We’ve all been there, staring down a dirty hard floor, knowing the tedious two-step process ahead: vacuuming up all the debris, then dragging out the mop and bucket for the actual cleaning. It’s a significant chunk of time and effort, and frankly, the thought alone is enough to make you procrastinate. That feeling of wanting cleaner floors without the back-breaking work is exactly what drove me to look for a better solution, something like the Bissell PowerFresh Vac & Steam All-in-One Vacuum and Steam Mop, 2747A, which promises to tackle this chore more efficiently. Ignoring this problem means wasted hours, less hygienic living spaces, and more strain on your body.
If you’re tired of the traditional sweep-and-mop or vacuum-and-mop routine for your hard floors, you’re likely in the market for a dedicated hard floor cleaning solution. These tools exist to simplify and improve the process, offering everything from basic sweeping to vacuuming, steaming, and even washing. The ideal customer for a multi-function hard floor cleaner is someone with a significant amount of sealed hard flooring – think hardwood, tile, laminate, linoleum, or stone – who wants to consolidate cleaning steps and achieve a deeper, more hygienic clean. This person might have pets or children, leading to frequent messes like crumbs, spills, or paw prints, and values convenience and efficiency. On the other hand, if your home is predominantly carpeted, a hard floor cleaner might not be the best primary cleaning tool. Similarly, if you need powerful suction for embedded dirt on rugs or carpets, or if you have a very small space with lots of tight corners and low furniture that require extreme maneuverability, a bulky upright unit might not be suitable. For heavy carpet use, a dedicated vacuum is essential, while for very tight spaces, perhaps a lightweight steam mop or even a high-quality spray mop would be more practical. Before buying, consider your floor types, the total square footage of hard floors, the typical types of messes you deal with, your storage space, whether you prefer corded power or cordless convenience (and the trade-offs of each), and how important sanitization is to you.
Introducing the Bissell PowerFresh Vac & Steam
The Bissell PowerFresh Vac & Steam All-in-One Vacuum and Steam Mop, 2747A is designed to simplify your hard floor cleaning routine by combining two essential steps into one. It promises to vacuum up dry debris and steam-clean your sealed hard floors simultaneously, tackling dirt and grime while also sanitizing the surface using only the power of steam. When you purchase this unit, it typically includes the main vacuum/steam body, a detachable mop pad tray, and a set of microfiber mop pads (usually one soft and one scrubby pad) for different cleaning needs. Compared to Bissell’s Symphony line, which also offers vac & steam functions, the PowerFresh line often focuses on straightforward effectiveness, though models like the Symphony Pet might add features like a drop-it tank for hands-free pet hair disposal. The 2747A model is particularly well-suited for homes with significant sealed hard floor areas where regular vacuuming and steaming are needed. It’s less ideal for homes primarily covered in carpet or those requiring extensive cleaning in very tight spaces or under low furniture due to its upright design and size.
Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons:
Pros:
* Combines vacuuming and steaming for efficient cleaning.
* Uses steam for sanitization, killing 99.9% of germs and bacteria.
* Easy Touch Digital Controls allow flexible use (vacuum, steam, or both).
* Includes two types of washable, reusable microfiber pads.
* Dry Tank Technology keeps vacuumed debris separate from moisture.
* Effective at removing sticky messes with steam.
Cons:
* Vacuum suction power is adequate for surface debris but not deep cleaning.
* Can be difficult to maneuver, especially on surfaces other than hard floors, and hard to push.
* Does not get into tight corners or under low furniture easily.
* Vacuum must be on when steaming; steam function button placement can be awkward.
* Dirt tank is relatively small, requiring frequent emptying in dirtier areas or with pets.
* Not suitable for use on carpet or rugs.
Features and Benefits: A Closer Look at the Bissell 2747A
Having used this Bissell vac and steam unit for a while now, I can definitely speak to how its features translate into real-world cleaning performance and why they matter.
All-in-One Vacuum and Steam Functionality
This is the headline feature of the Bissell PowerFresh Vac & Steam, and it’s a game-changer for hard floor cleaning efficiency. The ability to vacuum up dry messes like crumbs, pet hair, and dust while simultaneously steam cleaning the floor with the same pass is incredibly time-saving. Instead of vacuuming the entire house, putting the vacuum away, and then getting out the mop, filling buckets, and mopping, you can do it all at once. This integration is a significant benefit for busy households, drastically cutting down the total time spent cleaning hard floors. It means you can tackle spontaneous messes much faster and keep your floors consistently cleaner with less effort.
Sanitizing Power of Steam
One of the major advantages of using a steam mop, like the one integrated into this Bissell machine, is its ability to sanitize floors using only natural steam. The high temperature of the steam can eliminate 99.9% of germs and bacteria from sealed hard surfaces without the need for harsh chemicals. For homes with young children who play on the floor, or with pets, this provides peace of mind, knowing that the cleaning process is not only removing visible dirt but also creating a healthier environment. This chemical-free sanitization is a huge benefit, especially for those sensitive to cleaning product fumes or wanting a more eco-friendly approach.
Easy Touch Digital Controls
The PowerFresh Vac & Steam features digital controls on the handle that allow you to easily switch between vacuum-only, steam-only, or simultaneous vacuum and steam modes. This flexibility is useful because not every cleaning task requires both functions at once. For example, you might only need to vacuum up a dry spill, or you might want to steam a particularly stubborn spot without vacuuming. While the steam button on the handle requires constant pressure and is positioned where you naturally grip, which can lead to accidentally engaging steam when you only want to vacuum (a common user complaint), the digital controls do make it simple to select your cleaning mode initially. The ability to choose your function adds versatility to the unit, making it more than just a one-trick pony.
Powerful Cyclonic Vacuum
The unit features a cyclonic vacuum designed to capture dirt and debris. For surface-level dry messes on hard floors, like crumbs, dust bunnies, and most pet hair, this vacuum works quite well. It effectively sucks up the daily accumulation of dirt that ends up on hard surfaces. However, based on my experience and user feedback, the vacuum suction isn’t exceptionally powerful, especially compared to a dedicated vacuum cleaner. It can struggle with larger or thicker debris (like clumpy pet hair or heavy spills), and some users have noted that dirt can sometimes be pushed around the edges of the head before being vacuumed, or even left behind, particularly when trying to use the vacuum and steam together on floors that aren’t just lightly soiled. The vacuum is located at the front of the head, meaning the steam mop passes over the area *after* it’s vacuumed. While this is logical, it does mean you need decent suction upfront to avoid pushing dirt into the path of the steamer. The benefit here is having the vacuum integrated, saving you that initial step with another appliance, but understand its limitations compared to a full-sized vacuum.
Dry Tank Technology
A smart design element is the Dry Tank Technology, which is intended to keep the vacuumed dirt and debris separate from the moisture generated by the steam. This is important because vacuuming wet or damp debris can clog the system and make emptying and cleaning the dirt tank messy and difficult. By keeping the vacuumed contents dry, emptying the tank is much cleaner and easier. This design prevents clumping and ensures the vacuum function performs better consistently, as wet filters can impede airflow.
Easy Mop Pad Changes and Included Pads
The mop pads attach to a detachable tray, making it easy to remove them for washing or switching between the included pads. The PowerFresh Vac & Steam typically comes with both a soft microfiber pad for everyday cleaning and a scrubby pad for tackling stickier messes. These pads are washable and reusable, which is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective compared to disposable pads. The ease of changing pads means you can quickly swap out a dirty pad for a clean one mid-clean if needed, ensuring you’re always cleaning with a fresh surface, which is key to streak-free results. Having both pad types included gives you options for different cleaning tasks right out of the box.
Corded Power Source
The 2747A model is corded, using a standard 110V power source. While this means you’re tethered to an outlet, it also guarantees consistent, powerful steam and vacuum function for as long as you need to clean, without worrying about battery life running out mid-job. The cord is quite long, offering a decent reach across rooms without needing to constantly switch outlets. However, managing the cord can sometimes be cumbersome, and some users might prefer the freedom of a cordless unit, despite the potential trade-offs in power or runtime.
Maneuverability Limitations
Based on user feedback and personal use, maneuverability is one area where this unit shows its limitations. While it’s an upright stick-style cleaner, it can feel a bit heavy and less agile than expected. Getting into very tight spaces, like between a toilet and a wall, or deep into corners, is challenging. The head design, particularly with the vacuum at the front and the mop pad behind, means you can’t always get the steaming action right up to the baseboards or into tight spots effectively. Additionally, the unit is not designed to go under low furniture, unlike some other vacuum types. Pushing it around, especially on surfaces that aren’t perfectly smooth hard floors, can sometimes require extra effort. This is a drawback if your home layout includes many obstacles or low furniture.
Tank Capacity
The water tank has a capacity of 0.4 liters (12.8 oz). For small areas or quick clean-ups, this is sufficient and heats up relatively quickly. However, for cleaning larger homes or very dirty floors that require continuous steaming, you will likely need to refill the water tank at least once, if not more. Similarly, the dry dirt tank, while benefiting from the Dry Tank Technology, is also relatively small. If you have pets that shed heavily or kids who generate a lot of crumbs, you might find yourself emptying the dirt tank frequently, potentially multiple times during a single cleaning session of larger areas. While the tanks are adequate for apartment-sized spaces or routine maintenance, they might feel undersized for bigger homes or significant cleaning tasks.
What Others Are Saying
Having scoured online reviews, it’s clear that many users appreciate the core concept and effectiveness of the Bissell PowerFresh Vac & Steam for hard floors. Customers frequently highlight how well the steam function cleans, tackling sticky spots and leaving floors visibly brighter and feeling smoother. The convenience of combining vacuuming and steaming is a major plus, with many noting how much time and effort it saves compared to their old methods. Users with pets particularly value its ability to handle pet messes and the sanitizing power of steam. However, common points of criticism mirror my own findings: the vacuum suction, while decent for surface debris, isn’t powerful enough for heavier dirt or thick pet hair clumps, and the unit can be awkward to maneuver, struggling to reach under low furniture or into tight corners effectively. The steam trigger placement is also a frequent comment, as is the relatively small dirt tank size for larger or dirtier areas. Despite these drawbacks, the overall sentiment from many users is positive, finding it a worthwhile tool for maintaining clean, sanitized hard floors efficiently.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with the constant chore of vacuuming and mopping hard floors can be exhausting and time-consuming. It’s the kind of task that, if neglected, leaves your living space feeling less than fresh and can even impact hygiene. The Bissell PowerFresh Vac & Steam All-in-One Vacuum and Steam Mop, 2747A offers a compelling solution by combining these steps into one process. It’s a great fit for tackling this problem because it drastically cuts down cleaning time, provides chemical-free sanitization with steam, and offers the flexibility to vacuum and steam simultaneously or separately. While it has some limitations, particularly regarding maneuverability and vacuum power for heavy jobs or carpets, its core function of efficiently cleaning and sanitizing hard floors is a significant benefit. If you’re looking to streamline your hard floor cleaning and get visibly clean, sanitized results, this unit is definitely worth considering. To learn more or check it out for yourself, click here.