To help you wade through the options, we took a hands-on approach and tested several mops in The Lab and at home, evaluating the ease of setup, effectiveness, maneuverability, and required maintenance of each mop. For many mops, we even cleaned up spills that mimic your everyday household messes: think fruit punch, barbecue sauce, damp potting soil, and dry paprika. Turns out, the BOSHENG Mop and Bucket was the clear winner! It has a two-compartment bucket that cleans the microfiber mop head and wrings it out for you, and it was easy to use and swivel around obstacles. While we were searching for the ultimate winner, we also found plenty of other mighty contenders. Ahead, scroll our picks for best flat mops, backed by our testing. However, the real standout feature of this mop is its bucket. The two-compartment bucket will wring out the mop head for you when you’re done cleaning up a spill. It makes this mop very user-friendly and simple to prepare for a fresh use. Plus, the bucket has a compact design that makes it easier to store—it’s really only as big as you absolutely need it to be. While you’ll have to empty it and wash it after each use, it’s an intuitive product in itself that you’ll enjoy having by your side. Do keep in mind: the compact nature of the bucket means it does need to be filled up more often. “This mop was pretty close to perfect,” our tester said, adding that it was the best mop they tested during our 16-hour test at The Lab. The only real hiccup we encountered is that it had vague instructions (our tester gave it a 3-star rating for setup). Once you get the hang of it though, it’s a great option. Price at time of publish: $40 The wet-dry functionality is one of the best things about this kit, though, and it allows you to quickly dust your floors or give them a deeper scrub. While this mop isn’t the best choice for tackling heavy-duty tasks, as it’s not the most durable, it does have really good range that makes it a fit for a variety of households and living spaces. Plus, it has a lightweight design that makes it easy to carry up the stairs and from one room to the next. You can’t beat this convenience, and the fact that it can be easily stashed away. Now, you will need to buy replacement pads when the ones included in the kit run out, so the cost of the mop isn’t exactly what you see on the price tag. The mop also left some streaks of paprika behind when we tested its dry mopping capabilities. However, it’s overall a terrific product at a bargain price. Price at time of publish: $15 “Microfiber mops are great for hardwood floors, linoleum, or travertine floors that should not be soaked with water,” says cleaning expert Angela Bell of Grove Collaborative. This mop comes with two mop heads, which makes cleaning even more streamlined. The handle is also adjustable and can be extended up to 70 inches, making cleaning a comfortable task for many members of your household. But, be prepared: there’s no way to wring out the mop pad while cleaning. You’ll need to be a little strategic and creative, too. Price at time of publish: $40 The SpinWave Powered Mop also comes with two types of microfiber pads, so you’re equipped both for scrubbing or performing a gentler clean. We especially like how the pads can be washed and reused, saving you from buying new ones and saving a few extra trees, too. Note that if you compare this option to standard, manual flat mops, it will be bigger and pricier. But, because you’re getting a much more robust cleaning machine, we think the value is definitely there and worth serious consideration. Price at time of publish: $114 Suitable for most hard flooring materials, including finished hardwoods, the bucket-free system makes wet-mopping a breeze, because you only need to lug around the mop itself. A battery-operated button located on the handle allows you to spray the solution on a section of your floor, while a curved handle makes it comfortable to glide across your floors. Now, the lightweight design of the product makes it very easy to carry around, but not great in the face of tough stains and spills. Some parts of the product might even feel a bit flimsy, so you’ll want to handle the WetJet with care. A piece of advice from our tester, “I put a significant dent in the cleaning solution that was included, so you’ll probably find yourself needing more within a few uses. What’s nice is that there is actually a variety of cleaning solutions to choose from, including a special option for hardwood floors and several fresh scents. It’s usually around $10 for two refills, which should last you significantly longer than the trial jar.” Price at time of publish: $25 While it’s on the pricier end for a mop, our tester liked that it was easy to set up and use—it heated up in less than 30 seconds. Although it’s not cordless, limiting you to cleaning areas that are somewhat close to an outlet, we also appreciate the extra-long, 15.9-foot power cord that gives you good reach. Attachments include a scrape tool, steamer jet, window squeegee, angled nozzle, ad multiple brush tools. If you want to get your floors scoured and shining, this steam mop can do the trick. Price at time of publish: $50 Due to the non-pivoting head, this cleaning tool earned a 2 for maneuverability. However, our tester awarded it a 4.5 for overall value. When asked if they would recommend it, they said, “Yes! It’s lightweight and pretty user-friendly. All things considered, I’d say it’s a great option!” If you’re looking for a practical mop with simple and smart features that make it easy to use, this is it. Price at time of publish: $57 If you are conscious of shipping waste and packaging, you might appreciate that this mop ships in a smaller box since the two-part handle is to be assembled when it arrives. Another eco-friendly detail is that the washable mop pad promises to be washable up to 100 times. Price at time of publish: $32 While the brand doesn’t give an exact number for the amount of washes it can endure, the company estimates it will last three months at a time. If you want to keep using your mop beyond that, you’ll want to factor in replacement heads to the overall cost and maintenance of this broom. However, because it’s such a good value to begin with, we think that’s reasonable. Price at time of publish: $20 Throughout the test, testers also took note of a mop’s maneuverability and portability. They noted whether it was easy to navigate around obstacles like the leg of a chair and into tight areas, and how heavy the mop was when it was dry and soaking wet. After, they evaluated the ease of cleaning the mop: wringing it out, replacing the cloth, or following other required maintenance guidelines. Finally, after 16 hours of testing in The Lab, they rated each product’s overall value given their experience. At home, several other mops were put to the test, as testers used them to pick up real-world messes and in real-world scenarios. In the case of a few specific categories, like our best spray mop and best steam mop, testing methodologies were slightly adjusted to suit their different categories. All of the data was boiled down to this list of the best flat mops for picking up a variety of messes in your home.

What to Look for in a Flat Mop

Mop Head Material

The first thing you want to consider when picking out a flat mop is the mop head (also called the mop pad) material. Flat mops typically have a cloth or microfiber mop head, and this directly relates to the maintenance of the mop and how effective it can be at cleaning up different types of messes. For example, a cloth mop pad is typically disposable and needs to be replaced after every use (like those on both Swiffer products we featured, the Wet and Dry Sweeping Starter Kit, and the WetJet Spray Mop Cleaner). While it can be effective at targeting both wet and dry spills, it’s not always the most cost-effective option. You’ll have to restock your mop pads frequently in order to continue using the mop. On the contrary, microfiber mop pads are not always the best at picking up a variety of messes. However, they usually can be tossed in the washing machine after each use, some even up to 100 times (like our choice for Best Combo, the Libman Wet & Dry Microfiber Mop). The type of floors you have in your home can also determine the type of mop pad material you need. Microfiber mop pads tend to be very soft, gentle, and easy to wring out. They’re often a great option for hardwood that’s prone to scratches and sensitive to moisture, while cloth pads are more suitable for a tile floor.

Portability

Flat mops are in general an easy type of mop to use and store, because their design is compact. However, it is still important to consider portability when shopping, and whether you’e going to be using it to clean small or large spaces. Some mops, like our Best Overall pick, the BOSHENG Mop and Bucket, come with a—you guessed it—bucket that, as much as we like it and see it as a benefit, does add to the overall bulk and effort required to use it. In addition to the tool itself, you may need to use accessories like extra pads or a cleaning solution. It may be easiest to store these items together on a shelf or in a basket. If your storage space is very limited, and you want to be as unencumbered as possible when you clean, look for a basic design that you can use wet or dry (like the Swiffer Wet and Dry Sweeping Starter Kit).

Ease of Use

By now you’re seeing that not all mops are created equal. Before you click “checkout,” on that cart, take just a moment to consider your needs and cleaning style. For example, if you just mop spills once in a while in between visits from your cleaning service, then a fairly basic model will do, and you might not mind if there’s a tad bit more effort involved occasionally. On the other hand, if this mop is the only mop to ever touch your floors, you may want to invest in a higher-quality one to get the job done right in a way that’s as easy for you as possible (that’s where the powered BISSELL SpinWave that we chose as Best Spray Mop, or the PurSteam Steam Mop Cleaner 10-in-1 that we named Best Steam Mop might be a great fit). “Consider the floors in your largest or most heavily trafficked rooms,” says Angela Bell, cleaning expert of Grove Collaborative. These areas will pose the greatest cleaning challenge and, when doing so, you’ll be able to decide on your priorities.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Dena Ogden, a lifestyle and commerce writer who’s been writing professionally since 2016 and with The Spruce since August 2022. She’s written about everything from baskets and bins to carpet shampoos and robot vacuums. For this piece, she reviewed insights and results from our savvy testers who participated in hands-on mop testing in The Lab, and she completed thorough research on mops available at major retailers and beyond, evaluating options based on key specifications, reviews, and cleaning methods. The final flat mop selections were chosen after reviewing dozens of products and analyzing insights from The Lab and home testers. Each of the selected mops stood out for their effectiveness, maneuverability, setup, and ease of cleaning. For flat mops, you can expect a padded mop head that is typically made of disposable cloth or washable microfiber. They’re typically very easy to use. In fact, most flat mops have tabs or buttons on their head that release the pad (or a basic mechanism you can do by hand). For a quick swipe around the kitchen or bathroom, they’re ideal. Spin mops, on the other hand, are meant to be more absorbent. They often have that classic look of a string-mop and usually require a bucket for soaking and rinsing. They give you the chance for a hardier, more in-depth clean, but typically require more effort and labor. When a previous tester considered both types of mop, she noted that the Swiffer she used was more convenient and offered similar results. A few other tips: if your mop has a reusable pad, soak it in warm, soapy water (or a cleaning solution that is compatible with your flooring) and wring out any excess moisture. Then, gently but firmly, glide it across your hard floor. When you’re done, remove the pad and shake off any loose dirt and particles into the trash, before throwing the pad in the wash. If the mop has a disposable pad, there’s no need to soak it, as it’s ready for you to use. Just attach a new one onto the mop before mopping the floor, and toss it into the trash afterward. You can always run a microfiber cloth (or pad, if your mop accommodates them) over your floor to remove extra moisture and cut down the chance of streaks. Theresa Holland also contributed to this piece. She’s a seasoned commerce writer specializing in home improvement and lifestyle topics. For this roundup, she interviewed Angela Bell, cleaning expert of Grove Collaborative, for insight on flooring considerations and usage tips. Theresa has been writing for The Spruce since 2019, covering cleaning supplies, appliances, and housewares. You can find more of her bylines on Byrdie, Verywell Family, and MyDomaine.