Bissell 5200 Flip It Bare Floor Cleaner :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

Pretty good Cleaner After Accomodations Made

2008-08-19
Like many, I was stuck with this big old cleaner that left pools of water on my floor, however I made a couple of accomodations and my floor is shining clean. The thing doesn't suck up much water for sure. That little teeny tiny cloth on the bottom is too small, so I used the larger cloths that are made for the shark steamer. I believe you can purchase them separately. They velcro right on and they make the machine much more effective. You will need a couple of them for a large area. The thing pushes much easier with this addition. I also keep a Swiffer nearby with a thick Clorox floor cleaing pad on it to dry up any remaining water that the machine won't suck up. It sounds like more work, but really very simple. The pads on the bottom were black with filth, and my laminate floors look brand new. The small bit of water that the machine did suck up was less than hald the liquid I started with and so it was filthy. I have to say that eventhough I had to make these changes, I have not found a better method of getting my floors clean. They are gleaming.

DO YOU READ THE INSTRUCTIONS????

2008-07-20
Flip it works great, cleans the floors, does everything it is supposed to do.

I almost didn't buy it because of the bad ratings. Most people are idiots and do not read the instructions. If you empty both chambers when you are finished cleaning -<<>>- there is nothing to leak! If it takes you hours to mop a floor, and you let flip it sit by while you answer the phone, cook, and walk the dog, you will get leaks!

Fill it up, use it, empty it when done - PERFECT TOOL!!! No hassles at ALL. Even the vacuum works well, and I have a Dyson, so I know a good tool when I see one.

Negative ratings are all from fools who didnt read the instructions and/or cant start a job and finish it WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS.

No vacuum/mop replacement, but does serve a purpose.

2008-07-13
First off the dry vacuum side is pretty much useless. This thing is kinda heavy and loud and using a broom is just easier...way less work.

Secondly, it doesn't do a good job with a dirty floor. Any little drips or dirty foot/paw prints that have dried don't come up easily. It can't really do anything that needs scrubbing or anything where you would push the mop down harder.

Finally, you do have to rinse out the nasty dirty water tank and the little filter and fill up the clean tank. Sounds easy but you've got about four parts you're washing in the sink. It's not something you just whip out and start cleaning with.

With all that said, here's how I use it. Sweep the floor best you can with a broom. Get out a mop and bucket (or just use the sink if it's nearby) and mop the floor. Do fairly sloppy and wet once over on the floor and scrub the tough spots. Then go over the floor with this thing. The squeegee and vacuum will get up all the dirty water and any leftover dirt or pet hair that you can just never get with the broom plus it helps dry the floor much quicker. It's also good at spot jobs where dirt/food/beverages are still wet.

So it doesn't really replace any steps, but it makes sweeping and mopping a little easier by adding a step to the end. I'm glad I have it, but next time, I'll probably look for something with rotating brushes or steam and no dry vacuum side.

My arm is numb after using this!!

2008-07-08
I just got a portion of my house tiled aside from what was already tiled. I HATE to mop, hate it with a passion! So I figured this product would be a Godsend! Boy couldn't I have been any more wrong!

My friend has this exact model, I asked her if I could borrow it before I borrowed it. She told me that I would hate it, but brought it over anyway. Now I understand why none of our local stores (Target, Walmart, etc.) don't carry any of the Bissell flip it models, it's a POS!!!

Like a previous poster said, it pushes lint, dust and hair away, but at least it rolls smoothly over the tile and eventually picks it up once you have it against a wall. Now the dry side, my arm is numb from pushing this around, I can barely type this. It was so hard to push and pull it and this is tile, one would think it would glide across. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish up the job.

As much as I hate mopping, at least I'm not drenched in sweat along with a numb arm when I'm finished mopping. I might try the Hoover Hard floor cleaner. At least I can thank my lucky stars that I did not waste my money on this horrible product!

I gave it 2 stars because the dirty water did come out black, so I guess it at least cleaned, it was just way harder than it had to be.

Great for the Price!

2008-06-26
The machine is light weight, easy to use and does a very good job for the price. The vacuum is useless, but the wet-mop feature was why I purchased it. No more dirty water being spread around. I can't believe how clean my floors are in spite of a dog, a cat, and all the dirt that comes along with living in the country.

I heat my water in the microwave and only use distilled water (We have well water that has a lot of calcium in it.). Unlike the Hoover Floormate, you do have to put a little more "elbow grease" into the process, but this machine is half the price and a lot easier to lift. Nothing is better than getting down on your hands and knees and scrubbing, but at 53 with arthritis, I just can't do that kind of cleaning much anymore. Those who complain about this product are probably wanting a $500 job for only $79--dream on!

I've had this machine for about 2 years. Unfortunately, the other night it began leaking the cleaning solution as soon as I put the tank on. My husband is an engineer and is going to look at it for me. He thinks it may be the tubing and not the tank, but it could be time to buy a new one.

I may actually dish out the cash and buy the Hoover Spinscrub instead. I've purchased 2 H2850s and 1 H3044 for my kids who have bigger houses with a lot of tile. The H2850 is no longer made and one of the two has a problem with leaking fluid. As far as I know the other two machines are working great, but the new machine does cost about $176 on Amazon. Big difference between $176 for the Hoover and $79 for the Bissell--hmmmmm I'll think about it!

Worked well - initially but soon gave up!!

2008-05-25
A superb all-in-one cleaning device for bare floors! Incredibly lightweight and effective, this versatile specialized wet-and-dry bare-floor vacuum features a low-profile head so you can access tight spots, like under beds and other furniture. An ergonomically-designed handle and spray trigger allows you to simultaneously dispense cleaning solution while cleaning. A drop-in tank is easy to fill and empty. Weighs 9.5. pounds. Limited one-year warranty. Model 5200.

So crappy I gave it away for free within weeks

2008-04-07
This product leaks, does not clean well, etc. I have nothing good to say about it.

awesome for everyday

2008-04-03
I have two toddlers and I am a complete neat freak. I am pregnant so I am in that "nesting stage" where I clean the entire house top to bottom everyday. Most of my house is wood and ceramic and this is perfect for me to use everyday, sometimes several times a day. I can't stand any foot prints on the floor, I am so anal about clean floors, so much so it is like a sickness. I got a cleaning product that can be used on wood and ceramic so I did not have to change formulas when I changed floors. I only gave it 4 stars because the dry vacuum isn't terrific. I use my regular vacuum first then the floor cleaner. It also dries really quick. I recommend this for everyday cleaning, especially if you have kids or pets and especially if you constantly have to mop up messes, or if you have pop up guests (it takes twenty minutes to do my floors and I have a large home) I still do an old fashioned hands and knees cleaning once or twice a week, but I don't know what I'd do without this.

Not overly impressed

2008-03-28
I owned this vacuum for 18 months. Had to replace the fresh water tank within the first 6 months due to a leaky gasket. Two months ago, the water would just start running through the tank, as though I had the trigger pulled. Brought into the local Bissell authorized dealer. They took it apart and said the problem was unrepairable. I thought they were trying to pull one over on me, until they asked me to pick up all the parts...as they werent in the disposal business. When it operated, it worked OK on the wood floor, but I'm skeptical about buying another Bissell.

Still seeing streaks

2008-03-22
I have had this unit for a bit over a year, and I try not to use it too often. I have tried both the brush and the pads, but still get streaks. If I want to rid of the streaks I have to go over an area with a towel to help prevent them. I have laminate floors, have used it with and without the laminate floor cleaner. If anyone has a trick to this, let me know.