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Reviewed / TJ Donegan
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Credit:
Reviewed / TJ Donegan
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
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This incredible cleaner is easy to use, affordable, portable, and comes with a variety of attachments to tackle all types of jobs and materials. Read More
The handheld Kiato steam cleaner comes with an assortment of attachments and is light enough to carry around the house. Read More
This steam cleaner's water tank will need to be refilled after about 25 minutes of cleaning, but reviewers love its versatility and ease of use. Read More
This heavy-duty little steam cleaner can run for about 45 minutes, so it’s probably better suited for detailing cars than spring cleaning. Read More
This no-frills steam cleaner runs on regular tap water, heats up in seven minutes, and can deliver plenty of cleaning power for up to 50 minutes. Read More
Looking to remove hard-to-clean stains off your floors? Or to detail your car yourself? Maybe you’ve got some nasty gunk accumulating on the tile in your bathroom. With the best steam cleaners, you can clean just about any surface in your home or vehicle with nothing but heat, water, and patience.
We love steam cleaners for their versatility—these cleaning beasts often come with attachments. The best steam cleaners can tackle the biggest outside cleaning challenges, from grills to car engines. A great steam cleaner is just as useful inside homes for cleaning grout, upholstery, and sticky messes on countertops and other solid surfaces. Best of all, these cleaning machines don’t require chemicals to remove grime, relying instead on the power of water heated into steam.
When testing and evaluating top-rated steam cleaners, we paid particular attention to water tank capacity, cord length, and weight, but there are other things to consider. Waiting for a steam cleaner to heat up can be a drag, but the steamers we recommend all heat up quickly, with the steam mop we picked only taking a minute to reach cleaning power. When shopping for steam cleaners, we also recommend looking for one that has plenty of attachments for different cleaning tasks.
Our best overall pick is the McCulloch MC1375 (available at Amazon for $179.99) , a heavy-duty cleaner that holds enough water for 90 minutes of continuous steam cleaning. This steam cleaner offers exceptional cleaning power and can tackle just about anything. However, it’s not the only quality steam cleaner we’ve found. Here are some of the best steam cleaners on the market.
The McCulloch steam cleaner is compact enough to be carried from place to place, though you'll need to store all the accessories.
There are three types of steam cleaners—canister-style cleaners, handheld steam cleaners, and steam mops. Each has pros and cons.
Canister steam cleaners are bigger than handheld steam cleaners and steam mops, and they often can tackle tougher cleaning jobs. Because they are bigger, they tend to be less portable. When shopping for a canister steam cleaner, ensure it has wheels to help it move. They usually come with a large assortment of attachments.
Handheld steam cleaners are meant to be carried, so they are more portable and can reach hard-to-clean areas. They tend to have smaller tanks than canister steam cleaners, but the water capacity is often more than what you would find in steam mops. Like canister steamers, they usually come with a lot of tools.
Steam mops are designed to clean floors, but sometimes include attachments to increase their versatility. In general, they don’t take long to heat up water to steam, but the tank capacity is typically lower than canister steam cleaners and handheld steam cleaners. Some of our favorite steam mops transform into handheld steamers.
Steam cleaners use heated water to loosen dirt and grime. Unlike carpet cleaners, steam cleaners do not suction away water and dirt. Instead, steam cleaners hydrate messes, so the dirt doesn’t “go” anywhere unless you’re using an attachment that’s fitted with a microfiber cloth. In that case, the dirty liquid is absorbed into the cloth. When you’re using a steam cleaner without a microfiber attachment, you’ll want to use a separate microfiber cloth to wipe away messes.
Because steam cleaners use really hot water, you have to take some precautions. Steam cleaners can damage some vinyl. With waxed floors, they can diminish the sheen. Also, you shouldn’t use them on hardwood floors that are not sealed. When in doubt, refer to the owner’s manual. To be safe, you can test clean a small area to ensure there is no damage.
Yes. Steam cleaners are versatile and, if used regularly, are a great way to clean your home. They also can handle bigger jobs that may cause other cleaning tools to struggle.
At Reviewed, we love finding the best ways to get rid of messes! We have been testing cleaning products and tools for years, including shower cleaners and vacuums. This expertise and knowledge help us choose the best steam cleaners—we know what features are important to look for when shopping for a steam cleaner. While we didn’t personally test all the steam cleaners we have recommended here, we’re confident we’ve found some of the best on the market.
Alex Kane is a senior editor at USA Today’s Reviewed and the author of the Boss Fight Books volume on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. He has written for Fangoria, PC Gamer, Polygon, Rolling Stone, StarWars.com, and Variety. He lives in west-central Illinois.
Samantha Mangino is a self-proclaimed homebody. Conveniently she is a home staff writer at Reviewed, covering cleaning, appliances, furniture, and home furnishings and décor. She knows her way around a house and has tested everything from furniture, sponges, steam irons, to Legos. She’s always on the hunt for the latest internet trends and wants to help make your home cleaner and cozier.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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