The Tineco Floor One S9 Artist Steam is a cordless, self-propelled vacuum mop with a steam mode, a self-cleaning dock and a 0.88-litre clean-water tank. Vacuum Wars found it among the strongest hard floor cleaners it has measured, with 151 points in its dried-on stain test, 0.4 g of water left behind and a 75-minute battery run. Popular Science found it handled pet hair, spills and an old berry stain on linoleum, ran far more quietly than a full-size vacuum and never tangled the roller. It suits owners of large hard-floored homes, pets included, who want vacuuming, mopping and steam in one machine; anyone who struggles with a 13.5 lb machine or mainly has carpet should look elsewhere.
Full review
Steam lifts dried-on stains without soaking the floor
Vacuum Wars reports that the HyperSteam system produces steam at around 320°F and keeps it above 210°F in use. In its timed test on dried coffee stains the S9 Artist Steam scored 151 points against a 140-point average, and it left 0.4 g of water on the floor against a 1 g average, so floors dry quickly and streak less. Combining the two gave a mopping score of 175, tied for first among the hard floor cleaners Vacuum Wars has tested. Popular Science gave a linoleum kitchen floor the steam treatment and reported a visible difference, including the removal of a purple berry stain that had sat on the floor for months.
Self-propelled, quiet and easy to steer under furniture
Popular Science found the self-propelled head nimble enough to cut around table legs and into small nooks, and the low front fitted under cabinets, a sofa and a TV stand. The handle can be laid completely flat for reaching under beds. Its reviewer also called the machine an order of magnitude quieter than a full-size vacuum, even in Max mode, and the dog sleeping beside it was not disturbed. Vacuum Wars adds three-sided edge cleaning, an iLoop sensor that adjusts suction and roller speed to the dirt it detects, and an anti-hair-wrap system with two scrapers; Popular Science reported no roller tangles from dog hair in several weeks of use.
Weight and tank size are the trade-offs
Vacuum Wars weighed the S9 Artist Steam at 6,148 g, or about 13.5 lb, against a 10.1 lb average, and puts the extra mass down to the steam system. The self-propel drive offsets much of it, though it also sets the cleaning pace. The 0.88-litre clean-water tank is below the 1-litre average, and Vacuum Wars describes suction as only slightly above average. It can handle light rug passes but is not designed for deep carpet cleaning. Popular Science found the latch that holds the filter in the dirty-water tank flimsier than expected, and the dirty-water tank still has to be emptied and rinsed by hand after the dock's self-clean.
Long runtime and a dock that dries the roller
Battery life is a strength. Vacuum Wars measured 75 minutes, against a category average of about 35, and Popular Science usually finished cleaning an 1,100 sq ft house with 20 to 25 percent charge left, although heavy steam use came close to draining it. On the dock the machine runs a self-check, washes the roller and internal tubes with heated water and dries them with hot air, a cycle Popular Science timed at under five minutes of cleaning plus five minutes of drying. A spare roller and filter come in the box. At its $749 listing it is a premium purchase, aimed at buyers who want the full feature set.
Strengths
- +Scored 151 in Vacuum Wars' dried-on stain test, against a 140-point average
- +Left 0.4 g of water on the floor in Vacuum Wars' test, against a 1 g average
- +Ran 75 minutes in Vacuum Wars' battery test, against a 35-minute category average
- +Edge cleaning on three sides of the head reaches into corners and along skirting
- +Popular Science's dog hair never jammed the roller over several weeks of use
Watch-outs
- −Heavy at 6,148 g (13.5 lb), the second-heaviest model Vacuum Wars compared
- −0.88-litre water tank is smaller than the 1-litre category average
- −Not built for deep carpet cleaning; it handles light rug passes only
How it compares
At its $749 listing the S9 Artist Steam is a flagship alternative to the Bissell CrossWave Edge, the DREAME H12 PRO and Tineco's own Floor ONE i5 Stretch, distinguished by a dedicated steam mode and a 75-minute measured runtime. Its 13.5 lb weight and 0.88-litre tank are the plain costs of that steam system.
Rating sources
Counts as 4.35/5 in our score — this publisher's 1 scores on the site average 4.50, so its scores are adjusted down to compare fairly with other publishers.
“Tineco Floor One S9 Artist Steam Vacuum Wars Stars 4.35”
Not in the average — we derived this score from the review's words, and a publisher printed a score for this product, so the printed number counts instead.
Our 4.3 score is the average of 1 of the scored reviews above, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores. 1 derived score above is not in the average because a publisher printed a score for this product. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
