814 of 816 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fine machine, as long as you know what you're getting..., November 13, 2004
This review is from: Euro-Pro Shark Super Steamer (Kitchen)
This is a useful tool, but it will not replace anything already in your cleaning closet. It may save your manicure.
First, the machine itself: Small and relatively light weight, but seems sturdy. It takes about a cup of water and turns it into moderately hot steam. The instructions were clear, everything worked as promised. The steam runs out after about 15 minutes. Refilling requires letting the machine cool for a few minutes first.
The nozzle attachments are pretty solid -- there is a fine sprayer and a diffuser. The little brush and the terrycloth upholstery pad are useless. Buy a separate scrub brush with a handle (the kind you use to scrub out pots and pans). Then you hold the steamer in one hand, the brush in the other -- the combination is quite effective.
Washing tile and grout: Very good job, but slow.
The machine does what I bought it to do -- wash dirt and dog pee off of my quarry tile kitchen floor. (I have an 18 year old dog, and he leaks.) Mops were hopeless. Even floor cleaner and a scrub brush did not get it all up, especially did not clean the grout lines very well. The Europro Shark Steamer alone did not do much, either. But the Steamer PLUS spray-on cleaner PLUS scrub brush PLUS sponge and pail of water did an excellent job, although slow. I bought a pot cleaning brush, with a handle, so I could scrub without scalding myself. I sprayed cleaner on the floor (just about any spray cleaner seems to work), then scrubbed while directing a jet of steam at the floor. The dirt really did come out. I can watch the little stream of dirty brown water get blown out of the grout lines. Gross, but impressive. Of course, I then had to mop the dirty water up with a sponge.
So overall, I am pleased with my purchase. However, the cleaner does not replace your closet full of mops and sponges. Let me try to explain what the machine can, and cannot, do.
Cleaning out your cracks: What this machine does best.
Basically, this machine is designed to get crud out of cracks. It sprays steam, which melts the crud and forces it out of the crack. But it doesn't move the crud very far and it doesn't pick it up. You need a sponge or towel or pile of paper towels to pick up the dirty, crud filled water that is created.
The process is effective, but slow. I don't plan to do my whole kitchen floor more than once or twice a year.
What the machine doesn't do:
Wash large surfaces
Pick up the dirt
More Detail:
Washing flat surfaces: slow and not a big improvement.
The machine does include a steam diffuser to wash flat surfaces. It seems to work fine, but it isn't a big improvement over a bottle of Fantastick and sponge.
Washing upholstery: A failure.
The steam diffuser also comes with a little terry cloth for washing upholstery. I tried it on a perfectly filthy wing chair. I couldn't see any improvement and the heat damaged the upholstery (check first -- I didn't care because I am having the chair recoverd.)
Washing Pots: Better and Easier than Brillo.
This was a pleasant surprise. The steamer cleans dirty frying pans without scrubbing.
Cleaning dirty appliances: Works well.
As long as the surface can take the heat, the steamer is quite effective at getting baked on grease and crud off of things like crockpots and the outsides toasters and fryers. Also gets crud that is stuck under faucet handles and stuff.
Cleaning the bathroom: Effective, but slow.
Works pretty well, but slow. Does not clean grout that is very badly stained with mildew, you will still need bleach. But it does get the crud out.
As a clothes steamer: Decent
Steam works okay, but not great. The steam is not hot enough, and it is too energetic. A real steam cleaner produces hot but gentle steam. Also the machine spits a little water. Use the little terry cloth boot (the one that is useless on upholstery) to prevent spitting when steaming clothes.
Carpet:
I have not tried, but I don't think it would do much.
Bottom line:
This tool gets greasy crud out of cracks and melts it off of small, hard surfaces.
It does not replace any of the tools you already own. You will still need surfactant (like Fantastick) and a scrub brush with a handle. (A toothbrush is be useful for small cracks.) But it makes your brush and Fantastick about ten times as effective, and about 1/10 the work. And you won't scratch the surfaces.
I hope this review has been useful.
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112 of 114 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A simple steamer cleaner, August 23, 2004
This review is from: Euro-Pro Shark Super Steamer (Kitchen)
Accessories are easy to connect, and the unit looks simple enough. After I poured about 250cc of water, waited for five minutes, I tried it on cleaning my bath room mirrors and glass.
The squeegee cleans mirror clearly when it's moved slowly.
With the detail brush attachment, the unit can generate lots of steam and clean thick soap scum easily. However, the steam creates lots of water, needs to be prepared for that. Say, some towel. One fill of water runs for about 15 to 20 minutes on my unit. Overall, it meets my expectation.
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