As both the cable and the water tank are fixed to the steamer body, and there is no filler jug supplied. you must take the whole ensemble to the sink to fill up. Three levels of steam are available via a rotary dial. B&D refers this to as Autoselect but there is very little ‘auto’ about it. The dial is simply labelled with different hard floor types to simplify choice rather than three steam levels, although it amounts to the same thing. Testing these cleaners simultaneously has allowed her to see which cleaners excel at which task, and to judge them on ease of use and storage, which is crucially important in her very compact space. What is the best steam cleaner in 2023? All of the steam mops on this list have attached cords, so think about your house, the outlet locations, and if you’ll need to constantly plug and unplug the steam mop to adequately and safely move around your home. Also keep in mind that steam mops maintain their heat by being plugged in, so if you need to change plugs, you might need to wait for it to heat up again.

There’s a lot to like about this Bissell steam mop–in our tests, it worked equally as effectively on tile, grout, concrete, and sealed hardwood floors. Intuitively designed, there’s a removable water tank, which is easy to fill, and three levels of steam. The cord on this cleaner is an extremely long 23 feet, which is useful for moving all around the house, but can easily get caught, tangled, or trailed through newly cleaned floors, so keep an eye on it. We should also note that we didn’t love that plugging this model in is what turns it on, so you’ll want to make sure you have it set up in a spot that’s steam cleaner friendly. Once your steam cleaning is finished, this unit is extremely easy to clean–one swipe of a wet wipe cleans the head. A great value, this product is recommended for households without kids, or pets, high-traffic areas, or anyone who needs a more powerful unit. If that’s your situation, you’re better off investing in a steam mop that is a bit more expensive and much more effective. More than just a steam mop, this lightweight cleaner comes with eight accessories, including a handheld steamer and multiple brush heads for tile and small areas, making this steam mop a great value, on top of being super lightweight and very easy to use. She’s an engineering graduate, an award-winning journalist and writes regularly in the Evening Standard. She has appeared as a technology expert on TV and done countless radio interviews.Filling the tank under the tap is easy but there is no gauge to say what is ‘full’. It’s very easy to over-fill, at which point the filler cap vent hole spits water when you move it around. The same vent hole also dribbles if you tilt the steamer unit over, such as when steaming at an angle to clean a shower. Our favorite steam mop of the bunch, this steam cleaner is lightweight, super effective, and has a lot of nice-to-have features without a budget-busting price tag. On the most basic level, we appreciate that this steam mop has an on and off button, so you can turn it off even when plugged in, which we think should be more common after testing this model. While this seems like a small detail, many other steam mops don’t have such intuitive buttons.

Finally, the testers evaluated the process of removing the cleaning pad or cleaning the bristle brush. After hours of testing, we were able to narrow the selection down to the eight best steam mops for your money. For this story, Maya researched the best steam mop styles, sizes, prices, and features and then compared her findings with testing insights from our steam mop lab test in Des Moines, IA. She also consulted with Kathy Cohoon, Operations Manager, Two Maids, for expert advice on using and shopping for steam mops.The mop is overall lightweight, but when it’s full of water, the handheld device can get heavy if you are using it for an extended time. A good value, this cleaner is helpful for both homes with pets and without four-legged friends.

As a steam mop, t feels a little flimsy. There is a lot of flex from the handle downwards, although this is more due to the skeletal design and removable main steam section, rather than any issues with the build quality.

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This steam cleaner never let us down during testing; in fact, our tester Carmel thought it was so excellent that she found it difficult to step away from it as she envisioned other things in her home she could clean. Along with the new features, it has a similar digital ‘Auto Select’ Technology to the previous model, which allows the steam mop to automatically adjust the steam pressure depending on the floor type you’re cleaning. It also features an extra steam on demand button that is designed with a one-touch control instead of needing to hold down a button each time you need extra steam. Kathy Cohoon, Operations Manager of the cleaning service Two Maids says, “Extra product is not usually needed as most steam mops are made to work without product since the heat and steam are the real muscle. Be sure to read the usage instructions for your steam mop model as using products unnecessarily can damage the machinery and/or your floors.” Unlike some other options, the multiple attachments were easy to swap between and we found them quite effective. As an added bonus, the included instructions were simple, easy to follow, and accurate, so we never found ourselves guessing if we were using the right thing. This steam mop is not effective enough for houses with pets, high-traffic areas, kids, or frequent messes.