{"id":3483,"date":"2017-09-26T11:12:52","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T11:12:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techeffect.co.uk\/?p=3483"},"modified":"2020-10-01T12:52:51","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T12:52:51","slug":"best-handheld-steam-cleaners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techeffect.co.uk\/best-kitchen-gadgets\/best-handheld-steam-cleaners\/","title":{"rendered":"Best handheld steam cleaner reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate TechEffect earns from qualifying purchases made via links on our website.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best handheld steam cleaners can make it so much easier to clean those awkward spots where dirt and grime tend to build up. We review 5 of the top models on the market.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\nTable could not be displayed.\n\n\n\n

Jump straight to the reviews.<\/span><\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Cleaning the kitchen or the bathroom tiles can be a drag. There are often hard-to-reach places that you just can’t get to, so you just leave them, only to have more dirt collect there over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there is a small and convenient device that will help you in this endeavour. It may not be the alpha and omega of cleaning tiles, but it sure does a lot to help you clean that grime that’s been plaguing you. Indeed it’s one of the most useful bathroom and kitchen gadgets<\/a> on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are we talking about? The handheld steamer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for one, check out reviews our below, where five excellent devices await. If you’re not sure about how handheld steamers work, or what to look in them, check out our little guide below and find out about the considerations you’ll want to make before buying one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About steam cleaners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What are steam cleaners? In short, they’re special devices that expunge high-pressure steam to clean surfaces. The higher the pressure of the steam, the better will the steam cleaner clean. There exist several types of steam cleaners, of which we’ll only be presenting handheld cleaners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steam cleaners usually appear as steam mops, handheld cleaners and cylinder cleaners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mop cleaners, as the name suggests, are basically mops onto which a water tank is attached, and from which steam is drawn. Mop cleaners are light and portable and suitable for cleaning medium to large areas of your floor or carpet. However, whether they can clean carpets is a matter of power and proper attachments, and low-end mops tend to smear whatever they’re cleaning all over the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Handheld<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As for handheld cleaners, they’re small, and light, and look like jugs of water. The jug is actually a tank, as well as the heating element. These types of steam cleaners are very convenient for cleaning smaller surfaces, like counters and stove-tops, as well as bathroom tiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They’re small, so they don’t have that much tank capacity, so you can only expect about 5 minutes of steam out of them before you need to refill the thing. They heat up quickly, though, and you can start using them seconds after you’ve filled them. Handheld steam cleaners also come as hybrids between them and mop cleaners, making them very versatile around the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cylinder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last, but not least, are the cylinder cleaners. They’re the biggest, resembling vacuum cleaners. They have big tanks, and can be used for large areas and are powerful enough to be used on carpets. However, they take from 5 to 12 minutes to heat up, making them slower than other devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, what should you consider when getting a steam cleaner? Firstly, you need to consider the capacity and the heat-up time against how large of a surface you need cleaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we said, handheld cleaners don’t have much juice, so they ought to be used for small areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, you need to consider the attachments you receive with your cleaner, as they will allow you to clean different surfaces, giving your device a little bit more versatility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only that, but, as will you see, with proper attachments, you can build a handheld-mop hybrid, which will give you a great 2-in-1 device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An important consideration you’re sure to make is the price. Well, handheld steam cleaners aren’t that expensive. You can pick one up for some \u00a340-50, with hybrids being more expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mop cleaners cost about the same, with cylinder cleaners being the most expensive. These will cost you around \u00a3250. The brand will also influence the price, but also the quality, as Black and Decker, Shark or Morphy Richards will cost you more, but will also be of superior quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we said, quality is extremely important when it comes to mop steamers, since a bad one will be next to useless to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, with that out of the way, let’s get on with our reviews of the best handheld steam cleaners on the market. We searched near and far, and found five excellent handheld and hybrid steam cleaners for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

5 of the best handheld steam cleaners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Karcher SC1 Premium Steam Cleaner<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Our first product comes from Karcher. Karcher is a very prominent company when it comes to household appliances of this kind, so you can rest assured that their product is top of the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Karcher SC1 premium steam cleaner is a handheld steam cleaner, primarily, but, through a range of attachments, it can become a mop steam cleaner too. Its attachments make it very useful in the kitchen to clean up after cooking, and make it very useful for cleaning bathroom tiles. With a small tank, it should only be used for smaller areas, but, if that’s what you\u2019re looking for, you’ll struggle to top the Karcher SC1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let’s dissect this thing, shall we? First the tank; it has a maximum capacity of 200 ml. At such capacity, the product has about 2 minutes of steam in it (no pun intended). In this respect, the SC1 is inferior to its “brothers”, the SC2, 3, 4 and 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SC1 is, as we said, used primarily for smaller areas, and it’s good for about 20 m2<\/sup>. Anything above that, and you’re going to have to keep refilling it constantly. The device has an attachment that turns it into a mop steam cleaner, but, considering the small tank, you’re probably going to use it to clean spills or mud, as comprehensive cleaning of your floor is highly improbable with this cleaner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One interesting thing about the Karcher SC1 is that it can be used for removing stains out of carpets, but, again, this is only limited to localized stains, and you ought to pick a different device if you’re looking for something suited to this usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of power, the SC1 runs on 1200W, which enables it to generate 3 bars of pressure. This kind of pressure is very much acceptable from a handheld device, and allows you to clean even more persistent grease or mould. With the use of special cleaning agents, you can use the SC1 to disinfect the area you\u2019re cleaning, and remove up to 99.99% of bacteria. In terms of heat-up speed, the SC1 is respectable, and will take about 3 minutes to ready-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the negative sides, as we’ve mentioned, you’re looking at a device with a very small tank. The product is not intended for large areas at all, so don’t become disillusioned when it doesn’t clean your entire floor. It runs quickly out of steam, making it kind of annoying if you have a little bit more to clean, as you constantly need to refill the tank. Also, the terry cloths you receive with the product get dirty fairly quickly, so you’ll need to buy new ones. The product is also not cordless, so there’s that to consider too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/h4>\n\n\n\n