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We’re always looking for items that can make cleaning quicker and easier, and there are secret weapons designed to check both of those boxes: the best wet-dry vacuums. So, why this appliance? We share its perks in detail below, but in essence, the cleaning capabilities go far beyond your typical vacuum or manual mop. The best cordless stick vacuums are battery operated and provide freedom from pesky cords, but they don’t typically offer a mopping feature. Meanwhile, robot vacuums provide hands-free cleaning, and most can even be operated remotely via smartphone. However, many aren’t as cross-functional for entire home cleaning. carpet cleaning equipment
Wet-dry vacuums let you pick up dirt and debris and tackle stains on hard floors at the same time. With the latest innovations in this vacuum type, you can also score both cordless stick and robot models to fit your home’s needs. We tested several of them to find the best wet-dry vacuums to keep your floors in shipshape.
Several years ago, the original Roborck Dyad was the first wet-dry cordless stick vacuum that I ever tested—and I love it. The Roborock Dyad Pro improves on the original (which has a self-cleaning feature) by adding an auto-drying function that dries the rollers to keep mold and odors at bay. It also provides automatic detergent dispensing, and I can add the solution directly to the designated cartridge (compared to the original which required diluting the solution first). Another upgrade is the ability to use the Robooorck app to start or even schedule the self-cleaning and self-drying functions remotely. All of these upgrades make it even easier to quickly and conveniently vacuum and mop hard floors. The bi-directional wet-dry vacuum also has multi-rollers and easily glides back and forth. Plus, this allows the vacuum to clean right up against walls and baseboards. The smart sensor also automatically adjusts both the water flow and cleaning power when it detects the floor’s dirt level. I also appreciate the helpful voice alerts, like “empty the dirty water tank.”
Our runner-up choice is the Shark HydroVac MessMaster Cordless Wet Dry Vacuum. It can also vacuum and mop hard floors (and low-pile area rugs), and it self-cleans. The vacuum does a great job of picking up dry messes (like coffee grounds), as well as wet messes (like cereal and milk). I appreciate the ability to change the water flow from “Everyday” mode to “Area Rug” mode as needed. The vacuum functions quite similarly to the Roborock Dyad Pro, but that vacuum won out due to the longer battery life (43 minutes versus 20 minutes) and because the Shark lacks dual rollers and a self-drying feature. However, it's a close second because the brushroll cleans itself while I’m using it, and when I put the vacuum cleaner on the dock, the rinse system self-cleans the vacuum thoroughly. In addition, the LED smart display lets me view the remaining battery life as well as the water tank levels. LED headlights let me view hidden debris in corners.
No LED light on brushroll
If you have pets, the Eureka RapidWash Cordless Wet Dry Vacuum is an excellent choice. It has a tangle-free design that resists pet hair getting wrapped around the brush roll as a result of the comb-toothed scrapper. Also, the close edge-cleaning gets me as close to the wall or baseboard as possible. With its strong mopping power, the vacuum cleaner easily removes both wet and dry messes, and since it’s self-propelled, it’s easy for me to maneuver. It also has quite a lightweight design. The LED display shows the various modes, including the Eco Mode that saves water and power, and the Turbo mode used for more in-depth cleaning. The LED display also shows the battery level, any error messages, and more. The self-cleaning system removes dirt and debris from the roller brush, and the self-drying system automatically engages after the self-cleaning system to thoroughly dry the roller brush and keep it clean. In addition, the voice prompts, like “Start self-cleaning mode” are quite helpful when I’m not paying attention.
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is the most expensive wet-dry vacuum on our list, but it’s also—by far—our most versatile pick. In fact, it overcomes the limitations of most cordless stick wet-dry vacuums. That’s because, as a general rule, a cordless wet-dry vacuum is only designed for hard floors, and maybe lightweight throw rugs. However, the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine combines the functionality of a cordless stick vacuum with a hard floor mopping feature. This means that the vacuum feature can be used to vacuum carpets, hard floors, and throw rugs. It has an actual dust bin, along with three cleaner heads. The illuminated cleaner head has a soft, fluffy brush bar, and the headlight makes it easy to see debris usually missed by the human eye. The digital motorbar cleaner head can be used on hard floors, carpets, and rugs.
The vacuum cleaner can also be easily configured into a handheld vacuum cleaner. The crevice tool (for tight spaces), combination tool (with wide nozzle and brush), and hair screw tool (for removing hair from small spaces above floor level) can be used to clean upholstery. Since I have leather sofas and chairs, I use the hair screw tools to clean the dashboard and carpet in my tiny sports car.
There’s also a swappable submarine wet roller head with a clean water tank and a dirty water tank. I use this to mop hard floors (and Dyson is one of the few companies that does not recommend a proprietary cleaning solution). The beauty of this design is that all of the water is contained in the separate wet roller head, so I can remove it, attach one of the other roller heads, and dry vacuum in other parts of my home. Also, the LCD screen conveniently shows battery life, maintenance alerts, and power modes.
If you prefer a hands-free wet-dry vacuum cleaner, the Roborock Saros 10 Robot Vacuum can vacuum carpet and also vacuum and mop hard floors. If you have pets—or long hair—it has a dual anti-tangle system that removes hair and keeps it from getting twisted in the brush roller. The robot vacuum has a DuoDivide main brush as well as a FlexiArm riser side brush, and combined with the 22,000Pa suction power, it does quite an impressive job of removing debris. Also, the dual sonic mopping system vibrates 4,000 times a minute for an intense cleaning—and the mop water heats up to 176 degrees F to kill germs on the floor. I love the idea of using one vacuum to cover both carpet and hard floor areas, and the Roborock Saros 10 is smart enough to detect when it’s on carpet and will not engage the mopping function. Obstacle recognition allows the robot vacuum to detect and avoid items that I’ve left on the floor. Other standouts? It connects to the Roborock App and also responds to voice commands.
Tineco makes several wet-dry vacuums. This is our favorite because it’s a combo deal that lets you get two vacuums in one (although you can choose to just get the Tineco Floor ONE S7 wet-dry vacuum by itself.) What makes the Tineco Floor ONE Switch S7 so unusual is that it includes one battery that can be swapped out between the wet-dry vacuum and the floor washer. The ultra-slim cordless stick vacuum cleans debris on carpet and hard floors and features an LED headlight for added visibility. The iLoop detects the debris level and adjusts suctions accordingly, and it has a zero-tangle brush to prevent hair clogging. The cordless stick vacuum converts to a handheld vacuum cleaner that can be used with the crevice tool and combination tool to vacuum upholstery and other areas. The floor washer recycles dirty water and uses fresh water to clean hard floors. The floor washer is also self-cleaning and drying. It heats water to 158 degrees Fahrenheit to clean the pipe and brush roller, and then dries at 158 degrees Fahrenheit to remove odors and avoid mold growth.
Most of the cordless stick wet-dry vacuums on our list will vacuum and mop at the same time. However, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce can dry vacuum as well, so I can use it as a regular vacuum or vacuum and mop simultaneously. The tangle-free technology eliminates the chances of hair getting wrapped around it, and Turbo mode can be used when I hit a higher level of debris. The display window lets me view remaining battery time, suction level, fluid level, and notifications like when the clean tank is empty or the dirty tank is full. The machine also beeps to provide audible alerts when there’s a problem. In addition, there are two tanks to keep the clean water separate from the dirty water. The self-cleaning mode makes it easy to keep the vacuum clean, although it is not self-drying.
From the best Amazon vacuums to the best vacuums for hardwood floors, AD editors and contributors try out appliances in their homes year-round to find options worthy for your space—and the same goes for this story. Read on to find out how these tried-and-true wet-dry vacuums were tested:
The wet-dry vacuums in our list were tested on a mix of hardwood floors (kitchen, bathroom, and landing) and carpet (living room, bedrooms, and stairs). The robot vacuums were tested on both types of flooring as well as on throw rugs, while the wet-dry stick vacuums were mainly used on hard surfaces.
On the hardwood floors in the kitchen, the vacuum cleaners were tested on a variety of items, ranging from cereal and milk to coffee grounds and rice. The suction quality was based on how efficiently the vacuum cleaners were able to remove these messes from the floor (one pass, two passes, or more) and how efficiently they removed stuck-on or embedded messes.
In the bathroom, the vacuum cleaners were rated on how well they remove water. The robot vacuums were also evaluated on how well they vacuum carpets and throw rugs, removing dust and debris.
Both cordless stick and robot vacuums were tested on how well they maneuver around furniture, into corners, and up against baseboards.
Many vacuums were assessed based on user-friendly features like self-cleaning functions. For vacuums that did not have this feature, we gauged the difficulty level of cleaning the vacuum. We also determine if vacuum instructions, directions, and visual and audio alerts are easy to understand.
If you’re looking for a wet-dry vacuum, it’s important to understand what it can and cannot do—depending on the model you select. Here are key factors to keep in mind:
As a general rule, most wet dry cordless stick vacuums are most effective when vacuuming and mopping hard floors—unlike the best regular cordless stick vacuums, which can remove dry debris from both hard floors and carpet. Some of the few exceptions are the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine, which has a swappable wet roller head that includes a clean water tank and a dirty water tank. The Tineco Floor ONE Switch S7 has a swappable battery, but it is made up of two separate vacuums (one for wet use and one for dry use). The Bissell CrossWave does well on both hard floors and rugs, but it is not designed to clean carpet.
The robot vacuums on our list are versatile enough to vacuum carpets and also vacuum and mop hard floors. We only included models that are lightweight enough to lift, as no one wants a wet mop dragged across carpeted areas.
The primary benefit of wet-dry vacuums is convenience. These appliances offer a high suction power that you won’t get from pushing a manual mop. Plus, they boast dual-cleaning power to pick up dirt and remove messes and stains.
We’ve included the weight for the vacuums featured in this list, and most of the cordless stick varieties are lightweight and self-propelling for easy maneuvering. Plus, stick vacuums shouldn’t take up much storage space. Robot vacuums and their accompanying docking stations tend to be heavier, so you likely won’t want to keep moving them around.
All of the vacuums on our list are battery-operated. Depending on the size of your home, you may want to choose a model with a long-lasting battery so you won’t have to keep stopping to charge it. With robot vacuums, the process is much easier, since the robot will automatically go back to the charging dock, recharge itself, and then pick up where it left off cleaning. Battery life is a spec that’s included for each vacuum in this guide.
Self-cleaning isn’t always completely self-cleaning. You’ll still need to remove the dirty water and empty it. Depending on the model, you will likely also remove the brush rolls for a more thorough cleaning, or to rinse the soap off. And with robot vacuums, you’ll also need to empty the dust bin at some point.
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