Bissell’s new CrossWave model is the ultimate 2-in-1 appliance – I now use it more than my regular vacuum cleaner

Whether you know them as vacuum mops or multi-surface cleaners, there’s no doubt that these 2-in-1 appliances are here to stay. And the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge is one of the latest additions to this new realm of cleaning.

Designed to combine the power of the best vacuum cleaners with the best mops, I tested the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge in my home for three weeks to see how it would fare against everyday dirt and grime, Ideal Home-approved test scenarios, and my own high standards. My verdict? I'm impressed.

In a nutshell

Bissell’s CrossWave models are famous for a reason, with many homeowners investing in one to vacuum and mop hard floors simultaneously or simply vacuum area rugs in the home. And while there are many CrossWave models to choose from, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge is the latest addition to the pack. And its name is just a hint of what its impressive ZeroGap™ Technology can do.

Featuring a new roller that will reach right up to walls and skirting boards and 75% more suction than previous models, it's equipped to clean every inch of floors while picking up everything from regular dust and debris to tougher spills and stubborn dirt. And the separate clean and dirty water tanks mean that you’re only ever cleaning with the brand's natural (and pet-friendly) cleaning solution.

The 30 minutes of run time is more than enough to tackle the average home, and the self-cleaning function is both hands-off and efficient. In fact, I’ve fallen a little bit in love with this appliance during testing, and now use it as my dedicated downstairs cleaner in lieu of my vacuum cleaner (aside from the odd deep clean to vacuum stubborn dog hair, of course).

Sure, it’s not enough to let me ditch my vacuum cleaner completely, but it’s still drastically reduced my usage, which I have to applaud. My only real niggles are the ongoing costs to consider when buying the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge.

Specifications

• Weight: 4.81kg
• Max. run time: 30 minutes
• Bin volume: 0.63L clean water tank, 0.44L dirty water tank
• Charge time: 4 hours
• Modes: 3 (PowerVac, PowerMop, Turbo Mode)
• In the box: CrossWave OmniForce Edge, ZeroGap Multi-Surface Brushroll, Freshstart Antimicrobial Filter, Natural Multi-Surface Solution 236ml, 1 x Freshstart Clean-out Cycle Solution 236ml, Storage/ Clean-out Tray, User Guide
• RRP: £379.99

How I tested

Lauren Bradbury

I’m Lauren, Ideal Home’s House Manual Editor and Certified Expert in Training for Vacuums. It's my job to test all of the products related to floor care, including vacuums, mops, and vacuum mops.

I tested the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge in a three-bedroom home in Kent, consisting of hard flooring and two area rugs downstairs. I also live with a very mucky dog, so my floors constantly battle dirt and muddy paws.

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge arrived on my doorstep in a much smaller box than I anticipated. I had assumed that the appliance itself would be big and bulky as it combines the cleaning power of two separate appliances, but the box soon confirmed that it would be much more compact. Because of this, it was also incredibly easy to carry into my home, as it wasn’t too heavy either.

One thing that I did immediately spot, however, was that the main box itself was encased in plastic - something I didn’t think was necessary at all. The box alone would have been enough to protect the contents inside, not to mention that it would have also been much more eco-friendly.

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Nevertheless, I was eager to open it up, and I was pleased to see that everything was neatly packaged inside. The components were kept safe by cardboard shells within the box, but I was a little wary when I noticed that each individual component was then wrapped up in plastic. Thankfully, a quick Google search confirmed that this type of plastic CAN be recycled.

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So, I unwrapped everything and allowed myself a better look (and feel) of the individual components, and I must admit that I was impressed with the build quality. Everything felt sturdy and well-made, from the storage tray to the main unit itself. But despite this, it didn’t feel bulky or heavy.

As there were only a few components, it didn’t take me long to assemble it, either. I simply attached the handle to the main unit, popped it on the storage tray (which doubles up as the charging docking station) and placed it on charge for the recommended four hours.

Using the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge

When I first heard about the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge, I was intrigued to learn that the two cleaning modes (well, three if you count turbo mode) can be isolated. Most vacuum mops will only mop and vacuum at the same time, but the OmniForce Edge can either do that OR vacuum entirely on its own.

Testing the PowerVac mode

As Ideal Home’s Vacuum Expert, I’ve spent a lot of time testing traditional vacuums. And using the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge in the vacuum-only mode was just like testing another big brand. To use this mode, you just need to turn it on and tilt it to get the rollers moving - and without any water in the tank, the rollers then work hard to lift any debris on hard floors and rugs.

Bissell doesn’t recommend using this on full-size carpet, but as the whole downstairs of my home consists of hard flooring and area rugs, it essentially meant that I could use this one appliance to clean an entire floor of my house without having to switch between my regular vacuum cleaner (the Dyson Gen5detect) and my mop.

And while I tested it on everyday debris and was suitably impressed with its pickup power, I really wanted to get down to the nitty-gritty of the edge cleaning the brand is so proud of. So, I sprinkled some coffee grounds onto my floor and pushed them right into the edge to suck up.

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Amazingly, the 2-in-1 appliance had no trouble getting every last grain, even those that had tucked themselves underneath the wooden trim of my laminate flooring.

I then moved onto my rugs, and could see it had picked up a lot of debris and dog hair lying on the surface. And while I will say that the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge doesn’t compete with the best vacuums for pet hair and won’t replace a traditional vacuum entirely, it’s certainly an alternative to regular vacuum cleaners for quick whizz-arounds. That’s what I have been doing for the past three weeks, and I’ve only used my actual vacuum cleaner twice during this testing period. Previously, I would use it once or twice a week.

It’s worth noting that you should always empty the dirty water tank mode after every use in PowerVac mode, as you don’t want to add water to a tank full of dust and hair. Thankfully, I didn’t make this mistake, but I imagine it could be pretty easy to make.

Testing the PowerMop Mode

Next, I wanted to test the PowerMop mode, so I removed the clean water tank and filled it with warm tap water to the fill line before topping up with the cleaning solution to the formula fill line. Then, I popped the clean water tank back in its home, turned it on, reclined the machine, and pressed the Cleaning Mode button (the middle one that looks like a water droplet) to choose the mop mode.

It takes around 10-15 seconds for the machine to grasp what you want from it and for the brush roll to get sufficiently wet enough to mop your floors, but this went pretty quickly. During this time, I also got the chance to whiff the scent of the pet-friendly cleaning solution provided - and it was delicious.

This scent quickly spread as I mopped the whole downstairs of my house, and I found that the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge was easy enough to manoeuvre, leaving behind wet tracks that proved it had been cleaning, but not so wet that my floors felt soaked by the end of it. In fact, they were dry in just five minutes.

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Once again, the edge cleaning technology wowed me, especially in my kitchen. Even in mop mode, I could see that the rollers were actively pulling food debris and crumbs towards it, even if they were right up to the edge of the baseboards. Considering I usually struggle to get right into these nooks and crannies, I was seriously impressed with this feature, and my floors felt (and smelled) clean afterwards.

However, as part of how we test products at Ideal Home, I also wanted to put the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge through its paces on tougher debris to mimic everyday scenarios. And while I don’t have children myself, I know from family and friends that mealtimes can get messy and that an appliance like this one should (technically) be a saving grace.

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So, I cracked an egg on the floor, squirted some tomato sauce next to it, and finished by throwing a mixture of milk, oats, and rice on it too. I then set it to PowerMop mode and pushed it towards the egg first.

I was amazed to see that it picked up the eggy debris without any problems at all, and from the video at the top of the page you can see that the suction power actually sucked the yolk towards it before the roller itself had the chance to go over it. As I pushed it further along, it also had no problem with the thicker, sticky ketchup or the mixture of wet and dry debris of the milk, oats, and rice.

All it took was one pass to pick everything up, and although the dirty water tank was suitably dirty by the end of it, my floors were cleaner than ever with no residual odours, either.

Cleaning and maintenance

I’ve tested enough vacuum mops now to know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to cleaning and maintenance, and Bissell has got it right with this new product. After using the PowerMop mode, you just need to empty the dirty water tank and clean it out. Then, you can run the dedicated Clean-Out Cycle.

This is easy enough to do, and can be done by pouring a bit of the Freshstart Clean-out Cycle Solution into the dip on the docking station, placing the appliance on it, and then pressing the button on the top of the handle. When the cycle’s finished, you can then remove the roller, place it in its dedicated holder and allow it to dry before using it again.

You’ll then need to empty the dirty water tank again, and one thing I will give this appliance serious credit for is that it's extremely efficient. There’s a strainer within the dirty water tank that catches all of the hair and larger pieces of debris (which can simply be lifted out and tapped against the bin), and you can then remove any lingering debris from the mesh screen of the lid and the filter by running them under the tap.

On the other hand, if you use the PowerVac Mode, you just need to empty out the debris like you would any other vacuum cleaner.

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However, my only real negative with this appliance is the fact that each cleaning session requires a lot of Bissell's cleaning solution, and I actually ran out during my three-week testing process. Granted, I did put it through a fair amount of testing alongside everyday use, but I still think this is something people need to consider, as buying new bottles from the Bissell website can be costly.

Bissell also recommends that you replace the filter every three months, and I imagine you’ll also need to replace the roller after a couple of months too. And although the model doesn’t come with a spare, at the time of writing, I can’t find one on the website either. So, this is something to consider in the long run.

How does it compare to similar models?

In the past, I’ve tested similar models like the Tineco FLOOR ONE S5 Smart Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum Cleaner and Mop and the Dyson WashG1. However, they have all had their own quirks, which can make them hard to compare.

For example, the Tineco and the Dyson were both primarily hard floor cleaners that just so happened to suck up dry debris too. Neither of them could clean rugs, and they only really had the one mode - rather than the isolated vacuum-mop or vacuum modes of the Bissell. In that sense, the Bissell does beat them.

However, I do think that this also puts the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge at a bit of a disadvantage, as you’d expect an appliance with a vacuum-only mode to be able to tackle carpets as well. If that were the case, I’d easily give it a perfect 5-star review. The fact that it promises a lot but still won’t fully replace a vacuum cleaner is a bit of a let-down.

That negative is very specific to my home, though, as I do have a lot of carpet. For those with limited carpet or those with no carpet at all, I do think the Bissell is still superior to the others I've tested in terms of power and cleaning features.

In terms of price, they’re all roughly the same, with the exception of the Dyson, which will set you back a whopping £599. However, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge retails for £379.99, while the Tineco has an RRP of £399.99. So, the Bissell is pretty standard in the grand scheme of things.

How does it rate online?

At the time of writing, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge has a total of 42 reviews on the Bissell Website and an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. Customers praise how slim the appliance is (and therefore quite easy to store), and how well it cleans their hard floors and rugs. They also state how easy and manoeuvrable it is to use, and how impressive the edge technology is.

However, some customers have struggled with the price of replacement rollers and cleaning solutions, and questioned the longevity of the rollers. In general, though, the reviews are all extremely positive.

Should you buy the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge?

I test a lot of floorcare appliances at Ideal Home, and while it’s my job to put these products through their paces for the sake of these reviews, I also like to end my reviews by questioning whether I would personally keep using the product in my home. And the proof is in the pudding with the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce Edge, as I am still using it today - even after the testing process has ended.

Its impressive mopping power, ability to vacuum rugs, clean right up to the edges of rooms, and self-cleaning function have won me over, and it’s become my go-to for cleaning the downstairs of my home. This, coupled with the fact that it’s pretty affordable for a vacuum mop, means that I would happily recommend it to friends, family… and you.

I think it’s a worthy investment if you have a lot of hard flooring and area rugs in your home, as it makes cleaning quick and efficient, and its sleek, slimline design means it’s not hard to store either. If you don’t have a lot of hard flooring and have a largely carpeted home, though, you might want to stick to a regular mop and vacuum as you probably won’t get enough use out of it.