I swapped my expensive Shark vacuum mop for this budget-friendly alternative – it’s £150 cheaper but still does a stellar job

Anything that saves me valuable cleaning time gets my vote, which is why I'm a big fan of vacuum mops. Having tested a few already, I was keen to see how the Beldray All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner would compare to the best vacuum mops on the market.

Spoiler alert: it completely won me over.

In a nutshell

The Beldray All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner genuinely impressed me - in fact, it exceeded my expectations. On paper, it doesn't quite boast as many features as some of the more premium models I've tested, but in practice it proved just as effective. Being able to vacuum, mop and dry at the same time makes a huge difference when you're trying to stay on top of everyday chaos, and it handled mess in my very busy household with ease.

It picked up crumbs and dirt effortlessly, so I never felt the need to pre-vacuum. The adjustable water spray is more versatile than it first appears - low for a quick refresh, high for more stubborn patches - and I appreciated being able to see the light layer of moisture it left behind. My floors looked visibly cleaner after each pass, yet were dry enough to walk on almost straight away, which felt like the ideal balance with a house full of little ones running around.

Although it doesn't include a cleaning solution, I did notice a visible difference when I used detergent, compared to relying on water alone. Maintenance is also minimal thanks to its self-cleaning function, and the compact storage tray means it doesn't take up much floor space.

The main drawbacks are the 5.5-hour charging time, which is noticeable if you use it frequently, and the fact that it's limited to sealed floors only. It can't be used on rugs or carpets, making it less versatile than some competitors. That said, it comes at a more accessible price point to account for that.

Specifications

• Dimensions: (L x W x H): 25.2 x 28 x 108.85cm
• Weight: 4.5 kg
• Max run time: 25 mins
• Clean water tank capacity: 0.65 Litres
• Modes: 2
• Charge time: 5.5 hours
• In the box: user manual, storage /charging tray, charger, main unit, handle
• RRP: £179.99

How I tested

Rebecca Lawton

I'm Rebecca. I write freelance content for Ideal Home, and I'm always on the lookout for home upgrades that make my home life smoother (especially with three young children!)

I tested the Beldray All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner in my three-bedroom home, which has hard flooring throughout the kitchen, conservatory, hallways and two bathrooms. I used it at least twice a day during the testing process instead of my usual Shark vacuum mop.

Unboxing, assembly and first impressions

The Beldray All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner arrived in a rectangular cardboard box, so it wasn't immediately obvious what was inside. It was light enough to carry myself, and upon opening it, I found a second cardboard box inside - this time branded with the product details.

After sliding off the outer sleeve, I noticed the packaging opened sideways rather than lengthways, which actually made it easier to see what was inside and remove the contents. While I can't say this is a factor I'd actively thought about before, it made a refreshing change.

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Inside, the base of the mop, handle and storage tray were slotted between moulded layers of cardboard and wrapped individually in plastic. 'LDPE 04' was printed on the packaging, and after a quick search, I discovered that while it is recyclable, it needs to be taken to a specialist collection point. This was a little disappointing from a convenience perspective, though I was pleased to see it wasn't entirely non-recyclable.

I was also glad to see the contents were minimal overall, consisting of the storage and charging tray, charger, main unit, handle and user manual. The manual itself was very detailed, with clear step-by-step instructions, which I appreciated.

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In terms of assembly, there really wasn't much to it, which I took as a big win. I inserted the mop handle into the main unit, which clicked into place easily. The base then slots onto the plastic storage tray, which has dedicated sections to neatly hold the accessories.

The floor cleaner is cordless - something I always favour - and there's a charging port on the side of the unit. The charger itself resembles a phone charger, which makes storage neater, but as someone who's always losing things, I did wonder how easy it would be to misplace.

As I always do after assembling a new appliance, I then took a moment to properly analyse the Beldray Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner. What struck me most was how sleek and lightweight it felt, and I particularly appreciated that the storage tray was compact enough not to take up much floor space.

The handle features three touch buttons - power, water flow and self-cleaning - with a sticker that describes the function of each mode, which I thought was a useful touch, too.

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Before first use, the manual instructs you to charge the unit for 5.5 hours, so I popped it onto the charging tray and plugged in the charger. The LED display flashes with a blue battery icon to indicate it's charging, and after around five hours, the indicator light switched off.

However, the lengthy charging time (noticeably longer than other vacuum mops I've tested) did make me think I'd need to get into the habit of charging after use to avoid being caught out mid-clean.

The clean water tank sits at the top of the unit, behind the handle. Again, there's a sticker on top of the water tank with a mini two-step user guide. To remove the tank, I pressed downwards and pulled it outwards to lift it away from the machine. It did require a little force, but still came away without too much effort.

I was impressed with the tank capacity - at 660ml, it's on the larger side compared to many similar hard floor cleaners - which suggested that I wouldn't need to worry about frequent refills during a clean. You can use water alone or a diluted, low-foaming floor cleaner in the tank.

As I've got young children, I try to keep things as chemical-free as possible, so I initially stuck with plain water. After filling, I inserted the tank back into the unit, which needed a gentle push, but overall the process was straightforward.

One minor gripe was that I couldn't find any details listed for the size of the dirty water tank. Based on my experience testing similar models, I'd guess it's roughly comparable in size to the Karcher FCV 3 I've previously tested.

Using the Beldray All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner

To get started, I placed one foot on top of the floor nozzle, pulled the handle towards me and pressed the power symbol. The power indicator light on the LED panel turned green, signalling that the floor brush was rotating.

As the kids had just finished breakfast, there was a trail of crumbs, spills and general mess to tackle, so it felt like the ideal testing ground. Straight away, the motor kicked in, and while it's certainly not quiet, I'd say it's no louder than other hard floor cleaners I've tested - it sounds similar to a regular vacuum.

I started by gently pushing the machine back and forth along the floor, and I was impressed with how smooth and lightweight it felt in use. The vacuum mop had no trouble picking up debris and spills, leaving behind a visible layer of moisture that dried within a couple of minutes. I've tested some vacuum mops where it's difficult to tell how damp the floors are, so I appreciated being able to clearly see the results.

When the vacuum mop is switched off, it continues to run for five seconds (and actually gets louder) to allow any excess water to pass into the dirty water tank and prevent the unit from dripping when moving back to the storage tray.

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The area by my conservatory doors is also a magnet for dirt and muddy footprints, and one I'm guilty of neglecting (especially at this time of year), so I was keen to put the vacuum mop to the test here. I'd not used the spray function yet, which allows you to toggle between the low and high flow, so given the stubborn, set-in dirt, I selected the high spray setting.

As the floors were particularly grubby, I also added a capful of diluted detergent into the clean water tank to see if there was a visible difference.

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Gliding the mop back and forth, I noticed that within the first pass, most of the marks had lifted. It also managed to get impressively close to the skirting boards, which isn't always a given with vacuum mops.

The main difference I noticed here was a more obvious layer of moisture left behind. The floor was still slightly damp an hour later, though I suspect it would have dried more quickly in warmer weather. I did notice that using the detergent left the floors looking and feeling fresher compared to water alone, though.

By this point, the water tank was empty - but considering I'd been using the higher spray setting, I was impressed with how long it lasted.

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I was also keen to see how it would handle a proper sticky mess, and once again, my toddler's post-ketchup party proved the perfect testing ground. I deliberately left the splatters to set in for an hour before tackling it. Impressively, most of it lifted in a single pass.

Cleaning and maintenance

One of the things I appreciated about the Beldray All-In-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner is how straightforward it is to keep clean. The manual recommends using the self-clean function after each use to remove any dirt and impurities from within the floor cleaner and around the floor brush.

I found this really convenient - a simple press of a button and the machine does most of the work, leaving the brush roll much less messy than with some other vacuum mops I've used.

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I was a little surprised to read in the manual that the roller brush can't be rinsed under running water. That said, the self-cleaning function makes maintenance quick and hassle-free.

The dirty water tank also needs to be emptied after each use, which is straightforward enough. I did find it needed a good rinse with soapy water, and I left it to air dry before popping it back into the machine.

There's also a foam filter on top of the dirty water tank, which should be removed and rinsed with warm water at the same time as the water tank.

How does it compare to similar models and its predecessors?

Beldray has previously released hard floor cleaners that wash and dry simultaneously, but the All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner is the first to feature a built-in vacuum, so it feels like a notable step up.

The Shark HydroVac Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner really impressed me during testing, and it's become my go-to ever since, so it's a natural comparison. Weight, run time and charge time are broadly similar, although the Shark can also be used on area rugs and door mats, and it feels slightly more advanced overall, thanks to features like LED headlights to illuminate hidden dirt. That said, it comes at a much higher cost - about £150 more.

I've also tested the Kärcher Floor Cleaner FCV3, which offers comparable credentials in terms of weight and ease of use. While its three cleaning modes add a little more versatility, it too has a higher price point.

It's also worth comparing the Beldray to the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge, which has been crowned Ideal Home's best overall vacuum mop. While the CrossWave isn't as lightweight and arguably not as easy to steer, it does include a dry-only vacuum mode and has the edge when it comes to cleaning power.

How does it rate online?

On Beldray's website, the All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner holds a 4.7-star rating, from 28 customer reviews. Users praise its cleaning power and value for money, although some found the run time quite short. It's worth noting that approximately one-third of the reviews were incentivised (which basically means the shopper received loyalty points in exchange for submitting feedback).

At the time of writing this review, 79 Amazon customers had left a review, rating it 3.9 stars. While many users describe it as effective and good value, the battery life and long charge time attracted more mixed responses. Opinions on its size are similarly divided - some find it quick and convenient, while others feel it's best suited to smaller spaces.

Beyond these platforms, the user feedback seems to be limited, and I couldn't find any further reviews.

Should you buy the Beldray All-in-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner?

When it comes to everyday cleaning, the Beldray All-In-One Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner is genuinely effective. In my home, it dealt with crumbs, sticky spills and muddy footprints with ease, making it ideal for busy households looking to cut down on cleaning time.

It's best suited for hard-sealed floors, and while it doesn't have the bells and whistles of more advanced vacuum mops, for the price, it punches above its weight. It does an impressive job of vacuuming and mopping at the same time, plus the self-cleaning function keeps ongoing maintenance refreshingly low.

The biggest drawback is the 5.5-hour charge time, which is worth factoring in if you plan to use it frequently. That said, I found the 25-minute run time ample enough to clean my downstairs floors in one go. Overall, it's a practical, time-saving option that delivers far more than its modest spec might suggest. It's earned a permanent spot in my cleaning cupboard.