Dusting Floors
Dusters need to pick up loose dust and dirt from all types of hard floors. Since this chore involves a large expanse of surface area and is performed frequently in most households, ease of use and cost-efficiency are key factors to consider.

The Challenge

Lifting dirt from wood, tile, vinyl, and laminate floors.

The Contenders

reusable: StarMop with microfiber cleaning pad, $17, one washable pad included; additional pads, $7 each: www.starfibers.com.
disposable: Swiffer Sweeper, $8, two wet and two dry cloths included; dry refills, $4.50 for 16; wet refills, $4.50 for 12.

The Outcome

These products were well matched when it came to picking up lint, dirt, and hair. The agile StarMop had an edge, sneaking into awkward spaces and bending into corners a bit better than its single-use opponent. (One tester reported that her StarMop cloth absorbed the same amount of dirt as two disposable Swiffer cloths over roughly the same amount of floor space.) But the Swiffer Sweeper ultimately left its opponent in the dust: A majority of testers found picking clumps of hair and dust bunnies off the StarMop distasteful enough to throw their votes in favor of the pricier Swiffer system.