42 out of 42 people found this review helpful.
Bissell 1867 Steam Mop leaves my floors sanitary and makes mopping easier
Date of Review: Apr 1, 2009
The Bottom Line: If you are in the market for a steam mop don't buy without considering the Bissell 1867 Steam Mop! It's the best purchase I've made in a long time!
I am always searching for ways to make the chores of housework a little easier while eliminating some of the chemicals I once used to clean with. For years I have mopped my hardwoods and ceramic tile with a large cloth mop and Rubbermaid bucket. You know... the industrial kind. The mop was heavy and it seemed the cloth mop heads didn't last as long as they really should. And although I would wash the mop head in hot water with bleach it just didn't seem very sanitary. The mop bucket was an issue in itself; it was heavy, bulky and required a lot of water to fill up.
When I first started hearing about steam mops I was intrigued. I liked the idea of mopping with steam vs. water and chemicals. However I was stumped on which mop would be the best and if I was to spend a lot of money on a steam mop I wanted the best one on the market.
A friend of mine swore by the H2O mop while another friend who owned a Shark seemed to be fairly pleased with it. I had read reviews on various sites about the H2O mop and the Shark and what I read didn't sit well with me. I even compared the two mops in some of my local stores and found them to feel flimsy and look cheaply made. But then in my search I discovered reviews on the Bissell 1867 Steam Mop and found that Bissell was rated better with consumers that the other two mops I was debating between.
There was just one slight problem; I couldn't find the Bissell Steam Mop in any of my local stores and I normally hesitate on making a large purchase if I can't see the product first. But I decided to take a leap of faith and ordered the Bissell. I found the best price on HSN.com - not only was the Bissell 1867 on sale for $89 but I could get free shipping and avoid paying sales tax. I figured if the mop turned out to be a disappointment all I would lose would be shipping back to HSN which would run about $8.00. All in all I paid around $75 buckaroos (after the HSN new customer discount) for the Bissell Steam Mop which included 2 microfiber mop pads and a carpet refresher glide.
Steam Mop by Bissell
The Bissell Steam Mop is designed to clean floors such as sealed hardwood floors, ceramic tile, and stone, marble and laminate flooring.
According to the user's manual this mop is not recommended for unsealed floors and extra precaution should be taken when using on floors such as peel and stick vinyl or any other heat sensitive floor.
The mop arrived and I felt like a kid with a new toy. The mop required some assembly but not anything major. I had to use a Phillips head screwdriver to attach the mop head to the lower unit and then to secure the handle. That was pretty much the extent of it.
My Bissell Steam Mop also came with a wall storage hook as well and if I planned to use the hook it would require mounting to a wall. However, I chose to store my mop in our laundry room so I never ended up utilizing the wall hook.
The Bissell is fairly light and easy to maneuver. The entire mop measures about 45 inches from floor to the top of the handle. The mop head is rectangular shaped and measures about 11 inches long x 7 inches wide.
The clear plastic water tank will hold 2 1/3 cups of water and easily slides on or off the back of the mop body just above the water filter. Total heating time is only about 20 seconds. The mop features a ready light on the front mop body which will illuminate when the mop is ready for use.
The hooks for the power cord are located on the side of the mop rather than the back since the water tank attaches to the back of the mop. The cord is about 21 ft long and can be released quickly by twisting the top hook.
The included microfiber mop pads are white and have an elastic cord which can be tightened with a toggle. The mop pads fit onto the bottom of the mop head and wrap around the upper edge of the mop head.
The pads can be washed, however, it is best to wait for the unit to cool down before attempting to remove the pad. The pad(s) can be machine washed in hot water and dried on low heat or air dried.
My Bissell Steam Mop also came with a carpet refresher attachment. This accessory is for refreshing or deodorizing carpets, not for removing stains. And as a note, the Bissell Steam Mop should never be used on carpets without the carpet attachment.
The Bissell Steam Mop also has a water filter cartridge. This is a feature that I wasn't exactly looking on a steam mop. However, the filter is contains bright green grains that will, according to the instruction booklet, turn blue when it is time to be replaced.
The mop manual suggests using distilled or demineralized water to extend the life of the filter. Furthermore, the manual states that calcium deposits can accumulate on the heating element, causing damage or reduced performance.
When the mop is not in use the water tank should be emptied and the mop stored in a dry area. Of course allow the mop to cool prior to removing the mop pad and storing.
Experience
Initially I disliked the Bissell Steam Mop and was prepared to ship it back to HSN. But I'm glad I gave it a chance. After a few uses and learning how to control the steam I wondered how I ever got along without this mop!
The primary issue was that I would hold the trigger down too long thus resulting in a soaked mop pad and puddles of water on my floors. Now I use the steam to wet the pad and during mopping when it feels as though the pad is beginning to drag across the floor rather than glide smoothly.
My home is 2500 sq ft and the majority of it contains hardwoods and ceramic tile. I have found 2 1/3 cups of water, which the tank holds when completely full, will clean all those areas. I don't refresh or deodorize my carpets each time I mop but when I do I still get by on one tank. Again, I do not constantly hold the trigger down unless I am sanitizing an area of flooring; then I hold the trigger down for about 15 seconds while leaving the mop over the area(s) I am sanitizing.
Before I start mopping I make sure all the floors have been vacuumed. We have two cats and a child so I would rather vacuum up particles of cat hair, food, and anything else that may accumulate prior to mopping. After all, this is a mop, not a vacuum and pieces of food, grass, etc. will not be picked up by the mop pad.
Since we have very hard water in our area I always use distilled water to mop with. Not only does it prevent streaks on the floor but the distilled water also extends the life of the filter and over all performance of the steam mop. A gallon of distilled water is inexpensive and will last me though about 4-6 moppings. Furthermore since the water tank must be emptied when the mop is not in use I conserve water by pouring any that is leftover back into the gallon jug for later use.
How well does it clean?
I am amazed at the dirt and grime the steam mop picks up. My hardwoods shine beautifully following a cleaning and my kitchen tile looks clean as well. However, I am not overly impressed with how the mop cleans or doesn't clean the grout between the tiles. There have been spots on the grout which the mop could not reach and I still have to clean by hand. But for the most part I am very pleased with the results I get from using the Bissell Steam Mop.
The mop pads have held up remarkable well. I wash the pad(s), following each use, by tossing them into a washing machine with hot water and mild detergent. Depending on how dirty the pad is I will sometimes add bleach to the water. I recently allowed a pad to soak along with a muddy sock in hot water with Oxy Clean. The pad came out of the washer looking new. I have dried the pads in the dryer on low heat setting but I feel that I can extend the life of the pad(s) by allowing them to air dry, which is what I usually do. I believe the pads may have shrunk following the initial washing; however, they did not reduce to a size that makes it difficult to fit back on the mop head.
Thoughts - the good with the bad
I love that I do not have to utilize chemicals to clean my floors and with indoor cats and a child that feature is very important to me.
Over all the Bissell Steam Mop is easy to use, just attach the mop pad, fill the tank with water, slide it onto the designated area just above the mop filter, plug the electrical cord into an outlet, and let the mop heat - within a few seconds you are ready to go.
Another feature on the mop that I appreciate is the swivel head. This makes mopping difficult areas much easier and quicker. And with the swivel feature I am able to extend the mop beneath my sofa and other low furniture.
I further appreciate the washable mop pads and how well they stay on the mop head. If a mop pad seems a little loose all I do is tighten the elastic with the toggle. As with some reviews regarding "other" steam mops this was just one of several complaints, mop pads that would not stay on.
The mop is virtually noiseless except for the slight sound of steam when the trigger is depressed.
I read some complaints on other sites about the time it took for floors to dry once they were mopped. What I have found is by controlling the trigger and not allowing water to puddle on areas (unlike my first couple of attempts) then my floors dry fast. In fact they dry faster than when I mopped with a traditional mop.
As far as carpet refreshing and deodorizing I have found the Bissell to do a great job. I did run the machine over a few small grungy spots on my daughter's carpet and it did not remove those little stains. However, the manual does state that it is not for spot or stain removal - but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway. Again, controlling the trigger is important when refreshing carpets. In those first initial attempts I ended up with soaking wet carpet and more work for me as I dried the wet areas.
Now that I've got the hang of using the trigger to control the steam, I refresh/deodorize our carpets at least once a week. I value this option and with cats in the house I feel as though our bedroom carpets are more sanitary.
With all the good there are a few bad points, although not overly major. However, with the price of this steam mop and any other for that matter, more than 2 microfiber pads should be included.
I also did not plan on purchasing a steam mop with a filter. Although I have owned my steam mop for several months now and have not had to replace the filter, this is an expense that I didn't initially plan on. And since I have not been able to find the Bissell 1867 Steam Mop in my local stores I can not purchase extra filters or mop pads unless I order them online.
Also, a 20+ ft electrical cord may seem generous however, I have to unplug the unit and find other outlets to use throughout my house. For instance, I have plugged the cord into an outlet in the center of my kitchen in order to mop my laundry room and daughter's bathroom and then realized that I would have to allow the floor to dry or walk across a wet floor to unplug the cord. I wouldn't consider the later a very wise choice since water and electricity do not mix. I would love it if the mop operated on a rechargeable battery rather than electricity.
Final Thoughts
Aside from those few minor complaints I highly recommend the Bissell Steam Mop to anyone who is considering a steam mop. With the thick sturdy handle and over all construction I think it is much more durable that its competitors.
Over all the Bissell Steam Mop has made my job easier and less straining. No more chemicals, heavy mop buckets or yucky mop heads to deal with.
The Bissell I purchased is a pretty lavender color. I have since noticed that it is offered in mint green, yellow, blue, and lavender.
A set of two microfiber mop pads cost about $20 while the filter runs about $12.
Here is what came in my Bissell Steam Mop box:
2 mop pads with elastic and toggle
Carpet refresher attachment
Wall hook
Water tank
Water filter
User's manual
The Bissell Steam Mop Features:
Strain Reliever Handle
Easy Cary Handle on front of the mop body
Ready light
Washable, reusable microfiber mop pads
22 inch cord
1500-watt motor
1-year limited warranty
For more information on this or other Bissell products you can visit http://www.bissell.com/
Thank you for reading my review of the Bissell 1867 Steam Mop.
Meijer
