I tested Kärcher's new vacuum mop in my busy family home – it's simplified my cleaning routine and I'm officially converted

If, like me, you live in a busy household, chances are you're constantly cleaning your kitchen floors too. So when I got my hands on the new Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3, I was keen to see if it could save me valuable time and simplify my cleaning routine.

After testing it for three weeks around my three bedroom home, I was really impressed and I'd go as far to say I think it can give the best vacuum mops (a mix of the best vacuum cleaners and the best mops) a run for their money.

In a nutshell

I'm already a big fan of Kärcher – its Multi Up & Extra Steam Mop is one of my go-to's – so I had high hopes for this one. And after putting the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 through its paces, I can honestly say it's a real timesaver for hectic homes. It does a great job of combining vacuuming and mopping, making everyday spills and messes much quicker and easier to tackle.

The design is sleek, lightweight, and genuinely easy to use, so it's perfect for quick touch-ups without having to pull out a full-size mop and vacuum (and what's better, you don't need to use as much elbow grease!). It also has three cleaning modes, including a Dry Mode that's turned out to be the solution I didn't know I needed after the kids' bath-time.

The roller can struggle picking up bigger bits, and the clean and dirty water tanks aren't huge so you'll need to keep on top of refills. That said, it doesn't guzzle cleaning solution, which makes it more economical. And while the 30 minute run charge isn't the longest out there, it's still plenty for day-to-day cleaning, and the handy docking station makes charging simple.

All in all, I think I've found the perfect solution for keeping on top of everyday mess. It's super convenient, quick and easy to use and impressively effective on hard floors. Plus, there's no waiting around for them to dry – they can be walked on straight away.

How I tested

Rebecca Lawton

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 Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 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.

Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 product specs

• Weight (without accessories): 3.8kg
• Dimensions (L x W x H): 1138 x 268 x 280 mm
• Max run time: 30 mins
• Clean water tank capacity: 800 ml
• Dirty water tank capacity: 425ml
• Modes: 3 (Standard, Dry and Advanced Power)
• Charge time: 3 hours
• In the box:  FCV 3 vacuum mop, multi-surface roller, natural floor cleaner detergent, cleaning brush, charging base, flat pleated filter
• RRP: £269

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 arrived in the brand's distinctive bright yellow cardboard packaging. Although it was quite big, it was light enough to carry myself. On reflection, the box could have been a bit more compact, but everything was securely packaged and well protected.

Opening the box, I was greeted with a layer of moulded cardboard, with some of the parts, accessories, and the instruction manual slotted neatly between the grooves. Below that, sat the base of the mop and docking station, and the cleaning solution. Each component was individually wrapped in plastic – and thankfully I didn't need to spend any time searching whether the packaging was recyclable, as it was clearly marked as '50% recyclable'.

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Once everything was out of the box, I unwrapped the cordless vacuum mop, handle, cleaning station, clean water tank, detergent and cleaning brush. There was also a product registration booklet and an instruction manual.

Assembling the unit was pleasantly straightforward. The handle slotted easily into place on top of the base, and the unit clicked neatly onto the cleaning station. The clean water tank reminded me of a sports water bottle, and it's fitted with a plastic screw lid.

I thought it was on the small side, but I filled it with warm water and a capful of the included detergent. I was pleased to see it only needed a small amount, as floor care appliances often take a lot of solution, so this felt like it would be more economical to run. The floor cleaner is also completely natural; it's vegan, and free from any hidden nasties which is reassuring with small children running around at home.

The clean water tank sits underneath the handle. I simply slotted it into position and turned it until it clicked into place. And all in all, the whole assembly process only took a couple of minutes.

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Once the set up was complete, I took a moment to view it properly and I was impressed with how sleek but sturdy it felt. It definitely looked more like a mop than a vacuum, and the cleaning station it sits on is also neat and compact, so it doesn't take up much space.

Before I got started, I fully charged the device – once it's plugged into power the LED display on the handle has a battery icon that flashes green to indicate it's charging. After three hours, it was fully charged and ready to use.

There was a QR code on the packaging too, which takes you to Kärcher's Home & Garden app. I was expecting a bit more from it, but after scanning the device's code, I found the content fairly limited. The app includes details of the accessories and an online copy of the manual, which is quite handy, but overall it's quite basic. Unlike some smart household appliances, you can't control or adjust any of the settings through the app. That said, the app does include various general cleaning advice blogs.

Using the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3

The Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 has three modes – Standard Mode, Dry Mode and Advanced Power Mode. I tested Standard Mode first, which is designed for everyday cleaning, and it uses a balanced water flow and suction power.

To get started, I stepped on the footprint icon on the floor nozzle, pulled the handle towards me and pressed the power button. And the first thing I noticed was the sound. It's louder than I was expecting, yet still on par with my regular vacuum.

Straight away, though, I was struck by how smooth and easy to manoeuvre the vacuum mop was. It glided effortlessly over my floors, and I could instantly see dirt and crumbs lifting from my kitchen tiles, which I found quite satisfying to watch.

When using the Standard Mode, the floors were left only slightly damp, but much drier than with a regular mop. I actually had to crouch down to check as there was no visible moisture, and within a couple of minutes they were completely dry.

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My conservatory floors are also a magnet for muddy prints and dirt, making it the perfect place to test both the mopping and vacuuming power, too. In just a couple of passes, the mess was gone and the floors were looking refreshed.

After switching it off, the vacuum mop continues to run for five seconds (and actually gets louder) as it flushes out any remaining water and debris from inside, which is completely normal.

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One place the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 really impressed me was in my hallway. I'll be honest, I don't really dedicate enough time to cleaning this part of the house; I'll run the vacuum round but very rarely do I bother to mop.

Let's just say, I was embarrassed by how much grime and debris the dirty water tank filled! Having a cleaning tool that can automatically mop and vacuum a high-traffic space like that feels like a real game-changer and the floors were gleaming afterwards.

I then put the 'Dry Mode' to the test in my bathrooms, particularly after my kids' bath-time when the floors usually resemble a mini water park (IYKYK). In just a couple of passes, the water had lifted, leaving the floors only very lightly damp – which dried completely within two minutes. Considering I normally have to grab a bath towel to mop up the excess water, this is one room the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 is going to make a huge difference.

After general cleaning, I then carried out a few controlled tests to see how the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 would handle bigger spills.

I scattered a handful of porridge oats and a few dollops of pasta sauce on the floor, before switching on the vacuum mop to Advanced Power Mode. After the first pass, it had suctioned up most of the mess, and apart from the odd stubborn porridge oat, it only took another couple of passes to completely clean the area. I'd expected the floor to be much damper, but it was still only very lightly moist, which really impressed me.

That said, soon after a blockage warning appeared on the LED display, and after closer inspection, I could see some of the porridge oats had clogged up between the nozzle and roller. It wasn't difficult to clear, but it did suggest the vacuum mop can struggle with larger bits of debris or stickier mess.

Still, it didn't leave behind any unpleasant smells which was a bonus. In fact, I couldn't really smell the cleaning solution, unlike many which tend to carry that typical chemical odour.

The Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 can also be used on low-pile rugs and carpets, but it's worth noting that the manual clearly states the device is not intended to replace a regular vacuum. I tested it in Dry Mode on my conservatory rug and while the suction was decent enough for a quick once-over, it's definitely better suited to hard floors.

Cleaning and maintenance

Cleaning the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 is really simple, and thanks to its self-cleaning function, there's very little manual effort involved. After use, I just popped it onto the charging station, filled the clean water tank (no cleaning detergent needed), and pressed both cycle buttons at the same time. The machine then kicked into action.

The noise level did take me by surprise as it rinsed the roller and flushed all the dirt and debris into the dirty water tank, though.

The process took just over a minute, and by the end, the dirty water tank was already full, with the indicator light flashing to let me know it was time to empty it. To do so, I pressed the release button at the front of the tank, removed the cover and poured the dirty water away. I used the cleaning brush which was useful to get rid of the stubborn debris, and hairs that tended to get caught in the tank.

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The floor nozzle also needs cleaning occasionally. The manual doesn't advise how frequent, but I did it when I could see it was looking a little discoloured. Two release covers on the floor nozzle can be pulled inwards to remove the nozzle cover, and the cleaning roller can be unlocked by turning the knob counter clockwise. I ran the roller under water, before popping it on the roller holder on the cleaning station to dry.

Once dry, it clicked back into place on the unit easily, so it was a straightforward process. Overall, cleaning the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 is simple enough that it doesn't feel like a chore, which is a bonus when time is tight.

How does it compare to similar models and its predecessors?

The Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 is part of the brand's new collection of vacuum mops released earlier this year. The FCV 3 sits above the entry-level FCV 2 (£199 at Kärcher), offering an extra cleaning mode and slightly longer battery life, and the more premium FCV 4 (£299.9 at Kärcher), which boasts stronger suction and more accessories.

Our team has tested their fair share of vacuum mops as their popularity has surged, too. The Kärcher FCV 3 is quite similar to the Tineco Floor One S5 Smart Cordless Wet-Dry Vacuum in terms of design and battery life, although the Tineco model offers more smart technology features.

The Tefal X-CLEAN 4 Cordless Wet & Dry is another comparable model we've tested which offers many of the same features, including three cleaning modes. It's longer battery life of 50 minutes, makes it a more suited choice for bigger spaces or anyone looking to cut down on charging time.

How does it rate online?

On Amazon, the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 has 20 reviews and an overall rating of 4.6 stars. The reviews come from customers who are impressed with its cleaning abilities, with many claiming it has completely transformed their floors. The battery life received mixed feedback, some felt 30 minutes was enough for a cleaning session, while others wished it lasted longer.

On Very, the product also has 20 reviews and a rating of 4.6 stars. Users praise it for being lightweight and easy to use, though some notice it can be tricky getting into tight spaces and that charging takes a while.

And on the Kärcher website, it holds a 4.7 star rating from 19 reviews. Many of these appear to be incentivised and mirror the Amazon reviews, so they may not provide entirely independent feedback.

Verdict: Should you buy the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3?

There's no shortage of vacuum mops on the market, but I think the Kärcher Floor Cleaner Vacuum FCV 3 stands out as one of the best. It's quick and easy to use, making it a great choice for anyone looking to reduce cleaning time without compromising on results.

While it won't replace a normal vacuum, and the smaller tanks mean you'll be refilling and emptying more often, it more than makes up for it in convenience. The three cleaning modes – especially the handy Dry Mode for bathrooms – are a real game-changer for busy households, and the quick drying time is a big plus.

Overall, it feels like a practical, well-designed vacuum mop that takes the faff out of cleaning floors. It's not the flashiest, or most high-tech but it's genuinely made my cleaning routine simpler, and dare I say, made it more enjoyable. I'm sold!