The Philips OneUp 5000 Series Mop May Look Like a Swiffer, but Its Suction Feature Cuts Down on Drying Time

4 min readThe Philips OneUp 5000 Series mop comes with two water tanks for dispersing clean water and then collecting dirty water.The mop has multiple power settings to release more or less water depending on the level of mess.The mop also has a small, attachable detergent bottle that automatically mixes the right ratio of water to solution.I hate mopping. I can’t stand the buckets of murky water, I can’t stand how long it takes to dry, and most of all, I never feel like my floors are even that clean when I finish. A lot of the time, I get the sense that I just evenly spread the dirtiness around.So, despite having hardwood floors for the last six years, I’m ashamed to admit how rarely I’ve mopped them. The Philips OneUp 5000 Series electric mop changed that. With a built-in clean and dirty water tank, attachable detergent containers, and suction, the mop radically shortens cleaning time while leaving my floors in pristine condition.If you have hard floors you’ve been putting off cleaning or simply want to get quicker, cleaner results than your traditional mop and bucket, this might be the choice for you.ProsSuction helps dry floors quickerCleaning pad is machine washableSeparate tanks keep your water and floors cleanerComes with a more powerful cleaning mode for big messesConsWill likely need to empty dirty water tank before you finish cleaning large roomsMust use specific detergent capsule that only Philips sellsKey SpecsPadMicrofiberCompatible Floor TypesVinyl, linoleum, wood, laminate, marble, stone, and ceramic tileBattery lifeUp to 70 minutesThe Two Water Tanks Make a Big DifferenceAs an electric mop, the Philips OneUp 5000 eliminates the need for a separate bucket that carries the water and cleaning solution. It replaces that with two compact tanks that fit right on its slender body: a 281-ml clean water tank and a slightly smaller 178-ml dirty water tank.After charging the mop, filling the clean water tank, screwing in the small bottle of cleaning solution, and wetting the pad, I flipped it on and began cleaning. Clean water and solution slowly pushes out of the mop head while the mop sucks up dirty water. This process is notably more hygienic than a traditional mop and bucket.Tom PriceThe separate dirty water tank keeps grime from being spread out over your floor.Unlike a regular mop that leaves residual dirty water behind, the Philips electric mop made quick work of getting my floors to shine. A small added bonus of this design was that I wasn’t constantly wringing out the mop head. The suction into the tank did that work for me.It’s also worth noting that I was able to mop all the hard flooring in my apartment without needing to refill the clean water tank or empty the dirty water tank. While I only have a small NYC apartment and I was using the lower water setting, it made the whole process from start to finish much quicker and easier.The Suction Also Cuts Drying TimeAnother positive feature of this design was how much quicker the floors dried in comparison to a regular mop and bucket. The suctioning up of the dirty water meant that while there was some moisture left over, it was a significantly reduced amount. This was true even after multiple passes during one cleaning.Tom PriceThe slim design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces.In fact, after I finished mopping, it took no more than three or so minutes to dry. I was able to walk barefoot on my hardwood floors without any dampness tracking with me.The Body Is ManeuverableBecause the mop’s handle and tanks are streamlined, moving and cleaning with it is remarkably easy. I was able to use one hand for most of it, save for when I wanted to put a little elbow grease into a dried stain. It moves similarly to a cordless stick vacuum, with the rectangular mop head and 360-degree rotating hinge letting me fit into tight corners and clean right up to the edge.Minor GripesThe biggest issue I have with the mop is the size of the two tanks. While for an apartment space like mine there isn’t a real issue, if you have a larger home or space, you’ll likely require multiple trips to the sink to empty out dirty water and refill the clean water. If you want a little more cleaning capacity without giving up the microfiber cleaning pad, the Bosheng mop and bucket is a solid alternative.Another drawback is that the detergent capsules (which cost around 12 bucks a pop) are hyper specialized to the mop itself and currently only available to purchase from Philips. Essentially, you’re a captive audience there without any alternative, cheaper choices. If you want to use a different solution, there could be some added foaming that might cause you to empty and clean the dirty water tank more often. That said, the mop works just fine with plain old water too.Final ThoughtsFor as functional and powerful a cleaning tool as the Philips OneUp 5000 Series mop is, it is incredibly simple in practice—water in, mop on, clean away. It changed setting aside time to deep clean my floors from something daunting and arduous to no more difficult than a few passes with a vacuum.It won’t cover huge spaces on a single tank, so if you’re in the market for something to handle large living rooms and all-hardwood homes, this isn’t the mop for you. That said, I view the mop as a genuine upgrade in cleaning experience that is well worth the jump in price over more traditional tools. Especially for those that love the simplicity of a Swiffer, but want a major upgrade in cleaning power, the Philips OneUp 5000 is your answer.Shop the Philips OneUp 5000 Series MopOther Mops We RecommendLibman Wonder Mop & Refills KitO-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin MopNow 13% Offroborock Qrevo Series Robot Vacuum and MopVacmaster Professional Beast Series Wet/Dry VacuumNow 10% OffTom Price is a reviews editor for Popular Mechanics while also contributing to Runner's World, Best Products, and Bicycling. Here at Popular Mechanics, Tom loves testing out home appliances, smart tech, gear for city life and outdoor adventures, small gadgets like watches and multitools, and anything else you can find piled up at his hoarder's nest of a desk. Prior to working here, Tom attended NYU, graduating with a degree in English and a minor in creative writing. He also wrote for Best Reviews, The Daily Beast, and other publications covering tech, fitness gear, gadgets, and lifestyle products. Furthermore, he covered startup news, pop culture, and even professional wrestling. To follow more of his work, check back here for new stories.