I love my Shark wet and dry floor cleaner but these are the 3 things I wish I'd known before buying it

If you have mainly hard floors to contend with, wet and dry cleaners can come in handy.

Not only do they have the power of the best vacuum cleaners to quickly suck up debris while washing, but can make light work of back-breaking mopping.

Plus, having to keep emptying and refilling a bucket always seemed like such a waste of water. Wet and dry vacuums separate the dirty and clean water tanks, offering a more sustainable, user-friendly experience.

I’ve spent countless hours testing wet and dry vacuum cleaners, and my favorite has to be the Shark HydroVac MessMaster corded hard floor cleaner. Not only can it get rid of dirt, stains and dust in two swipes, but it's easy to use and maintain.

However, while my floor has never been cleaner, these are a few caveats that I hadn't considered before buying. Here are the top three things I wish I'd known.

Shark HydroVac MessMaster floor cleaner: $249 at Amazon

This 3-in-1 floor cleaner can vacuum, mop and self-clean at the same time. It also has the option to clean area rugs. With its powerful suction to tackle dirt and debris, wet messes, and stains in no time. It also comes with an antibacterial brush roller and odor neutralizing solution to eliminate lingering smells.

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1. It doesn't clean carpets (just rugs)

Although these may have a similar function, the Shark HydroVac isn't designed to clean carpets like a dedicated cleaner can. So always choose for your floor types and needs.

And while I do mainly have hard flooring, it would have been nice to have given my beige carpeted stairs a deep clean (and revive the color again!). In fact, the Shark HydroVac can only 'refresh' area rugs, which is essentially a light clean without soaking it.

For those with mainly carpets, it's probably best to invest in a carpet cleaner specifically made for carpeted surfaces. What's more, these machines can also remove stubborn stains and odors, which is ideal if you have pets or children.

If you're still undecided, check out our helpful guide on steam cleaner vs. carpet cleaner: Which should you buy?

2. Bulky head can't tackle corners properly

Typically, wet and dry vacuums are equipped with a bulky head, and no extra attachments for corners or angles. As a result, it can't quite tackle corners and angles as well as a mop can.

When using the Shark HydroVac, the tricky part was trying to get the brush head into awkward angles. One of my kitchen cabinets has a curved design, which makes it challenging to properly angle the head to give the area a good clean.

I eventually got around this with a simple floor wipe, but it's worth bearing in mind if you have a lot of angles or awkward corners.

3. No advanced features

The Shark HydroVac is as simple as it can get, which makes it perfect for non-tech savvy people like me.

The power button on the handle turns on the LCD display that gives you basic indicators like the battery level and when to fill or empty the water tanks.

While it doesn't come with any advanced settings (hydration levels, etc),or fancy mod cons, what I do find more valuable is its self-cleaning function. This means that you’ll never have to worry about rinsing out a grimy mop head and bucket. Simply place it onto the charging base, power it on and it will automatically self-clean.

However, if you're after a more ‘smart’ wet and dry vacuum cleaner, the Tineco Floor One S5 Extreme Wet-Dry Vacuum Cleaner comes with advanced features such as self-propelled operation and voice guidance to assist you while you're cleaning.

Or if you really want hassle (and hands) free cleaning, you can invest in one of the best robot mops to literally do all the work.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to clean your Shark vacuum
• Wet and dry vacuum vs robot mop
• best robot mops