Bissell 5200 Upright Wet/Dry Vacuum

I purchased a Bissell Flip-It model 5200 about two months ago. I am pleased with this purchase overall. However, it does have a few weaknesses. First, the positive aspects. I find the unit works reasonably well with dry mode although the suction could and should be a little stronger. I also find in wet mode that the unit really shines, excuse the pun! I use the unit in a regular pattern upon my vinyl and tile floors and it leaves the floor surface perfectly dry and streak free and with an amazing shine. I use the pads most of the time although I find the unit works equally well with the brush. The unit is easy to operate and requires little maintenance. Clean-up is quite facile and I am continually amazed at what it takes off of the floor from one day to the next. Having said that, I would like to emphasize we don't live like wild animals! Now, for the negative aspects. First, is the suction in the dry mode. It is mostly adequate as I have mentioned above but it really should be a little stronger. In addition, the float valve seals quite frequently during dry vacuuming and thus the unit must be shut down to allow the float to drop back down. The unit is also quite noisy. I also own a Hoover Floormate Spinscrub and it does a much more thorough job(highly recommend it!). Finally, it just doesn't seem as sturdy as my Hoover. With respect to puddles of dirty water which I have read in other reviews, I have not encountered this problem. In addition, to mitigate any problems of water being left behind, I always remove the cleaning pad at the end of a run and then suction up any residual water.

In conclusion, I wanted a system to clean my hard floors that was quick and convenient to use on a daily(at least) basis and I have found it in the Flip-It.