Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam 3517E Review: Clean Floors, Long Clean-Up
Bissell’s corded floor washer vacuums, washes and steams sealed hard floors in one pass, and every reviewer agrees it cleans well. They also agree on the catch. Once the floor is done, the machine needs about ten minutes of rinsing and drying itself, and that is the part that decides whether you keep using it.
Where the reviews line up
We used three sources. Tech Advisor tested the UK model on vinyl and tiles. Homes & Gardens used the American HydroSteam in a home full of pet and human hair. And John Lewis shows 61 buyer reviews averaging 4.4 out of 5. All three agree it cleans well, and all three name the same drawbacks.
It cleans well. Tech Advisor left jam, mustard and oil on a floor for an hour. Steam mode cleared the jam completely and removed most of the mustard. The oil came up but left a slight greasy film that needed a wipe. Homes & Gardens rated it highly as an all-in-one machine, and John Lewis buyers back that up with their 4.4 average.
Then there is the clean-up. Both editorial testers single out the clean-out routine. After each use the brush roll, filter, dirty-water tank, strainer and lid all need rinsing and air-drying, and Tech Advisor timed the whole job at about ten minutes. Its tester also needed two self-clean cycles to get rid of the jam and mustard. Homes & Gardens called the routine tedious.
It is corded, and it is not quiet. The 7.5 m cable runs from a 1100 W motor that Bissell rates at 76 dB. Tech Advisor found it loud enough to stop normal conversation. If you want a cordless machine, Bissell sells the CrossWave Cordless Max, which takes the same brush roll. We have not reviewed it here.
The three reviews this summary is built from
- Tech AdvisorHands-on test of the UK model by Rachel Ogden, March 2024. Includes a timed clean-up.
- Homes & GardensHome test of the US HydroSteam, which is a sister model, April 2023.
- John Lewis4.4/5 from 61 reviews of the 3517E, checked 10 October 2026.
Before the review: which CrossWave this is
Bissell UK sells this model as the CrossWave HydroSteam Pet, SKU 3517E, and John Lewis calls it the HydroSteam Pet Select. American reviews and videos cover the HydroSteam, HydroSteam Plus and HydroSteam Deluxe (US models 3527, 35151 and 3515). Those machines are close relatives of the 3517E, but their tanks, accessories and warranties differ. The Australian 3517F is another regional version. Before you rely on any figure, check which model it describes.
Specification at a glance
| Spec | Figure | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Model | CrossWave HydroSteam Pet, 3517E | Bissell UK SKU; John Lewis MPN |
| Power | Corded mains, 1100 W, one suction level | Bissell UK; John Lewis |
| Run time | Unlimited, because it runs off the mains | The real limit is the clean-water tank |
| Cord length | 7.5 m | Bissell UK and Tech Advisor. John Lewis lists 75 cm, which looks like a typo |
| Clean-water tank | 820 ml | Bissell UK (0.82 l) and Tech Advisor agree |
| Dirty-water tank | 640 ml usable | Tech Advisor. Bissell UK gives no figure, and John Lewis lists only “1.0 l capacity” |
| Modes | Three: wet only, wet with steam, steam only | John Lewis; Tech Advisor |
| Floors | Sealed hard floors (tile, vinyl, laminate, sealed wood) and area rugs | Bissell UK. Not for unsealed wood |
| Weight | 5.67 kg | Bissell UK, John Lewis and Tech Advisor all agree |
| Dimensions | H 111.8 × W 27 × D 25 cm | Bissell UK; John Lewis |
| Noise | 76 dB | Bissell UK and John Lewis. Tech Advisor quotes Bissell’s rating as 75 dB |
| Steam warm-up | About 30 seconds | Bissell’s instructions, as reported by Tech Advisor and Homes & Gardens |
| Replacement brush roll | £19.99, FreshStart anti-microbial brush roll, SKU 3871 | Bissell UK, which showed “No stock available” on 10 October 2026 |
| Running cost | About 9.7p for a 20-minute clean | Our calculation: 1.1 kW × ⅓ hour × 26.32p/kWh, the Ofgem cap for October 2026. Assumes full rated draw, so treat it as a ceiling |
| Warranty | 2 years | Bissell UK; John Lewis. The US model carries 3 years, which does not apply here |
| Price | RRP £399.99 · £349.99 at John Lewis | Both checked 10 October 2026 |
Tech Advisor
Who they are: Rachel Ogden is a Tech Advisor contributor who specialises in home appliance reviews, from kitchen gadgets to smart home tech, and a UK freelance journalist with more than 24 years’ experience — why her timed UK test carries weight.
This is the most useful source because Ogden tested the UK 3517E and measured both the cleaning and the clean-up. She worked on vinyl and tiles. She left jam, mustard and cooking oil on the floor for an hour, then cleaned them up. Steam mode removed the jam completely. It lifted most of the mustard but left a faint tinge. Hard-floor mode picked up most of the oil, but the floor stayed slightly greasy and needed wiping by hand. She had no rug to test, so she used a small patch of carpet with mud and pet hair. Most of the dirt came up, and the strainer caught the hair in clumps that were easy to tip out.
Her verdict is the most balanced of the three. She calls the cleaning hygienic and likes the self-cleaning brush roll, the headlights and the three modes. She also lists real drawbacks. It is noisy enough that you cannot hold a normal conversation over it, even though Bissell rates it at 75 dB, and the cable limits how far you can go. Most of all, she says “its convenience doesn’t extend to maintenance”. Rinsing and reassembling the brush roll, filter, tank, strainer and lid took her about ten minutes, and the dock’s self-clean needed two runs to clear the jam and mustard. Bissell says steam takes about 30 seconds to warm up. She found it was quicker but did not time it.
Watch: The Bissell Crosswave Hydrosteam - Is it the Best?
An owner’s verdict on the HydroSteam. The search listing does not say which regional model it shows. Watch it for how the modes and the self-clean dock work, not for UK specifications.
Watch on YouTube ↗ Independent YouTube video — not made by or for Shopbam.Homes & Gardens
Who they are: we could not find a published profile for Aleenah Ansari; the test was chosen because it is a home test of the US HydroSteam sister model, run with a lot of hair.
Ansari tested the American HydroSteam, not the UK 3517E. The weight is the same (12.5 lb, or 5.67 kg) and so is the 25-foot cord, which is 7.5 m. Her home has both carpet and hard floors and plenty of pet and human hair, which makes it a tougher test than a clean kitchen. She calls it an “all-in-one powerhouse” that is “hard to beat”. She liked the range of modes, the self-clean cycle, the long cord and the headlight.
Her complaints are specific. Some sticky dirt on hard floors did not come up, which matches Tech Advisor’s greasy oil result. Long hair still wrapped around the brush roll and had to be pulled off by hand. The clean-water filler is narrow enough to cause small spills. The mode icons took her a while to learn. Like Tech Advisor, she found the clean-out routine tedious. On hard floors she left them about five minutes to dry. Her review mentions a 3-year warranty, but that is the US cover. UK buyers get two years.
Watch: My thoughts on my Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam and testing if it is as bad as I think it is
A sceptical owner retesting their own machine, and a useful balance to the praise. The search listing does not say which regional model it is.
Watch on YouTube ↗ Independent YouTube video — not made by or for Shopbam.John Lewis
Who they are: John Lewis ratings come from its customers and are moderated by a third party, PowerReviews, before publication; free-product and syndicated brand-site reviews are labelled but counted in averages, and each review enters a £100 prize draw, so check the labels.
This is the biggest set of UK owner ratings we could read for this exact model, and John Lewis sells it directly. A 4.4 average from 61 people is solid. We could not read the written reviews, the star breakdown or how many buyers are verified, so we are quoting the score only, not individual comments. Argos also lists the machine as the “Crosswave HydroSteam Pet Hard Floor Vacuum Cleaner”, but its page loads by script and we could not read its rating, price or seller.
A small set of owner reviews from Australia points the other way. ProductReview.com.au shows 2.4/5 from 3 reviews of the 3517F. One owner says the roller stopped turning after about ten months, although the warranty claim went smoothly. Another says the suction is barely noticeable and it only lifts light dirt. A third says it does not reach right into the edges. Three reviews are far too few to outweigh 61, so treat them as things to watch for, not a verdict.
Watch: How to use the Bissell Crosswave Hydrosteam
A plain how-to covering filling, the modes and the clean-out. Watch it before buying to see what the after-use routine involves.
Watch on YouTube ↗ Independent YouTube video — not made by or for Shopbam.Strengths and weak points
What holds up
- Steam mode fully removed dried-on jam in Tech Advisor’s test, and cleared most of the mustard.
- Separate clean and dirty tanks, so you never wash with dirty water.
- Headlights and a hair strainer that catches hair in easy-to-empty clumps.
- Being corded means no battery to wear out and no run-time limit, and at about 10p it costs little to run.
- A replacement brush roll costs £19.99, and the same part fits the Cordless Max.
- 4.4/5 from 61 John Lewis buyers.
What people complain about
- About ten minutes of rinsing, drying and reassembly after every use.
- Rated at 76 dB, and loud enough in Tech Advisor’s test to drown out conversation.
- The cord limits your reach, and at 5.67 kg it is heavy to carry upstairs.
- Oily and sticky spills can leave a film that needs wiping by hand.
- Long hair can still wrap the brush roll, despite the tangle-free claim.
- An 820 ml clean tank means stopping to refill on bigger floors. The dirty tank can drip when you lift the machine (Yours magazine tester).
Who it actually suits
Buy it if most of your floors are sealed (tile, vinyl, laminate or sealed wood) and you deal with sticky kitchen spills and muddy pet footprints, which a steam mop alone handles less well. It suits you best if you clean one or two rooms at a time and can accept a ten-minute rinse at the end. At £349.99 at John Lewis it costs much less than the £399.99 RRP. For a straight steam clean with nothing to wash out afterwards, compare it with our Shark Klik n’ Flip steam mop review and our Kärcher SC 3 EasyFix review.
Look elsewhere if your home is mostly carpet. This machine handles area rugs, not fitted carpet. For that, see our Vax Platinum SmartWash review, or our Bissell SpotClean Pro review for stairs and stains. Look elsewhere too if you want a quick daily dry vacuum. A cordless stick such as the one in our Dyson V15 Detect review is quicker to grab and needs no clean-up afterwards. And skip it if your floors are unsealed wood.
What we could not check
- The videos. We confirmed all three by finding each one in two separate search listings. We did not open them, and none of the listings named the channel or the regional model shown.
- Bissell UK’s stock and live price. Its product pages show £399.99, but the stock status and basket button load by script. John Lewis showed “Add to basket” at £349.99.
- Argos. The listing loads by script, so we could not read its price, rating or seller. Argos hosts marketplace sellers, so check the “sold by” line before you buy.
- Dirty-tank capacity. Only Tech Advisor gives a figure (640 ml). Bissell UK gives none, and John Lewis lists only “1.0 l capacity”.
- Cord length conflict. John Lewis lists 75 cm, while Bissell UK and Tech Advisor say 7.5 m. We have used 7.5 m.
- Noise conflict. Bissell UK and John Lewis say 76 dB, while Tech Advisor quotes Bissell as saying 75 dB. Nobody independent has measured it.
- Warranty registration. Neither Bissell UK nor John Lewis says whether registering extends the 2-year cover.
- Running cost. Bissell does not publish real power draw for each mode or for the self-clean cycle. Our 9.7p figure assumes the full 1100 W for 20 minutes.
- Brush roll stock. Bissell UK showed the £19.99 replacement as “No stock available” on 10 October 2026.
- Review counts across the CrossWave range. We could not read UK review counts for the Cordless Max or OmniForce, so we cannot confirm which CrossWave has the most UK reviews. The HydroSteam 3517E is the model with a readable UK sample.
- John Lewis review text. Only the average and the count were readable, not the star breakdown or individual comments.
- The Yours magazine test. The tester reports dripping when the machine is lifted. That article is labelled as commercial content, so we have treated it as a supporting note only.
Sources last checked 10 October 2026. Prices and stock change, so check the listing in front of you before you order.