Is the Bissell Crosswave worth it? Review

Bissell has been a reputed brand the world over for more than 140 years, even claimed to have supplied sweepers to Queen Victoria of England in the 1890s. Today, Bissell is still a sweeping force (get it?) in the market of home cleaning appliances, thanks to an innovative range of floor care products spanning across carpet sweepers and washers, vacuum cleaners, and bare floor vacuums.

However, if there’s one single model the brand is best known for today, it’s the all-in-one multi-surface vacuum cleaner – the Bissell Crosswave. But how does it compare to other vacuums and is it worth the money? Here’s our expert review.

Bissell Crosswave review

Imagine if you could vacuum and mop floors at the same time. That’s exactly what the hybrid Bissell Crosswave is designed to do, using a multi-surface cleaning system that both vacuums and mops floors simultaneously. However, it has a major hang-up that could be the deal breaker for many households. It doesn’t work on carpets − only on rugs and most hard floor types including tiles, laminate, and hardwood floors.

For a mid-range upright vacuum, cleaning tests have suggested the Bissell Crosswave has a pretty good cleaning performance and suction power on hard floor surfaces, but not so much on rugs. Other than that, it does fulfill its primary function to clean both wet and dry messes, as well as pet hair. In addition, the range is competitively priced, comprising of several models to suit specific household needs.

Bissell Crosswave models & prices

Here are the main models in the Bissell Crosswave line-up, with prices included:

• Bissell Crosswave Pet (2225F) − $529 RRP*
• Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro (2223H) − $529 RRP*
• Bissell Crosswave Cordless (2588F) − $659 RRP*
• Bissell Crosswave Cordless Pro (2582H) − $659 RRP*
• Bissell Crosswave Max (2765F) − $699 RRP*
• Bissell Crosswave Max Pro (2767H) − $699 RRP*
• Bissell Crosswave X7 (2832F) − $799 RRP*

Bissell Crosswave standout features & specs

Dual-action microfibre & nylon brush roll

The Bissell Crosswave’s brush roll works on both hard surfaces and rugs and can additionally remove grease and grime from hard floors, which is a big plus if you’ve got little sticky fingers running around. The addition of the microfibre cloth was designed to leave a scratch-free and streak-free finish with no dulling residue, according to Bissell.

Two-tank technology

Most steam mops have a single water tank. The Bissell Crosswave has a dual tank which keeps clean water and your cleaning solution separate from the dirty water and dry debris, so that you can clean everyday messes with a fresh solution each time. There’s a trigger-controlled tank which dispenses the water and cleaning product on one side, and on the other, dirty water removed from floors gets stored in a separate tank. The cleaning tank is also marked with measurements to let you know how much cleaning solution you need to clean your floors and avoid wastage.

Smart touch controls

The Bissell Crosswave also comes with smart touch controls on the handle to allow you to easily switch between modes for cleaning hard floors and rugs, as well as control your cleaning solution with an on-demand solution trigger that releases just enough product to do the job.

3-in-1 charging station

The Bissell Crosswave Cordless and Max models feature a 3-in-1 charging station that can clean, store and charge your vacuum at the same time. The dock station is equipped with a clean out tray and rinse funnel which will flush out your machine after a cleaning task, a charging station and a storage tray for the machine and brush roll. This vacuum takes care of itself until you need to use it next.

Dust bin & water tank capacity

Most Bissell Crosswave models have a 0.4L/0.5L dust bin capacity and 0.8L water tank capacity. It’s pretty small in comparison to other vacuums, which means you’ll need to keep an eye on the dirt tank and empty it quite regularly, maybe even after vacuuming each room which is less than ideal. To give you a reference point, the Hoover Zoom Cordless Upright Vacuum ($499 RRP*) has a large 7.5L dust bin.

25-30 minutes runtime

The Bissell Crosswave Cordless and Max have a cordless runtime of 25-35 minutes with a 36V lithium-ion battery. Again, this isn’t great considering most cordless vacuums, like the Miele Triflex HX1 Cordless Vacuum for example, have a cordless runtime of about 60 minutes. The Bissell Crosswave Pet comes with a cord though, so that’s an option to consider if you’ve got large surface areas to cover.

Bissell Crosswave Pet & Pro − $529 RRP*

The Bissell Crosswave Pet is the line’s introductory corded model designed specifically for pet clean ups. Aside from the standard features previously mentioned, it features a multi-surface pet brush roll which rotates at 3,000 RPM to minimise pet hair wrap. It also comes with a pet cleaning solution and pet hair strainer to help make the clean-up, after the cleaning, easy. It comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty, as with other models. The Pet Pro model comes with several more brushes and accessories, and a specialised pet cleaning solution to help remove pet odours.

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Bissell Crosswave Cordless & Pro − $659 RRP*

The Bissell Crosswave Cordless is the next model up. As the name suggests, it’s a cordless model that comes with your standard features, including 3-in-1 docking tray, two-tank system and a ‘tangle-free’ multi-surface brush roll for hair up to 20cm long. The Pro model comes with smart-clean fingertip controls to allow you to easily switch cleaning modes when you want.

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Bissell Crosswave Max & Pro − $699 RRP*

The Bissell Crosswave Max is the last of the line. It’s boasted for its ability to easily pick up pet hair, dust and dirt along baseboards and in corners for a thorough clean. It comes with a self-cleaning cycle which flushes out dirt, hair and debris after each use. The Max model has a bigger capacity and brush roll than the Pet and Cordless model.

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Bissell Crosswave vs Hoover Complete Upright Vacuum Cleaner

Here’s a quick comparison of the Bissell Crosswave and Hoover Complete Upright Vacuum Cleaner:

General guide only

Bissell Crosswave vs Shark Self Cleaning Cordless Vacuum

Here’s a quick comparison of the Bissell Crosswave and Shark Self Cleaning Cordless Vacuum:

General guide only

Bissell Crosswave – is it worth the money?

In terms of price, the Bissell Crosswave (starting from $529 RRP*) is on par with other upright vacuum models of the same calibre, including the Dyson Light Ball Multi Floor+ Vacuum ($599 RRP*) and Shark Navigator Pet Self Cleaning Brush Roll Vacuum ($449 RRP*). We’d argue it’s a pretty fair price to pay for the convenience of a hybrid vacuum steam mop with nifty features. However, the Bissell Crosswave has drawbacks – namely, its smaller dust bin capacity and limited runtime, which can be a deal breaker for some.

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*Prices taken from respective retailers and correct as of March 2022.

Picture credits: Bissell.