Compare the 10 Best Steam CleanersAugust 2017
Every week we analyse the technical specs, reviews and prices of every steam cleaner on the market in the US to determine our top 10 list. In total we compared over 201 steam cleaners, 1,110 reviews and 215 prices. Last updated 22 August 2017.
Dirt Devil Versa
|
95
|
657 Reviews |
|
98
|
Excellent |
|
87
|
Fully-Featured |
|
90
|
Excellent |
Shark S3601
|
96
|
192 Reviews |
|
94
|
Excellent |
|
85
|
Fully-Featured |
|
87
|
Excellent |
Bissell Lift‑Off Steam Mop
|
38
|
Mediocre |
|
62
|
Good Features |
|
47
|
Mediocre |
Pyle PSTMH15
|
57
|
Average |
|
65
|
Good Features |
|
55
|
Average |
Shark S3455
|
26
|
Mediocre |
|
60
|
Good Features |
|
43
|
Mediocre |
Black & Decker FSM1605
|
21
|
Mediocre |
|
59
|
Average Features |
|
41
|
Mediocre |
Black & Decker FSMH1300FX
|
59
|
Average Features |
|
40
|
Mediocre |
No matching products found.
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Steam Cleaner Buying Guide
A steam cleaner is a specialised floor cleaning machine - it heats up water to produce steam, which is then used to clean floors,curtains or upholstery at very high pressure. The mixture of the very hot steam and the pressure mean that it is far more effective than a vacuum cleaner for shifting stains and dirt from floors and carpets - think of it as a super-powered version of a standard mop and bucket! There are 3 main types of steam cleaner - upright, cylinder and portable:
Upright
These steam cleaners look like traditional vacuum cleaners, with a handle on top, the steam generator built into the main body, and a flat cleaning head on the bottom. The design makes it easy to clean large areas of floor at once, though the all-in-one design means that it's far more bulky for cleaning upholstery and curtains.
Cylinder
This make of steam cleaner has a separate section (usually on wheels) for the steam generator and power, then a nozzle and cleaning head extending from the base. Unlike the upright design, the nozzle is free-moving and very flexible. This means cylinder cleaners are extremely versatile - they can be used on floors, upholstery and curtains with equal ease. However they do tend to be the more expensive option.
Portable
As the name suggests, these steam cleaners are smaller and handheld. Because of the lack of size, they aren't designed for cleaning floors or carpets - instead these devices are meant for cleaning upholstery or curtains. Their handheld size makes them extremely flexible and can reach awkward corners with ease, but their size comes with a tradeoff in power and water capacity, so are nowhere near as effective as thier larger brothers.
Water Capacity
Steam cleaners have an onboard water tank that is used to generate the steam used for cleaning. The capacity of these tanks can vary considerably - from small 0.2L handheld tanks, to enormous 2L tanks in the bigger models. The larger the water tank, the more steam can be generated before the machine needs to be refilled. This means larger machines can be used for longer at a time, and so are more efficient for larger cleaning jobs.
Steam Pressure
Steam cleaners have a pressure rating, measured in 'bars'. The higher the pressure rating, the stronger the steam will be 'pushed' against the floor or carpet. This leads to more effective, deeper cleans, meaning your carpets get cleaner, faster! We have models with pressure ratings from 1 to 5 bars.
Included Accessories
Finally, many steam cleaners come equipped with a range of different nozzles, brushes and accessories to help with different cleaning scenarios. Be aware that some of the extra accessories may come with an additional cost, but the increased utility is usually worth it. Things to look for include:
- Specific nozzles for cleaning windows, corners and upholstery
- Brushes for better cleaning hardwood and vinyl floors
- Accessories such as gloves and pads to make deep cleans much easier
Steam Cleaner Retailers, Prices and Features
Steam Cleaner Prices
We currently list 7 steam cleaners ranging from $28 to $135. On average, a new steam cleaner costs $72 and 80% of steam cleaners are priced between $35 and $123. The Pyle PSTMH02 is the cheapest steam cleaner at only $28, and Black & Decker FSM1605 is the most expensive at $135.
Steam Cleaner Brands - Price Range
The %8highest average steam cleaner price out of all brands is Black & Decker steam cleaners with an average price of $135. Black & Decker steam cleaners start at $135 and the most expensive Black & Decker steam cleaner costs $135.
The %8highest average steam cleaner price out of all brands is Bissell steam cleaners with an average price of $123. Bissell steam cleaners start at $123 and the most expensive Bissell steam cleaner costs $123.
Shark steam cleaners range in price from $63 to $80, and the third highest average steam cleaner price out of all brands is Shark steam cleaners with an average price of $71.
Steam Cleaner Brands - Average Ratings
We have analysed 1 expert reviews and 1,086 user reviews for steam cleaners written online and used this information to determine the average rating for each brand of steam cleaner. The top rated steam cleaner brand is Shark with an average rating of 87%. The second best brand is VAX with 85% and the third best brand is Dirt Devil with 82%.
Biggest Steam Cleaner Retailers
The biggest steam cleaner retailer by number of products currently for sale is eBay. We found 6 current steam cleaner offers from eBay. The second biggest steam cleaner retailer is Best Buy with 2 offers. That means eBay is more than twice as big as Best Buy when it comes to steam cleaners. Newegg US is the third biggest retailer with 1 current offers.
When Are Most New Steam Cleaners Released?
We couldn't see any evident pattern in the release dates for new steam cleaners over the last 3 years. In October 2016 13 new steam cleaners were released making it the biggest month that year for new steam cleaner releases. The biggest month in 2015 for new steam cleaner releases was January, with 18 new steam cleaners released that month. In 2014 most new steam cleaners were released in May, with 48 new steam cleaners released that month.
How Fast Do Steam Cleaner Prices Drop After Release?
In the first 6 months after release, steam cleaners drop in price by 27% on average. If you are prepared to wait then you could save an average of $19 on a typical $72 new steam cleaner by waiting 6 months before buying.
Powers
This measures the power level of the steam cleaner, rated in watts.
Comparing all steam cleaners, the powers range from 550W to 2,450W. The powers of the majority of steam cleaners range from 1,500W to 1,700W. The SharkS3601 has the biggest power. This steam cleaner is a 1,550W steam cleaner and currently retails for $79.99. The steam cleaner with the smallest power is the SharkS3601, which is an 800W steam cleaner and is available at $28.35.
The input power directly links to the washing power of the steam cleaner - a higher power means the steam is being applied with greater pressure, which means more efficient cleaning.
Types
We found 37 steam cleaners that are upright steam cleaners, which makes upright the most frequently found type amongst new steam cleaners. The second most popular type amongst new steam cleaners is portable. We found 32 steam cleaners that are portable steam cleaners.
Colours
The most frequently found colour amongst new steam cleaners is White. We found 51 steam cleaners that are steam cleaners that have a White coloured. We found 36 steam cleaners that are steam cleaners that have a Black coloured, making this the second most frequently found colour amongst new steam cleaners.
Capacities
The capacity of a steam cleaner measures how much water it can store at once.
Across the range of steam cleaners, the capacities range from 0.06L to 2L. The capacities of the majority of steam cleaners range from 0.23L to 0.4L. The BissellLift-Off Steam Mop has the biggest capacity. This steam cleaner is a 0.57L capacity steam cleaner and is on sale for $122.99. The BissellLift-Off Steam Mop has the smallest capacity. This steam cleaner is a 0.3L capacity steam cleaner and is on sale for $28.35.
The bigger the capacity of your steam cleaner, the longer it can go between refills, meaning a more efficient use of your time.
Biggest Steam Cleaner Retailers
We found 6 current offers for steam cleaners from eBay making it the biggest steam cleaner retailer. That is more than twice as big as the second biggest retailer, Best Buy for whom we found 2 current offers for steam cleaners. The third biggest retailer is Newegg US with 1 current steam cleaner offers.
Which Are the Cheapest Retailers for Steam Cleaners?
With the cheapest price on 5 steam cleaners, eBay is most frequently the cheapest steam cleaner retailer.
Proportion of Steam Cleaners for Which Each Retailer is Cheapest?
With the cheapest price on 83.3% of its steam cleaners, eBay is most frequently the cheapest steam cleaner retailer.