Ewbank HYDROH1 review: can this hard floor cleaner replace your mop?

Cleaning homes since 1880, Ewbank is perhaps known for its iconic floor sweepers, and while you can still buy the classic sweeper from the Ewbank website, the brand hasn't stopped innovating. The Ewbank HYDROH1 is a great example of this: a 2-in-1 hard floor cleaner that looks much like the best cordless vacuum cleaners and works like a super-smart mop.

I put the HYDROH1 to the test in this review to see how it handled my hard floors. I live in a London flat with entirely hard floors. If it weren't for one rug, I'd be able to clean my entire flat with this machine. I'm nervous to subject my wooden floors to too much water, but as someone who predominantly reviews kitchen products, my vinyl floors often end up in a real state. My bathroom tiles are white, which means I need to clean them very regularly, so the Ewbank HYDROH1 got some heavy use in preparation for this review.

Ewbank HYDROH1 2-In-1 Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner

• Dimensions: H112 x W27 x D26 cm
• Guarantee: 1 year
• Weight: 3.85kg
• Controls: Digital touch, trigger for water release
• Runtime: 25 minutes
• Charge time: 3-4 hours
• Modes: Regular, boost

Getting set up with the Ewbank HYDROH1

The Ewbank HYDROH1 slots together very easily, given how many component parts I had to assemble. The head is quite bulky, and clicks in and out of a locked position which keeps the vacuum upright when not in use. It has a water tank for adding cleaning solution and warm water for mopping, and a waste container that sits at the bottom half of the vacuum.

This hard floor cleaner is cordless, which will always get a vote of approval from me. Especially with a tool that you'll use to clean the bathroom, where there is usually a lack of plugs, it's nice not to be constrained by cables as you clean.

Included in the box is a base that prevents the mop from sitting on your floors when not in use, which is great for after cleaning when it's still a little wet. The stand also has storage space for a backup roller brush and a cleaning tool to keep everything fresh.

Before testing the Ewbank HYDROH1 I had to charge it for a few hours. It takes a total of 3-4 hours to charge, which for a machine that only last 25 minutes, is quite a long time. Fortunately in the weeks that I tested the Ewbank HYDROH1 I only had to recharge it once, because it's perfect for those quick cleans that will only take a few minutes at a time.

Using the Ewbank HYDROH1

Before using the Ewbank HYDROH1 I had to top up the water tank with some warm water and a little cleaning solution. I use the Method all-purpose cleaner for mopping, so I added a capful to make sure my floors were not only crumb-free, but clean. This is an advantage over something like a steam cleaner, where you'd usually be stuck using just water as a cleaning solution.

The control panel is very easy to get the hang of. There's a button to start the vacuum, a boost button, and a trigger under the handle that releases more water. Even without pulling this trigger the cleaner will automatically release water onto the roller brush, but I found that it was useful to give the trigger a few pulses when starting up to make sure the brush was ready.

One of the main things I really enjoyed about using the Ewbank HYDROH1 was its water dosing, which easily beats even the best mops for laying down enough water to bust stains from the floor without leaving a puddle that will take ages to dry.

The water lines left by the HYDROH1 were a little streaky at first, but after a minute or so, after the roller was evenly soaked, there were less streaks.

I was surprised at how well the Ewbank HYDROH1 picked up crumbs and dirt on the floor, as well as mopping marks away. While it's not something I'd use in the place of my regular vacuum cleaner, I was definitely able to go a few extra days without breaking out the vacuum after I'd cleaned the kitchen and bathroom floor. While it can't replace a vacuum, I'd happily use this cleaner in place of my mop from now on. For those days where you want a fresh, shiny tiled floor, it's perfect for nipping around to freshen things up.

While I'd be reluctant to use the Ewbank HYDROH1 too much on my wooden floors, it's definitely possible to do a quick runaround to keep things hygienic with this cleaner. Unlike with a mop, where I'd be worried about getting water down the cracks in the floorboards, the Ewbank HYDROH1 lays down a wash of water that dries in a few minutes.

I'm constantly removing crumbs away from the corners of my kitchen, especially underneath my counters. The main issue I encountered with the Ewbank HYDROH1 is the cleaner head, which is quite bulky and jutts out past the roller brush. This meant there was a border of space I was unable to clean using the hard floor cleaner, as illustrated by my tactically scattered icing sugar in the image above!

Cleaning the Ewbank HYDROH1

I switched between cleaning brushes with the Ewbank HYDROH1 so I had time to clean and dry one while the other was in use. It's great that it comes with two, but removing and replacing them can be a little fiddly. You have to lift the latch of the vacuum head and pull the roller out. There is a self-clean mode with the Ewbank HYDROH1, but I preferred to give it a wash by hand to remove any hair that became stuck to it. Admittedly (and maybe because I wasn't working with my carpet) there was not much of an issue with hair getting stuck on the roller.

The dustbin is also a little fiddly to empty. You have to remove the filter (which it's wise to clean regularly) and then empty out any debris that your vacuum has picked up, as well as any waste water that's gathered there. This formed a bit of an icky paste in my dustbin, so I preferred to rinse it out over the sink.

Should you buy the Ewbank HYDROH1?

At £159.99, the Ewbank HYDROH1 is not a cheap substitute for a mop. However, it is a lot less work, and definitely suitable for those who may not be able to bend over to reach into tricky areas of their home. When you consider that this floor cleaner will also pick up any crumbs or detritus on your floor in the place of a vacuum cleaner, it's even more of a time-saver.

The thoughtful touches such as the resting base and added roller head will mean that it's easy to display in your home. If you're used to topping up a bucket with cleaning fluid and keeping kids and pets out of the kitchen while the floor dries after a weekly mopping, this floor cleaner will definitely change the way you clean your home. It's fair to say that it's put my mop into early retirement. It's not perfect though, because it struggles to reach into every nook and cranny, and the runtime is not long enough to be used on seriously large homes. At least, not in one go.

About this review, and the reviewer

Millie Fender is small appliances editor at Ideal Home. She reviews everything from coffee machines to robot vacuums from her own home, meaning these tests have been carried out in the same conditions that you’ll be using the vacuum cleaner.

The Ewbank HYDROH1 was kindly sent to Millie by Ewbank, and she tested for two months before writing this review. This gave her the chance to test all of its functions and check for any troubleshooting.