13 hours ago
Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge vs. Shark HydroVac Floor Cleaner — which one wins?
BISSELL CrossWave OmniForce Edge
Not only can this Bissell vacuum and mop hard floors and area rugs, but can switch to vacuum-only mode. This also comes with an anti-tangle brush head, zerogap edge tech, and a self-cleaning/charging feature. It's also easy to use with intuitive controls and LED display to show real-time information.
Shark HydroVac MessMaster
This 3-in-1 floor cleaner can vacuum, mop and self-clean at the same time. It also has the option to clean area rugs. With its powerful suction to tackle dirt and debris, wet messes, and stains in no time. It also comes with an antibacterial brush roller and odor neutralizing solution to eliminate lingering smells.
When it comes to ensuring our floors are clean and spotless, having one of the best vacuum cleaners is essential. And if you have mainly hard flooring, wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners can do all the hard work for you, saving you the back-breaking task of traditional mopping.
As Homes editor at Tom's Guide, I've tested my fair share of wet and dry vacuums, including the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge and Shark HydroVac MessMaster 3-in-1 Floor cleaner on my hard floors. And while these are both popular brands on the market, which wet-and-dry vacuum is better?
In fact, choosing between the two will all depend on your needs and budget. And despite only having a $100 price difference, you'll find that both have unique functions.
The Bissell stands out for having a separate vacuum-only mode, while the Shark HydroVac MessMaster has odor neutralizer technology. Both have self-cleaning functions which are always handy for hygiene, convenience and long-term maintenance.
To help you decide which wet-and-dry cleaner is right for your home however, here's our Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge vs. Shark HydroVac Floor Cleaner verdict.
The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge cleaner is available for $399 on Amazon. In contrast, the Shark HydroVac Messmaster currently costs $249 on Amazon and on Shark's website.
That's not a huge price difference, however, so you'll need to consider both specs, and types of flooring. Also, look out for deals, as these models are often on sale.
Shark HydroVac
Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge
Price
$299
$399
Weight
8 pounds
10 pounds
Water tank capacity
0.38 quarts
1 quart
Battery runtime
Up to 35 minutes
Up to 30 minutes
The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge has a sleek, slimline design and smallish floorhead. It comes with a motorized wet/dry roller heads that pick up liquids and debris.
The handle is easy to grip, with four push buttons that include the power, dry-vac mode, hydration mode and self-cleaning cycle.
There's also an intuitive LCD screen that gives you real-time information about when to fill the water tank, levels of hydration and battery indicator.
Perhaps, the only downsides are that the CrossWave OmniForce Edge doesn't come with extra accessories, such as a spare brush roller —just a charging pad. And it doesn't have any smart features. However, this isn't a real deal breaker.
Despite its slim appearance though, Bissell's vacuum is heavier than the Shark HydroVac, weighing in at 10 pounds.
On the other hand, the Shark HydroVac cleaner has a more attractive, sturdy design with a nice rose-gold color. It also comes with two, antibacterial brush rollers, and there's an odor neutralizer feature to banish lingering odors.
Like all wet-and-dry vacs, both come with a two-tank system — one for clean water and the dirty water canister.
Bissell's tank is noticeably larger than the Shark's, which you might want to consider if you have a lot of heavy-duty cleaning to do.
What's more, they both have a self-rinse system, that ensures the vacuums remain clean and always in top-notch condition. This also means you'll never have to get your hands messy, when handling dirty water.
In addition, it's simple to detach the brush rollers should you need to deep clean or replace.
In terms of who wins, however, the Shark HydroVac MessMaster floor cleaner is certainly more eye-catching, and appealing.
Winner: Shark HydroVac MessMaster
Setting up the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge was super easy, and took just minutes.
You simply detach the water canister from the vacuum body, fill to the line with clean water, and add the cleaning solution that is provided.
The power button on the handle turns on the LCD display that gives you basic indicators like the battery indicator, hydration levels and when to fill or empty the water tanks.
It also took me by surprise with its signature "chime," as you power it on and off.
Unlike the Shark floor cleaner, the clear, dirty tank is located at the front of the cleaner, and it's easy to detach the tank and empty out after use.
The Shark HydroVac is also easy to set up with a simple click-and-lock. Bear in mind the water tank is located at the front of the cleaner, and it also comes with Shark's own multi-surface solution to add.
Similarly, the power button on the handle turns on the LCD display's handy indicators like the battery level, but lacks any advanced settings like hydration levels or Max mode in comparison.
What's more, the Shark HydroVac felt more comfortable to handle and tilt back with ease.
Perhaps, my favorite feature is the HydroVac's self-propelled function, that gives it a little "boost," making it easier to push across hard floors.
The Shark HydroVac is also lighter to carry around the home compared to the Bissell — which is ideal for those with stairs.
Winner: Shark HydroVac MessMaster
I'll admit, this was a close call, as both models had sufficient power to clean my hardwood and tiled floors. However, which cleaner ultimately out-performed the other?
Firstly, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge has the edge (no pun intended) of including an option to dry-vacuum only, which is a good selling point for me. This meant that I could use it for sucking up heavy-duty messes (without making a sopping mess), before deep washing the floors.
While I was impressed that the CrossWave OmniForce was able to remove light dust, dirt and minor marks, it struggled to remove stubborn stains like dried mud from the yard,or even a coffee stain.
I found that I often needed to go over these areas a few times to ensure they were spotless.
In any case, its "Zero Gap" edge cleaning, tackled the edges of baseboards and along kitchen units better than expected. Plus, the cleaner didn't leave behind any dirty streaks.
Perhaps the only caveats are that the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge lacked a swivel head mechanism, and struggled getting into awkward angles.
And it's noisier than the Shark HydroVac (and louder on Max mode). For that reason, you might have to consider the time and household members before cleaning your floors.
On the other hand, the Shark HydroVac swivel head and self-propelled feature made it far easier to maneuver across floors, easily tackling marks and dirt with minimal effort.
In comparison, it seemed to give a quicker clean, removing dirt and stubborn stains in less time. In just one or two sweeps, my white tiles were looking spotless and brand new.
Again, the Shark HydroVac didn't leave behind any dirty streaks, and floors were dry in less than a minute.
Another feature I liked was that the Shark HydroVac comes with odor neutralizers and an antibacterial roller to eliminate germs, and musty lingering odors in the air.
I also preferred the model's "refresh" mode to clean my bathroom rug thoroughly, without soaking it. That makes it a convenient feature, especially if your rugs are not machine washable.
Since both have self-cleaning features, this process takes about a minute. However, the Shark HydroVac's was noisier while in operation — so it's best to refrain from having a conversation! Still, it's a small sacrifice to make for refreshed floors.
Overall, I was impressed by the Shark HydroVac cleaner's performance and versatility at tackling heavy-duty dirt on all types of flooring. As for drying time, both didn't leave behind wet streaks or patches, and floors seemed to dry fast.
Winner: Shark HydroVac MessMaster
For those with mainly hard flooring, both of these wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners prove to be great contenders.
The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge scores top marks for its pick-up power, dry-vacuum mode, and versatility. But while it did a decent job for light clean-ups, it struggled with heavy-duty mess and tricky corners/angles.
However, the Shark HydroVac impressed me with its power and speed at quickly removing stubborn, sticky stains. It could also handle ridged tiles with ease, and did a great job at cleaning area rugs. What's more, it is lighter to carry around the home, and looks stylish, too.
Bear in mind that neither floor cleaner comes with an app or smart features. But if these are things you're after, the Tineco Floor One S5 Extreme is a good option.
However, if you're simply after a powerful clean, and fuss-free operation, I'd recommend the Shark HydroVac Floor floor cleaner to get the job done well.
Winner: Shark HydroVac MessMaster
