Best steam cleaners and mops 2024: tried and tested

While an old-school mop and bucket will do its best to clean your home, nothing will tackle the grime and dirt in your house quite like one of the best steam cleaners and mops. Designed to follow on from one of the best vacuum cleaners, they use high-powered steam, often in several ways (thanks to various attachments), to clean and sanitise all number of surfaces in your home – not just your floors (although there are things you should never clean with a steam cleaner). And while I think it’s a serious value-for-money investment, I can also understand that choosing the best steam cleaner or mop can be challenging.

Ideal Home team has spent years testing steam cleaners and mops from brands such as Vax, Kärcher, Bissell, to provide us with the hands-on experience we need to recommend quality products to you. After this rigorous testing and speaking to industry experts, as well as utilising my own extensive product knowledge, I’ve compiled this list of the nine best steam cleaners and mops that I’m confident will be a worthwhile investment for your cleaning regime.

The key buying factors for me come down to ease of use and efficacy, the quality and variety of attachments, and ultimately, the affordability. For each steam cleaner and mop, I’ve outlined the pros that I think you’ll love and the cons that you’ll need to consider to make an informed decision, as well as sharing how they fared in our testing process.

Quick list

Best steam cleaner 2024

Best steam cleaner overall

This superb upright steam mop has a triangular floorhead, two cloths, and a carpet glider, securing you value for money from the offset. You can pop the head off to reveal a medium-sized triangular brush perfect for scrubbing.

This is a traditional upright steam cleaner with a pop-out handheld in the middle for use with detail tools: squeegee with cloth cover for upholstery, concentrator, scraper and four different brushes. In a stroke of genius, there’s also onboard storage for six tools on the back of the upright, which is uncommon in cleaners like this.

This steam cleaner never let us down during testing; in fact, our tester Caramel 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.

Caramel used it with the floorhead and carpet glider to clean the tide marks on an old, colourful rug. It worked to great effect and she only needed to switch to the brush a few times.

In our tests, we found this cleaner was ready to use in less than 30 seconds. The steam itself is variable and powerful on the top setting. Caramel also liked the fact that it can stand up independently when you need to pause cleaning and that you can use detergent as well as just water on tough stains. There are some drawbacks with this model, including the too-small fill hole, but on the whole, it’s a great value buy.

Our Vax Steam Fresh Combi S86-SF-C review has the full details.

Best steam cleaner for sofa

The Polti Vaporetto Smart 100_B has a large 2-litre water tank that feeds the boiler, but you can pop out the tank at any time for a refill without waiting for it to cool down or even disrupting cleaning.

The body boasts variable steam control and an anti-calc collector. It comes with a squeegee with a cloth cover for cleaning upholstery, plus a concentrator, scraper and two sizes of nylon brush. These are all great for cleaning but might be a bit much if you’re tight on storage space.

The cleaner comes with a floor glider and one cleaning pad. The floorhead is slim to fit under furniture and has a small brush on the back so you can reverse slightly to scrub stains.

In our tests, Caramel found that steam took over one minute to heat up and then could stop and start instantly with a press of the trigger. It’s powerful: the lowest setting is similar to the steam offered by most steam mops, and the highest setting is much stronger.

Caramel loved using the Polti, even if it is a bit on the pricey side. The controls are excellent, the design is practical and it feels weightless in the hand, so much so that you can lift it to clean windows, curtains and more. Use on a tiled wall was particularly easy too, so if you hate cleaning your bathroom, this is a great cleaner to consider.

Our Polti Vaporetto Smart 100_B review has the full details.

Best affordable steam cleaner

The design of the Black & Decker 10-in-1 Steam Mop FSMH13E10 is immensely lightweight. It has a great selection of tools and manoeuvrability is easy. We also found that it’s one of the best options in terms of storage, so if you’re short on space, look no further.

The Black & Decker 10-in-1 Steam Mop FSMH13E10 took just 12 seconds to heat up and start cleaning during testing. You can’t choose different steam levels, so controls are a simple on-and-off switch mechanism. While it’s great on floors, our reviewer Caramel did find that tile and wood took a while to dry after use, and that the cord it runs with is a little short.

The middle pops out and converts to a handheld, with a lightweight design. It made quick work of lifting grime from upholstery, tiled walls and more. At this price, it’s a great buy and does more than most steam cleaners, but just watch out for the small water capacity.

Our Black & Decker 10-in-1 Steam Mop FSMH13E10 review has the full details.

Best handheld steam cleaner

The Hoover Steam Capsule 2 in 1 CA2IN1D is an all-rounder and earned high praise from our reviewer Caramel. It’s got a design that many in search of the best steam mop will gravitate towards. Our first impression was that it’s an annoyance to assemble it, as you’ll need a screwdriver. It does look great though, and the handle is very ergonomic, even if the entire cleaner is a little tricky to manoeuvre.

It comes with a steam hose and several accessories, such as brushes and cloths. There isn’t any on-board storage, but the power cord is long, at 7 metres.

You can pop out the handheld from the back of the Hoover Steam Capsule, and there are three levels of steam controls to choose from. It’s possible to pop off the steam head, leaving a scrubby triangular brush which is amazing at picking up stubborn areas of dirt and grime.

Our The Hoover Steam Capsule 2 in 1 CA2IN1D review has the full details.

Best floor steam cleaner

The Kärcher SC 2 Upright EasyFix is powerful and easy to control. It doesn’t come with carpet attachments, but its ‘stick’-style design is reminiscent of a cordless vacuum cleaner, which is very pleasing for those who love convenience. You can even clip away the cord so it doesn’t get stuck underfoot.

In terms of attachments, it’s a little minimal. It just comes with one microfiber pad for the floorhead and a descaling cartridge. There is no spare for when the pad is in the wash, and nothing for carpets either.

During our tests, we found that on hard floors it was very effective, with strong steam that lifts dirt with ease. There’s also a descaling cartridge to tackle limescale in tap water: the machine alerts you when it’s time to replace it.

Our Kärcher SC 2 Upright EasyFix review has the full details.

Best carpet steam cleaner

The Vax Steam Fresh Total Home Steam Cleaner stood out to our Senior digital editor, Jenny, as a truly versatile and efficient tool. Its powerful steam effectively blasted away stains, making it an excellent choice for families with children and pets. The cleaner heats up quickly and is easy to manoeuvre, equipped with attachments that can tackle everything from carpet (which it did a stellar job on) and grout to upholstery.

After a thorough cleaning of the entire house, Jenny found the powerful steam cleaned exceptionally well on all of the odd jobs she put it to work on. Its minimal setup and user-friendly design, coupled with an impressive range of onboard storage and accessories, made the cleaning process super smooth too.

One of the standout features is the steam control dial and the rapid heat-up time, which really helped the cleaning experience. The cleaner is on the heavier side, which might be a concern for some with mobility issues but this minor drawback is definitely overshadowed by the all of the genius features this steam cleaner will bring to anyone’s home cleaning arsenal.

Our Vax Steam Fresh Total Home steam cleaner review has the full details.

Best steam cleaner for tiles

Pretty much all convertible steam mops have a handheld that pops out of the middle of the upright cleaner. This, however, is designed more like the best cordless vacuum cleaners. You hold the handheld and then add tubes below to clean floors. As a result, it’s nippy but top-heavy. It won’t stand up by itself then and there’s no carpet glider.

During the review process, our writer Caramel found we liked the design and how easy it was to convert back and forth. She loved the plastic tray that clips to the underside and holds all four supplied tools (concentrator, scraper and two shapes of brush). If you’re steam cleaning a mix of floors and fiddly smaller things then the Bissell is hard to beat because your tools are always on board and converting is a doddle.

Cleaning is versatile and the two steam levels are good enough for all uses. She remarked on how well it did at lifting grime from the bathroom tiles on the high steam setting. It’s not the most powerful steam on test and yet it’s the cleaner Caramel would pick up and use again and again, especially thanks to the easy wall storage too.

Our Bissell PowerFresh SlimSteam 2234E review has the full details.

Best cylinder steam cleaner

This premium, cylinder-style steam cleaner is a completely different animal from a normal steam mop. It does an outstanding job of cleaning so much more than floors and it can keep cleaning for hours. It has a 6m cord and a large 1.5 litre water tank and the water is then pumped into a pressurised steam tank. This means you can refill the machine at any time, even when it’s in use, without pausing your cleaning.

Then you can attach various tools. There’s a large, rectangular floor head which comes with two Velcro cloths and a clip-on carpet glider. This steam cleaner also has a large square brush with cloth and a large round brush – with space on the Kärcher to stow. The only thing it’s missing that we care about is a window squeegee. However, Kärcher offers a wide selection of accessories if you care about this or other tools.

The cleaning was outstanding – the floor head is much more than a floor head. It’s on a lightweight lance, so we found ourselves instinctively lifting it and cleaning the bathroom’s tiled walls, right up to the ceiling. The only downside? It’s a little slow on the uptake when you begin cleaning.

Best multipurpose steam cleaner

Our review of Dupray’s Neat steam cleaner is on its way but we’ve included it in this list because it’s a great piece of kit for a reasonable price. It’s a do-it-all cleaning tool which Dupray say delivers the same cleaning power of much larger professional units.

The slick-looking unit has a large capacity, allowing up to 50 minutes of cleaning time before filling up is needed. And, with the powerful 135°C steam and 17 different attachments included, you can blast everything from car interiors and furniture to 99.9% of bacteria and is even effective at steam cleaning bed bugs. We love how easy it is to carry about with its sliding handle and small cube shape. It’s also really easily stored in a cupboard due to its shape which is great for those who are short on space.

Our senior digital editor was really impressed with the results when she tackled cleaning her daughter’s mattress and also cleaning the BBQ with the included scrubbing brush. What’s more, it’s a great price for all it can do, when compared to competitors. A few slight tweaks in the design would make this cleaner even better: an extra outlet to drain water more easily and a cord winder to the side instead of on the bottom of the product.

How we test our steam cleaners

At Ideal Home, we will only recommend the best steam cleaners and best steam mops that have been rigorously tested by our trusted reviewers. Every review is completely impartial, and we aim to highlight the positives and negatives that customers should consider before buying.

The process of exactly how we test involves using the products in our own homes to put them through their paces, understand their functionalities, and test all of the accessories to establish their true value for money. By using them over an extended period, we can judge whether these products are worth your investment and whether they can stand the test of time.

To compile this list of the best steam cleaners and mops, our reviewers tested 9 products for at least two weeks (if not more), using them as naturally as possible to mimic how the average customer would use them. During the testing process, they also took time to focus on the following features and observations:

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• Unboxing: How was the steam cleaner or steam mop packaged? Was the packaging eco-friendly? Was the box heavy? Asking these questions helps us understand whether this aligns with customers’ values and whether it’s easy for the average person to carry – especially if they live in a top-floor flat.
• Setting up: Knowing how long and easy it is to set up the steam cleaner or mop can make a huge difference when you’re short on time or have concerns about dexterity. So, this is something that was taken into consideration for each review.
• Ease of use: We don’t believe in paying money for products that are difficult to understand or use, so our testers focused on the steam cleaner or steam mop’s ease of use. In these cases, they also focused on cord lengths, steam cleaning different surfaces, and using all the attachments to see if they were worthwhile and effective.
• Cleaning: Steam cleaners and mops require a certain amount of cleaning and maintenance, and our reviewers outlined the cleaning process and how long it took to give customers a realistic view of the process.
• How it compares to similar models: At Ideal Home, we’re aware that the steam cleaner and steam mop market is crowded. In an effort to help you choose the right one for you, our reviewers compared each steam cleaner and mop to those that were similar. Sometimes, this meant that many of the best steam cleaners and mops in this guide were compared against each other.

Here’s a rundown of exactly what qualifies our testers as experts, and the kind of homes these steam cleaners and mops have been tested in.

FAQs

What are the different types of steam cleaner?

While it may be easy to assume that all steam cleaners are the same, there are a few different options on the market. They’re often designed for different uses, so it’s important to choose one that suits your needs – and your budget. To help you understand the differences between a steam mop vs a steam cleaner, we’ve broken down the types of steam cleaners available:

Steam mop: If you only want to steam clean floors, consider a simple machine that doesn’t convert to a handheld. It will be light and easy to manoeuvre, and you won’t have to store fiddly tools that you’ve no intention of using.

Convertible steam cleaner: These 2-in-1 cleaners are upright steam mops where the steam generator can pop out from the middle to be used as a smaller, handheld cleaner. They come with various tools for steam cleaning smaller stuff.

Cylinder steam cleaner: For the ultimate in powerful, long-lasting steam, get a cylinder cleaner. They generate a constant flow of strong steam that makes light work of anything. But they take up more cupboard space.

Do you need to use any cleaning products with a steam cleaner?

You don’t need to use any cleaning products with a steam cleaner, as Polya Petrova from cleaning company Fantastic Services explains, ‘Steam cleaning is generally considered more efficient and effective than traditional mopping because steam mops use high temperatures to loosen and dissolve dirt, grime and stains, making it easier to remove them from various surfaces. The heat from the steam also kills many common household bacteria and allergens, providing a more thorough, clean and hygienic domestic environment. Besides that, steam cleaning requires only water and doesn’t involve using chemical cleaners, making it a more eco-friendly option. In contrast, traditional mopping often relies on chemical agents, which can be harmful to the environment and human health if they aren’t used and disposed of properly.’

In fact, using cleaning products with a steam cleaner could be counter productive, as Julian Gaze, Managing Director of Janitorial Direct, explains, ‘Using chemicals may also be corrosive which can potentially damage the machine and reduce its overall effectiveness.’

To keep your steam mop or cleaner in good working order, Henrique Conceicao, Area Manager at Total Clean adds, ‘I recommend using distilled water to prevent limescale build-up, which can impact the steam function over time.’

What features should you look for in a steam cleaner?

When it comes to choosing the right steam mop or cleaner for your home, there are a few features that are worth looking out for:

• Water tank size
• Weight and ease of manoeuvre
• Variable steam settings
• Heat up time
• Accessories

Josh Warren, AO.com’s floor care expert explains, ‘When looking for a steam mop or steam cleaner, there are a few key features to consider. Adjustable steam settings allow you to control the intensity of the steam, meaning you can easily switch when moving from carpet to hard floor. The size of the water tank is another important feature to consider, as a larger tank means longer cleaning sessions without having to refill.

Julian suggests, ‘For busy family homes, consider a lightweight design and long cord for ease of use, and look out for useful features like continuous steam and anti-scale systems, as these can help to improve the lifespan of your cleaner.’

When it comes to accessories, look out for the extras that you’ll get the most use out of to ensure you’re getting the best value for money. Josh adds, ‘Most steam mops come with accessories that can greatly increase the versatility of your steam mop or cleaner. Microfiber pads are great for picking up dirt, and they are machine washable and reusable. Deep scrubbing brushes are perfect for cleaning grout lines, corners, and other tough to reach areas. Carpet gliders attach to the head of the mop, allowing you to freshen up carpets, rugs, and upholstery.’

How much should I spend on a steam cleaner?

Like many other cleaning gadgets, the best steam cleaners and mops suit a wide range of budgets. The most straightforward steam mops start at £50, but up to £150 is average for a convertible upright. These are steam mops that double as smaller, handheld cleaners.

However, if you’re looking for a cylinder model with more steam power, you’ll have to spend more. In most cases, you should budget upwards of £300 for a cylinder model.

Because of this, it’s important to compare models and decide which one suits you best before committing to anything. Then, you can decide on a budget and find the perfect option.

Does steam cleaning actually work?

After testing a whole host of them, we can say with confidence that steam cleaning does work – and on several surfaces, too. From your hobs to your shower tiles, these cleaners can help remove stubborn dirt and sanitise, thanks to the high temperatures of the steam these appliances omit.

Josh adds, ‘Steam cleaners are an efficient way to remove stains around your home from areas such as carpets and hard floors.’

‘They are handy appliances for keeping your home clean as the steam they produce helps to kill any bacteria that may be hiding in your floor. They are particularly effective at cleaning any hard-to-reach places and when you clean a home from top to bottom, this will help eliminate any lingering odours from your carpets.’

Steam cleaning can also be effective if you’re looking to get rid of household pests, such as bed bugs.