Tineco Floor One S5 Pro vacuum mop hard floor cleaner (cleaning review)

The Tineco Floor One S5 Pro vacuum mop works well on all hard floor surfaces, including laminates, hardwood, ceramics, tiles, and vinyl.

The key to its effectiveness is a simple wet/dry vacuum design coupled with a rotating powered roller. The Tineco iLoop sensor adjusts power levels and maximises battery life. Best of all, it cleans the roller brush after use, and most parts rinse under water or need a quick wipe over.

Well, that is the claim, at least. This review comes after four weeks of use on different floor surfaces in our consumer panel’s homes. The consensus is that adding a vacuum to a powered mop roller produces good maintenance results on all hard floor types.

Australian Review: Tineco Floor One S5 Pro

Website	Tineco AU Site and Godfreys Site and Manual
Price	$999
From	Exclusive to Godfreys
Warranty	24-months ACL
Made in	China
Company	Tineco (Est. 1998) is part of Ecovacs (Deebot). In 2019 launched in the US, then Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
More	CyberShack Cleaning news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Pass+

To be fair, we were also testing the Eufy Clean Mach V1 Ultra – an excellent vacuum/mop and steam cleaner, so consider this something similar without steam. That means it is safe on most hard floors.

Only it is much lighter and more manoeuvrable. It also means that you can use it ad-hoc to clean up spills (it is wet and dry) and for touch-ups around the fridge and sink.

It comes in two parts – the body and the handle, which slips into a hole at the top. It is removable for storage.

The water tanks are easy to remove and click back into place, parts are easy to rinse, and a spare cleaning roller and filter are inbox.

The Tineco App. Why? Not necessary

More so-called smart devices need an App and, in this case, 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi. You cannot use the App without agreeing to the Privacy Policy, Terms of Use and accepting the newsletter (which you can later turn off in the App).

The App refers to a barcode on the motor handle (that did not exist). However, you can manually connect the device using its Wi-Fi direct SSID and link it to your Wi-Fi.

But the App adds little to no value. It shows the battery level, mode and a cleaning report – like the colour LCD readout.

Consumer Advice: We suggest you first read the AU website’s privacy policy and terms of use. Note that these are different from the device policies in the App – an oversight Godfreys needs to fix.

While we can say that the policy and terms are relatively benign, understand that:

They are governed by and construed by the laws of the People’s Republic of China without reference to conflicts of laws. Any disputes under these Terms of Use shall be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts located in Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, P.R China. 

The good news is that you don’t need the App (so don’t use it), which is really about ‘owning the customer’.

Inbox

• Tineco Floor One S5 Pro
• Charging station and attachment holders
• DC power pack 26V/1A/26W
• Spare roller
• Spare filter
• Cleaning tool
• Cleaning and deodorising solution (500ml – use a cap full per fill) – RRP $24.99

Option: Clean fluid, roller, and filter pack $49.99

Specs

• 2.1” round LCD readout – remaining battery percentage, Mode, iLOOP sensor (red to blue = dirty to clean).
• Up to 35-minute run time and approx. 100 m2 coverage.
• Auto, Max, and Suction modes.
• 800ml clean water.
• 700ml wastewater.
• Self-cleaning roller as it mops.
• Deep cleaning roller mode.
• 78db (typical).
• Voice prompts.
• 110 x 27 x 25cm (h x w x d) x 4.5kg.
• 32 x 31cm (w x d) charge dock.

We are disappointed at the lack of specs on Tineco and Godfrey’s websites. There are no specs for Air Watts, suction power (Pascals), battery cycles, consumable life etc. Godfreys should note that if these specs are available, this would rate far higher than in comparison to its marketing claims. In other words, it is fit for purpose as a maintenance vacuum/mop but not the cleaning panacea you may expect from the sales pitch.

For example, the manual cites 220W rated power which, if Air Watts, puts it ahead of the vastly more powerful Tineco Pure One S12 Platinum smart stick vacuum cleaner, and it is not. An extensive web search reveals one fleeting reference to 30 Watts suction (suction is measured by Pa – Pascal, so we discount this). The fact is Tineco knows the specs – why hide them?

Let’s see how it measures up to Godfrey’s claims.

It vacuums and washes simultaneously to leave your floors clean, dry, and streak-free in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, its superior edge brush design allows you to clean right to the edge of rooms without missing a single spot. Clean for even longer without interruptions thanks to larger tank capacities, while the LCD display provides real-time cleaning updates on battery, suction levels and more.

Read on.

Smarts – Limited – Pass

Claim: LCD display with vivid 3D animation for easy monitoring and guidance.

Fact: It is not very smart; it does not need an app, and the LCD and App only show battery life and mode.

Claim: iLoop Smart Sensor detects dust and automatically adjusts water flow and suction power

Fact: The iLOOP sensor is a typical photo-electric sensor that detects changes in air transparency, e.g., dirty air is opaquer.  It can alter suction and water (30-100ml) within its limited power range.

Modes

Claim: Three suction modes for versatile cleaning

Fact: In the absence of a more detailed manual, we have observed:

• Auto: Vacuums and Mops with some iLOOP adjustments
• Max: Increases suction slightly, slows the roller, and increases water. No iLOOP adjustments. Not for water-sensitive flooring.
• Suction: Vacuum only with no water spray on the mop. Best used with a dry roller. No iLOOP adjustments.

Battery Power – Pass

It has a non-removable 21.6V/4A/86.4W Li-ion battery. The DC wall charger supplies 26V/1A/26W, and the charge time is 4-5 hours.

Running time depends on the mode. These figures are fair.

• Auto with vacuum and mop approx. 28 minutes.
• Suction: vacuum only approx. 35 minutes.
• Max: Claim 28 minutes but more like 15-20

Use – The Consumer Panel vacillated between Pass and Pass+

It is reasonably light at 4.5kg, the powered roller pulls it forward, and it is quite manoeuvrable. It uses an on/off button (no trigger), and there is not much downward weight on the wrist, so it is suitable for Arthritis and Carpal Tunnel sufferers.

The consensus was that it is easy to use, light in hand and perfect for maintenance mopping on hard floors in good condition. It was an improvement over powered and hand mops.

The one negative was from a stone floor owner that felt it made no difference and did not clean the grout. However, they loved the effectiveness of the Eufy Steam vacuum/mop, which is not a valid comparison.

Cleaning results – Pass but Pass+ as a maintenance clean for floors in good condition.

We used the standard 100g test sample with 5 x 20g of salt, sugar, pet hair, Rice Bubbles and Nutri-grain. Percentages are for recovery weight.

• Hard floors (Auto vacuum and mop) – 75% good at fines and pet hair but had issues with larger detritus.
• Sisal carpet (no mop – dry roller) – 54% comprising mainly fines.
• Medium Pile (no mop – dry roller) – 22% and struggled.
• Long Pile – forget it.

To be fair, there is no mention on the website or in the manual of its use on carpet but 17 mentions of hard floor use, so ignore the carpet results.

Max setting results were not notably different but slightly reduced the number of passes to remove dried-on liquids.

You must remember that this is not a powerful vacuum like a Dyson, LG, Samsung or Tineco. It won’t give you the vacuum results you expect.

There are no specs for the vacuum power, but we would be surprised if it is more than 16000 Pa – about as powerful as a hand-held vacuum. The combination of a spinning roller and vacuum makes this relatively effective at dust, pet hair and small detritus removal.

It leaves few, if any, streaks, and the floor is ‘walk dry’ in minutes.

Dried food splatters are unlikely to be removed even after a few passes. A plastic scourer pad is best here, and the Tineco to finish up.

Wet/semi-dry food splatter will usually be removed after two to three passes. It is a convenient way to clean liquid spills such as milk, juice, coffee etc.

This is more of a very maintenance vacuum and mop for floors in good condition.

Edge clean – Pass

Claim: Edge-brush design cleans against walls and in corners.

Fact: It has a 230mmm roller in a 270 wide body. The right side of the roller has about 10mm from the edge and leaves a cleaning gap of the same size. The other side does not edge clean. The front roller is open and cleans within a few millimetres of any edge. If you ensure the walls are on your right, it adequately corner cleans.

Roller self-cleaning

Claim: Self-cleaning system cleans the roller brush and dirty water channel at the touch of a button

Fact: Once finished, you need to clean the device thoroughly.

Ensure the clean water tank is full and contains floor-cleaning liquid. Ensure the waste water tank is empty. Press the self-clean button. Clean water flows over the roller, and the squeegees remove the dirty water. It is relatively effective and more so if you run it two to three times until the dirty water is cleaner. Alternatively, pressure hose and dry it.

The unit does not heat dry the roller, and that can lead to odours.

Cleaning after each use (after roller self-cleaning) – Messy – Pass+

First, remove the dirty water tank and separate the upper dry compartment from it (and remove the dry filter). You will be surprised at how dirty the water is and the soggy mess of pet hair and other detritus in the upper compartment.

You can rinse this under water, paper towel it dry, and you are ready to continue. The filter can also be rinsed, but unless you have a dry spare (it comes with two), you must wait 24 hours for it to dry.

The Rolling brush cover plate provides access to the roller, and behind that is a squeegee and the vacuum throat. These need to be wiped over, and the throat cleaned top and bottom.

Finally, clean/dry any sensors.

Maintenance

Tineco does not publish recharge cycle battery life. We can only assume that it is between 300-500 times. You will likely use a full cycle every weekly clean, giving between 5-10 years of life.

There is no suggested replacement cycle for the roller and filter – assume every six months.

Cleaning Issues

These are issues raised by the panel that shows the most suitable use of the machine.

• The clean water empties and the wastewater tank fills quickly – 2 refills/empties in 50m2.
• No manual water volume adjustment – iLOOP can vary that from 30-100ml/minute, but that may not be good for low water tolerance floors.
• No battery specs or recharge life cycles.
• Holds pet hair in the roller and throat – needs a brush out if you have lots of pet hair.
• It is a bit high for cabinet overhangs.
• The Max setting does a better job of getting the floor into a maintenance state when you can use Auto.
• Carpet or any type causes a cleaning error (it is not for carpet)
• Does not recline more than 142° to protect against water leakage, limiting under-furniture use.
• It did not clean the grout lines between tiles.
• Roller cleaning does not include a drying cycle to prevent odour.

Best for

• Hard floor only
• Halves cleaning time
• Maintenance vac/mop
• Pets
• Allergy

Not for

• Large homes
• Carpet – no
• Tile grout – needs a bristled brush (like HiZero)
• Low cupboard and furniture overhangs

CyberShack’s view – Tineco Floor One S5 Pro vacuum mop hard floor cleaner is a good hard floor maintenance cleaner

After the panel, I used it for a couple of weeks in my home. Given the benefit of their experience, I found the machine good as a maintenance vacuum/mop. It is undoubtedly a lot easier and more convenient than the Kärcher FC 7 cordless power mop for a super effortless clean (a power mop that does a brilliant mop but no vacuum) and pretty close to the HIZERO F803 cordless bionic floor cleaner (a vacuum/mop).

We wrote Five Tips for choosing a cordless power mop (guide) which will be updated shortly to include the Tineco results.

And apologies to Godfreys, but in the absence of specifications, we can only compare it to marketing claims. Every marketer has a mandatory enthusiasm injection when all they need is accuracy – a good product sells itself.

Would I buy the Tineco Floor One S5 Pro vacuum mop?

I hate vacuuming and then mopping, so as a combo, it should be on your list. Given its ease of use and convenience, it is something that every home with a hard floor should have. But it won’t remove the need for a vacuum (carpet, edges, and dusting), and it is for a maintenance clean only.

Rating Explanation – Tineco Floor One S5 Pro

• Features: 85. It is a vacuum/mop for hard floors.
• Value: 80 – It is a tad at the high end of this type of device
• Performance: 80- If the floors are in good condition, it will maintain them that way.
• Ease of Use: 80– Easy to use and not heavy on the wrist, but the cleaning regimen is more extensive than a self-cleaning roller.
• Design: 85 – Nicely made, good charge dock