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During a recent long-term stay at my parents’ place, I counted a total of seven (yes, seven) vacuums, mops, and brooms around the house. Why did we need this menagerie of supplies, you ask? Well, according to my mother: “This one is for dog hair, that one is for ‘regular sweeping’, this one is for wet messes, but that one works best on…” I digress. I’m not a custodial expert, but there’s no universe where a 1,900-square-foot home needs such an arsenal. So when I heard about the Tineco Floor One S5 Extreme, I was really hoping the new wet-dry vacuum could take the place of at least two superfluous cleaning devices with its double-duty functions.
Turns out, it can replace almost all of them. Setting up the cordless machine was easy; it’s basically two steps. After unboxing, all I had to do was snap the handle into the vacuum’s base until I heard a click. Then following the quick-start instructions on the box, I filled up the rear canister with water and was ready to go. The device can also be synced to the Tineco app via Wi-Fi, and honestly, that took longer than the appliance setup itself. The app measures all kinds of things about the super-sucker, and I found it oddly satisfying to review my cleaning log, time spent using the vacuum, and percentage of dirt in the water. And you can change the settings, reference the manual, and check the battery level via the app, too.
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As for how it works, there are two buttons on the handle: power and mode. With each tap of the latter, an AI-powered voice announces which of the three functions is in use. Thanks to what the brand calls iLoop Smart Sensor Technology, a fancy term for mess detection, auto mode is able to automatically respond with the proper suction, water, and detergent. Max mode goes into full-force power on all fronts (and you can use it on any hardwood flooring), and vacuum-only mode is pretty self-explanatory. On my first run, I actually forgot to add the cleaning solution it comes with, but it works just as well with plain water. In auto mode, it gobbled up everything from crushed potato chips to squirts of ketchup in a single swipe. Stickier, dried-up messes were no match for the max option. And for the dust and particles unseen by the naked eye, the iLoop sensor changes from red to blue when the floor is officially spotless.
When it comes to maneuvering, this thing turns on a dime and gets real cozy with the baseboards (this version was released with an upgraded edge design for that very reason). The only downside is that the joint doesn’t angle back flat enough to slide under a sofa. That said, on max mode, it leaves no water behind. I hate directing traffic over wet floors in a houseful of people (and three dogs), and the fact that the tile is dry by the time I’ve moved on to the next section keeps the chaos at bay.
On a full charge, it promises 35 minutes of run time, but I’ve never needed to use it that long. I can get through most of our all-tile house in approximately one episode of The Office. And when I’m done, there’s a two-minute self-cleaning function that washes the roller while the device is on the charging base that I can start manually or from the app. I’m also a fan of the water tank. I’m sure those of us with allergies can commiserate over the sneeze-fest associated when dumping regular vacuum canisters, but thankfully, this Tineco model eliminates that issue. However, if you don’t want mucky water going down your drain, I suggest emptying the reservoir outdoors if you can.
As with most things, the real test is earning Mom’s stamp of approval, so I asked if she’d be willing to give up her other floor cleaners in exchange for this does-it-all one. I’m happy to report that four of them now have a new home at Goodwill.