The best wet-dry vacuums of 2024, tested and reviewed (2024)

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Wet-dry vacuums take two necessary house cleaning chores and allow you to do them at the same time. Yes, you read that right: you can vacuum and mop simultaneously with a wet-dry vacuum, cutting your floor cleaning time in half. Designed like an upright vacuum in both battery-operated and corded models or as a robot, the best vacuum mops have the capability to suction dirt, debris, and pet hair while also using clean water and a brush roll or mop pads to remove grime and stains.

For this guide, we tested the most popular wet-dry vacuums on the market for their ease of use, smart features, self-cleaning systems, water tank capacity, battery runtime, and of course, cleaning ability. We cleaned on different floor types and dirtied our floors with substances like ketchup, barbecue sauce, cereal, and coffee grounds to see how well each vac-mop cleaned up the mess. The Tineco Floor One S7 Pro came in as the best overall for its high-tech LCD display with an assistant that guides you through the most seamless and smooth cleaning experience you'll ever have. It may be expensive, but with the auto dirt detection technology, great edge cleaning, and multiple cleaning modes, your floors will be the cleanest they've ever been. For an entry-level budget pick, the Eureka New400 Cordless Wet Dry Vacuum impressed with its self-propulsion feature and ability to pick up most debris. While you may want to take a look at our guides for the best vacuums and best mops, rest assured that once you read our full review of the best wet-dry vacuums on the market, you're going to want one, too, to streamline your floorcare routine.

Our top picks for the best wet-dry vacuums

Best overall: Tineco Floor One S7 Pro - See at Amazon

Best budget: Eureka NEW400 Wet Dry Vacuum - See at Amazon

Easiest to clean: HiZero F500 All-in-One Bionic Hard Floor Cleaner - See at Amazon

Most Versatile: Ecowell Lulu Quick Clean P05- See at Walmart

Easiest to maneuver: Shark HydroVac Pro XL Cordless - See at Amazon

Best for pets: Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Multi-Surface Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner - See at Amazon

Best robot: Ecovacs DEEBOT X2 OMNI Robot Vacuum & Mop - See at Amazon

Best Overall

A big price tag on the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro might make you pause, but when you get this wet-dry vacuum in your hands, you'll see what the fuss is about. Tineco leads the way when it comes to the best mop-vacs. I've previously tested its predecessor, the Tineco Floor One S5, and was thoroughly impressed with its cleaning capability (the price wasn't too bad either). However, I noticed a few updates when I got my hands on the upgraded S7 Pro. The materials alone are more deluxe and better quality, from thick rubber wheels to the hard plastic body that looks like wood. Then there's the LCD screen that is outfitted with a Tineco Assistant, an animated character that utilizes instructional videos to show you how to set up and use the wet-dry vacuum. It informs you of everything from battery power to self-cleaning measures to take.

The self-propelling feature and a swiveling head make it easy to maneuver this wet-dry vacuum and reach tight spaces without having to move furniture. Edge cleaning has been improved on both sides of the vacuum head so that it reaches within one centimeter of a baseboard. The iLoop Smart Sensor detects dirt and stains on the floor that even the headlights can't show you and increases the suction as you go over the area. A "loop" on the LCD screen is colored red when the floor is dirty and then turns blue when the floor is clean. Most substances only need one pass, sometimes two, of the Tineco before the loop turns blue.

Switch between the four modes — auto, max, ultra, and suction — with a button on the handle. Max and ultra provide more water for tough stains, and the suction mode sucks up liquid spills. It generally took only one or two passes of the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro to pick up any kind of debris, liquid, or stain. I can verify that the dirty water tank was full of dark brown liquid by the end, which is both gross and highly satisfying.

There are two self-cleaning modes: a quick one that takes two minutes and a super self-cleaning mode that takes six minutes. The brush roll is also dried in this process, another upgrade from the Tineco S5. The battery lasted much longer than I needed to clean my house, and the clean water tank wasn't empty either. If only it could clean rugs.

Read our full Tineco Floor One S7 Pro review.

Best budget

Wet-dry vacuums are finally becoming more affordable without having to compromise on cleaning performance. The Eureka NEW400 Wet Dry can be used on all hard floor surfaces and is self-propelled with good water output. The edge cleaning and cleaning capability along the front of the vacuum head is a bit average in that there's about an inch of dry floor between the vacuum head and the wall. It picked up larger debris like cereal in one pass and dirt, coffee grounds, and liquid in two passes. More gooey substances, especially if they'd hardened on the floor, needed three to five passes of the vacuum to clean them thoroughly.

The battery lasts about 25 minutes, which was not long enough to get through my 1600-square-foot home. At least it saves battery when I paused cleaning and put it back upright. It takes about five hours for the battery to fully charge. The dirty water tank fills quickly, which means the clean water tank empties quickly.

The self-cleaning system is decent but not perfect by any means. I had to remove some hair and debris from the brush roll by hand. While we might not accept some of these drawbacks for more expensive wet-dry vacuums, it really isn't too much of a hassle to dispense dirty water and add clean water. It's worth noting that every single vacuum on this list requires some additional hand cleaning of brush rolls, filters, and the vacuum head, even after using the self-cleaning system, just to put things in perspective.

Easiest to clean

The Hizero F500 All-in-One Bionic Hard Floor Cleaner has a futuristic design that makes it stand out from other wet-dry vacuums. And that's not the only thing that sets it apart. Most wet-dry vacuums have soft microfiber brush rolls, but the Hizero has a spongy polymer roller that has to be soaked in water before use.

Rather than using suctioning technology like a vacuum, the polymer roller is designed like an animal, licking up liquids and solids so that it doesn't emit dust or allergens back into the air. It's why the machine doesn't have a filter. The roller also doesn't stain with dirt, grime, or other substances that otherwise get enmeshed into the fibers of a microfiber design. There's also a plastic brush roller in the floorhead that picks up hair, as well as a solid waste container where the vacuum separates large debris into the container so it doesn't mix in the dirty water tank. Some of the other wet-dry vacuums attempt to "separate" hair, dust, and debris within the dirty water tank with a type of filter, but typically I've found you'll still have to deal both with wet globs of hair and debris, and they're not completely separated from the dirty water. If it goes down your drain, you have to use the garbage disposal or the toilet. If only all wet-dry vacuums had a solid waste container, it'd make the clean-up process so much easier.

The self-cleaning system did as good of a job as any others on the list (which is about average). Thankfully, the brand provides some good cleaning accessories for the brush rolls.

The Hizero has a strong self-propulsion feature, and the head swivels easily. However, I found it tiring to move the vacuum in reverse and was disappointed that the Hizero doesn't seem to pick up debris when pulling back as well as it does when pushed forward. Edge cleaning, however, was great. The cleaner head was also quite tall and wide, which made it impossible for me to clean under cabinets and low profile areas. At least you can reach far under a bed as the Hizero can lay almost flat to the ground.

This vacuum leaves little water on the floor, which is surprising when we consider I had to fill up the nearly half-liter clean water tank twice to clean my 1600-square-foot house, which is most likely due to the fact that the polymer roller needs to be soaked. You don't have to worry about the wet-dry vacuum dying on you as it lasts nearly an hour, though unfortunately, without a digital display, you won't know how much battery is left in the Hizero. It only has a low battery indicator.

Most versatile

The Ecowell Lulu Quick Clean P05 can be used on hard floors and rugs which makes it particularly versatile. Although it doesn't come with a cleaning solution, this self-propelled wet-dry vacuum has the right kind of water output that doesn't soak your hard floors or your rugs — even when you're in Max mode. You can always use the extra water trigger if you need more water.

The edge cleaning is phenomenal, and the Ecowell Lulu picks up debris just as well going forward as it does backward on all types of floors. To be clear, when used on area rugs, this wet-dry vacuum suctions debris at the same time that it cleans the rug with water. Performance-wise, the Ecowell Lulu Quick Clean P05 picked up debris of all sizes with one or two passes on any floor type. Viscous substances took two to three passes, while liquids took one pass for the wet-dry vacuum to suction it up.

I wish the machine turned off when stood upright and that it had the capability to lean further back so she could reach more areas under beds and shelves. You'll get about 30 minutes of battery run time with a little bit of water still left in the tank by the time the battery dies. The Ecowell Lulu has both a self-cleaning system and a self-drying system, the latter of which is a feature typically found on pricier models. You'll have to press two separate buttons at the same time to start them up. Overall, we believe you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Ecowell Lulu Quick Clean P05.

Easiest to maneuver

If you're looking for a wet-dry vacuum that's easy to handle, look no further than the Shark HydroVac Pro XL Cordless. This lightweight wet-dry vacuum has a swivel head that can get into tight spaces whether it be on hard floor surfaces or rugs. Easily switch between hard floors and rugs with the push of a button on the LED display. The display also provides insight into the battery and the clean and dirty water tank levels.

With an antimicrobial brush roll, you don't have to worry about bacteria growing on the brush roll and then being spread throughout the house. The Shark did a lot better on hard floors when it came to debris and liquids, though required a few passes to clean sticky residues. While it can work on rugs, we'd stick to using it on hard floor surfaces since it left rugs slightly too damp. While the headlights aren't great, and the battery runtime is about 20 minutes, at least it keeps liquids and solids separate in the dirty water tank.

Read our full Shark Hydrovac Pro XL review.

Best for pets

The Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro Multi-Surface Wet Dry Vac may be corded and lacks self-propulsion, but it's particularly adept at cleaning. This wet-dry vacuum can vacuum and mop both hard floors and rugs and comes with multiple brush rolls and cleaning solutions for different floor types, including a tangle-free brush roll. Unlike some of the other wet-dry vacuums on this list, you control the amount of water and solution output with a trigger located on the handle. It's a bit tiresome to press the trigger, but pet owners may like the control over choosing how much water and solution is used to deep clean floors and rugs that may be more impacted by a pet.

The Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro fits easily under cabinets and has great edge cleaning. However, it doesn't do well picking up debris when going backward and could do better at suctioning water from the floor. It often left hard floors more wet (compared to the other wet-dry vacuums I tested), which meant that it took longer for the floors to dry.

When using the Bissell, you'll want to clean your rug first so that you know you're not bringing dirt and grime from hard floors onto the rug. A pet hair strainer inside the dirty water tank keeps pet hair and debris from mixing with the dirty water and makes it easily disposable.

Unfortunately, the cleaning process is probably the most involved on this list and not really a self-cleaning system in the traditional sense. You have to place the Bissell on the base, pour water on the base, and then turn on the machine and lean it backward so that the vacuum suctions the water from the base through the vacuum head. Bissell suggested you do this multiple times to clean the brush roll, but that was ineffective, and I had to hand wash the brush roll to get it clean.

Best robot

If you want to upgrade your robot vacuum to one that can do light mopping with minimal interaction on your part, you'll want to go with the Ecovacs DEEBOT X2 Omni Robot Vacuum & Mop. It's a super sleek (and, yes, expensive) square-shaped robot with an all-in-one docking station that hides the clean and dirty water tanks and the dust/debris sealed bag. This docking station has the ability to pull dirt and debris from the robot and clean and dry the mopping pads with hot water. The whole system is pretty hands-off, meaning your floor cleaning is almost completely automated.

The DEEBOT X2 Omni is easy to set up with the app, where you can adjust everything from the suctioning power to water output on the mop and schedule cleaning. A voice assistant that gives instructions and responds to your commands is a huge plus. The robot mapped the house very quickly. In fact, it doesn't need to go to every corner of the room to map it out. It can even identify things like couches and put them on the map.

In terms of cleaning, the DEEBOT X2 Omni does a great job, even if it doesn't vacuum in a gridded pattern but rather more haphazardly. It cleaned Cheerios and coffee grounds with no problem. I was even surprised that it was able to pick up some medium-sized leaves of plants, too. As a wet-dry vacuum robot, it's not able to go hard on tough stains, and it kind of moves around thicker substances like barbecue sauce on the ground. If I spilled anything liquid or otherwise on the ground, I wouldn't go to the DEEBOT to clean it. I'd grab a vacuum or a towel, clean up the mess quickly, and let the robot vacuum do its scheduled vacuuming and mild mopping every few days. The DEEBOT X2 Omni didn't run into objects and could recognize things that moved. When doing customized or spot cleaning, the robot quickly went to the area outlined and cleaned. You can also watch the robot work in real time through a live video on the app.

There were only a few drawbacks to the DEEBOT X2 Omni. While it does raise the mop pads when it goes on rugs, it can't pick them up high enough for the pads to not touch the rug completely, making us concerned that dirt and water could be spread on the rug. It did about an average job climbing over tall thresholds. There were a few times it couldn't find the cleaning station and only cleaned half the house when it was supposed to clean the whole thing. Some little technological glitches are expected of robots, but at least this one seemed to have fewer than most.

Read our full Ecovacs DEEBOT X2 Omni review.

What to look for when choosing a wet-dry vacuum

Multiple cleaning modes: The first thing you want to look for when buying a wet-dry vacuum is what kind of flooring it is designed to clean. Most all can be used on any kind of hard flooring. Some, however, can be used on rugs, which is a great bonus. From there, check to see if the wet-dry vacuum is outfitted with different cleaning modes, like a max or boost mode that allows more water and power output for a deeper clean. Some wet-dry vacuums have eco modes that save battery. In particular, you'll want a wet-dry vacuum that has the ability to suction liquid off the floor.

Power source: While most wet-dry vacuums are battery-powered, some are still corded. Ask yourself if an unlimited power source is most important to you or if you don't want the hassle of a cord. Look into how long the power cord is, and if it's battery-powered, the battery runtime. Be wary of brands that don't provide a battery runtime, as it generally indicates it's on the lower end.

Edge cleaning capabilities: How well a wet-dry vacuum can clean along the edges of the vacuum head is important. During our testing, we noticed that some vacuum heads leave a dry strip of floor half an inch or a full inch between the front of a vacuum head and the wall. Alternatively, if you went along the wall with the side of the vacuum and utilized edge cleaning, that dry strip of flooring might only be a centimeter in width. This is why edge cleaning is such an important element of a wet-dry vacuum. Otherwise, you'd be pulling out your mop to get those tight corners.

Self-cleaning systems: It may seem like all wet-dry vacuums have a self-cleaning system, but some are better than others. For instance, the Deebot X2 Omni has the best system among those listed above because it's entirely hands-free. It uses hot water to wash the mop pads, puts the dirty water in a tank, and even dries the mop pads, on top of removing the dirt and debris into a sealed bag in the docking station. Comparatively, the Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro is the worst because it requires you to put water in the docking station and then hold the machine at a certain angle while it pulls water through the vacuum head. At least Bissell tries to separate pet hair from the dirty water with a pet hair filter in the dirty water tank. Look for wet-dry vacuums that separate dirt and debris completely from the dirty water tank, like the Hizero, as it makes the cleanup process easier. Just remember that no matter the wet-dry vacuum, even if it has a self-cleaning and self-drying system, you'll need to promptly empty the dirty water tank, double check to make sure there isn't hair or dust stuck on the brush roll or in the vacuum head (there usually is), clean the air filter, and let the brush roll and air filter air dry for a whole day to avoid mildew growth.

Dirt-detect features: No matter if the wet-dry vacuum has an LED headlight or not, it can still be hard to detect dirt or stains on a floor. This is why wet-dry vacuums with dirt-detecting sensors are the most ideal, but are a sophisticated feature that costs a premium. Such wet-dry vacuums not only increase the suction when the floor is particularly dirty, but they'll also inform you — usually by colored lights on a digital or LCD display — that the floor is either clean or dirty and requires a few more passes of the vacuum or more water output to clean a stain.

How we tested the best wet-dry vacuums

I tested 12 wet-dry vacuums over the course of two months in my house, my parent's house, and even my brother's home so that I could try them out on various floor types, including tile, laminate flooring, rugs, and a mix of modern and historic hardwood flooring. I evaluated them according to the parameters detailed below. In addition to my own personal testing experience, I also received feedback from Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company, about what to look for in wet-dry vacuums and how to best use and take care of them.

Vacuuming and mopping ability: We tested each wet-dry vacuum for how well they picked up debris going forward and backward and along the front and edges of the vacuum head on different hard floor surfaces and rugs (if they could be used on rugs). Each wet-dry vacuum was used to clean various items or liquids like ketchup, mustard, cereal, hair, coffee grounds, and liquids. We paid special attention to how many passes it took to clean something off a floor, the suction capability, and the water output.

Battery runtime: Just because a brand says its product has a certain battery runtime doesn't mean that the battery will last that long. With each wet-dry vacuum, we monitored the battery runtime when it was used in the regular auto mode. Through subsequent uses, we also got a feel for how well the battery did on max or eco modes and kept that in mind when writing this guide.

Water tank capacity: Wet-dry vacuums have clean and dirty water tanks. It was imperative to test their capacity, for as Marla Mock, President of Molly Maid, says, "Larger [dirty water] tanks hold more liquid and debris, reducing the frequency of how many times you may have to empty the tank." Not only did we pay attention to how quickly the dirty water tank filled up, but we also took note of how many times we had to refill the clean water tank. While it's not too big of a hassle to empty dirty tanks or refill clean ones, they do interrupt the cleaning process. Dirty water tanks that fill too quickly could also indicate an excessive water output or some other issue with the machine.

Comfort and ease of use: A cleaning tool should be easy and comfortable to use, which is why this was an important feature to consider during testing. We compared wet-dry vacuums that had self-propulsion features and those that didn't, as well as paid attention to the way the vacuum heads swiveled, the smoothness of the wheels, grip, etc. Some were outfitted with apps or voice assistants that could make the wet-dry vacuums easier to use. We made sure that the technology wasn't too complicated for the average user to figure out.

Clean-up and maintenance: Perhaps the biggest drawback to wet-dry vacuums is the clean-up and maintenance they require — even those with self-cleaning and self-drying features. That said, some wet-dry vacuums have designs that make the process easier or at least less gross. We also determined whether the self-cleaning and self-drying features were efficient or not. Mock reminds us: "If not regularly cleaned, the vac can have a build-up of dirt, debris, etc. which can lead to poorer performance, unpleasant odors, and affect the overall effectiveness of the vac. All this can lead to a shorter lifespan of the wet-dry vacuum."

Wet-Dry vacuum FAQS

Can a wet-dry vacuum replace my vacuum?

According to Marla Mock, President of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company, "Wet/dry vacs and mops are all better suited to clean hard floors while vacuuming is better suited for rugs or carpets. If it's just a quick clean up, then wet/dry vacs are better since they combine the functionality of both vacuuming and mopping."

Some wet-dry vacuums can now be used on rugs, but most of them can't be used on carpet. So, if you have carpet, you'll absolutely need to keep a vacuum on hand. Vacuums are also multi-functional and can be used to clean cobwebs from the ceiling or used as a hand vacuum to clean messes on your couch. They're also perfect for cleaning up debris quickly, compared to a wet-dry vacuum that takes time to set up and use.

Do vacuum mops actually work?

As surprising as it may seem, vacuum mops do vacuum and mop at the same time, thereby cutting your house cleaning time down considerably. Some have more features than others that can assist with cleaning more efficiently, easily, or quickly.

Can I use detergent or a cleaning solution with my vac-mop?

Most of the vac-mops we tested come with a small bottle of cleaning solution. Typically, only a small amount of cleaning solution should be added to the water, such as a cap full. Some vac-mops have lines on the clean water container that showcase how much cleaning solution to add. It is not advised to use cleaning detergent or a solution that is not recommended by the vac-mop company itself. For that matter, you don't necessarily need to use a cleaning solution to clean your house with vac-mops every single time. Water is sufficient to clean your floors, especially hardwood.

Is a wet-dry vacuum better than a mop?

It's hard to say if a wet-dry vacuum is better than a mop — it's just different. With a mop, you have to expend a lot more energy and strength to remove stains on the floor. With a wet-dry vacuum, it does the work for you. Some, in fact, have ultra or max modes that expel more water and solution to help break down a tough stain. As Mock suggests, look for wet-dry vacuums with "higher wattage or horsepower, [as it] generally indicates better performances when dealing with wet messes."

That said, she advises folks not to get rid of their mop, as she believes it can provide a deeper clean than a wet-dry vacuum. "For a more thorough cleaning, vacuuming first and then using a mop can be more effective since vacuuming removes debris and dirt, and a mop can focus on removing stains and grime," she explains.

Now to be clear, wet-dry robot vacuums aren't going to give you as deep of a mopping experience as a regular wet-dry vacuum, but they'll keep your house fairly clean between deep cleaning sessions.

Are wet-dry vacuums safe to use on hardwood floors?

Yes, you can use wet-dry vacuums on hardwood floors as long as they're sealed. Some wet-dry vacuums have more water output than others, but among the ones we tested, the water output is not too significant to cause concern. That said, you don't need to mop your hardwood floors more than once a week. Always check to see that the wheels don't cause any scratches on your hardwood floors. That did not occur with any of the wet-dry vacuums we tested. However, we did find some wheels glided more smoothly on our hardwood floors than others, like the rubber wheels on the Tineco S7 Pro. Lastly, some cleaning solutions could damage your hardwood floors over time, so it's probably best to use the cleaning solution provided by the wet-dry vacuum only once a month.

Can you use a wet-dry vacuum on carpets?

A wet-dry vacuum will not replace the best carpet cleaners, and we don't recommend using the wet-dry vacuum for cleaning medium and high-pile carpets, but there are some models that can be used on low-pile area rugs like the Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro, Shark HydroVac Pro XL, and the Ecowell Lulu Quick Clean P05. They're designed to not soak the rug, but rather to use water and cleaning solution to clean the top fibers and suction some of the water into the dirty water tank. Quick pro tip: clean the rugs first before using the wet-dry vacuum on your hard floors to ensure that you're not moving dust and debris from the hard floors to the rugs.