the very low price. Most vacuum cleaners now offer a runtime of around 30 minutes. In the higher price segment, however, 40 minutes or even more is no longer a rarity. You always get the most out of the battery when you select the lowest setting. Many models have an “eco mode” specifically for this purpose.

Cleaning modes

Many manufacturers use different cleaning modes to enable cleaning according to your needs. These are usually three different modes. Eco, Auto and Max. Their suction or wiping power is in ascending order. The special feature of Auto mode is its adaptability. The appliance varies its performance depending on the degree of soiling. In Max mode, on the other hand, the vacuum wiper operates at maximum power.

Some models also offer a pure suction mode. However, this does not allow it to be used as a vacuum cleaner. Instead, it can be used to conveniently suck up spilled liquid. The vacuum wiper works without additional water and simply sucks up the liquid dry. Afterwards, however, it is advisable to wipe again in a mode with water assistance.

Cleaning sensor

Vacuum wipers with an automatic mode usually come with a helpful dirt sensor. This analyzes the current level of dirt on the floor almost instantaneously. The results of the sensor are then used as the basis for regulating the suction power and water flow rate.

To put it simply: the dirtier the floor, the stronger the cleaning performance of the vacuum wiper. If you prefer to regulate the power of the household helper yourself anyway, you don’t really need a sensor. After all, this is particularly useful when using the automatic mode.

Water tanks

It is not only the battery that plays a major role in the endurance of a squeegee. You should also keep an eye on the capacity of the water tanks. After all, a fresh water tank can be empty quite quickly and a dirty water tank can be full quite quickly.

This puts you in the predicament of having to replenish the water supply during cleaning. The capacity of the squeegee depends on various factors. Basically, it can be said that many manufacturers link the volume to the price. The more expensive the squeegee, the more space it usually offers for water and dirty water.

Another factor is the shape of the squeegee. Some manufacturers now rely on comparatively flat devices that offer a little more flexibility. However, the flat design also means they offer less space for large water tanks. Here you simply have to weigh up what is important.

Display

Nowadays, pretty much every squeegee has a practical display. Important parameters such as the current battery status or the current cleaning mode can be viewed here. Appliances with a suitable dirt sensor usually also show the results of the sensor on the display. This allows the user to see how clean the surface already is.

Depending on the device, there can also be significant differences here. For example, the screen of a Tineco Floor One S7 Pro(test) is much more detailed than that of a Floor One S3(test). The position can also differ. Most models place their display above the water tanks. Alternatively, there are also devices such as the Eufy Mach V1(test), which place the display on the handle.

Flexibility

For many years, flexibility was considered the Achilles heel of vacuum sweepers. This is not only because the devices are usually quite heavy. On top of that, most appliances cannot be laid flat on the floor. The limited head joint makes it difficult to clean under flat furniture.

One manufacturer, Osotek, tackled this problem a few years ago. The best examples are the Osotek Horizon H200(test) and H200 Lite(test). In the meantime, however, other manufacturers have also opted for more flexible models. For example, the Roborock Flexi Pro (test) or the Tineco Floor One Stretch S6(official product page).

Self-cleaning

When it comes to maintenance, vacuum sweepers are quite uncomplicated. This is because most of them offer a practical self-cleaning function. However, not all self-cleaning is the same. During self-cleaning, the cleaning roller is rinsed with water. The aim is to rinse away any dirt residue that may still be stuck to the roller.

Some high-priced appliances use hot water for this. For example, the Tineco Floor One S6 Flashdry PET(test). To enhance the effect, the roller rotates during the process. A practical rubber lip or another type of scraper then wringes out the roller to a certain extent. The dirty water is sucked away and ends up in the waste water tank.

The roller then has to dry. Inexpensive models usually do not have an independent drying function. In this case, you should remove the roller and place it in the sun or somewhere else to dry. Otherwise there is a risk of unpleasant odors. In higher price ranges, features are added that support the drying process.

There are models that rely on rotation and eject the water from the roller by rotating it quickly in both directions. Of course, air drying is much more effective. Models that dry with cold air usually require several hours to dry the roller. In the premium sector, drying is therefore increasingly taking place with hot air.

This is much quicker, as demonstrated by the Flashdry system from Tineco, for example. The roller is completely dry again after just five minutes. First and foremost, this saves your nerves. After all, squeegees with the ventilation switched on are not exactly quiet. What’s more, drying with hot air is much more effective and also kills bacteria.

Drive

Vacuum wipers often weigh around 5 kg. This makes them quite heavy household appliances that weigh considerably more than a cordless vacuum cleaner or a mop. However, to ensure a high level of user comfort, some appliances come with a convenient support. The rotating cleaning roller usually pulls the squeegee forwards automatically.

But while this makes it easier to move forwards, it makes it more difficult to move backwards. After all, you have to counter the pulling force of the roller. Many manufacturers have now solved this problem in their flagship models. Here, the wheels on the underside are motorized. These recognize the direction of movement and can thus support you forwards and backwards.

App

Some squeegees also offer their users a suitable app. Of course, the device cannot be moved with the help of the app. Your arms are still needed for this. For this reason, for many users an app is more of a gimmick than an essential function. The best-known apps are probably from Tineco and Roborock and offer a few helpful features.

For example, you can make detailed settings for self-cleaning, voice output or other functions. You can also see when components need to be replaced. Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself whether this is important to you. Of course, this has no influence on cleaning performance and ease of use.

Buying tips for Mop Vacuum Cleaner: Our conclusion

If you don’t have too many carpets in your home, a squeegee is the perfect complement to a vacuum cleaner. The choice of a suitable squeegee should be carefully considered. Generally speaking, the higher the price, the greater the range of features and cleaning performance. If you don’t want to spend too much money, you should consider what is important and what you can do without. Our list of the best can certainly help you with your decision.