Not all cleaning gadgets are created equal. Very few clean quite as well — or with the same thoroughness — as a steam cleaner. When searching for the best cleaning appliances, you’ll likely encounter at least a few types of steam cleaners, including steam mops and handheld versions, which are perfect for sanitizing surfaces like carpets, sealed wood and tile flooring. With that in mind, I spoke with two experts, including cleaning company owners and professional home cleaners, to find the best steam cleaners to buy.
I also included some highly rated steam cleaners in this list.
SKIP AHEAD What is a steam cleaner? | How I picked the best steam cleaners | The best steam cleaners | How to shop for a steam cleaner | Why trust NBC Select?
What is a steam cleaner?
While a clothes steamer uses hot vaporized water (steam) to remove wrinkles from fabric, a steam cleaner uses it to clean and disinfect surfaces. You can use the appliance on your hardwood or tile floors, or on upholstered surfaces like your carpets, couches, and curtains. Steam cleaners come in various forms depending on your needs, including steam mops, handheld cleaners, and cleaners with water tanks.
Selected.
Show 1 More
Show Less
How I picked the best steam cleaners
You can use steam cleaners to tackle different messes, especially when using one with multiple functions, attachments, and heat settings. To find the best steam cleaner for you, experts recommend keeping the following aspects in mind:
- Type: When you search for steam cleaners online, you’ll see at least three common types: handheld, cylinder (aka canister) and steam mops. A handheld steam cleaner, as the name implies, is meant to be held with one hand and comes with a thin nozzle attachment, which you can clean small crevices and spaces, such as grout. A cylinder steam cleaner has a handheld attachment connected to a water tank that holds and heats the water, that is then turned into steam. A steam mop uses hot water to lift and remove dirt and grime from tile, hardwood and laminate floors.
- Temperature regulation: All steam cleaners come with some sort of boiler or heat regulating mechanism, according to Reuven Noyman, the owner of steaming cleaning company, NYC Steam Cleaning. This is essential for keeping water hot for as long as possible to ensure that you get continuous steam, which ultimately makes for a more deep clean. The best steam cleaners on the market can reach at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit and go up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Some industrial steam cleaners reach temperatures above 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Attachments: Steam cleaners often come with attachments such as squeegees, cloths, cleaning pads, scrub brushes of varying sizes, a hose and a nozzle. Some come with all of these and others only come with select attachments. That said, many steam cleaners are designed to tackle particular types of stains or areas. If you only want a steam cleaner to clean grout, then you can buy a handheld steamer with a nozzle. If your main goal is to keep your laminate or hardwood floors clean, you do not need a steam mop with various attachments.
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
The best steam cleaners
Dupray NeatSteam Cleaner
The Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner comes highly recommended by Noyman as an all-in-one steam cleaner, since it has capabilities of the main three types of steam cleaners. The canister model has a double-boiler system which “gives you steady heat at all time, plus the bar pressure or PSI (pounds per square inch) is powerful enough to remove debris,” according to Noyman. The device has a relatively simple and straightforward design; its water tank has a hose attached to the front, the end of which works with 17 attachments, including an extender so you don’t have to crouch down while you clean. This is a good option for someone who wants a steam cleaner that does a little bit of everything, including mopping, grout cleaning, window cleaning and more.
Type: Canister | Attachments: Detail brushes, nozzle, cleaning pads, squeegee, upholstery tool and extender | Weight: 9 lbs. | Tank capacity: 50 fl. oz. | Cord type: Corded | Cord length: 16 ft.
Pursteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop with Handheld Steam Cleaner
The Pursteam 10-in-1 steam mop has a 4.2-star average rating from almost 51,000 reviews on Amazon. You can use this on hardwood floors, carpet, tile and laminate, and it heats water in as fast as 30 seconds, according to the brand. The middle component of the mop detaches and acts as a handheld steam cleaner, which is great for cleaning cracks and crevices, such as grout on tile backsplashes in the shower or kitchen. It also has a glide on the end of the mop that allows it to swivel easily on carpet.
Type: Steam mop with detachable tank | Attachments: Detail brushes, scraper, carpet glider, squeegee, nozzle, cleaning pads, steamer jet, hose | Weight: 4.4 lbs. | Tank capacity: 12.8 fl. oz. | Cord type: Corded | Cord length: N/A
Wagner Spraytech On-Demand Steam Cleaner
This canister-style steam cleaner from Wagner, which has a 4.3-star average rating from 17,830 reviews on Amazon, has a total of 18 attachments, including a mop pad for cleaning hardwood floors, a window and tile squeegee, utility brushes and a jet nozzle. Aside from steam cleaning your floors, however, you can also use this to help remove stuck-on wallpaper using the included steam plate, according to the brand. It’s safe to use on tile and grout as well as to clean large appliances, such as the inside of your oven or around your toilet. All you have to do is add water to the heating mechanism, which provides up to 40 minutes of steaming, according to the brand.
