An electric mop outperforms a traditional mop and bucket in speed, drying time, and convenience, according to a hands-on comparison. The Philips One Up 5000 electric mop cleaned floors faster, dried them in about 15 minutes, and kept dirty water separate, but it costs £150 compared to a standard mop.
Electric Mop Testing
The Philips One Up 5000 is cordless and requires charging. After over a month of weekly use, it has not needed a recharge. It is designed to handle grease, stains, sticky dirt, and fine dust on hard floors and laminate. The mop comes with a machine-washable pad and a detergent cartridge, so no separate disinfectant is needed.
Setting up the mop was straightforward, as it was almost fully assembled. The large cartridge needs to be filled with warm water, and the detergent sits inside it. Pressing a button releases the liquid, and pressing the on button activates the mop, indicated by a faint noise and a lit button.
The mop was slightly heavier than a standard mop but glided well across the floor. Water drained quickly from the flat, fully rotating pad. The detergent has little smell, but it effectively cleaned stains and marks. The floor dried in about 15 minutes, and there was no need to return to a bucket to rewet the mop.
Standard Mop Comparison
The standard method used a Flash Multipurpose Cleaner Liquid Lemon in warm water. The instructions specified two lids (60ml) in five litres of water, and a one-litre bottle cost £2.25 from Heron. The strong lemon scent was fresh and clean, though it might suit kitchens and bathrooms better than living rooms.
The cleaner bubbled well and spread easily. The ratio of cleaner to water provided plenty for the area and left enough for other parts of the home. The laminate floor took 40 minutes to dry.
Verdict and Pricing
The traditional mop and bucket remains a dependable option, allowing the use of disinfectants with different smells. However, the electric mop has become the preferred choice for floor cleaning. It eliminates the need for a bucket, uses much less water, and keeps clean water separate from dirty water, which is better than repeatedly dipping a mop into increasingly dirty bucket water.
The main drawback is the price. The Philips mop is available at shops like John Lewis and Argos for £150. Other options include Karcher's Electric Wiping Mop Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner at £139 and Shark's Classic Steam Mop, currently reduced to £44.99 from £64.99. Despite the higher cost, the electric mop is worth the investment for those wanting to change their mopping routine.
