Welcome to Capsule Considers, where we try out and review the latest products on the market and offer our honest, unbiased opinions, free from any obligation or expectation because if you’re parting with your hard-earned money based on any of our recommendations, we’re gonna make sure it’s damn well worth it. This week, Alice reviews the Shark MessMaster…
In the final month or so before my son was born, my version of nesting was apparently feverishly filling our freezer with pasta sauces (although sadly, none of them included garlic because the smell still made me gag) and scouring the internet for “essential” things I needed to buy before the baby arrived.
Some of these purchases were simply insane, partly because I had no one home with me intervening (it’s a long story, but essentially, my husband and stepson caught Covid – it was in the height of the pandemic – and moved out to stop me from catching it, so I was on my own for a couple of weeks) and partly because… well, I was so full of hormones.
The week before my son arrived, a Bissell Spot Clean turned up (I write that as though it was a surprise, despite the fact I put my credit card details in after seeing every influencer under the sun saying that if you have a baby you need a Bissell.). That same day, the dog peed on the carpet and the Bissell was immediately put to good use. My husband – who was now raising his eyebrows at me every time a courier van pulled up outside – declared this was the best thing I had ever bought. Ever. And he’d repeat it again and again, every time we cleaned up one of the pets’ messes, a lemonade or tea got spilt over or when I pumped breast milk in the middle of the night and promptly dropped it all over the carpet. Ironically, I don’t think I ever used it for anything the baby actually did.
Then, sadly, after using it for about a year, the hose – which had been hanging together with duct tape – broke for good.
We could no longer exist without a wet vacuum so immediately replaced it – but this time, I went with a Shark MessMaster. This was mainly because I interviewed a forensic cleaner and she said it was one of her very favourite tools. She raved about how effective it is, but also because it cleans itself. I was immediately sold. My LEAST favourite thing about the Bissell was how annoying it was to clean. And if a forensic cleaner says it’s good? Sold.
The first time he used it, my husband said, “I actually think this is better than the Bissell”. And I totally agree.
So, what exactly is the Mess Master and how does it stack up?
What is it?
The Shark MessMaster is small, but very mighty. It’s a small, portable vacuum that works on both dry and wet messes. It has the power to suck up dirt and gravel – but can also clean up spills, whether that’s a wine glass tipping over in the lounge, or a juice box exploding in the car.
It features a long power cord and comes with four accessories: an extension wand, crevice tool, carpet tool and squeegee tool so you always have the right tool for the job. And if you’re a bit confused about what you should be using, it comes with a little guide that shows you exactly what tool to use for the job at hand.
When you’re done, the MessMaster can rinse itself, cleaning the dust bin with a cup of water.
Pros
If you have pets, kids or clumsy tendencies, the MessMaster is a game changer. If there’s a sudden spill in the house – or car – it’s no longer a big palava of cleaning it up. You just grab this and suck it up. If it’s on carpet or upholstery, you can keep rinsing with water (or a soapy solution) until it’s all gone. But likewise, it’s great on dry messes. If you have kids in car seats – or just kids in your back seats in general – you are no doubt familiar with the fine coating of crumbs your car is now constantly covered in. The Messmaster has a long cord and is perfect for the job with it’s powerful vacuum and the specialist attachment tools it comes with (the crevice tool is ideal for those hard to reach crumbs).
One of my favourite thing about the MessMaster is how easy it is to clean it up after. One of my most dreaded parts of using the Bissell was cleaning it afterwards. The MessMaster’s bin is a lot easier to reach, and clean. Also, you can use the bin as is, and suck up water to rinse it then dump, or you can put a plastic bag inside (it comes with a couple, but you can use pretty much any old bag) to make tidy up even easier.
Overall, it’s super simple to use – the set-up couldn’t be easier – and it’s light and easy to carry around.
Cons
Honestly, I don’t have many gripes with the MessMaster. My trivial ones would be that while I love how long the power cord is, it can get a little annoying roping it around and storing it after use. And likewise with the different attachments. This one’s likely on me, and I need to create a storage solution for them, but ideally, it would be great if you could store them on the MessMaster somewhere? I need to just buy a little box for them that sits next to it so I’m not hunting around the house for them.
If I was going to be super picky, I’d also say the MessMaster is on the loud side – so if you’re getting it because you need to clean up around a baby, you’re going to want to wait until they’re awake.
And, if you’re looking for something specifically for dealing with pets, this probably isn’t the right tool for you. Shark has a whole different vacuum for that job – the Shark Pet Plus. If you’ve got a big issue with thick cat or dog fur on your couch, you want a stiffer tool to work it out. I don’t know if this is necessarily a con though, because the MessMaster doesn’t claim to be specifically for pets. But if the occasional pet mess is just one of the uses you’re looking at the MessMaster for, it’s up to the job!
Bissell SpotClean vs Shark MessMaster?
As I said earlier, we’re MessMaster converts – mainly because of how powerful and versatile it is, being able to clean up both wet AND dry spills.
Both these machines have had heavy use in our household and the Messmaster’s hose seems to be more robust than the Bissell. Plus, I prefer the clean-up aspect of the Messmaster. In saying all of that, where the Messmaster thrives is in recent spills and cleaning things in a jiffy – if your issue is more with old, set-in stains on your couch or carpet, the SpotClean would likely be the better option – it comes with scrubbing and shampoo formulas specifically for that job.
I loved our Bissell, but our MessMaster is even easier to use and has quickly become the MVP of our household.
The Shark MessMaster Wet-Dry Vacuum retails for $299
(Disclaimer: we have a lovely little partnership with Shark however this review piece is completely editorial with no influence or approval from Shark!)
