This vacuum mop combo changed my mind about smart cleaners, and it purrfectly tackles pet hair

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A wet and dry vacuum mop may sound too good to be true, but believe it or not, what once seemed like a product from the Jetsons is now readily available, with dozens of options on the market from brands like Bissell, Hoover, and Roborock. Tineco is a popular smart vacuum maker that also produces several iterations of competitive vacuum mops, including the Tineco Go H2O HammerHead Mess Detect Wet/Dry Mop and Vacuum. 

As a first-time vacuum and mop user, I was pretty skeptical that these types of products really worked. Even after reading numerous reviews from our smart home and robot vacuum expert, Maria Diaz, I still couldn’t get on board with these gadgets – especially when they range from several hundred dollars to well over $1,000. 

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Plus, in a multi-cat household full of clumps of hair the size of miniature tumbleweeds that seem to spawn no matter how often I vacuum, I had little hope that any smart vacuum cleaner would make a dent in my home’s dirt. But Tineco advertises the HammerHead as “perfect for pet homes” thanks to a zero-tangle brush that cuts and collects pet hair without wraps, an anti-odor solution, and a bacteria-resistant deep cleaning brush, so I thought what better way to put those claims to the test than with my indoor cat colony (we have five cats). 

That’s why when I had the chance to try out Tineco’s HammerHead Mess Detect, I finally took the plunge. 

On paper, this vacuum mop advertises a lot of good. It vacuums, mops, and self-cleans, and can run for about 30 minutes of uninterrupted cleaning. It’s also cordless, features a 128-degree angled swivel for controlled steering and navigation, 2x more suction than previous models, and a 60% larger tank than other Tineco models, like the iFloor 3. This vacuum mop also has Lay Flat capabilities, which means it can easily squeeze under low-clearance furniture. 

Tineco’s “Mess Detect” technology allows the device to automatically adjust water pressure and suction for the most efficient clean, and an LED display indicates mess detection and cleaning progress. And you don’t have to worry about sloshing dirty water around either, because the HammerHead only uses clean water, separating dirty water and debris to keep floors truly clean. 

So did it really live up to these claims? Surprisingly — yes. 

In the box, you get the mop, the self-cleaning and charging dock, and accessories like a pet brush, cleaning solution, and filter. Even for a first-timer like me, the setup is fairly simple, and is pretty reminiscent of other cleaning devices I’ve used in the past. From unboxing to setting it up, I was done in under 15 minutes. After I followed the charging instructions, I was ready to rock. On the Auto setting, the mop lasts about half an hour, and in the Max setting, about 20 minutes. I was able to finish my kitchen floor before the battery caused any issue. 

Obviously, this Tineco mop is designed for hard floors, so while it both mops and vacuums, it’s not going to do you any good on carpets. If you’re looking for a carpet cleaner, I’m a huge fan of the Bissell Little Green Max Pet cleaner for smaller spots and upholstery. 

I can confirm with confidence that the HammerHead did a great job tackling everyday spills and messes, and was particularly great at cleaning up my kitchen floors a few days after I had already cleaned them over the weekend (Sunday chores still reign supreme here). 

The real test was if the HammerHead could really tackle the kitty-developed dust bunnies of five feline friends. 

Also: I tested the best robot vacuums for pet hair in 2025. These are my favorites

Consider me amazed when the Tineco mop easily swiped up mounds of hair, debris, dirt, litter, and whatever other junk lay on my floor. For extra measure, I used this on my bathroom floor (notorious for hiding my blonde hairs), and experienced the same cleaning-induced bliss. Unlike vacuum devices I had used in the past, there was no tangling or knotting of hair in the brush/mop roll that I had to cut out with scissors, and because it self-cleans, I didn’t even have to touch the mop roll. This, of course, is a huge plus when I consider all the hypothetical nasty liquids and debris that make their way onto any floor, but particularly a bathroom floor. 

After you’re done mopping, simply return the mop to its dock and initiate a cleaning cycle. This was pretty loud, but it’s short, and I was both intrigued and disgusted by what remained in the dirty water compartment afterwards. I spared you from the nasty sight, but believe me when I say the proof was certainly in the pudding. 

I went into this experience with an open mind and a good attitude, and this Tineco mop far surpassed my expectations. I’ve been using this for a few weeks now, and I’m never going back to a traditional mop. I’m extremely impressed, so much so that I’m ready to gift one to my mom to help lighten her holiday cleaning. 

Why I recommend this product

Cleaning your home is inevitable. It has to be done one way or another, so why not make it easier on yourself? That’s what this Tineco Go H20 HammerHead vacuum mop does for me. Most important, it tackled mounds of cat hair, and that’s priceless. It’s not replacing regular vacuuming with a traditional setup (at least not in my house), but it’s made day-to-day upkeep much easier and significantly diminished weekend cleaning. 

Overall, I was incredibly impressed with what this vacuum and mop does, especially for its price tag. Tineco sells this model for $449 on its direct website. At other retailers, it sells for $380, and while it’s certainly not inexpensive, it’s competitively and moderately priced for the market, when other brands offer similar devices for $500 and up. Plus, I’m banking that this vacuum mop will see a discount for Black Friday, which would make it too good to ignore at a lower price. There is also a cheaper model of this without Mess Detect, which is on sale for $190. 

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I’m certainly not a smart mop and vacuum expert like my coworker Maria Diaz, but I am an everyday gadget enthusiast who appreciates what this mop was able to accomplish in my space. And you don’t just have to agree with me. This device has a 4.8/5 star rating among Target customers, so others appreciate it like I do, too.