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Bissell PowerFresh Slim 3-in-1 Review

One of the best options for getting in tight spaces and narrow openings
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Bissell PowerFresh Slim 3-in-1 Review
Credit: Bissell
Price:  $165 List
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Manufacturer:   Bissell
By Michelle Powell and Maggie Nichols  ⋅  Oct 28, 2021
78
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 13
  • Cleaning Performance - 40% 7.2
  • Ease of Use - 25% 7.9
  • Maneuverability - 20% 9.0
  • Features - 15% 7.6

Our Verdict

The Bissell PowerFresh Slim 3-in-1 is a handy steam mop to have when you're backed into a tight corner — literally. This highly maneuverable model more than lives up to its name with a slim pad and slender profile that can slide under all but the lowest clearance furniture. It cleans effectively on most floors and when pitted against most stains. A host of attachments allows you to go beyond the floors, cleaning all kinds of surfaces around your home. On the flip side, the Slim has a top-heavy design, and we're not impressed with the single velcro strip that stands in for proper cord management. But when it comes to reaching where others just can't, we reach for the PowerFresh Slim.
REASONS TO BUY
Great for narrow spaces
Plenty of accessories
Solid cleaning performance
REASONS TO AVOID
Top heavy
Doesn't stand up alone
Poor cord management

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Bottom Line One of our favorite models for very tight spaces and narrow gapsA well-designed, simple, effective, and competitively priced steam-cleaning deviceA host of attachments makes it easy and effective to clean nearly anything in your homePowerful cleaning pressure and great attachments for taking on the toughest messes and most stubborn stainsA steam-cleaning workhorse that has a plethora of attachments for tough messes, but it's bulky and tough to maneuver
Rating Categories Bissell PowerFresh... Bissell PowerFresh Bissell PowerFresh... Dupray Neat Steam McCulloch MC1385 De...
Cleaning Performance (40%)
7.2
9.0
8.1
9.4
8.9
Ease of Use (25%)
7.9
8.1
8.1
6.6
5.3
Maneuverability (20%)
9.0
7.8
8.2
7.4
5.6
Features (15%)
7.6
6.8
7.6
6.9
10.0
Specs Bissell PowerFresh... Bissell PowerFresh Bissell PowerFresh... Dupray Neat Steam McCulloch MC1385 De...
Steam Adjustability Low, high Low, med, high Low, high No Dial
Water Tank Capacity 349 ml 455 ml 399 ml 1600 ml 1893 ml
Water Fill Opening Diameter 1.25" 1" 0.75" 3.5" 1"
Pad Attachment Elastic Elastic Elastic Velcro Velcro
Additional Mop Head? No Yes No Yes Yes
Included Pads 2 2 2 3 6
Cleaning Brush? Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Hose Attachment? Yes No Yes Yes
6'6" hose
Yes
Cord Length 25' 23' 25' 16' 18'
Additional Accessories Included Hose, medium cleaning head, small cleaning head, grout tool, small scraper, precision power nozzle, 2 small scrubbing brushes Microfiber soft pad, microfiber scrubby pad, spring breeze fragrance discs and a carpet glider Built-in scrubber, squeegee, hose, medium cleaning head, small cleaning head, grout tool, small scraper, precision power nozzle, 3 small scrubbing brushes, microfiber cloth Large scrubber, squeegee, precision power nozzle, 5 scrubbing brushes, copper scrubbing brush, microfiber cloth Large mop head and 16.5" extension wands, microfiber mop pad, scrubbing mop pad, and bristle brush attachment, large brush and 4" triangle brush, jet nozzle, angled nozzle, 3" scrapper, and 9" squeegee, 2.5" round scrub pad and 2.5" round brush, nylon utility brush and 1.5" brass utility brush, storage bag, accessory net, and fill cup

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Bissell PowerFresh Slim has a 349ml water tank with a 1.25-inch opening, and the cord is 25-feet long. Its two different mop pads attach with elastic, and numerous brushes, scrapers, and precision cleaning instruments can be attached after the tank is removed from the main body.

Performance Comparison


bissell powerfresh slim 3-in-1 - the bissell powerfresh slim lives up to its name.
The Bissell PowerFresh Slim lives up to its name.
Credit: Laura Casner

Cleaning Performance


The PowerFresh Slim, like most other Bissell steam mops we tested, glides along every steam-safe floor we tested with relative ease. It doesn't get caught up on even the deepest grout grooves or most textured tiles. The two mop pads are effective at their jobs — the softer one scrubs everyday dirt impressively well, while the more textured pad has that little something extra for caked-on messes. To use a scrub brush for truly stubborn stains, however, is a process. There's no bristled surface on the main body of the mop. Instead, you have to remove the whole tank and attach the brush to dig deep. Switching back and forth isn't the easiest, but both configurations do a great job of getting things clean.

bissell powerfresh slim 3-in-1 - adjustable steam and two quality mop pads give solid cleaning power...
Adjustable steam and two quality mop pads give solid cleaning power to this unassuming little mop.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ease of Use


The 349ml water tank is on the lower end of average capacity among the models we tested. Crystal clear tank walls make it easy to keep an eye on your water level, and we found it more than adequate to clean several rooms before needing a refill. The flip-top lid makes that process easy, though this top-heavy mop's inability to stand up on its own works against it here. Both mop pads attach with elastic and are straightforward to replace and clean. They're both well made and stand up to serious scrubbing.

bissell powerfresh slim 3-in-1 - a simple button makes it easy to snap on the pieces you need for the...
A simple button makes it easy to snap on the pieces you need for the job at hand.
Credit: Laura Casner

Maneuverability


As much as we already liked using this handy unit, it blows just about every other mop in the lineup out of the water when it comes to maneuverability. It lives up to its name, with a slim mop head that slides sideways easily into narrow spaces. Perhaps more impressive is how well it fits under low clearance furniture, as it can lay down impressively thin and flat, making it that much easier to keep the floor under your couch clean without actually having to move your couch. All four sides of the mop head are straight and totally covered by the pad, giving this model top-notch edge cleaning abilities. A 25-foot cord is among the longest we tested, and here again, helps keep you mobile.

bissell powerfresh slim 3-in-1 - the slim does a fantastic job cleaning right up to the edges.
The Slim does a fantastic job cleaning right up to the edges.
Credit: Laura Casner

Features


Though switching from mop to attachment and back again isn't the quickest, swapping accessories as you move from cleaning bathroom counters to shower tiles is easy — and the Slim comes with plenty of tools to choose from. This complete package includes multiple sizes of cleaning heads, a grout tool, a scraper, a precision power nozzle, and two scrubbing brushes. It has two steam settings as well, to kick it up a notch when you need the extra oomph.

bissell powerfresh slim 3-in-1 - plenty of attachments let you clean more than just the floors.
Plenty of attachments let you clean more than just the floors.
Credit: Laura Casner

Value


The PowerFresh Slim falls about in the middle of the road in terms of steam mop price. It's not the best all-around steam mop out there, but where it really shines is in the slender slots in which it can fit. If you need a thin mop that's good for more than just the floors, this package price is worth the dough. If a regular-sized mop is fine for your home, there are others that we think are a little better and more worth their prices.

Conclusion


The Bissell PowerFresh Slim is a pretty great mop overall. It does great in everyday situations and has tons of accessories to help you clean more than just the floor. If you have low clearance furniture you want to mop under, this trim and maneuverable unit is precisely the tool you want in your hands.

bissell powerfresh slim 3-in-1 - it's hard to find fault with the maneuverability of the super narrow...
It's hard to find fault with the maneuverability of the super narrow and impressively dextrous Bissell PowerFresh Slim.
Credit: Laura Casner

Michelle Powell and Maggie Nichols