Tineco’s New Vacuum Mop Is A Splurge, But Boasts Impressive Smart Features

We’re in full nesting mode at home. With our first baby due at the end of the month, my partner and I have been cleaning and prepping every nook and cranny of our home before the little one arrives. That means this month has been the perfect time for us to test out new floor-cleaning gadgets. A big step up from my budget-friendly Swiffer Wet Jet, I was lucky enough to test Tineco’s brand-new, upgraded smart wet-dry vacuum, the Floor One Station S9 Scientist Pro.The S9 Scientist Pro is an upright smart vacuum and mop that works like a robot vacuum and mop, but is built like a traditional vacuum rather than a self-propelled saucer. It's cordless and designed to pick up hard-floor debris and clean up liquids in a single pass. Its 25,000-Pascal suction system pairs with what the company calls “HydroBurst technology,” which targets dried-on residue that conventional floor cleaners may require multiple passes to remove.Shop Tineco VacuumsProsHas a lay-flat feature, which makes getting under furniture easier than everBrush roll self-cleans, reducing hair and debris buildupIncludes 4 cleaning modesAccompanying app is easy to use and explains all of the machine's featuresVery lightweight and easy to manueverConsMuch more expensive than other options on the marketYou will have to refill the water and cleaning solution tank often on big cleaning daysBecause it is wireless, the S9 includes a charging station with a 5-liter water-storage system that reportedly washes and dries the brush roller in five minutes, reducing the time you spend handling a dirty roller or preparing the machine for its next use. By automating the brush-cleaning cycle, the system tackles one of the more cumbersome aspects of owning a wet-dry floor cleaner: keeping the cleaning hardware free of accumulated dirt and moisture.How I TestedThis one was easy to test. I try to vacuum with my Bissell Pet Hair Eraser and Swiffer our apartment floors about once a week (thanks to my fluffy Australian Shepherd pup, hair builds up pretty quickly in our house). So when it was time for my usual floor-cleaning day, I followed my routine—I used a broom and dustpan for any big crumbs or clumps of pet hair, then put the S9 to the test. I used it in each room of my two-bed, two-bath apartment, which has laminate flooring throughout.Off the bat, I really liked how compact and lightweight it is. With all its features, I expected it to be much bulkier. In my third trimester of pregnancy, it was very nice not to have to lug a massive, heavy vacuum around the house. My Bissell vacuum is great, but it's much heavier and harder to push around the house than this Tineco model.Designed with ease of use in mindMy first impression of this mop is that it was certainly designed to make cleaning as easy as possible. You unbox it, click the handle on top of the unit, fill the reservoir with water and the provided cleaning solution, then plug it in and let it fill and charge. I downloaded the accompanying app, and with the app, the screen on the handle, and the convenient lights on the front of the unit, I knew exactly when the unit was completely filled with solution and fully charged. There was no guesswork when it came to setting up and using this product.Sarah ConnorThe lay-flat design lets the unit reach under low-clearance furniture—I really liked that I could get under our dressers, coffee table, and bed frame without contorting my body too much. Another highlight is the anti-tangle technology, which is designed to reduce hair buildup around the brush roller, a useful feature for households dealing with long hair or pet fur like mine.Several cleaning modes allow for an extremely thorough clean—with a caveatThe S9 Scientist Pro offers four primary cleaning modes. Auto mode uses the smart sensor to detect dirt levels and adjust suction and water delivery accordingly, while Max mode increases suction and water application to tackle stubborn stains and embedded grime. Suction mode extracts liquid from wet surfaces without the normal washing cycle, making it useful for spills and residual water. Quiet mode reduces operating noise for less disruptive everyday cleaning.Sarah ConnorFor particularly stubborn, dried-on messes, the machine also features HydroBurst, which delivers a targeted, high-pressure water jet to help loosen residue before it’s vacuumed away. In a busy household with a pet, I definitely appreciated the Max and HydroBurst modes; however, they did use up a good amount of water and cleaning solution. That is one big con of this machine: You will have to refill the tank often.It fills up quickly, but after a big day of cleaning my 1,300-square-foot apartment, I had to put the vacuum back on the dock twice to refill the tank. So if you have a big house with mostly hard floors, be ready to refill several times in one cleaning session. You also need to empty the used water tank often.The self-cleaning feature is a massive highlightAfter a cleaning session, I returned the unit to the cleaning station, where the brush roller automatically runs a wash cycle to remove accumulated dirt, hair, and debris. The station then uses heated air to dry the roller in about five minutes, reducing residual moisture that can contribute to unpleasant odors and microbial growth. This automated wash-and-dry process minimizes the need to handle a soiled brush roller or leave it out to dry manually.This is really a game changer. A big reason why I was cleaning my floors with a Swiffer Wet Jet for so long before this is that, with such a hairy dog in my house, the buildup in the brush rolls and bristles of other mops became too much, so it was easier to use something with a single-use, disposable cleaning pad. Being able to dock the machine and, bam, have the pet hair buildup gone is an incredible feature.Beyond roller care, the station also supports hot-water self-cleaning to flush the internal cleaning pathways, helping remove residual grime before the drying cycle begins. Its FlashDry mode uses air heated to 230 degrees Fahrenheit for rapid drying, while SilentDry offers a quieter alternative, according to Tineco.Final VerdictThis wet/dry vacuum system will, without a doubt, successfully clean your home. It delivers on its promises with ease, and the smart features are easy to understand. Needing only one product for big cleaning days is extremely convenient, and the self-cleaning features make those days even easier. My only two gripes are the price and how often you have to refill the water tank.Listed at $1,199 on Amazon, this is an extremely expensive piece of cleaning gear. We’ve tested and loved several other wet/dry vacuums at Popular Mechanics that clean effectively and run you several hundred dollars less than the S9 Scientist Pro. The Shark AquaReach Cordless Vacuum + Mop is one we recommend, starting at $400. It lacks Tineco's advanced self-cleaning and smart refilling features, so it depends on what the shopper wants in a dual vacuum-and-mop.If you lead an extremely busy life, have lots of kids and/or pets, and don’t have time to pick pet hair out of a brushroll, it may be worth investing in the Tineco if you have the budget. It really does do so much on its own, which is very impressive and explains the high price tag. I will be using mine weekly from here on out and will definitely make good use of the smart features, so it depends on the buyer’s priorities. If you’re up for a splurge, this may just be the right pick for you.Shop Tineco Wet/Dry VacuumsOther Wet/Dry Vacuums We RecommendFor Lighter Cleaning DaysSarah Connor is a Reviews Editor for Popular Mechanics. She also contributes to Runner’s World, Bicycling, Best Products, and Biography.com. Before joining the Hearst Magazines team, Sarah was a National Content Editor for Hearst Television. She holds a master's in Journalism from Syracuse University and a dual bachelor's in English and Communications from the University of Pittsburgh. When she isn’t writing up a review of the newest gadgets, you can find her heading to the nearest rink for a figure skating session or enjoying the outdoors with her beloved Australian Shepherd, Rosie.