If something makes cleaning faster and easier, then it has to be a good thing. Steam mops are a great example, using steam to shift stains, spills and everyday grime from your hard floors in seconds, and even freshening up your carpets with the right attachment. Steam cleaners can go even further, dishing out gusts of steam that help with mucky jobs such as driving dirt and gunge from your bathroom sink and shower tray, and cleaning up tiles, kitchen sinks and worktops. Not only will you get these jobs done faster, but you’ll get a great deep clean at the same time. What’s more, the steam helps combat germs and hostile bacteria without the aid of bleach-heavy sprays.
These mean cleaning machines don’t have to be expensive, either, with simple steam mops starting at less than £50 and some of the best full-size steam cleaners costing £150 to £180. You’ll spend more for extra power or a wide range of attachments, but you might not need to. With so many types, makes and models available, your biggest challenge is finding the right one for you. Having tested 12 of the best steam mops and cleaners, I’m in a good place to guide you on your way.
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At a glance
Best overall:
Kärcher SC3 EasyFix Extra
£164.99 at KärcherBest combination cleaner:
Vax Steam Fresh Total Home
£160 at ArgosBest steam mop:
Vileda Steam Mop Plus
£74.99 at ViledaBest for really grimy floors:
Shark S8201UK Steam and Scrub
£159 at AmazonBest budget handheld cleaner:
Bissell SteamShot
£50 at Dunelm
Why you should trust me
I’ve been reviewing technology and home and garden products for almost three decades, testing everything from printers, tablets and PCs to coffee machines, lawnmowers and fans. I’ve tested a wide range of smart home appliances and devices, and I know what features make them more effective and easier to use, and which don’t bring any real value.
How I tested
We spoke to manufacturers and searched through the biggest online stores to pull in the leading steam mops and cleaners. I then put our test subjects through a rigorous steam cleaning trial over four weeks.
Each model was unboxed and assembled according to the manufacturer’s instructions. They were then filled with water and put to work on the hard-tiled and vinyl floors of my kitchen, utility room and bathrooms. I timed how long it took them to heat up and steam from a cold start, and how long they steamed for with a full tank of water. I checked how each mop manoeuvred and handled tight corners and tricky spaces, such as underneath free-standing bathroom furniture.
With steam cleaners or hybrid cleaner mops, I also broke out the supplied extension hoses and attachments, then got to work cleaning tiles, shower trays, shower screens, baths, worktops and sinks, scouring and scrubbing to give my test rooms the kind of scorched-earth spring clean they rarely get.
I also scraped mud, dropped coffee and splodged ketchup on to a test piece of vinyl flooring, left it to dry, then checked how quickly and effectively each cleaner could remove the gunk. While I was at it, I also checked each steam cleaner’s power consumption, to see how much energy it used while boiling away. When I was done, you could have eaten from the kitchen sink or shower tray, though I might have still thought twice about the bathroom floor.
After testing, the cleaners were either returned to the manufacturer or donated to the Devon-based hospice charity Hospiscare for resale. I washed any mop pads or accessories provided first, to spare the tender sensibilities of subsequent users.
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The best steam mops and steam cleaners in 2025
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Best overall:
Kärcher SC3 EasyFix Extra
This Kärcher steam cleaner is a compact unit in white. When you have the two-part steam tube and mop head attached, it resembles an old-fashioned cylinder vacuum cleaner. It comes with a decent selection of other accessories, too, including two different sizes of stiff brush head, four mop pads and a window-wiping tool. The main unit is light and easy to move around on its chunky wheels and front caster, and you fill it simply by pouring water into the hole on the top, where small slots surround a limescale-removing cartridge.
Why we love it
It takes about 36 seconds to get a full head of steam going, but once it’s ready you’ve got a lot of steam to work with, whether you’re mopping the floors or spring-cleaning in your bathroom. It pushed effortlessly through our dried-on mud and ketchup spills, then mopped them up with a second stroke. It’s also brilliant on sinks, tiles and shower screens, with the steam softening up the toughest and most inlaid grime, so you can easily scrape or wipe it off.
It’s a shame that … the design means it’s not as easy to store as upright mops – you may want a plastic box to keep it in. A full tank doesn’t keep it running as long as you might expect, at up to six-and-a-half minutes, but you can top it up at any time without stopping work. The floor can be fairly wet after mopping, and it uses up to 1,947W while steaming up.
Power: 1,900W
Maximum stream pressure: 3.5 bar
Water tank capacity: 1 litre
Cable length: 4m
Dimensions: 24 x 36 x 25cm (WLH)
Weight: 3.1kg
Maximum power consumption (tested): 1,974W = 48.96p an hour
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Best combination cleaner:
Vax Steam Fresh Total Home
Too many combi steam cleaners end up as a compromise, with a handheld steam module that’s too long and cumbersome, which then transforms into a chunky, heavy mop. Not so with the Vax Steam Fresh Total Home, where the handheld bit slots into the body of the mop, detaching easily when you need to do some closeup cleaning. An array of brushes, scrapers and pads makes it an extremely versatile cleaner, with a hose and nozzles for getting into tight spaces.
Why we love it
It’s a very effective steam mop, with a steam boost feature on the mop head that sends out great gusts of stream to melt through dried-on dirt. It worked through our test spills in seconds without any worries. The handheld unit is removable from the mop and tackled every sink and shower cleaning job we set it to in style, with a variable steam control and a separate tank for detergent if you want fresh smells and a sparkling clean. It takes more than a minute to get ready to steam and another 12 to 15 seconds to get a decent head of steam going, but it’ll then keep going for nine to 10 minutes without a refill.
It’s a shame that … the triangular shape mop head is fairly chunky and, while it gets into the corners, it’s a struggle cleaning under low furniture. It can also be tricky to attach and remove the accessory hose. At a maximum 1,428W power draw, it uses more energy than more basic steam mops and combi cleaners.
Power: 1,600W
Maximum stream pressure: not specified
Water tank capacity: 260ml
Cable length: 8m
Dimensions: 30 x 31 x 116cm (WLH)
Weight: 4.63kg
Maximum power consumption (tested): 1,428W = 35.41p an hour
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Best steam mop:
Vileda Steam Mop Plus
Despite stiff competition from Shark and Black+Decker, this was the best straight steam mop I tested. Once you clip the handle, steamer and mop head together, it all becomes one very solid unit. It’s easy to remove the twist-off cap and fill the integral tank with the water jug provided. A dial just above switches between minimum, medium and maximum steam settings. Meanwhile, the wedge-shaped mop head attaches through a ball joint that makes it easy to manoeuvre around kitchens, utility rooms and bathrooms.
Why we love it
It takes just 17 seconds to heat up and about 30 seconds more to get a really good steam going, but once it’s going there’s plenty of hot vapour coming through to remove gunge from tiles or vinyl. As a result, the Vileda swiped through our dried-on mud and ketchup patches with minimal elbow grease. The variable steam settings give you masses of steam when you need it or not when you don’t, and I also liked the clear indicators. It’s also good at freshening up stained and dirty carpets with the aid of the attachable plastic glider.
It’s a shame that … it’s one of the more power-thirsty steam mops, using about 1,585W while it’s heating up. The head is also a little wide to fit in some tight spaces, although trying again from a different angle usually helps – I’d recommend holding the handle near the floor.
Power: 1,550W
Maximum stream pressure: not specified
Water tank capacity: 400ml
Cable length: 6m
Dimensions: 27 x 21 x 122cm (WLH)
Weight: 2.1kg
Maximum power consumption (tested): 1,585W = 39.4p an hour
£74.99 at Vileda
£74.99 at Amazon
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Best for really grimy floors:
Shark S8201UK Steam and Scrub
The Steam and Scrub is a steam mop with a difference. Instead of the normal static mop head with a microfibre towel pad, it packs in a pair of motorised heads, rotating at speeds of up to 150RPM to scrub away at your floor. This not only gives you extra cleaning power while you’re steam cleaning but also a bit more oomph for cleaning wooden or composite floors, where serious steaming might do damage. There are three different speed settings for the scrubbing mops, and squeezing the trigger on the handle calls in healthy blasts of the hot misty stuff.
Why we love it
There’s not much in the way of grot, gunge or grime that will withstand the steaming, scrubbing action and a spin on the tiled floor of a muddy utility room showcased its awesome dirt-lifting power. It’s an incredibly solid-feeling mop, but the articulated joint makes it feel surprisingly agile, and the steam seems to increase in intensity when you push it repeatedly over a stubborn stain. Shark throws in an extra pair of mop pads and it feels like it will keep steaming forever. Even after 12-and-a-half minutes of cleaning, it still had nearly half a tank full to go.
It’s a shame that … the motor and rotating heads make it bulkier than your average steam mop, which can be a problem when you’re trying to get into corners or slip it under a freestanding bathroom cabinet. The LED headlights mean you can at least see where you’re going, though. Sometimes the rotary action seems to spread a dirty mess around rather than just mop it up. If so, a second pass usually does the trick.
Power: 1,120W
Maximum stream pressure: not specified
Water tank capacity: 350ml
Cable length: 5.18m
Dimensions: 22 x 38 x 122cm (WLH)
Weight: 3.4kg
Maximum power consumption (tested): 1,122W = 27.83p an hour
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Best budget handheld cleaner:
Bissell SteamShot
This lightweight, handheld steam cleaner is anything but a toy. It looks a little like a kettle, with a nozzle at the front and a large screw-on cap to keep the steam under pressure. It also comes with a wide range of brushes, scrapers and pads, which you can attach directly to the unit or through the supplied extension hose. That means that while it’s no good for cleaning floors, it’s great for cleaning just about everything else, and much easier to store when it’s not in use than full-size cleaners.
Why we love it
For all its diminutive proportions, the SteamShot can produce a good head of steam. The handheld design and different accessories make it surprisingly versatile; I found it brilliant for cleaning showers, ovens and bathroom sinks where bigger cleaners were a pain to wrangle. While you can’t refill the tank until the unit has cooled down, I could get nearly 12 minutes of cleaning with it filled to max, and it cleaned up dried-on ketchup, jam and pancake mixture in no time. And it’s cheap to boot.
It’s a shame that … you need to wait a good 2mins 40secs before the unit gets hot enough to steam, and it gets a bit wearing holding down the trigger while you clean. I also found that it tended to tip over if left sitting if there was an attachment on the end of the hose.
Power: 1,050W
Maximum stream pressure: 4.5 bar
Water tank capacity: 360ml
Cable length: 4.8m
Dimensions: 24 x 13 x 22cm (WLH)
Weight: 1.36kg
Maximum power consumption (tested): 1,006W = 25p an hour
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The best of the rest
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Beldray Titanium 14-in-1
Best for: a budget all-rounder
As the name suggests, this combi cleaner works as a steam mop and a handheld steam cleaner, with all the nozzles and brushes you could want for cleaning floors, worktops and windows, and getting into sinks and dingy corners of the kitchen. There’s also a special attachment for steaming upholstery and fabrics, while the mop head has a clever flexible hinge to work into tight spots and make floor cleaning easier.
It didn’t make the final cut because … as a handheld steamer, it feels long and slightly awkward. I also didn’t find it as effective on the floors as the specialist steam mops. It’s very cheap and a decent all-rounder, but feels like a compromise.
Power: 1,300W; maximum stream pressure: not specified; water tank capacity: 350ml; cable length: 5m; dimensions: 30 x 17 x 111cm (WLH); weight: 3.2kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 1,215W = 30.13p an hour
£55 at Dunelm
£44.99 at Robert Dyas
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Kärcher SC5 EasyFix Iron Plug
Best for: sheer cleaning power
The SC5 is extremely powerful, sending out impressive blasts of hot steam on demand. It also has a special VapoHydro mode that combines steam with a quick jet of hot water, removing dirt and washing it away in one stroke. Whether you’re cleaning mud, food spills or dried-on shampoo residue, this beast makes it all look easy. It’s also a great choice for larger homes with a lot of hard flooring, thanks to a massive, removable water tank that you can refill whenever you need to – no need to wait for it to cool down, as you need to with some other models.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s a bit too big, heavy and expensive for most households, and the SC3 EasyFix Extra has more accessories and ample power at a lower price. It’s relatively slow to get a good head of steam ready for cleaning – almost three minutes from a cold start – and it needs more than 2,000W to turn the water into red-hot vapour. Buy it if you need a powerhouse cleaner, but most people won’t need to spend this much.
Power: 2,250W; maximum stream pressure: 4.2 bar; water tank capacity: 1.5 litre; cable length: 6m; dimensions: 30 x 44 x 31cm (WLH); weight: 6kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 2,012W = 49.90p an hour
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Vax Steam Fresh Combi Classic
Best for: a good-value combi cleaner
The cheaper of the two Vax cleaners on test is basically a trimmed-down version of the Steam Fresh Total Home. It lacks the extension pipe and the full range of accessories, the variable steam settings and the mop’s Steam Boost feature. It’s still quick to heat, ready to steam in about 30 seconds, and works well as both a steam mop and a handheld cleaner, partly because it doesn’t change much from the Total Home’s winning design.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it came close, but the Total Home’s flexibility and additional accessories mean it’s worth paying the extra if you can. With no Steam Boost, it takes a bit more effort to get through hardened gunk, and it still needs plenty of power (1,437W) while it’s building up steam.
Power: 1,600W; maximum stream pressure: not stated; water tank capacity: 260ml; cable length: 7m; dimensions: 31 x 30 x 116cm (WLH); weight: 3.7kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 1,473W = 36.53p an hour
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Black+Decker FSM13E1
Best for: a basic steam mop
This 1,300W steam mop was a real contender, nearly stealing the Vileda Steam Mop Plus’s spot. It’s solid and has plenty of cleaning power, getting through our ketchup and coffee spills with ease, and only struggling a little to swish through the dried-on mud. It’s quick to get a decent steam going, at just under 30 seconds, and the mop head is fairly manoeuvrable when you’re trying to clean around your appliances, baths and cabinets.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the mop head is unusually wide at 29cm, and I found the water tank tricky to fill through its narrow hole, particularly with no jug provided in the box. The Black+Decker also leaves the floor fairly damp after mopping, and the cable is slightly too short. It’s a decent mop at a bargain price, but the Vileda is better.
Power: 1,300W; maximum stream pressure: not specified; water tank capacity: 380ml; cable length: 4.8m; body dimensions: 20 x 11 x 70cm (WLH); weight: 2.3kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 1,354W = 33.58p an hour
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Shark S1000UK Classic Steam Mop
Best for: easy cleaning
Shark’s Classic Steam Mop is so simple to use that it doesn’t even have a power button, just a weird pumping mechanism in the handle that emits flurries of steam as you push the mop head back and forth. It’s quick to warm up, dishing out some steam within 30 seconds after pumping, although it took another 30 seconds for the steam to really build up. It has a removable 375ml water tank that clips neatly in and out for refilling.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the actual clean is a little light on steam, and I had to work it back and forth a little to destroy dried mud and ketchup. I also found the mop head too wide to get into some areas, and there’s no glider attachment for cleaning carpets. It’s a solid steam mop, but not quite in the Vileda’s league.
Power: 1,050W; max stream pressure: not specified; water tank capacity: 375ml; cable length: 5.5m; dimensions: 31 x 16 x 117cm (WLH); weight: 1.8kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 1,070W = 26.54p an hour
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Polti Vaporetto SV460 Double
Best for: style
The Vaporetto SV460 Double brings a dash of Italian style to the combi steam mop/cleaner, along with a huge selection of accessories, including brushes, nozzles, pads and a grass scraper. It also gets extra points for bundling two anti-limescale filter cartridges, with one already installed in the tank. You can get a good 15 minutes plus of cleaning from a refill, and the mop head does a solid job of clearing up stubborn grease, dirt and grime.
It didn’t make the final cut because … even with the handle and mop head removed, the steamer unit is too cumbersome for serious handheld use, and I found it tricky to attach the extension pipe or other accessories, with some coming loose from their moorings during use. It puts out plenty of hot steam, but the two Vax cleaners work better overall.
Power: 1,500W; max stream pressure: not specified; water tank capacity: 300ml; cable length: 7.5m; dimensions: 32 x 20 x 112cm (WLH); weight: 2.4kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 1,417W = 35.14p an hour
£120.99 at Robert Dyas
£129 at Currys
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Russell Hobbs Steam & Clean RHSM1001-G
Best for: storing small
Russell Hobbs’ compact steam mop is extremely light and very easy to push around, and it’s almost as easy to disassemble if you need to put it away and have limited space. It’s ready to steam in just over 30 seconds, and it dishes out steam automatically as you work it around the floor. This is the cheapest steam mop on test, and it still throws in a glider attachment for your carpets.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the steel shaft that connects the handle to the mop head feels rattly, and never quite seems to be firmly in position. You need to use a bit of elbow grease to shift dry mud or ketchup, and the mop head doesn’t have the flexibility found on the Black+Decker, Sharp and Vileda steam mops. While the low price may be tempting, you can have a better mop for not much more.
Power: 1,450W; maximum stream pressure: not specified; water tank capacity: 380ml; cable length: 5m; dimensions: 30 x 15 x 117cm (WLH); Weight: 2.3kg; maximum power consumption (tested): 1,290W = 31.99p an hour
£29.99 at Robert Dyas
£29.99 at Currys
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What you need to know
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Steam cleaners v steam mops
Before you buy any steam mop or cleaner, there’s one big question you need to answer: what are you looking to clean? If the answer is tiled or vinyl floors and nothing else, go straight for a steam mop. They’re usually cheaper, designed specifically for that job and often have some key advantages, like a larger water tank or a lighter weight. However, if you’re looking for something that can clean all around the kitchen and bathroom, then you’ll need to look at a steam cleaner or a hybrid/combination unit.
Steam cleaners look like old-fashioned cylinder vacuum cleaners, with a module containing the water tank and steam chamber linked to a handle via a flexible tube. You then attach a tube and mop head to the handle or any nozzles, brushes or scrapers provided. The hybrid cleaners work more like a steam mop, but with the handle and mop head removable so that you can connect accessories directly for handheld use. In theory, this gives you the best of both worlds, but you’ll have a smaller water tank, less power than on a normal steam cleaner and more bulk than with the average steam mop.
Features to look out for
Beyond that, it’s worth looking at the power and capacity. Generally speaking, the more power the steam cleaner uses to heat the water, the more hot steam it can produce, giving you big, hearty blasts of steam rather than the occasional weedy puff. This comes at a cost, though, in that it’ll use water faster and also burn through more energy while in use. This also explains why the more powerful steam cleaners need a higher-capacity water tank. Once this runs dry, you’ll need to refill it, and in some cases, this means waiting for the cleaner to cool down. Luckily, more and more steam cleaners are fitting removable tanks or allowing you to fill up quickly while you’re on the job.
Don’t forget about the practicalities. Having a longer cable can save you from fiddling with mains extension cables, particularly when you’re cleaning in a hallway or bathroom where you might not have an accessible mains socket nearby. Some steam mops are easier to handle than others, with clever articulated joints on the mop head to help you reach every spot on the floor, and the size and shape of the mop head can also have a big impact on how easy it is to get into tight corners, and how long it takes you to get larger spaces sparkling clean.
With steam cleaners and combination models, you should also check through the accessories provided. If you’re going to need a window scraper or brushes to scour the inside of your oven, then it makes sense to buy a model with those bundled in. It’s also worth checking if spares are available, as it’s possible to wear through the brushes or microfibre mop-head pads within a year or so.
Floor types you can (and can’t) steam mop
It’s worth noting that not all floors are suitable for steam cleaning. Hard-tiled floors and vinyl floors won’t pose any problems, and many composite or laminate floors will also be fine. Sadly, some older wooden floors – like parquet – and some vinyl tile floors, like Amtico or Karndean, can be damaged by steam cleaning, as the materials or adhesives can be affected. If in doubt, check the manufacturer’s instructions before you clean away.
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Stuart Andrews is a freelance journalist with more than three decades of experience in computing and consumer tech. When he’s not messing around with PCs, laptops and projectors, he’s trying to tame his post-apocalyptic garden with the latest cordless gadgets. Likes arty movies, walking and devices that just work; hates things that won’t connect to his home network
