Is the New Tineco Floor One S9 Artist Steam Worth Its $850 Price? I Put It to the Test
It's a yes from me
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I have a rather strange confession: I have a fascination with vacuums. As a kid, I would look at them when we were in stores, I always look forward to vacuuming (a task many people hate) and I’m frequently tempted to buy new vacuums (don’t ask how many are in my cart right now). Luckily, the Tineco team was kind enough to send over their brand new Floor One S9 Artist Steam ($999; $849) to try out, and needless to say, I’ve already fallen in love.
Described by the brand as a major upgrade to its predecessor (the S7 Steam), the S9 looks and operates like a floor vac straight out of the year 3000. That said, shelling out $850 for a vacuum is obviously a big-time investment, which begs the question of whether or not it’s worth its price tag. In my opinion, it very much is. Here are my thoughts.
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My Experience With the Tineco Floor One S9 Artist Steam
For starters, the features are incredible. The vac is equipped with 3D lighting that changes colors based on its cleaning status, and it has a high-temperature steam function that reaches up to 284 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning you will finally be able to get rid of those stubborn stains that have been annoying you for days, weeks or longer than you care to admit. The average wet-dry vacuum heats water to 185 degrees, with some models reaching 248 degrees. That means the S9 gets hotter than average, and while it didn't totally get rid of some of the year-long stains left by younger nieces and nephews, it did tackle the newer scruffs and spills seamlessly.
There’s also the incorporation of the brand’s iLoop Smart Sensor, which adjusts the suction power and water flow automatically, and a FlashDry self-cleaning System that dries your floors in under five minutes.
While I typically find floor vacs to be on the heavier side, this one is easy to maneuver because it has different gear systems that operate on a 90-degree swivel. This allows for easy pushing and minimal effort on your end. Oh, and there’s my favorite feature—the LED Headlight that illuminates dark, hard-to-see areas like underneath your furniture. Wondering about the runtime? The brand promises 75 minutes of uninterrupted cleaning, which I have found to be true.
While it typically only takes me half an hour to steam my floors, I was distracted by the plethora of features while using it the first time, so it wound up taking me well over an hour to get everything done. I could keep going on and on about how much I personally love the S9, but how about hearing from others who have given it a shot?
“Very easy to use and very high quality,” raves one 5-star shopper. “This is, hands down, the best wet-dry vac I have ever owned. I have a big dog with a double coat, and we really have to keep up on things—cleaning dog hair off of rollers is no fun. With this vacuum, it cleans itself. LOVE.” Another adds, “We have some ground-in dirt on our wood flooring. And it tends to come back when I scrape it off. It could be our dogs. Could be my shoes. Dunno. I’ve been looking for a while for a cordless electric tool for such cleaning. Finally, I found this one! It really does what they say it would do. It is indeed self-propelled once you turn it on. I’ve never experienced that, and it’s terrific.”
My only gripe? While the brush roller is great, I do wish it had an actual hose, as I find that easier for cleaning stairs and deep crevices. With all the features the S9 does come with, however, this honestly feels like nitpicking on my end, and I genuinely have zero real complaints, as my floors have never looked cleaner.
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