One of the first features I fell in love with when our realtor showed us what was to be our new home was the beautiful hardwood floors throughout the first level. Glossy and shiny, they gave the rooms such a warm and inviting atmosphere, even though they were devoid of furniture at the time.

What I didn’t stop to think about was how difficult it would be to keep them in that gorgeous clean and shiny state, especially in the middle of winter with five kids and two dogs dragging slush, salt and mud in on a daily basis. The long, snowy winter we just endured left them in pretty sad shape, so we were thrilled to try out the new Bissell Symphony, an all-in-one vacuum and steam mop that’s safe for all hard surfaces, including wood.

We’ve owned a number of hard floor vacuums and steam mops over the years, but this is the first unit that combines both functions in one. I love that with the simple press of a button you can vacuum, steam, or vacuum and steam at the same time.

Even the layers of salt and dirt from a long stretch of winter weather were no match for the steam setting on the Symphony, especially with the included scrubbing Microban mop pad. And I didn’t need to use any harsh chemicals — the steam removes the dirt and grime without the need for any additional cleaning products. Our hardwood floors still require a light coating of polish after cleaning, but the Bissell Symphony has seriously cut the cleaning time in half.

The only improvement I’d like to see in the future would be to add dual suction channels on both the front and back of the pad so that steaming and vacuuming it truly an all-in-one function. Currently, the vacuum channel is only on the front, so you can’t really use a back and forth motion with the dual setting. It’s definitely not a deal breaker for me, but it would be a nice addition!

Pick up the Bissell Symphony All-in-One Vacuum and Steam Mop in stores or online for $198.96 — a great price for this combination product!