In this article, we will talk about two very popular wet & dry vacuum cleaners – Shark Vacmop vs Bissell Crosswave.

The cleaning technology is getting more and more convenient, thanks to the constant technological improvements. The manufacturers managed to create a new type of product, which combines the benefits of all different cleaning devices. Of course, we are talking about wet and dry vacuums.

Those units are currently one of the most common choices on the market, thanks to their universal design. They allow you to both vacuum the dry debris and then wipe all the excess dirt. Since those devices are pretty new on the market, it’s can be quite troublesome to choose the best option for your household.

This is why we are writing this article – Today, we will talk about two very popular wet and dry vacuum cleaners – Shark Vacmop vs Bissell Crosswave. Those products are a standard choice when it comes to buying a reliable all-in-one cleaning device.

Based on the opinion online, and our own experience, we will compare both products and pick the winner of this battle. It can be found at the end of the article, however, we highly recommend reading the whole post.

Shark Vacmop vs Bissell Crosswave

NAME:	Shark Vacmop	Bissell Crosswave
SIZE:	5.3 x 9.5 x 47.87 in.	10.5 x 12 x 46 in.
WEIGHT:	3.34 lb.	11.5 lb.
UNIQUE FEATURES:	Can be used for hard floors only, cordless design, little maintenance needed, headlights	Eligible for cleaning tiles, sealed wood floors, laminate, linoleum, rubber floor mats, pressed wood floors, area rugs, and more
CORD LENGTH:	–	25 ft.
BATTERY LIFE:	11-12 min.	–
TANK CAPACITY:	12 oz.	28 oz.
CHECK THE PRICE ON AMAZON:	Amazon.com	Amazon.com

Main differences

At the beginning, we would like to address, that both cleaners are a decent choice, especially in this price range. What’s more, we think, that most people should be satisfied with either one, although, there are some key differences to keep in mind.

The first major difference between those two products is the floor compatibility. The Shark Vacmop can be used for hard floors only, while the Bissell Crosswave is eligible for cleaning tiles, sealed wood floors, laminate, linoleum, rubber floor mats, pressed wood floors, area rugs, and more.

The second dissimilarity is the power source in each device. The Shark Vacmop has a cordless design and is powered using a lithium-ion battery, while the Bissell Crosswave utilizes a 25 ft. power cord. It will be optimal to make the choice depending on the feature use of your new cleaner.

The last difference between those vacuums is the maintenance. Unfortunately, it’s a process, that’s often skipped by many new vacuum cleaner owners. In order to keep the new device running at all times, you need to take some basic maintenance steps.

In the Shark Vacmop, the whole process is much easier, thanks to the convenient design. Most of the time, you won’t be even troubled with cleaning the vacuum itself. You can quickly get rid of the used mopping pads by pressing a button, without the need of touching them.

The Bissell Crosswave is a little more troublesome device, as the moisture causes the debris to be everywhere. You will need to, preferably, clean the vacuum after every use.

Those are pretty much all the main differences, that you have to keep in mind. Based on those factors, you can already make the final decision, however, If you would like to learn more, we highly recommend to continue reading the article.

Cleaning Efficiency

The cleaning efficiency is one of the most, if not the most, important factor when it comes to choosing your new cleaning device. By this, we mean how well a particular product removes different stains or types of debris, compared to the products from a similar price range.

After the tests, we have to admit, that both products provide above-average performance. Each of them does really well in both mopping and vacuuming, even when compared to other top-shelf cleaning devices.

Both products did comparably well when used on stains and dry debris, however, both products aren’t ideal for cleaning large spills. That being said, they will take care of them after few additional passes.

One thing to admit is that the Bissell Crosswave has an advantage in this field, thanks to the main brush roll. This allows the vacuum to be used for many floor types, as well as rugged areas. Therefore, if you are looking for the most versatile solution this is a way to go. One small con is that this model can be a little hard to push on the medium-pile carpets.

The vacuum has a motor with a 4.4 amps rating, that powers the whole product. The smart touch control allows you to switch between bare floors and area rugs, while the trigger sprays an extra amount of formula on a particular spot.

The Shark Vacmop is a device suitable only for hard floors, which can be quite restrictive. Although, when it comes to the overall performance it’s a very efficient cleaner. It does really well, even when vacuuming and mopping at the same time.

The model has a pretty solid construction with an ergonomic handle. At the top, you can find a button, that sprays out the formula, while the button at the bottom vacuums the debris. An unusual advantage of this model are the headlights, which will help you see the dirt in those hard-to-reach places.

The cleaning technology in the Shark Vacmop utilizes mopping pads, which can be purchased on the manufacturer’s website for around $0.80 each. If you are doing light-duty cleaning, you can get away with one pad for multiple uses, however, when you are vacuuming the whole house, it will use up one whole mopping pad.

Power source

Since each vacuum cleaner has a different power source, we will talk about all the pros and cons of everyone in this section.

The Bissell Crosswave uses a standard corded design, with a 25 ft. length. In our opinion, it doesn’t cause too much trouble, however, we have many power outlets around our household as well as a spare extension cord in the garage.

A great advantage of this solution is the unlimited cleaning time. For all the people with large houses, this may be a necessary choice, if they don’t want to recharge the device during the cleaning process.

Although, we have to address, that the cord may sometimes tangle around your furniture or be too short to reach a particular area. The additional extension cord also makes the storage harder.

The Shark Vacmop utilizes a lithium-ion battery, which is probably the most popular cord-free design. After using this vacuum, we’ve come to the conclusion, that it’s much more convenient than dealing with the Bissell Crosswave.

You can easily take out the vacuum out of your closet and start the cleaning process. Getting rid of the small stains or spills can’t be easier, however, it may not be enough for the whole house cleaning. 

The battery capacity isn’t the problem, as it lasts up to 11 or 12 minutes. This should be enough for most of the people to clean all the hardwood floors. The problem is in the floor type compatibility – If you have anything other than the previously mentioned hardwood floors, you won’t be able to clean it.

It’s hard to give a clear answer to which power source is better. You will have to analyze which model is a better option for your situation and go with that choice.

Tank capacity

While in the Shark Vacmop you will be mainly limited by the battery life, some people would like to know the overall tank capacity for each of the vacuums. One thing to keep in mind is that the manufacturer had to balance out the overall portability with the satisfying tank capacity.

The Bissell Crosswave comes with a tank capacity of around 28 oz. This is the size of a clean water tank, as this model has Two Tank Technology (keeping dirty and clean water separate). The Shark Vacmop has a tank capacity significantly smaller, which is around 12 oz.

As you can see, the tank capacity also confirms, that the more Shark Vacmop is the better option for quick clean-ups, rather than whole-house cleaning.

Design

The design of upright cleaners is a very important aspect, as you will be spending quite long periods standing. You don’t want to feel uncomfortable during this time, therefore maneuverability and lightweight design is something to keep an eye on.

Fortunately, both products have those features implemented. Vacuuming around and under the furniture shouldn’t be a problem, thanks to the low-profile construction. Additional headlights on the Shark Vacmop make the whole cleaning process even more conscientious.

It also comes with a magnetic charger, which snaps into place without any problems.

The Bissell Crosswave measures 10.5 x 12 x 46 in. and weighs around 11.5 lb., while the Shark’s product is 5.3 x 9.5 x 47.87 in. and weighs only 3.34 lb. We’ve never seen a more lightweight construction than the one in the Shark Vacmop.

In both models, most of the controls are located on the handle. In the Bissell Crosswave, you can find there a button for switching the currently cleaned floor type, while in the Shark Vacmop there’s a trigger for spraying formula and vacuuming.

We can honestly say, that the design in both products is pretty ergonomic.

Price

There’s also a pretty significant difference in price, which was to be expected. This factor can often drastically change, therefore you may need to check the price yourself.

The Bissell Crosswave, a much more advanced cleaner, is priced at approximately $220 at the Amazon right now, while the Shark Vacmop is listed for just $100. The truth is, the Bissell offers much more versatility and longer cleaning time, so in our opinion, it’s a fair price.

Package content

Most of the people don’t pay attention to the package content and extras, that come along. In some vacuums, this can make a big difference, due to the different attachments included. However, this time, the products don’t offer extra adjustability in this aspect.

That being said, there are still some useful extras included in the package. When buying a Shark Vacmop, in the package you can find two disposable mopping pads and one 12 oz. bottle of Shark’s cleaning formula.

The Bissell Crosswave also has some extras and those are an 8 oz. Multi-Surface Formula, and a Docking Tray for easy cleanups. 

Necessary maintenance

Maintenance is a process, that is often, unfortunately, skipped. In order to keep your new cleaning device operating at the desired level, and to prevent any permanent damage, you need to do regular maintenance.

We won’t be getting into specifics here, however, we will try to give you some basic maintenance tips, that should work for most of the wet & dry vacuums. To learn all the crucial details, you will need to read the user’s guide.

In order to keep the device running at the desired level, remember to:

• Regularly rinse both clean and dirty water tanks
• Regularly check the brush roll for any stuck dirt and/or debris
• At least once a week clean the cover of the brush, and rinse the tank
• Regularly replace the pads
• Replace any used or damaged elements as fast as possible

Those are only some of the basic maintenance steps, once again we highly recommend reading the user’s guide to learn all the details.

One thing, that we have to address, is that the maintenance process is much easier when it comes to the Shark Vacmop. Most of the time, the vacuum is ready to use right after taking it out of the closet. 

The Bissell Crosswave is a little more problematic device, as the moisture causes the debris to be everywhere, which leads to more cleaning, in this case, preferably after each use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both wet & dry vacuums are a decent choice, especially at those prices. What’s more, we are convinced, that most of the users should be satisfied with either one of them. There are, however, some things to keep in mind before you make the final decision.

The most crucial differences are the source of power (cordless in Shark Vacmop and corded in Bissell Crosswave), floor type compatibility (only hardwood floors for Shark Vacmop and multiple floor types for the Bissell Crosswave), and maintenance steps (much easier in Shark Vacmop). 

Based on those factors, you should be able to make the final decision. In our opinion, the Shark Vacmop is a great choice for quick cleanups and small areas, while the Bissell Crosswave is more eligible for the whole house cleaning.

We hope, that after reading this article you will be happy with the final decision. If you would like to learn more about Bissell Crosswave and how it does compared to other products, we highly recommend reading our new article – Shark HydroVac vs Bissell Crosswave.