Bissell 7340 Flip-It Select Hard Floor Cleaner with Heat

Bissell Flip-It Select Hard Floor Cleaner with Heat, 7340

Customer Rating: Rating 3.5 out of 5

(60 Reviews)

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Product information Brand: Bissell
Publisher: Bissell
Category: Kitchen
Warranty: 1
Release Date: June 1, 2006
Model: 7340

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Features

Lightweight and maneuverable hard-surface cleaner combines wet and dry functions
Dry vacuum picks up crumbs and dust; heated wet-mop cleans sticky spills
Built-in heater maximizes cleaning power; interchangeable brush and pad are safe on all sealed surfaces, including marble, tile, hardwoods, and laminate
Includes trial-size wood-floor and hard-surface cleaners plus a spare cleaning pad
Measures 11 by 8 by 44 inches; weighs 10 pounds; limited 1-year warranty

Editorial Reviews

Product Description: Combining power with versatility, this bare-floor cleaner features three modes of cleaning-dry vacuum, heated wet vacuum and drying. The Flip-It Select offers heat for superior cleaning. Get your bare floors sparkling clean with this versatile and lightweight Bissell dual-function cleaner. With one quick flip you can switch back and forth between heated wet and dry cleaning for a complete floor cleansing with one 10 pound machine. The dry mode picks up crumbs, pet hair and dirt. Switch to the heated wet mode and a fingertip control dispenses cleaning solution while the soft-scrub brush and an interchangeable pad does the job on various floor surfaces. The built-in heater with on/off switch allows you to select heated cleaning for sticky, hard-to-clean areas. Other handy features include a cord clip, quick-release cord wrap, carry handle, filter, cleaning solutions and separate clean and dirty tanks. Brush and pads are machine washable. Includes trial size hard floor cleaner, trial size wood floors cleaner and an extra pad.

Amazon.com Review: The Bissell Flip-It Select promises two hard-surface cleaners in one: a dry vacuum for picking up crumbs and a heated wet-mop for sticky spills. Replacing broom, dustpan, vacuum cleaner, mop, and bucket in one fell stroke, this slender, lightweight cleaner effectively simplifies and saves space, especially in crowded spaces like kitchens. Start by using it as a regular stick vacuum to clear away small debris. To change functions, simply turn the unit around, switching on the built-in heater for added cleaning power. The Flip-It has separate clean and dirty water tanks, so unlike the traditional mop-bucket combo, you're always working with freshly heated, unsoiled water, and it leaves floor dry once they've been cleaned. It also comes with two different wet cleaning surfaces, a soft brush for tile or other surfaces with grout and crevices, and the Gentle Clean pad for babying delicate surfaces like hardwood or laminates.

The Flip-It's dual-function cleaning proves especially convenient on smaller areas and for touchups, but mastering the wet-mop function can be tricky, and many users find it hard to push in wet mode until the floor has been saturated with liquid. Technique (and practice) help the process considerably: press the trigger down on the forward stroke to spray cleaning fluid, then release it as you pull back so the squeegee dries the floor. The Flip-It Select is easy to maintain; both filter and brushes clean up easily under running water and the Gentle Clean pad can go straight into the washing machine. It even stores ready to use with water and cleaning fluid in the tank. Weighing in at just ten pounds, the unit is powered by a nine-amp motor when using heat, three amps without, and includes trial sizes of hard-surface and wood-floor cleaners as well as an extra Gentle Clean pad. The power cord features a quick-release wrap as well as a clip for storage. Compact, maneuverable, and ergonomically designed, the Flip-It Select is 44 inches tall, with a base measuring 11 inches long and 8 inches wide, and comes backed by a limited one-year warranty. --Mary Park

Customer Reviews

Great for my hardwood floors

by ladybug 2006-08-10, 49 people found this review helpful

Whether I used a regular mop and bucket, my swiffer wet jet, or my hoover steam vac, I always ended up with a haze on my hardwood floors that I would clean off with a wipe or furniture polish. This is the first machine that leaves my floor shiny and without a haze. It is worth it just for that!!! I also like the job it does on my lineoleum. The first couple of times I used it on what I thought were clean floors because I had recently mopped them, I was surprised at how dirty the water was. After using this as my primary means to clean my floors (two maybe three times a week depending on traffic and what is going on in my household) I notice that my floors not only look cleaner, but also feel much cleaner on the few occassions when I am not wearing house slippers. This is so much better than the regular mopping.

I have read other reviews on the flip-it regarding water being left on the floor; when that does happen, I just go back over that section so that it will be taken care of. For the most part I don't care about a little water on the floor because I would have so much more if I had the mop and bucket or used my steam vac. I am sold!

So easy to use and convenient!

by Sarah 2006-06-02, 22 people found this review helpful

This machine is so easy to use! I love the option of cleaning my tile floors with heat or no heat, depending on the grime! The mop pad works very well on my sealed hardwood while the brush worked excellent on my grout! I didn't have to go over anything twice and my floors looked great when I was finished! The "flipping" action is also very easy as this machine is lightweight! I love not having to use a mop and bucket and its even better now that this product offers heated cleaning! Great job!

Definitely worth it

by D. Randall 2006-07-06, 25 people found this review helpful

I used the Bissell Flip-It Select for the first time tonight. I detest mopping, but with a combination of both linoleum and tile floors in my house, it is a must. So in looking for an alternative to mopping, I hoped for the best with this product. I was not disappointed. Vacuuming first with the dry vacuum side is an excellent alternative to sweeping the floor. After using the wet vacuum side with the heated solution/water mixture, not only was my bathroom linoleum (which had a thick build up of sticky hairspray) cleaned marvelously, but also my tile kitchen floor. The unit is lightweight and easy to use. The filter did get clogged with dirt and hair, but the sound of the motor changed when the suction stopped, so I unplugged it and cleaned the dirty wet/dry container and filter, put it back together, plugged it in, and suction was completely restored. I am extremely satisfied with this purchase after only one use. I will recommend it to friends and family alike.

Flip-it versus Hoover Spin Scrub

by Comdet 2008-11-17, 15 people found this review helpful

I was torn between the Hoover and Bissell models - each seemed to have good and bad points. So I got both, with the idea that I'd return the one that was less capable to do the job. What I found was that both have different pluses, and ended up keeping them both.

The Spinscrub has the advantage in cleaning power. The spinning brushes do a better job on getting tile floors clean, especially rough surface tile. It's also more sturdily built - feels more solid (although that sometimes does not translate into longevity). It's the one I use for large tile expanses, such as in the kitchen and basement. But, the 15 inch width is a drawback in tighter spaces, such as bathrooms.

The Flip-it excels in maneuverability - perfect for getting around obstacles (such as the toilet). Although it lacks spinning brushes, it has the advantage of a cloth pad which does a great job on smooth surfaces. The heat also helps out, especially with sticky messes. It doesn't turn the water to steam, but clearly kicks up the temp (I believe the spec's say 25 degrees).

I found the best way to use it is to start with the cloth pad attached. That helps even out the water distribution and also helps capture crumbs, pet hair, etc. After one pass with the cloth attached, remove it and put in the scrubby pad. That helps get the floor 99% dry (smooth surfaces) or 90% dry (rough surfaces).

The cloth pad really shines (no pun intended) when it comes to hardwood or laminate floors. Does a far better job than the Hoover in cleaning and water suction. I don't use the Hoover at all anymore on smooth floors regardless of the size of the room. It may take a bit longer with the Flip-it due to its smaller size, but the end result is much better.

Both are about equal when it comes to disassembly and cleaning - a few parts to take out and clean, but nothing major. Cleaning the unit after using it is very important to keep the crud out of the seals to prevent leaks and clogs. Both have a washable filter, and both require that you dry the filter before using it again (tip - get an extra filter so you're never without a dry, clean filter).

I tend to favor the smell of the Bissell cleaning solution, but the Hoover stuff is pretty good - both have a nice "fresh" smell. Both brands clean equally well, and are priced about the same. Lowes carries the Bissell brand; Walmart carries Hoover (at least in my area).

Bissell tends to be a nicer company when it comes to support. They offer replacement parts and supplies on their website at reasonable prices, and answer emails if you have questions. Hoover is not as responsive, and their direct-purchase prices are rather high.

One nit with the Bissell is that the cord is rather stiff - wish it was more flexible. Also, the water cups (both clean and dirty) are smaller on the Bissell, so you need to fill-up and dump out more often than with the Hoover.

Regardless of which one you get, get one! You'll be amazed at the amount of dirt that wet mopping leaves behind. Once you start using one, you'll never pick up a mop again.

Too much work to get it to work

by JSL 2007-02-25, 13 people found this review helpful

I have carefully analyzed all the reviews (positive and negative) before deciding to buy this product in order that the right level of expectation may be set. My need is very simple. I have almost all hard floors in my house, either tile or hardwood. So floor keeping is a relatively low maintenance chore. I know Flip-It serves both as a dry vacuum and wet mop. Knowing that both dry and wet debris are going into the same place and I want to eliminate the messy task of cleaning out the wet gunk, so I opt to use the cleaner solely as an electric mop.

I like the idea that while it is mopping, the machine can also take care of the small amount of debris that I missed in my "pre-mopped" vacuuming. It does take some practice to get the machine to do the job right. Although I don't have the problem of puddles of water as other have experienced, I have other issue such as the cleaning pad kept sliding out. I find the maneuvering quite exhausting due to the squeegee design. Also, my finger gets very tired from squeezing the solution release button. I don't find the cleaning result dramatic perhaps because my floors are normally quite clean. The machine will not get to the wall edges so it won't eliminate manual laboring. I'm also not sure if the heating feature does anything to produce a cleaner floor since the water temperature does not felt very warm. After two days of experimentation, I decided that the machine is going back to the store. For light mopping, I am going back to my Swiffer Wetjet. It is cheaper, quiet, lighter, easy to use, and best of all, no cleaning up required.

Handy and a Great Cleaning Tool

by Regina L. Utz 2007-12-06, 11 people found this review helpful

I have 25 cats and ceramic tile flooring. This product works great to mop the floors. It gets the fur and other cat problems clean. The tile sparkles after cleaning. And the water that this product picks up is just plain dirty. It's a joy to dump the stuff down the drain. Also, it is not a chore to use this product. It is light weight, easy to maneuver, and scrubs and picks up the dirty water in one pass over. However, do remember to prop safely when you're changing water as it will fall easily, but this is because it is not heavy weight: which is a good thing.

Good Product

by Judith Levine-Hannemann 2007-02-12, 10 people found this review helpful

I find this product very useful. It cleaned my laminate floors beautifully. I also like that you can store the fluid in the clean tank for the next use and the pads are machine washable. The only downside I can see is it's a little difficult to push forward because of the squeegee. It does take some practice before you get the hang of it's action, but once you do, it's quick and efficient. Spray on forward stroke, return stroke is the fluid take-up. I think a good tip to offer is to also buy extra pads as you can then switch before hitting the next room since the pad will be rather dirty from the previously washed floor. I did not use the dry vacuum as I figure it works much like an electric broom, which doesn't work in my home since I have 3 rather large, shedding dogs. I just whipped out my Dyson and vacuumed with that first.

Waste of $100

by C. Benton 2006-07-22, 13 people found this review helpful

I'll split this review into two parts, the vacuum and the water cleaner.

The Vacuum: Embarassingly pitiful suction, no rotating brush, and the machines sticks on the squeege from the water cleaning side making a back and forth cleaning motion difficult. This vacuum couldn't pick up small dustballs, little scraps of paper, or loose dirt. The suction part of it is so far back that it's impossible to get into corners or near edges of walls and no attachment to supplement.

The water cleaner: Pitiful. Uneven distribution of water, uneven suction of water, the brush falls out any time you move the machine from left to right even gently, and the brush was almost spotless after 15 minutes of cleaning on 'heated' mode with floors that hadn't been mopped in 2 weeks. The 'heater' fails to produce even tepid water. The squeege leaves puddles every time you pull back and any small variation in your floor will leave large streaks of water. On my tile floor it left puddles in all of the grout. Water in the 'dirty' water collection bin was as clean as the water coming out of the cleaning solution compartment. The cleaning pad is in the dead center of the machine's base, so you can't clean within 2 inches of the wall going front to back, and more than an inch going sideways. The really sad sight was how dirty the mop water was after I turned off this garbage and cleaned my floor the old fashioned way.

Horrible design, worse functioning. This machine took more time and did a worse job cleaning than a $5 broom and $10 mop.

Sooooo Disappointed!

by MsSweetTart 2007-02-01, 7 people found this review helpful

I too did my research before I purchased this, thought the heat option was worth the price. Based on the reviews, I was very excited to start using my machine. I have travertine floors downstairs, with no pets or kids. When I started the vacuum the first day it seemed okay. I thoroughly cleaned the filter and thought okay, not so bad. But, then two days later, when I tried the vacuum again, it just did not want to pick up anything. Ladies, let me tell you, I was literally chasing down anything light.....like hair, string, to the down feathers from the pillows. I did however sort of expected that from the reviews.

The reason for purchasing this product was for the cleaner, for those little spills in the kitchen. I hate the idea of pushing dirty water around and then not being able to go into the room until the floors dried. Once I got the hang of the motion, I noticed that it was leaving huge puddles of water that leaked at the end. I would continually go over the puddles, even though the floors where clean and I was done, the puddles would keep coming back. I didn't mind the bending down and whipping the floor dry with a paper towel, but then I thought, what's the use! I would have to do this throughout the entire downstairs portion of the house which is over 2000sf!! This may be okay for apartment usage. I gave it two stars because the intention was there, but the product well ya know. Please do not waste your time, there has got to be a better way.

Quirky but does the job

by wpb, fl 2007-01-03, 7 people found this review helpful

For the price am not too surprised at the quirkiness of this machine. As others have mentioned, there is a tendency for it to push out a lot of water at one time and to not do a great job at sucking it back up. This being said, however, I've developed a few tricks to minimize these issues.

1)Getting the right angle of the handle takes a while but once I get into a groove, I find that holding the handle at certain angles helps the suction problem.
2) If a lot of water comes out at once then I just push that around instead of trying to keep just one small part of my floor wet at one time. It's from the clean water tank so I don't feel like I'm just pushing around dirty water. And then with the handle trick I'm able to suction up the water over the larger area at a fairly quick clip.
3) If I don't have the patience or time for dealing with the larger than desired volume of water I just fill the clean water tank half way from the get go and this seems to prevent the problem.
4) I do use Murphy's oil soap for my wood floors. Here, the trick is to use a fraction of the amount required of the Bissell recommended cleaner. I use maybe a quarter of the amount if I'm using Murphy's with the full tank of water. And I'll use an even smaller amount if I'm using a less than full tank of water. Do not use too much Murphy's; it is an oil SOAP and too much causes the dirty water tank to fill and overflow with bubbles (yes, I've learned this from experience).

Despite the quirks, my wood floors do look great after I use this machine and for the price I'm not sure I could expect a quirk-free machine. If I had the space I'd buy a heavier duty and more costly machine, but for my 790 sq ft apartment with mostly wood flooring this is ok.