The word mop rarely appears without the word mess. You don't typically have one without the other. There are, however, many different kinds of mops to choose from—microfiber, butterfly, handsfree, self-wringing, bucketless and more—with each mechanical detail promising to help you wipe your floors with ease. Truth is, some do that more effectively than others.

We tested 15 mops in our PEOPLE Tested Lab that you might reach for when accidents happen. The messes we threw at these were truly meant for only the mightiest, with paprika, BBQ sauce, potting soil, and fruit punch in the mix. The results? A spin mop that comes complete with a bucket is our go-to, and our top three picks are all fairly affordable. 

After sifting through the testing results, the Simpli Magic Spin Mop was our favorite. Read on to see more of the best mops from PEOPLE Tested.

Pros: Simpli Magic Spin Mop absorbency, lightweight nature, and maneuverability make this a winner.

Cons: Cleaning the mop can be tedious, and storing the bucket is cumbersome.

The Simpli Magic Spin Mop emerged as the winner after 16 hours of rigorous testing. During a "wet test," it absorbed sauce, potting soil and juice easily from every surface (though it performed slightly better on non-tile surfaces), leaving barely any residue. It also performed as advertised in dry ingredient tests, cleaning up messy paprika easily off the floor.

Lightweight and easy to use, the Simpli Magic was slightly heavier when soiled, but not enough to weigh it down. While any bucket is heavier when filled with water, this one's durable handle made it easy to move around.

And the bucket has a built-in wringer that can be used to conveniently squeeze the mop of excess water. 

All of these details make it a mop with skills, but the maneuverability of the Simpli Magic is its superpower. The rod moves with it, making it easy to get under chairs and around corners. The circular head and threads cover more surface area with each movement.

While it sparkled in nearly every category, the mop received less-than-perfect scores in two important ones: set-up (4) and ease of cleaning (4).  The instructions could be clearer in telling you exactly how to attach the head to the mop, but photos still make that process fairly intuitive. 

It also took nearly 3 minutes to run the mop head underwater and wash off all the dirt it collected, considerably longer than the others we tried. If you're looking to simply toss the head in the washing machine and call it a day, this isn't your mop. Nor is it the choice for mess makers with small spaces since the bucket needs space for storage.

The mop includes three different heads, but PEOPLE Tested found they weren't a cinch to attach and remove. 

Those few caveats aside, the Simpli Magic Spin Mop is a great option for both wet and dry messes. "The mop is easy to use and includes a handy bucket with a built-in wringer that was greatly appreciated while cleaning different surfaces," our tester noted.

Pros: We found assembly and the wringing out process was quite easy. 

Cons: Maneuvering can be a bit tedious for tight spaces. 

This lightweight butterfly mop is so easy to assemble you may actually question whether you did it correctly.  There are no instructions included and "that's okay because you 100 percent don't need them," our tester noted during setup.

Once you hit the floors you'll know you made the right choice. Our testers were super impressed by how easily the OXO Good Grips Butterfly Mop cleaned surfaces; its wringing-out capabilities are top-notch. 

You can quickly wring this puppy out after every swipe — as you do when tackling especially messy surfaces — and that keeps the mop from getting too wet or spreading dirt around. You'll fall in love with the built-in lever tool. It took five seconds flat to use — and no need to get your hands dirty.

Dry testing is where the OXO Good Grips hit a snag: It definitely left streaks of paprika after multiple swipes, and the orange microfiber layer didn't pick up very well, leaving the spice to pile up after stronger, faster motions.

When the mop becomes fully caked in dirt and grime after continuous use, there's no easy way to deep clean the head. Instead, you'll need to fully replace it somewhere down the line. It's important to note that refills are sold separately. 

"It's super lightweight," our tester noted. "But it's not turnable or particularly nimble at the base." So if you're planning to push this mop under furniture or inside tight spaces, you might want to look for one that can attack angles more effectively. 

Pros: We love that this can work on many different surfaces. 

Cons: Setup is complicated and the bucket can be heavy for some.

So our favorite and least favorite aspects of this mop may actually be the same: the bucket. 

The bucket is key to its functionality. The mop itself is lightweight and performed exceptionally well on every single surface ("This was by far the best mop I've tested today," our tester said), removing dirt and fluid and most of the paprika during our floor tests. While the wringer feature is also awesome and takes mere seconds to use, lugging around that bucket could be taxing after a while. 

Cleaning with this mop, however, is a pleasure. It's super maneuverable and has a great swivel connection between the handle and the head. It was easy to take it around corners and into tight spaces.

Clean-up after using it may take more time. Emptying the large bucket, swapping out the head, and wringing the mop out afterward could be a hassle. Our tester noted that it takes a few minutes and requires gloves and hands-on work.

The set-up was not a breeze with this bucket-mop combo set, either. The instructions are vague and leave out key details that you'll have to figure out on your own. So, it may clean floors fabulously, but the bucket and tricky assembly may hold you back.

Some mops won't require any setup and will be ready to use right out of the box. It's smart to have in mind exactly what kind of prep you're looking for. Weight will also matter depending on how long (and how often!) you plan to push the thing around. A mop and a bucket, or just a mop? Buckets are certainly handy to have nearby, but they definitely take up space. Lastly, how much you're willing to pay should be taken into account. Most mops will hover around the $50 mark.

We evaluated 15 mops in our product lab. We spilled various sticky, grimy household ingredients on three different flooring surfaces — hardwood, tile and laminate — and put each mop to the test. A swipe of a paper towel was the ultimate test in determining whether any dirt remained. Maneuverability, sturdiness, and weight when wet were some of the things we evaluated, as well as how well each mop cleaned nooks and crannies, corners, and around furniture. Factoring in all these elements and more, we winnowed down the field to the best performing mops. 

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don't stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we've awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase. 

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