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If you’re reading this then you’ve probably narrowed down your search for a steam mop to two very popular products: The Bissell 1940 PowerFresh and the Bissell 1806 PowerFresh Deluxe.
But which one is better? That’s what we will answer in this article.
Although both these steam mops are made by the same brand and have a lot of similarities, one is a bit better in our opinion.
We bought both of these steam mops and put them head to head in every category that you need to consider. Keep reading to see the results.
Bissell 1940 vs 1806 at a Glance
Here is the summarized pros and cons of each model.
Bissell 1806 Pros
- Good for tall people at 46 inches in length
- 25 foot cord length
- Has onboard spot boost brush
Bissell 1806 Cons
- Slightly less power at 1450 watts
- 2 steam settings (low, high)
Bissell 1940 Pros
- 1500 watts power
- 16oz water tank capacity
- 3 settings (low, med, high)
Bissell 1940 Cons
- 23 foot cord length
- Not as good for tall people at 28.6 inches in length
Winner: Don’t want to read the full article? Our favorite is the Bissell 1940
What’s the Difference Between the 1806 vs 1940?
Power
It’s no secret that most steam mops operate with 1000-1800 watts with higher wattage giving a more powerful steam.
The Bissell 1806 operates at 1450 watts, while the 1940 uses 1500 watts. Overall this isn’t a huge difference with the Bissell 1940 being only slightly more powerful.
Winner: Bissell 1940
Water Tank Capacity
When it comes to the size of the water tank bigger is generally better. This is because you won’t have to interrupt your cleaning to refill the tank which can be really annoying. Both of these models have a measuring cup that allows you to easily refill the tank.
The 1860 has a tank with a 12oz capacity, while the 1940 has a 16oz capacity. We feel that this difference is significant enough to talk about when it comes to how often you will have to refill.
The last thing we’ll note is that the 1940 has a removable tank while the 1860 has a built in tank. Some people might find a built in tank to be a bit of a pain to deal with.
Winner: Bissell 1940
Maneuverability
When it comes to maneuverability most people look at the weight of the steam mop. With the 1806 weighing in at 5.7 pounds and the 1940 weighing in at 6 pounds it’s definitely a close one.
The 1806 has a pivoting floor head and a triangular looped handle which makes weaving around your furniture easy. It also has a 12 inch floor head span that covers a lot of ground with just one pass.
The 1940 has swivel steering along with a looped D handle. There is even a carpet glider attachment to use if needed.
Winner: Tie
Steam Settings
The 1806 Power Fresh Deluxe has three digital buttons on it. The first one controls turning the power on and off, while the other two allow you to choose high or low steam power.
The 1940 on the other hand has a digital control pad that gives you the option between low, medium and high steam settings. They both have two viewing windows.
Winner: 1940
Cord Length
When trying to find the right steam mop it’s very important to get one that has a long enough cord. You don’t want to get stuck not being able to finish your cleaning because the cord is too short.
Luckily both these steam mops have pretty good cord length with the 1940 having a 23 foot cord and the 1860 having a 25 foot cord. Although 25 feet is slightly longer we don’t feel that it should affect your decision too much.
Winner: 1860
Conclusion
At the end of the day these two steam mops by Bissell should both be a solid addition to your home cleaning supplies.
Digital controls, good cord length, maneuverability and tank capacity are all things to consider.
These two steam mops are both pretty close in most categories but we give a slight edge to the Bissell PowerFresh 1940 because it has higher tank capacity and also 3 steam settings instead of 2.
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