Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I was absolutely thrilled with the unit the first time I used it. I keep my floors clean (or so I thought). I vacuum the highly trafficked areas daily and mop the hard floors at least twice a week. But my goodness! After using the CrossWave on my hardwood and tile floors, the dirty water tank was disgusting and my floors were a couple of shades brighter. I couldn't believe it. However, the second time I pulled this machine out, it functioned at first, then I realized the cleaning spray wasn't coming out very well. I had followed the maintenance instructions completely after the first use and made sure the filters, etc. were all cleaned and that there were no obstructions. I reassembled the unit as instructed. When the spray function didn't work properly, I went back to the manual (I apparently didn't prime the pump for the full 10 seconds before using). Though I had found the initial problem, now the machine wouldn't turn back on. Back to the manual I went, and this time, I was instructed to dismantle the unit and check for blockages -- none were found. After fussing over it awhile, I called in the Big Guns and my husband took a crack at the problem. Ultimately we both wasted a fair bit of time before picking up the phone and calling Bissell Customer Support (which we should have done sooner, I know, but no one likes to feel stupid). We were immediately told one very important piece of information that wasn't clear from the manual -- if the handle is pulled up to its highest position, the machine will not turn on -- you must press down on the handle until you hear a click -- then presto! It works. From the quick response to our question of what to do, we surmise we aren't the first folks who have had this issue. We both felt relieved, a bit foolish, and somewhat irritated at the amount of time we had wasted. Though very pleased with the cleaning results produced by the CrossWave, I find this to be a very sensitive (indeed, persnickety) machine. Also, there are a number of maintenance steps required after every cleaning: eg, dismantling and rinsing out the parts, drying them for 24 hours, cleaning the filters, etc., etc. While it is to be expected that you must do some cleaning and maintenance after each use, this is a pretty comprehensive process. If you are seriously considering this unit, you might want to factor in these additional steps which do add a little time to your cleaning process. I would suggest that the prospective buyer go to the Bissell website and check out the online manual before deciding whether this is the machine for you. Kudos to Customer Support for their quick help, but I wish the manual had more clearly addressed this crucial bit of information. We respectfully suggest they add that point to the troubleshooting page. UPDATE - - After more experience with this product, I still have some mixed feelings about it. With each use, I have expedited the dismantling and reassembling process to a point where it's not a time-sink and I DO think the CrossWave cleans extremely thoroughly. Nevertheless, I still feel that there is a degree of fussiness with the product that makes it less than a 5 star experience for me. I think it's between 3/12 and 4 stars: it's definitely good, but not knock-your-socks-off great, in my opinion. For instance, I find that though I vacuum my floors before cleaning them with the Bissell CrossWave, I still have to stop during the cleaning process to unplug the blockages that seems to occur too frequently for my liking -- that means more dismantling and reattaching of parts and the unpleasant task of removing a filthy wad of stuff from the intake tube that leads to the filter before getting back to the actual process of cleaning. This can happen even when tackling a fairly small area (my master bathroom, for instance, and the small area rug that I have in there. Mind you, some rugs shed more than others -- and that's worth considering before using this machine on them). That's still not a deal breaker for me, but I do consider it annoying and worth mentioning. Further, after I have cleaned a hard floor and then switched to freshening up an area rug, there's often a splattering of dirty water and matted debris (rug fibers, maybe pet hairs, etc.) that get dispersed back onto the just-cleaned hard floor upon which the rug is placed. I find that I can't just go over it with the CrossWave and pick up the debris (I guess when the gunk is sodden it's more difficult for the machine to pick up?. Instead, I have to tackle it separately with cleaner and cleaning cloth to tidy up after completing the CrossWave cleaning. That's also not a huge deal, but it does detract from the whole experience. In conclusion, I still WOULD recommend this product to a friend, but with the caveats that I have mentioned. I would only add that in practice, I find I reach for this product less often than I thought I would do. I keep it for heavier cleaning projects but still reach for the old fashioned mop for quicker, more frequent cleanings.