The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is effectively a cordless version of the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro hybrid vacuum mop. It uses the same detergent-dispersal function to scrub away dried-on stains, but in exchange for its more portable cordless design, it uses lighter, less powerful suction and brushroll motors, yielding inferior performance on carpets. Unlike many other manually-operated vacuums, you can download a companion app to your phone. It helps you keep track of parts that need replacing and features Amazon's Dash Replenishment integration to have detergent shipped to your door with the press of a button.
Our Verdict
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is good for cleaning bare floors. It easily clears away pet hair as well as small and bulky debris on this surface type, with no significant loss in suction performance as its dustbin fills up. Its mopping function is also quite effective in dealing with dried-on dirt and debris. However, while it feels decently well-built for the most part, it does have quite a few components that need to be cleaned or replaced periodically, so recurring costs can add up over time.
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Superb performance on bare floors.
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Mostly effective mopping functionality.
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Feels lightweight in your hand.
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Clears away most pet hair on floors.
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Many parts need periodic cleaning.
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Moderately high recurring costs.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is okay for cleaning low-pile carpet. You'll probably need to make a couple of extra passes to fully clear fine and large debris, though it does a little better when it comes to clearing away pet hair. It's fairly maneuverable, though you should be careful when cleaning around tasseled rugs, which can get stuck in its floorhead.
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Feels lightweight in your hand.
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Clears away most pet hair on floors.
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Many parts need periodic cleaning.
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Moderately high recurring costs.
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Struggles with solid debris on low-pile carpet.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max isn't suitable for cleaning high-pile carpet. It doesn't have enough power to keep its brushroll spinning on dense high-pile carpeting, and its relatively weak suction motor can't draw debris from carpet fibers.
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Feels lightweight in your hand.
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Clears away most pet hair on floors.
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Many parts need periodic cleaning.
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Moderately high recurring costs.
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Weak suction force.
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Dense carpeting can stop the brushroll.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max has some disadvantages in dealing with pet hair. It does a fantastic job of dealing with pet hair on bare floors, but you might need to make an extra pass to collect all of it on low-pile carpeting. Its brushroll is pretty tangle-prone, but thankfully you can remove it to clear away any stuck-on hair. Since you can't configure it as a handheld vacuum, it isn't suitable for cleaning pet hair from furniture. It also lacks a HEPA filter, and some allergens can escape from its exhaust.
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Mostly effective mopping functionality.
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Removable brushroll.
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Clears away most pet hair on floors.
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Many parts need periodic cleaning.
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Moderately high recurring costs.
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Poor air filtration performance.
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Not configurable as a handheld vacuum.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is a passable option for cleaning staircases. It feels lightweight in your hand, while its cordless design ensures you won't trip over a power cord. It performs remarkably well on bare surfaces, though it can have a hard time on low-pile carpeting.
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Superb performance on bare floors.
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Feels lightweight in your hand.
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Not configurable as a handheld vacuum.
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Can struggle on carpeted surfaces.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max uses a conventional upright configuration and isn't suitable for cleaning the inside of your car.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is alright for light workshop cleaning jobs, but that isn't what it's designed for. It can clear away liquid spills, but clearing away heavier debris like metal or wood shavings could damage its internals.
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Superb performance on bare floors.
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Mostly effective mopping functionality.
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Weak suction force.
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Can struggle on carpeted surfaces.
- 6.6 Bare Floor
- 5.5 Low-Pile Carpet
- 5.3 High-Pile Carpet
- 4.4 Pets
- 6.0 Stairs
- 5.1 Cars
- 5.6 Workshop
- Updated Aug 26, 2024: We've updated the scores in the Hard Floor Pick-Up, High-Pile Carpet Pick-Up, Low-Pile Carpet Pick-Up, and Pet-Hair Pick-Up tests to align with a broader data set. For more information about the reasoning for this update, you can look at our forum post.
- Updated Aug 01, 2024: We've added a link to the BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam in the 'Quality Of Life Features' section of the review to provide an alternative with a steaming function.
- Updated Jul 02, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3. We've overhauled our floor performance tests and added new 'Hard Floor Pick-Up,' 'High-Pile Carpet Pick-Up,' 'Low-Pile Carpet Pick-Up,' and 'Pet-Hair Pick-Up' tests. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 25, 2024: We've changed the result in the 'On-Board Tool Storage' field in the 'Storing' section of the review from 'No' to 'Not Needed' to reflect the fact that this vacuum doesn't come with any additional tools that you would need to stow.
- Updated Dec 14, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update builds on our previous 'Suction' test with a new 'Airflow' test that more accurately measures a vacuum's ability to generate air movement. If you'd like to see an in-depth look at the reasoning and methodology behind this change, you can see our full changelog here..
- Updated Nov 25, 2022: We've changed the full product name to 'BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max' in order for the review to encompass all model variants.
- Updated Nov 03, 2022: This vacuum's suction force has been retested with a more accurate manometer. The test results for the 'Maximum Suction' and 'Normal Suction' fields have been updated. All relevant scores and text have been updated.
- Updated Aug 05, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Jul 29, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Jul 26, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 12, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jul 05, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jun 25, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless is only available in one color scheme: 'Black With Pearl White'. You can buy this vacuum with an All Floor Expert Bundle, which comes with two additional multi-surface brushrolls, one area rug brushroll, one 32oz bottle of Multi-Surface detergent, one 32oz bottle of Hard Floor Tough Mess + Odor Eliminator detergent, and one 32oz bottle of Area Rug detergent. You can see the label for our model here.
Let us know in the discussions if you come across another variant of this vacuum, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Vacuums
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is a cordless upright hybrid vacuum/mop. Compared to the corded BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, it has a less powerful motor that leaves it incapable of cleaning dense high-pile carpeting. That said, it's easier to maneuver and does just as good a job when vacuuming debris or scrubbing away stains on bare floors.
If you're looking for alternatives, take a look at our list of recommendations for the best vacuums for tile floors, the best vacuums for hardwood floors, and the best cordless vacuums.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max and the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro each have distinct advantages, meaning one might suit you better than the other, depending on your needs. Both vacuums use similar detergent-dispersal functions and do a good job of dealing with dried-on stains as well as liquid spills. They're also pretty similar in terms of dimensions and overall weight. That said, the corded Pet Pro can run indefinitely but at the cost of a limited range. Its brushroll motor is stronger than its cordless alternative, so you can use this vacuum to clean carpeted floors. However, the Cordless Max can be used to easily clean faraway rooms with minimal difficulty. It also features a self-cleaning function that slightly reduces hands-on maintenance requirements.
The BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam is better than the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max. The HydroSteam provides better debris pickup performance on bare floors, and its steam-release function results in superior stain-clearing performance. On the other hand, the CrossWave Cordless Max has a lighter, more maneuverable build, and its cordless design makes it easier to clean faraway areas.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max and the Hoover ONEPWR Evolve Pet share an upright configuration, but they're for different uses. The BISSELL is a hybrid vacuum/mop and can deal with stains and liquid spills with minimal difficulty. It performs better on bare floors than the Hoover, and its fluffy brushroll is better suited to drawing debris up from cracks and crevices. The Hoover is a more conventional cordless upright that you can easily use on carpeted surfaces. It's also lighter, charges faster, and has a dustbin that's roughly twice as large.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max and the Dyson Omni-glide are differently designed vacuums with differing intended use cases, though they're both meant for cleaning bare floors. The Dyson is a uniquely designed stick vacuum with a rotating twin brushroll head. It's much lighter than the BISSELL, easier to maneuver, and makes less noise. You can also configure it as a handheld vacuum to better clean hard-to-reach areas. Conversely, the BISSELL is a cordless upright vacuum/mop with a detergent-dispersal function to help scrub away dried-on stains. It's more effective than the Dyson in sucking up debris on bare floors and has a longer battery life, not to mention a much bigger dustbin.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max and the Samsung Jet 90 Complete are different types of vacuums, though both offer some mopping functionality. The Samsung is a more conventional cordless stick vacuum that you can bundle with a somewhat unique 'Spinning Sweeper' floorhead, which uses rotating mop pads to scrub away stains. However, this floorhead only scrubs away at stains, and the vacuum isn't capable of dealing with liquid spills, unlike the BISSELL model. That said, the Samsung vacuum is considerably better at everyday vacuuming tasks. It performs much better on carpeted floors with its multi-surface floorhead, is easier to maneuver, weighs considerably less, and has a longer battery life.
Test Results
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max feels decently well-built. It's similar to the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro in terms of overall build quality, with a body made mainly from hard plastic and an aluminum wand. There are a couple of minor deviations however. The floorhead release hinge unlocks with very little effort, making it hard to roll the vacuum around when it's positioned completely upright. You'll likely find it easier to move the vacuum from place to place by using the grab handle, which has a rubberized surface to give you a more secure grip. Most of its controls are within easy reach, with its surface mode switch on top of the handle and a detergent trigger just underneath it.
This vacuum is easy to assemble out of the box. The water tank has clearly legible fill lines for cleaning either large or small spaces.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is reasonably easy to maintain. While a few parts need periodic cleaning, they're easy to access.
- Dirt compartment: You can unlatch the dirt compartment by pressing down on the release button. You should empty it after each use by lifting the cover. Also, make sure you remove any large debris stuck in the dirt compartment's strainer. You can wash the dirt compartment under water if there's a significant amount of dirt built up. The vacuum filter is above the dirt compartment, and you should make sure that it's put back in place before refitting the dirt compartment.
- Brushroll: The brushroll is easy to access, only requiring that you lift the clear plastic brush roll window to access it and pull it free. It's thicker than the brushroll found on the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, and long pet hair tends to get tightly tangled around it. You should clean it regularly under water to remove any stuck-on dirt or debris or use a pair of scissors to cut it away, though be careful to avoid cutting the fluffy brush's fibers.
- Filter: The filter sits on top of the dirt compartment and can only be accessed once the dirt compartment has been pulled out. It has an attached screen to trap any fine debris or small strands of pet hair. You should wash the filter under water after every cleaning session, and you can use mild detergent if necessary.
- Water tank: The water tank is located on the back of the vacuum body and is easy to lift free of its housing. It features two separate markings for both water and detergent levels, one for small areas and the other for large areas. First, fill it up to the desired water level, and then add the required amount of detergent for the size of the room you're planning to mop. Make sure to empty the water tank after every use.
Any parts that you wash under water should be left to dry completely before refitting them.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max incurs fairly low recurring costs.
- Brushroll: The brushroll should be replaced after 50 hours of use. A replacement can be found here.
- Filter: You should replace the filter after 50 hours of runtime have gone by. You can buy a replacement from BISSELL's website here.
- Cleaning Solution: The frequency of buying new cleaning solution depends entirely on how frequently you mop and the size of the mopping area. Several different formats and formulas for different floor types are available, but for this review, scoring is based on the cost of the type of detergent bundled with the vacuum.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is reasonably easy to store. It's shorter and thinner than the corded BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, and it comes with a charging dock that you can use to run the vacuum's self-cleaning cycle to flush out any dirt or debris inside the vacuum. The dock also has a drying rack for its brushroll and filter.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max has a fairly spacious dirt compartment. It's smaller than that of more conventional cordless uprights like the Shark Vertex Pro Powered Lift-Away, though it does have a max fill line that lets you know when it's full. It's important to note that this vacuum also has a 28 oz (828 ml) water tank for its mopping feature.
- BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max
- Vacuum body
- Dirt compartment/Dirty water tank
- Dirt compartment cover
- Clean water tank
- Filter
- 2x brushrolls
- Dirt cup strainer
- Brushroll cover
- Various accessories
- 2x 8 oz Multi-Surface Formula bottles
- 2x 8 oz Hard-Floor Sanitize Formula bottles
- Power adapter
- Charging/Cleaning dock
- Tool holder for vacuum dock
- Manuals
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max's range is limited only by the remaining battery life and the room left within its dirt compartment.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is pretty portable. It weighs almost exactly as much as the corded BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, but its redesigned handle places less weight in your hand as you maneuver it around.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max offers good battery performance. It can run for almost 40 minutes on a single charge, which should give you enough time to clean most rooms without running out of charge. It doesn't offer any distinct suction power modes that would drain its battery any faster, though using its detergent dispersal function continuously might drop its runtime slightly.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max doesn't have that many quality-of-life features. There are two surface settings that you can select with a handle-mounted switch: 'Area Rug' or 'Hard Floor.' However, this setting only adjusts the amount of detergent sprayed onto the brushroll when you pull the trigger, and it doesn't adjust brushroll height or suction power. There's also a button that engages the vacuum's self-cleaning function when it's docked, which cycles its brushroll and detergent function to clear away any stuck-on debris. You can see an estimate of the remaining battery life as well as the current surface mode with the small display at the back of the vacuum body. That said, this appliance lacks the BISSELL CrossWave HydroSteam's steam-dispersal function, which helps improve stain-clearing performance.
Note: While the floorhead does have a built-in light, it only turns on to light up the brushroll after pulling the detergent release trigger. The 'Headlight' field has been set to 'No.'
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max doesn't come with attachments, though there is an additional replacement brushroll for its floorhead.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max's real-world suction performance is poor. It uses a less powerful suction motor than the corded BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro and is likely to have more trouble drawing out debris wedged deep within cracks and crevices. Like the corded model, swapping between the 'Hard Floor' and 'Area Rug' modes doesn't impact suction performance, as these settings don't alter brushroll height or motor output.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is pretty quiet. It's considerably quieter than the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, presumably thanks to its smaller, less powerful suction motor. If you run it within an enclosed room, people nearby aren't likely to be disturbed.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max is reasonably maneuverable. Its floorhead pivots, allowing you to maneuver around obstacles pretty easily. However, its bulky body gets in the way when cleaning under tables and chairs, and it's more of a hassle to maneuver in cluttered areas compared to conventional cordless stick vacuums like the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. It can be hard to push around on low and high-pile rugs, as its brushroll can get bogged down on carpet fibers pretty easily. Still, the lack of a power cord makes it noticeably easier to maneuver compared to the BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro.
You can't convert the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max into a handheld vacuum, so it isn't suitable for vacuuming pet hair on furniture.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max isn't wholly effective in sealing in allergens, as some fine particles escape from the exhaust port.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max does an okay job of handling debris in cracks. While its suction motor isn't strong enough to draw out debris in medium or full-depth crevices, it uses a fluffier, larger-diameter brushroll than the more powerful BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, resulting in better debris pickup in shallow cracks.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max does a good job dealing with stains when used with the Multi-Surface cleaning formula. The manufacturer recommends using the 'Hard Floor' setting to clear stains on bare surfaces but using the 'Area Rug' setting for stubborn messes since it releases more detergent onto the brushroll. It's worth noting that this vacuum can leave behind a small amount of residue after completing a pass, though thankfully, it's pretty easy to clear away. You'll probably need to make several passes to fully clean most stains, and a hand mop will likely be more efficient in cleaning stubborn stains since you can manually provide a greater degree of surface agitation.
The BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max does a great job of sucking up water. It leaves the surface slightly damp but has no trouble clearing the water as a whole. While it has a less powerful motor than the corded BISSELL CrossWave Pet Pro, that's somewhat balanced out by its fluffier brushroll, which does a better job absorbing liquids.