Tineco Floor One S3 review: a cordless vacuum and mop with techy features

A vacuum that also mops at the same time. Truly sounds too good to be true. But I'm here to tell you, it's the real deal, and a new breed of so-called vac mops are going to shake up your cleaning routine. 

We tested the Tineco Floor One S3, coined as a smart cordless vacuum and washer It's one of Tineco's hottest items of the moment, racking up design awards like the Red Dot Award, which noted its "smart operating principle, intelligent user guidance, and distinctive aesthetics." And earlier this year, it seemed it couldn't stay in stock. Now, I've found our chance to try out this buzzy machine, and I can't wait to share my thoughts about my much cleaner floors. 

It comes with a $399.99 price tag that is certainly steep so I'll be evaluating the value for the money and ease of use to determine if it's truly worth it.

Now, after a few weeks of testing this smart cordless floor washer, I'm ready to share my thoughts on cleaning with this techy mop. 

Keep scrolling to see how this floor washer got on in our home testing then, then check out our best vacuum cleaners guide for more top models that we've reviewed.

Who will the Tineco Floor One S3 suit?

The Tineco Floor One S3 is best for homes with lots of hard floors, as it does not work on carpet. It's great for the busy family, as it both mops and vacuum in one step. It may even get your kids involved, who are intrigued by its self-propelling design and iLoop sensor that helps monitor how dirty your floors are. 

Tineco Floor One S3: Specifications

• Maximum power: 220 watts
• Running time: 35 minutes
• Charging time: ~4 hours
• Noise: 78 dBA
• Clean Water Tank Capacity:  .6L
• Dirty Water Tank Capacity: .5L 
• Voice Assistant/App Integration: Yes
• Cleaning path width: 9"
• Dimensions: 11.3"  x 10" x 43.3"
• Weight:  9.9lb. 
• Filter:  HEPA 
• Suitable surfaces: Hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl, and cement
• Warranty: 2 years

Tineco Floor One S3: features and functions 

Auto Control Suction Power and Water Flow Smart Suction and Battery Management
Using AI and smart sensors, the floor mop auto-adjusts power, water flow, and suction accordingly, with up to 35 minutes of battery power. No battery power is wasted, resulting in a longer runtime of up to 35 minutes. The brush roller cleans messes better than traditional mops, and leaves floors instantly dry and streak-free. The vacuum component also enables it to suction up excess spilled water. 

iLoop(TM) Smart Sensor Technology
This unique technology detects hidden dirt and automatically adjusts suction power in real-time, and is the main selling point of Tineco that other brands don't offer. On solution mode (automatic) a colorful band around the outer rim turns from blue to red to signify a clean floor, for a guided cleaning experience and reassurance that your floors are actually getting clean. 

One-Touch Self-Cleaning System
Following a cleaning session, activate the Self-Cleaning cycle with just a single touch on the very top of the handle when you put it back on the charging dock. It lasts about five minutes and offers you a step-by-step announcement of what is being cleaned as it flushes fresh water through the brush roller and tubes for hand-free maintenance. For a self-cleaning session, the dirty water tank should be empty, and the clean water tank should be at least 40% full.  Once it's complete, it will automatically begin charging. Just be sure to swap out the wet brush head to dry and to empty the dirty water container. 

Charging Base
The smartly designed charging base features accessory storage for the extra brush roll, extra HEPA filter, and the 3-in-1 cleaning brush. The only accessory it did not have space for was the cleaning solution. When not in use, The Floor One S3 will sit and charge on the charging base. Nothing to plug in, just gently rest it on the dock. It's also where it runs self-cleaning cycles as needed, and reduces the chance for any residue to sit on the floor.

Smart Features
A voice assistant gives real-time updates as you clean, including performance status, power level, blockages, and other operational information. Voice alerts can be turned off by long-pressing a discreet button on the back of the machine. The Tineco Floor One S3 also connects to the Tineco app and provides real-time performance monitoring, maintenance reminders, tech support, troubleshooting, and cleaning history stats. The LED digital screen will also display similar reminders, including the battery level and power indicator. However, the Tineco app is useful for manually adapting the suction power and spray volume. 

What is the Tineco Floor One S3 like to use? 

Words can not express how excited I was to try out the Tineco Floor One S3. After a new puppy that has wreaked absolute havoc on my floors, I couldn't wait to see how this smart floor mop would perform. 

I set it up the night before I was ready to use it since it has to charge for several hours before use. The next day, I poured through the manual and followed the instructions on filling up the clean water tank and emptying the dirty water tank. Both are are easy to pop out, but take a little more finesse and angling to pop back into the machine.  The plastic containers do show little diagrams on how to re-install the pieces. As I used the device more, it did become more second nature. 

To begin, I filled the clean water tank to the MAX fill line and added in a cap full of Tineco's fragrant cleaning solution. Once everything was properly inserted, I was able to get cleaning. Once you press power, the Floor One S3 seems to spring to life with a kick, as it sort of self-propels itself, and you just hold on to keep it controlled. You have the option for AUTO or MAX power, but AUTO seemed more than sufficient for my hardwood floors.  While operating, the floor mop will automatically stop if you put it upright and start running again when you recline, though to prevent any water leakage, Tineco says not to recline more than 142 degrees. 

As I zoomed around my kitchen and maneuvered through the highly trafficked hallways and bathrooms I noticed that when it came time to get into narrower areas or underneath tables and chairs, it definitely was not as easy as just pulling a chair out of the way. This is definitely due to the chunkier, bottom-heavy design of the floor mop, which unlike the cordless vacuums of today, keeps all the essential parts at the base, rather than the top of the machine. 

I've used another Tineco vacuum before, the Pure One S12 (read my review on our sister site, Homes & Gardens) so I was familiar with the iLoop sensor technology, and its ability to detect how dirty the floor is. It didn't seem to fluctuate as much, almost as if my floors were already clean, with my knowing that couldn't be the case, especially over areas my puppy had marked as his own. On MAX mode, I started to see the iLoop sensor fluctuating, but MAX mode used water much faster (not to mention decreased battery life) and left my floors feeling a little sticky before drying.

As you clean or switch between settings, the vacuum sends audio alerts about your selected mode or if the dirty water tank is full.  As you become more familiar with the Floor One S3, I can imagine the audio alerts becoming less attractive over time, and more annoying or disruptive as you go through your cleaning routine. The included manual didn't seem to cover how to turn it off, but on the back-side of the main body, the wifi-connection button also purposes as the space to turn off voice alerts. 

The LED screen shows the percentage of battery level left, and will also announce when the dirty water tank is full. My first water tank fill lasted for about 25% of the battery. This capacity was adequate to clean my kitchen and breakfast area but to clean my entire first floor, I did have to refill. This didn't particularly bother me, but it could bother others.

I was really impressed with how it also uses less water than normal mopping... and how fast and efficient the process was. I almost wished I had more floor space to clean. I was just getting started, and dare I say this was fun, if not most satisfying, especially when it comes to emptying the dirty water tank, which was also satisfyingly gross.  Since the vacmop also suctions up debris, the dirty water tank had a convenient sort of plastic filter, or rake, that blocked solid debris from pouring out and down the drain, so it can be properly disposed of in the trash. 

Now, since this is an electrical machine, anything that has contact with water should and needs to be cleaned and dried immediately after each use: the dirty water tank emptied and the wet brush roll left out to dry. This is where the smart mop started to feel more tedious than traditional mopping. My personal biggest gripe was the immediate aftercare that goes into maintaining the mop. It's not like a vacuum where you can quickly run it over a quick problem area and put it back. Rather, it mimics the clean-up of traditional mopping that involves a similar level of clean-up to prevent bad smells, mold, and mildew from building up.

I diligently emptied and cleaned both the clean and dirty water tanks and the filter. The brushroll cover and brushroll snapped off to clean and wipe free of debris. Without fully understanding how the self-cleaning worked, I cleaned this all manually on my own. And when my sweet little puppy decided to make a tinkle in a flurry of excitement on my freshly washed floors, you could definitely say I was feeling flustered over the idea of going through the clean-up process again. 

 Well, I can save you time and extra energy. After each cleaning session, you can activate a cleaning cycle to clean the brushroll, which beats (spins) the soft brush to looking like new. From here, it's easy to swap out the extra brush roll to let the just used one dry.  From there, you'll just make sure to again empty, clean, and dry the dirty water tank, and clean water tank. 

What I loved about the Tineco Floor One S3

Easy to use
The design is very maneuverable and lightweight enough to carry between floors. Plus, the ability to pause cleaning and for the device to still remain stable and upright is a feature I've deeply missed in comparable cordless designs. The Battery life was adequate, and I never felt like I was running short on the battery as I cleaned around my home.

Cuts cleaning time in half (and uses less water)
Well, of course! When a device can vacuum and mop in the same go, you won't have to go back over the same area twice. It also uses so much less water than a traditional mop, and keeps the clean and dirty water separate from each other, so your floors truly will be cleaner.  Some found that the water tank was just too small, but the Floor One S3 is comparably sized to other vacmops on the market. 

Replacement parts
The Floor One S3 also comes with an extra brush roll and HEPA filter that store conveniently on the dock when not in use. After washing either part, it's so convenient to be able to swap out with the replacement to dry, and to prep the vacmop for its next use.

Noticeable difference
I'm not just talking about how clean my floors were left after, or the verifiable proof from the dirty water tank. The smart sensor technology automatically detected the water flow and suction power to apply the necessary force to get my floors clean. 

How does the Tineco Floor One S3 rate online?

The Tineco Floor One S3 consistently rates high among online reviewers with a stellar 4.7 rating on both Amazon and Best Buy, with buyers calling it the ultimate timesaver, and one of the best purchases they've made in a long time. 

Reviewers seem to agree that it cuts cleaning time in half, is extremely easy to use, and makes their floors visibly cleaner. The few caveats that have kept users from actively throwing away their traditional mop is that the Floor One S3 is not as effective for getting into tight spaces or around the toilet like an old-fashioned mop can. 

How does the Tineco Floor One S3 compare to other wet dry vacuums? 

The Tineco Floor ONE S3 feels one of a kind, thanks to its smart integration, including  Wifi connectivity, robotic assistance, and Tineco's signature iLoop tech. 

If you're looking for something that also vacuums and mops, but find the added voice assistants extraneous, the Tineco iFloor 3 is $100 cheaper and features similar specs, though the iFloor 3 has a 25-minute runtime compared to 35 minutes, and forgoes the smart features like iLoop technology and vocal assistants, and does not come with an extra brush roll. The extra brush roll made it incredibly easier to prep the Wet Dry Vac again for next time, but it can be purchased separately for $23

Another very popular wet-dry vac option is the Bissell Crosswave line. However, it tends to be heavier, and most of the more affordable models are corded. We did try, the Bissell Crosswave Cordless Max, which carries a comparable price tag to the Floor One S3, and is safe to use on carpet, and has an auto-cleaning. It does not have any smart features, however. 

And if you're really keen on wet and dry vacuums that are also robots, a new breed of robot vacs can mop and vacuum at the same time, like the Samsung JetBot Mop, which has a palatable $229 price tag, and it can even be used to clean on the wall. 

Tineco Floor One S3: our verdict

The cordless smart wed dry vac has reinvented my cleaning routine, for the better. Without a doubt it is an investment, but once you try it for yourselves, I think you'll be hooked. I'll never want to just vacuum on my hard floors when I can save time and mop too. I'll be throwing out my Swiffer, and forgetting about how old-school wet mops just seemed to drench my floors in already dirtied water.  Everything is just easier and combines two traditionally separate activities into one quick routine. I find the audio cues useful to know that I am on the correct setting, while the auto suction and water flow control preserves battery and resources so my wet-dry vac will get me through my entire cleaning routine without having to pause. 

Those accustomed to relying on just vacuuming may find themselves shell-shocked at the extra clean-up step, but it's a necessary one for the maintenance of this machine. The smart self-clean cycle is definitely a lifesaver for flushing out the tubes and brushroll, so you just have to deal with cleaning the water tanks.

Tineco Floor One S3: where to buy

About this review and the reviewer

Jaclyn is the US eCommerce editor across the homes titles at Future, including Real Homess,  where she specializes in a variety of topics ranging from vacuums to mattresses. She spends her days tracking the latest buzzworthy releases and testing a variety of products to determine whether they are worth bringing into your home.

As with all our reviews the Tineco Floor One S3 has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. The device was tested over a period of several weeks. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before forming our reviews. In this particular case, we are able to keep the Tineco, which will enable us to continue to use the product and gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.