All Floor One, One Floor All

This is neat, because I actually bought one of the Shark HydroVacs we sold previously, and while this is not the exact same model, it’s similar enough that I can share some thoughts.

So, here are those thoughts:

Why did I buy it?

Simply put, I live in a home with more hard floors than carpet, and I just HATE mopping.

And it’s not exactly the actual mopping part. It’s all the bullshit involved with mopping: sweeping the floor, moving stuff around, getting the bucket set up, disposing of the nasty water afterwards, et cetera. I wanted something that cut at least a few steps out.

Did it live up to its promise?

Yes, mostly.

Now, real talk. This thing is not a mop replacement. Saying it “mops” at all is a little misleading. Yes, it has a soft brush roll, and yes, it sprays cleaning liquid. But that doesn’t make it a mop.

Really, it’s more like a motorized wet Swiffer that also sucks up stuff as it goes. And this makes the difference. For me, at least. It’s sorta like having to unload the dishwasher before you do the dishes in the sink. Does it take a ton of time? No. But it’s a mental thing. You have to do a thing? Before you do the thing you have to do? WTF?!

This thing allows you to get straight into the task at hand.

Is there some debris under the high chair? Doesn’t matter. Did you shift the couch and unearth a field of cat hair? No problem. Plug it in, turn it on, let it rip.

In other words, there are fewer things that will make you say, “Forget it, I’ll just deal with this tomorrow.”

But again, it’s not a full-blown mop replacer. It is, however, a stopgap that allows for less frequent full-blown mopping sessions.

And it cleans itself??

Sorta.

To be honest, I own a single product I would describe as truly self-cleaning, and it’s my cat. (And that’s if you don’t consider her boxes.)

Based on my experience, here’s how it goes with this thing: you finish cleaning, empty out the tank of disgusting water and debris, and then click things back into place, run the self-cleaning, and then empty a bit more disgusting water and debris. So, there are steps, and the steps are gross, but it beats taking the whole thing apart and cleaning it with a brush and stuff.

(Oh, and be sure to scrub the brushroll every time to avoid serious stink; I forget who mentioned this in the forum of a previous sale, but thank you, whoever you are!)

But how does it work as a normal dry vacuum?

In my opinion, not the best. I run mine over welcome mats and the like, but I would be wary of having this as my only vacuum. Which is why I’m glad I bought a refurbished one here for under a hundred bucks instead of a new one for $250.

What’s the final verdict?

It’s good and useful, especially for this price. Buy it if, like me, you hate mopping.