I live in a neighborhood where EVERY home is "green built certified" this means that, to have that certification, the builder built no homes with carpet. All the main floors are polished concrete and the upper floors wood. The bathrooms all have tile and/or slate in every home.
Because of this, as you could imagine, steam mops are quite the neccessity...not only because they get the hard surfaces better than anything else, but because they are also "green" and clean chemical free. I''ll be honest, for us...that''s a bonus but we weren''t cleaning chemical free before. We like chemical free for our pet''s paws but I''ll confess I was mopping with chemicals before I got my steamer and just kept the pets out of the room while doing it because, up until then, I couldn''t get it clean any other way.
Okay, so that said...we decided to have a steamer show down to compare 5 different steamers because my friends and I knew as long as we are in these homes we are gonna have to have a steamer to get all these hard floors clean...we may as well figure out which one to buy next go round. Because my own home is graced with 2 cats, 3 dogs, and two gregarious cooks, my kitchen floor (which had not ever been cleaned by a steamer since my steamer had just arrived) was the testing spot.
Mind you, I vaccuum twice per week and do a mega mop twice a week. I THOUGHT I had pretty clean floors in spite of my pet capacity.
I thought wrong. These picked up dirt so well it''s scary
So here''s the results:
1. steam mops are the mac daddys of clean floors. What these things picked up was tremendous and no comparison to my vigorous prior constant major mopping.
2. So now I''ll break down the elements of each mop we used and then go into more detail about each at the end.
We tried out:
"S": The shark by Europro (update on the Shark Deluxe in notes below as well)
"E" The Envirosteamer by Eureka
"H" the haan steamer
"M" the Monster
"B" The Bissell Green Tea
CORD LENGTH: so you don''t have to stop and unplug and replug in somewhere else:
Shark ( will be referred to as S):20 feet
Envirosteamer (will be referred to as E): 25 feet
Haan: (will be referred to as H)19''8"
Monster (will be referred to as M): 25 feet
Bissell (will be referred to as B) 17 feet
STEAM TEMPERATURE: this is a primary element. The hotter the steam, the more dirt picked up and hot steam will also kill parasites, mold and mildew and loosen more dirt:
S 110 degrees. lame
E 220 degrees. very hot
H 212 degrees. very hot
M 266 degrees. hottest...although the envirosteamer and haan seemed plenty hot enough. The shark didn''t clean nearly as well and this was one reason. 110 degrees just isn''t going to melt off stuck on grime.
B 125 degrees. Note that, because of this low steam temperature the manual said that if I wanted to sanitize the floor or pick up caked on spills, I had to hold the steamer on the spot for 15 seconds but no more than 20 because that could damage some floors. Now I don''t know about you, but if I can sanitize with one swipe of the other steamers because of their sanitizing temps my floor will be done WAY faster but I don''t have a timer to worry about the extra 5 secons where my wood floors could get damaged. My sink water is hotter than this so it would take less time to use a regular mop if I have to hold the steamer on every spot of my floor for 15 seconds to santize. Just sayin
BUILD:
We found how it was made corresponded with issues with the steamer. The Shark, for example, was quite flimsy and they actually sell replacement handle kits because so many people have issues with the handle breaking! We know this because my neighbor''s shark broke and the store had a replacement handle kit on the shelf because he said "it happens often". That''s an extra cost.
Envirosteamer: Was 5.4 lbs which made it lightweight but strong enough that you didn''t have to press down to clean. Very well made and strong parts
Haan: not made as well as the envirosteamer but it''s more expensive so this was a surprise. A bit flimsy and you need to press down on it more to clean at 3.15 lbs.
Monster: hefty and well made at 9 lbs but a bit too heavy unless you want a good workout. (Note: They have changed the Monster handles on the mops now and they are all plastic and people are having breakage issues)
Bissell: It''s 8.4 pounds but that includes a water filter that you have to get for this one (see notes below)
WATER CAPACITY: Very important because having to stop and add more water just adds on to the time you have to spend cleaning, especially if you are cleaning a hallway or livingroom or some other area that has no sink:
S: only holds 10 oz of water. Lasted for 10 miinutes of cleaning
E: holds 20 oz. of water. Lasted for over 20 minutes of cleaning (we stopped at 20 and it was still going)
H: holds 11.83 oz of water. Lasted for 13 minutes of cleaning
M: holds 17 oz. of water. Lasted for 15 minutes of cleaning
B: holds 13 oz of water, lasted for 12.5 minutes of cleaning AND you have to undo and remove the tank from the machine every time you fill it up then hook it back on and the steam tank is on the handle rather than the base so the steam doesn''t flow directly out after heating up which may explain why it''s not as hot once it leaves the machine. The way this mop is made the water flows past heating elements which can, according to Bissell, develop calcium deposits on it so this is the only mop where, because of this, you also have to use a water filter with it and replace the water filter when there is build up which means and extra 12 bucks every few months. The better mops are made to heat the water in a metal tank so this is not an issue and you pour the water directly into the tank.
STEAM HOLES: We found a difference although you''d think they''d all be the same. The shark only had one hole that the steam came out of so it wasn''t cleaning things on the edges, just in one spot. All the others had steam coming from bottom and sides.
SIZE: The taller it is the less stooping, the wider the mop head, the more it covers
S: 40"Hx12"Wx7"D
E: 50"Hx13.25"Wx6.75"D (the fact that this depth was smaller made it reach under applicances better...it fit better under things)
H: 50.5x11.5x7.5
M: 48x12.7.5
B: 45.25H (this was uncomfortably short) x11 x8.4 (even though this didn''t fit under cabinets because of the depth it did swivel the best)
Conclusion of comparison: First it must be pointed out that, in order to use the shark and the Bissell, you had to keep pumping the water. This was the most annoying feature of anything...the others just steamed on their own and didn''t wear out your fingers. Hated this feature of the shark and Bissell. We liked that the Monster and the Shark and Envirosteamer and the Bissell came with 2 cleaning pads rather than one. The Haan only came with one at the time of the review (I double checked since when she bought hers it was also only one and as of today, that hasn''t changed) so that ups the price even more because I can''t imagine only wanting one to clean. All worked well on sanitizing mattresses and showers. too.
But the winner picked by all of us unanimously as the mop we want to have for our next steam mop order?
The Eureka Envirosteamer. It picked up the most dirt, was made as well as the Monster but was less expensive, held the most water, emitted the most very hot steam so it sanitized as well, lasted 3 times as long with one water resevor fillup as the others, and had a cord as long as the monster. BUT if you have carpets than I would recommend the Monster because it has a carpet attachment that allows you to steam clean your carpets and it picked up pretty close to the same amount of dirt as the Eureka Envirosteamer, and had close to the same features...a bit heavier though but that may make it last even longer. It is costlier, but to clean 2 surfaces I would think that might make it worth it.
UPDATE: The Haan just started including 2 pads with the mop according to the product description page. Not that this changes our opinion since it didn''t work as well and the parts were flimsier, but it should be noted that this issue of not having enough cleaning pads has now been resolved and is equal to the other mops.
ANOTHER UPDATE ON THE SHARK DELUXE: 1. The Shark came out with a new machine that holds more water and has a longer cord BUT it still only shoots out the water to 110 degrees so it won''t sanitize or get rid of trapped grime at this "bathwater" temperature.
Another update: I haven''t tried it yet but was told about an even better mop than the Eureka Envirosteamer but I can''t personally afford it...still, it''s worth mentioning in case you can. It''s called the Ladybug XL2300 and is a canister steam mop. It heats the water to 298 degrees (woah!) so it''s a super sanitizer but it''s over a thousand bucks. It also comes with 6 towels. I didn''t include it in my review because I haven''t ever tried it and I wanted to only include mops I personally tried but it''s got great enough stats that, even though it''s out of my price range, I thought I''d pass it on as a super sanitizer when I read about it.
Also: Don''t spend money buying extra pads for the Eureka. I was in a pinch and used a kitchen dish towel...the rectangular kind...just clip on both ends. It worked just as good or better...because they are thinner so the steam penetrates faster and therefore reaches the floor hotter. However, I would recommend still only using the thick pads that come with it for your wood floors just to be safe. But the super hot steam penetrating the dish towel worked excellent on tile and hard floors. Also, you can flip both the towel and the pads that come with it on the Eureka to double the usage...when it gets dirty, just flip it over and use the other side. I use several old dish towels with this but I like best the kind that just have a bit of texture but no squares sewn on them...but they all work great. So do the pads.
WHY YOU WANT A MOP WITH THE TANK ON THE HEAD OF THE MOP: We found that mops that had the tank on the handle meant the water had to travel down piping or tubing, get to the head of the mop and then flow out the holes meaning that it had cooled from its original boiling point by that time, whereas the better mops had a stainless steel tank in the mop head that heated the water and then it flowed directly out at it''s boiling temp. Additionally, flowing down tubing can result in calcium deposits building up inside that tubing so they often recommend you buy bottled water so it doesn''t clog. Also the weight on the base means it''s pressing on the pad which you want to pick up dirt rather than the handle where you have to push it.
I have engineered BR-111 hardwood floor and laminate floor in the house. I actually bought both Bissell''s and Shark''s steam mop, but had not decided on which box to open until last night, after reading all the reviews about both products. I decided to take the Shark for a spin because the reviews suggest steam from Shark''s isn''t as excessive as the Bissell''s as people there complain the cloth to be too wet, and can take a long time to dry. For those who complains about streak marks, I don''t know if they have mopped the floor using the most traditional method, or their arms are so strong (unless you use cloth and knee on the floor all the time) that can keep the moisture in the cloth/mop at the minumum. I want to start the experiment by using the least steam and heat possible.
Now, I don''t understand why someone here needs to wet the pad before start mopping using Shark''s, I wonder if they ever read the manual suggesting to "pump" a few times to get the steam out and wet the pad that way. You definitely don''t want to get the pad too wet.
Then there''re those who expect the mop to "pick up dirt". Again, I don''t know what size of dirt they expect the mop pad to pick up, but it''s fairly large when the mop just push those things back and forth. Besides, you don''t really want the pad to pick up those things as it would be trapped in the pad and too hard to wash, whether hand-wash or machine-wash.
Having said all these, I do agree with others that, to be more specific, the grey connection between the aluminum handle and the purple body near the tank is flimsy. I would expect some material sturdier than this. I did not break anything from my first try, however!
The device is easy to assemble and use. The steam comes only if you push the mop, causing the long handle to be pushed into the tank at the bottom, allowing the steam to vent. I haven''t seen or used Bissell''s yet, but there''s only one hole in the middle of the pad area that allows the steam to vent. I wonder if more holes would allow the steaming and cleaning to be done more effectively. As you pull the mop back, you''re actually wiping the excessive steam on the floor away, keeping the streaks at the minimum. From my observation, I see the steam is released at the right amount as long as you''re not pushing it too slow.
Is the floor clean? I think it works fine on my hardwood floor, but the result on my laminiate isn''t as good... there''s a layer of haze on the floor and it felt a bit sticky to touch even after a while. Because the laminate area is small, I decided to use a dry cloth to give it a wipe, and the surface turned shinny and the stickiness was gone, and felt clean.
In all, I believe the mop does the job fine on my engineered hardwood floor and laminate, and I would give it a 4-star if it''s better built. And to all of you who don''t like this mop (except for those who have broken it), please read the instruction again and take a couple minutes to understand how the mop works, and get real that a mop is a mop, but not a broom or vacumn.
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Edited for comparison with Bissell Steam Mop: I also purchased a Bissell Steam Mop as mentioned above, and I decided to give that a try as well. Here''s my comment, also posted on Bissell''s product review:
Let me start with the review by saying that I''m waiting for the floor to dry after using the Bissell steam mop AND drying the floor with a white towel.
Construction: Bissell wins hands down. Not only the build is more uniform, you do feel how solid it''s built. No doubht it''s twice as heavy as the Shark''s (7lb vs 3lb), the added weight is a GOOD thing (as long as it''s not too heavy) because it puts slightly more pressure on the floor for better clean.
The pads: Bissell wins again in this department, I feel Bissell''s will last longer than Shark''s. I don''t like the shark''s Velcro-approach. Bissell''s has elastic band around the top, and it''s adjustable as well.
The move: It''s true that Bissell''s allows 360-degree spin, while Shark''s only allow front-back move, Bissell''s got the right idea but failed to execute properly. There''re times that the mop doesn''t go in the direction that I want. Having said that, I still prefer Bissell''s over Shark''s.
The steam: The size of water tank on both mops are similar, but the Bissell''s can run out quickly given one would conveniently pull the trigger on constantly while mopping, not to mention the mop releases TONS of steam. It generates so much that the pad is already soaking wet in the first couple of minutes. Now I see why some people who have used Shark''s feel like it''s mopping with a dry rag. It may not be an issue for those who live in dry weather, but it definitley is a concern for hardwood floor owners, sealed or not, or even those who want to use the mop on tiles (or other hard surfaces) but the surroundings is humid. I would suggest Bissell adding some tips so users wouldn''t apply too much steam, or simply modify the design to reduce it. Bissell''s has a water filter which could mean the mop can last longer, but then I also wonder how much the replacement cost could be.
My verdict... as much as I like how the Bissell''s is built, I''m going to keep the Shark''s with me. The Bissell''s just generating way too much steam that it will take a long time to dry if not being addressed.
Buy Shark Steam Mop, Electric Now
I purchased this steam mop because I love "clean", but hate the time it takes to get there. Here are the pros and cons on this product IMO: Pros: generates lots of steam FAST; the mops are very easy to put on and take off using hook and loop fasteners; very light appliance and easy to push around; loooong cord; the powerful steam really does pick up dust and dirt effectively. The reason I''m giving this two stars is because: the handle is weak and feels flimsy to use (and if you have to constantly be pushing it forward to generate steam it should feel sturdy); the mop head stays in a fixed position and does not swivel, therefore; does not get in hard to reach places like the base of the toilet or tough corners. Because the above is my main reason for purchasing an appliance like this I was disappointed it didn''t perform up to my expectations. I returned this product and purchased the Bissell Green Tea instead and love it!
Read Best Reviews of Shark Steam Mop, Electric Here
This mop is not going to be a magic wand, but it is better than most products.
Okay, here are some ways that it could be improved: The handle is a bit flimsy. Also, if the mop itself would pivot, that would be a big plus. Also, the replacement pads are way to expensive. The mop cleans super well, but does not do well with corners and you will still need to bend over to wipe up the dust mess that the mop pushes in front of it. The pads don''t pick that stuff up well, but the more I use the mop, the less I see of it. I think that even though my floors looked clean, they were really dirty when I first used it. The cord also slips off the handle there''s a system to keep the cord out of the way, but it does not work really well.
I do feel like my floors are far cleaner than other methods I''ve tried swiffers and I had a Hoover Floormate that bit the dust after a couple of years. Neither of those products did corners well either and the floor just feels cleaner with steam than with either of those devices. The Steam mop takes me about 10 minutes to use on my kitchen floors. They are vinyl and the dimensions are about 18 x 15. You do have to vacuum before you mop.
Several people commented that the mop is hard to push. I have found that it is a bit harder on floors that have texture, but on my kitchen vinyl it just glides. If the mop is wet when you start or if the floors are super dirty, it will stick. I had some trouble with that on my bathroom floors because of the hairspray stuck to the vinyl. The more I use it, the cleaner my floors get, and the easier it is to push. On my laminate and tile floors it is even easier to push. It did streak a bit on the laminate when I used tap water, but with distilled water the streaks were minimized.
So, all in all it''s the best choice I''ve found out there short of cleaning on hands and knees. With the steam mop, you''ll still have to do your floors the old fashioned way on occasion.
Want Shark Steam Mop, Electric Discount?
OK, here''s some feedback from a one month user. Knowing full well how informercials go, I still thought that this product was somewhat of an innovation in hard surface floor cleaning. I also knew that I would be basically dealing with a steam iron on a stick. Kinda like a Swiffer on steroids. Please understand that I use this product on an off-white, vinyl, kitchen floor (the bane of my existence). I live in a two adult person home with no children or pets. Does it work? Yes, the basic idea is functional and the product does a pretty good job of loosening surface dirt. It''s quick, easy to use, and you don''t have to haul out the mop and bucket. In addition, unlike the Swiffer, there''s no dirt-magnet, cleaning product residue left on the floor. Are there some issues? Yes. The handle is a bit flimsy. Like the Swiffer, as you push forward (releasing steam) and then pull back on the mop, you''ll see a line of dirt/residue left on the floor. Well, this isn''t a vacuum. I just continue to push on the mop, accumulate the residue lines into one line, and wipe up the consolidated residue line when I''m done. After all, we''re essentially just pushing surface dirt around here! And, the first thing I did was to seek alternatives to the rather expensive "miracle cloth" pads. So far, I''ve tried cutting, doubling and stitching together an old towel, sewing on loop-sided Velcro (to align with the barb-sided Velcro-like plastic on the product). It worked OK, BUT no cigar! The next attempt proved more effective. I purchased some cheaper "miracle cloths" and used the mop to push one around. No need for the Velcro. The miracle cloth sticks to the mop bottom! I''m still experimenting. Is the product too expensive? Well, for a steam iron on a stick, maybe. But, as it usually goes, I''m sure we''ll see this product come down in price. If you buy these much hyped products early, you are basically rewarding an idea and trying something different. Am I satisfied? I must be. I just bought one for my daughter! Hope this provides you with some perspective on the product.
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We have really hard water and although I try to keep up with the maintenance, my distiller sometimes goes longer than it should between cleanings. The product that I used before this also produced good results but it required another step --boiling-to do the job. Kleenwise specifically warns against boiling the solution and recommends using warm tap water. I was a bit skeptical about the effectiveness of this method; it just seemed too simple, but I followed directions. When I came back to check after about an hour, the scale had dissolved and the distiller looked good as new. Although it didn''t seem necessary, just to be on the safe side, I let it sit for another hour before emptying and rinsing it out. The boiler was sparkling clean.
