bit-tech Shopping: Bissell Flip-it 5200 Vacuum

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Days

Strengths: It?s light weight to move around, it?s not very loud, a plus, and it cleans my tile floors exceptionally well.

Weaknesses: While I wish the holding tank and fresh water tank was larger, and the head a little wider, it would then make the machine heavier and more awkward to maneuver. So this unit is a compromise.

Summary: After two months with my new tile floors, I had to find a better way than just using a sponge mop and bucket for 1,800 square feet of tile. I first bought the Swifter wet mop but when I called the company they said that I should not use the liquid cleaner or the wet pads on my tile floor because if my grout has not been sealed it could change the color of my grout. I then bought a microfiber dust mop and a microfiber wet pad to fit on a retractable handle with an 18 inch head, and while the duster worked great for overall dusting, I found that holding my spray bottle of water in one hand, and then use my other hand to move the mop around was awkward. I read all of the reviews that I could find on the internet about many other machines; the Black and Decker Power mop as well as the Hoover Spin Scrub. Many said the Hoover Spin Scrub had good results but the machine was too loud. I decided to try the Bissell Flip Ease with a rechargeable battery pack wet/dry vacuum that has a limited amount of suction. I found that the sprayers shot out water from the head on to the front of my furniture and baseboards so I would have to keep it about a foot away from anything. Bissell said the battery pack is not replaceable, so I returned it back to WalMart. With my Flip-It, I decided to use my microfiber dust mop over my tile floors and then filled the container with warm water only, and I used the brush attachment to see how it would clean the tile and grout. I found that the brush attachment after spraying water on the forward stroke as I went back for the suction it did streak a bit, but as I continued to use the suction to dry the floor it seemed better. I then put on the microfiber pad and did another room and I found that the microfiber pad was much better, it seemed to spread the water more evenly over the tile floor and I did not have any streaking. Going from one room to another, I had to add water to the reservoir tank but found that with using two containers of fresh water, the dirty water tank held both so it was not that bad. I was amazed to see how dirty the water was since I dust mop each week and then wet mop. With the Flip-It, you can add more water and keep stroking back and forth until you know that you have a clean floor! I wanted to test the dry vacuum on my tile floors and so I did not dry dust mop my kitchen and one bathroom floor, I used the Flip-It to dry vacuum and then flipped it over to wet mop with the microfiber pad on the bottom and it was excellent. As others have reported when you dry vacuum and then go to wet mop the dirty water reservoir does have everything in it that you picked up from dry vacuuming, pet hair, lint, human hair, and anything that is on your floor. While this makes it a bit harder to rinse out the reservoir and clean out all the hair it is something that you have to do whether you use a broom, dust mop, sponge mop, etc. What I plan to do is dust mop with my microfiber mop to get under and around all the furniture legs, under the bed and in corners that you can?t reach with the Flip-It and then use the Flip-It in the wet mop function. While others say that they have had water leaking from the dirty water tank, I can only say that because the Flip-It pad does get wet, it can leave some water on the floor if sitting for some time. I plan to set the bottom on a plastic pan in case it does leak a bit. I would have to say that this machine is excellent, it is light weight and can move around easily, you can pick it up it the front with the handle and carry it to another room and while the head is only 12 inches wide it can get into smaller places whereas a larger head cannot. I like the idea of the water coming out from the bottom of the unit rather than spraying in front like the Swifter or the Flip Ease. I found the suction very good on the wet and dry vacuum function. My last test to see if this did clean my tile floors was my husband?s shoe test. Before cleaning the floors he would walk around the whole house with his bedroom slippers on, he would then take a wet piece of toweling and wipe the bottom of his slippers off and see dirt, then I would use the sponge mop, then a week later I would use the Microfiber wet mop, then the Swifter. After each test he would walk around the house again and used another wet piece of toweling and wipe off his slippers and each time we still had dirt on the toweling showing that these three methods were not the best way to get a tile floor really clean. The Flip Ease was better and the toweling had less dirt but not 100%. My last test was with the Flip-It 5200, and the bottom of his shoes had no dirt on them, the wet toweling was perfectly clean showing that the Flip-It is the best way to get any floor clean, now that is a scientific test!

Rating: 2

Time with product: 3 Months

Strengths: I haven't found them.

Weaknesses: Water either poors all over or it does not spray out at all.

Summary: I have had two of them. The first one, the water just ran out of it. The second, I can't get the water to spray the floor. I have called Bissell twice and both times was told to get a screw drive and take it apart. Now thats customer service!!

Rating: 6

Time with product: 5 Days

Strengths: Wet cleans better than manual cleaning with a mop & is fun to use

Weaknesses: Doesn't have good suction around edges, and is hard to manuever in small rooms

Summary: I was a bit disappointed with this cleaner. I had read great reviews about it & was mainly interested in purchasing a dry suctioning floor cleaner, one that would could get under beds, and around edges, & hopefully in tight spots. I had purchased an Eureka Quick Up Bagless Hard Floor Vacuum for only $20 a couple months ago & was quite pleased ...picked up as much dust & everything else as I?d get by sweeping or dust mopping, but I couldn?t get into tight places or under beds easily & hoped that a more expensive floor vacuum would offer more advantages. I thought that the additon of a wet floor cleaner would be a bonus, so I chose this one over another one that was for dry cleaning only, since costs were about the same.If you turn it over to test where its suctioning, it would appear that it?s not getting the edges of floors. I do like this vacuum?s sturdiness & wider spance of coverage, & it seems to be cleaning well when all is said and done.I don?t like the squeegee. It doesn?t work to dry the floor, for one thing, & I had a problem with it leaving transparent ?scuff marks? at first, although it seems to be working better now, maybe I didn?t have it snapped on right. On the positive side, this machine does make you feel like your getting your floors cleaner & the Bissell floor cleaning solution smells great. It sucks up the dirty water while you clean & I don?t know if it?s my imagination, but the floor looks better. But, I am having problems manuevering the vacuum while wet cleaning...there is an unexplainable drag & I have difficulting in a small room, such as the bathroom.On the whole, I don?t dislike this vacuum/cleaner, but it wasn?t what I hoped it would be.

Rating: 8

Time with product:

Strengths: Versatile functionality. Good power.

Weaknesses: Not recommended for regular carpet use.

Summary: This is a very powerful and versatile vacuum cleaner. When this is used as a dry vacuum, it excells most stick upright vacuums. Flip it, easily enough, then this becomes a sweeping mop with drying fuction. A little pricey (around $100) for a upright vacuum, but this finishes cleaning literally, by mopping. Even brush pad is included for heavily soiled area. Occasional carpet use is also satisfactory.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 4 Days

Strengths: It's light weight and cleans the floors great.

Weaknesses: If I go from cleaning the floors to vaccum,the dirty water container leaks. If I hold it upright when I flip it there is less leakage but still some.

Summary: I have a very bad back and needed a floor cleaner that was not complicated and light weight. My whole house is laminate and stone. I have 3 dogs and lots of children traffic. I'm thrilled that I can vac and mop up a mess from the dogs or kids with one machine and quickly. This product is just what I needed and I'm very happy with it except for one small problem. If I'm cleaning/moping the floors with the machine then flip it to vaccum, the dirty water container leaks. I noticed that there is not a rubber seal and that may be why. I also tried flipping it in an upright position instead of at a 90 degree angle and there was less leakage, but it still leaked. The trick was not to splash around the water when I flipped it. It works best if I vaccum first and then mop. When I'm doing the entire house, I vaccum with a different machine, then clean/mop with the Flip-It. FYI - I also drag a towel under both feet and dry the floor completely as I go along to prevent any possible damage to the floor from sitting water. I don't have to do that because the floors are only damp and dry quickly, but the kids and dogs are always around and I'd rather not have foot prints immediately.