Bissell Crosswave vs Karcher FC5 vs Vax OnePWR Glide: Which Hard Floor Cleaner is Right for You?

One of the best things about hard floors is that they require very little effort to keep them looking good. But not many people want to spend hours on their hands and knees scrubbing with a rag (trust me, that gets old quick). 

That’s where hard floor cleaners come into play.

Instead of getting down on the floor and hurting your back and knees, they allow you to waltz around your home like it’s nothing at all!

That’s the easy part. 

Picking the one that’s right for you is the hard part. 

In this guide, I will compare some of the best hard floor cleaners available right now. But why trust me? Because I’m a professional cleaner who’s probably tried and tested every single brand there is. 

Plus, I’ve spent over 10 hours just combing through gazillions of real user experiences to make sure it’s not just me.

Let’s get started.

TL:DR: Quick Look at the Cleaners

SPECS	Bissell Crosswave	Karcher FC5	Vax OnePWR Glide
Two-tank system	Yes	Yes	Yes
Surface Type	Tile, sealed wood floors, carpet, rugs, laminate, linoleum	Wood, tile, concrete, stones and linoleum	Wood, tile, concrete, stones and linoleum
Cord Length	25ft	20ft	No cord!
Cleaning Orientation	Vacuum and Mop	Vacuum and Mop	Vacuum, Mop, and Dry
Weight:	11 lbs	4.9 lbs	4 lbs
Water Tank	0.8L freshwater, 0.4L dirty water	0.4L freshwater, 0.2L dirty water	0.6L freshwater, 0.2L dirty water
Warranty	2-year	2-year	3-year

Bissell Crosswave

Not many hard floor cleaners out there can beat the Bissell Crosswave in efficiency and, frankly, aesthetics. While it is not the cheapest hard floor cleaner on the market, it is one of the most versatile available models. 

A great feature of this model is that it is built to clean both hard floors (all types!) and carpets. So, if you have a mixed floor surface at home, you will love this cleaner. 

The Bissell Crosswave is built to be easy to use, with good maneuverability and a simple design. Two tanks of 0.8L and 0.4L means you won’t have to stop to refill them during cleaning sessions (who wants to do that?). It also comes with a 25ft cord that should reach most corners of your home.

Not that it should be anyone’s primary concern, but this is also a stylish-looking hard floor cleaner. And by ‘stylish,’ I mostly mean compact. The design makes it easy to handle and transport from one place to another. But it delivers on the performance front as well.

Karcher FC5

This cleaner works a bit differently than most: instead of a brush or a pad, it discharges cleaning detergent into two microfibre rollers underneath it. As they spin rapidly, they lift away stains almost as if they were pulling you along.

There are a few reasons why the FC5 is one of the best solutions for hard floor cleaning. Beyond its ability to tackle tough messes, this machine has a vacuum feature that draws up and stores water in a tank at the back of the device. As a result, your flooring is not just left spotless and shining but also bacteria and odor-free.

It’s not alone in this sense, though. All three cleaners we’re examining today are also vacuums.

The Karcher FC5 is also remarkably easy to use. It has a two-tank system of 0.4L for fresh water and 0.2L for dirty water. So, unlike with Bissell, you may have to stop cleaning once or twice to refill them – depending on how dirty your floors are.

In addition, a distinguishable attribute of this vacuum is the short drying intervals achieved when using the mop. You will have a dry floor in two minutes tops. Afterward, you can remove the rollers and wash them to be ready for the next use.

Although it is somewhat weighty, the FC5 Hard Floor Cleaner is an excellent tool for houses with a lot of hard flooring, particularly homes with mixed hard surfaces.

Vax OnePWR Glide

Cordless appliances are the best thing since sliced bread, don’t you think? So this cordless hard floor cleaner is for cleaners who like more freedom. Its 0.6L tank and 30 minutes runtime will do for small to medium-sized homes. 

The pros of this cleaner are you won’t have to wait too long for your floors to dry because it vacuums, mops, and dries your flooring at the same time (truly a one-step job). Plus, it works on various hard surfaces, such as wood, linoleum, laminate, vinyl, tiles, and stone, as long as they’re sealed.

There are so many features I really like about this product, which has a front-lit LED that makes it possible to see under furniture and other hard-to-see places.

After washing, the glide’s self-cleaning system automatically removes any leftover liquid and dirt. The Vax OnePWR may not be the most hurray model around, but it certainly gets the job done.

Bissell Crosswave vs Karcher FC5 vs Vax OnePWR Glide: In-Depth Comparison

Water Tank Capacity

I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly appreciate refilling my hard floor cleaner tank during cleaning sessions. It’s a pain to have to stop in the middle of mopping and carry them to the sink, or worse, turn them on your hands and knees.

The good thing is, all three cleaners on this list have a 2-tank system so fresh and dirty water are rightly separated. 

The Bissell Crosswave has two tanks of 0.8L and 0.4L each, which is enough to get you through a considerably long cleaning session without having to stop to refill. The Karcher FC5 has a freshwater tank of 0.4L and a dirty water tank of 0.2, while the Vax OnePWR Glide has two tanks of 0.6L and 0.2L.

Winner: Bissell Crosswave will suit those who have spacious cleaning areas and those who don’t want to take frequent stops to replenish their tanks.

Versatility

No matter how nifty an appliance is, people generally prefer to have as few of them as possible because they can take up space. Therefore, it is good to find cleaners that are versatile and can be used on multiple surfaces.

That’s where the Crosswave excels. It is a multi-surface cleaner that can handle different kinds of hard floors, carpets, and rugs. 

On the other hand, Karcher FC5 and Vax OnePWR are specifically designed to clean hard floors.

Winner: Bissell Crosswave has the best versatility on this list, and it never hurts to be good at more than one thing.

Maneuverability

The ease of use is also a crucial factor to consider when choosing the machine. I do not want to invest in a heavy, wrist-straining device that I am afraid of breaking because it weighs more than my body weight. It should also be easy to store.

The Bissell Crosswave is a swivel mechanism that makes cleaning even the hardest-to-reach areas easy. This cleaner can be positioned horizontally or turned in any direction. The glider also comes with wheels and rollers that make it enjoyable to glide.

The Karcher FC5 does not have wheels like the Crosswave. It does not have a swivel mechanism, unlike Bissell, and it cannot turn. However, I enjoy the forward-rolling brush design, which makes pushing easy.

Having a 29 cm wide cleaning mind, the Vax OnePWR is easy to maneuver around most furniture, and I found it simple enough to drive around. 

It is hard to choose a winner in this category because the three hard floor cleaners are different in terms of their designs. It is a tie.

Aesthetics and Design

This three-way face-off finishes off with aesthetics because who doesn’t love to have a pretty gadget at home?

On a serious note, though, the design of these cleaners is just as crucial to how they perform.

The Bissell Crosswave is designed to be the most attractive hard floor cleaner with its lime color. It has a modern, sleek look that makes it stand out in any room. I like the ergonomic design of the handle, which makes it easy to hold and maneuver. 

Even if you’re not tech-savvy, it has an intuitive design. Also, its 25ft cord should reach most rooms at home.

The Karcher FC5 is well-designed as well. It has a modern, upright design that should fit well with any home. However, it is not a stand-alone model, like the Bissell Crosswave, so you must place it in the park station. 

It has a 20 ft cord and is also a user-friendly solution, so this vacuum can be an ideal gift for seniors and people who are not tech-savvy.

The Vax OnePWR Glide is a different story, as it is a battery-operated model – so you are not consuming electricity while you are cleaning. 

Additionally, it has a light that illuminates the floor so that you can see dirt in hard-to-reach places. Weighing only 4.9kg (without the battery packs), it is one of the lightest cordless cleaners on the market.

Winner: Bissell Crosswave takes the cake here, hands down, because it balances its design, efficiency, and usability. 

Verdict

As you may know already, I am a die-hard steam devotee. And I love to use steamers even on my hard floors!

All hard floor cleaners on this list are good, and you may have different needs than the person next to you. However, the best cleaner for hard floors is the Bissell Crosswave. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but it is one of the best in its price range when you consider its offerings. 

This cleaner has the most versatility and has an ergonomic design that makes it very comfortable to use. I also like that its tanks can hold enough water for prolonged cleaning sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bissell CrossWave the best hard floor cleaner?

Bissell does offer a great bang for the buck in terms of versatility. That is, it sweeps and vacuums all floor types plus carpets and rugs. And it does it in a spotless way, with a huge dual tank that you don’t need to refill.

But if you’d like to save some cash, Vax OnePWR is a cheaper alternative. You can use both models to vacuum and mop. In addition, the Vax OnePWR is a cordless cleaner so that you can move freely and swiftly. No worries about tripping over the cord!

How does the Bissell CrossWave differ from the Bissell CrossWave Max?

The Crosswave cordless max brush has a thicker bristle than the old style, which means it resists tangles better. Additionally, the Crosswave cordless has a longer battery life and is lighter. A light-up display displays the battery life and floor type with the new electronic system.

How good is Vax OnePWR?

This cordless stick vacuum performs exceptionally well for its price range. Despite a less-than-impressive suction setting being suitable for light dusting jobs on hard floors, it is still powerful enough to clean pet hair and other tough messes.