Customer Reviews

Haan HS-20 Deluxe Personal Sanitizing Handheld Steam Cleaner with Attachments

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

After reading the reviews I wasn't sure what to expect or if I would even be happy my purchase. I think part of the expectations is the buyers motivation for wanting such a device. The only 2 motivations that I can think of is get away from chemicals in your home or a device to ease with cleaning. If you are trying to get away from chemicals, I think you will be happy. If you're motivation is the latter, you may or may be not happy, I think then it boils down to what you're expecting it to do. If you are expecting not to put any effort into cleaning, you may be happier hiring a cleaning service. Otherwise I still think you may be happy with it on certain jobs.

My personal motivation is that I am trying to get away from the use of chemicals in my home. With that said, at the very least I figured I could clean with water, elbow grease, E-clothes (micro fiber clothes), and then go back over to steam what I cleaned to kill any germs or bacteria.

This device is not a miracle worker, but some of the things I have cleaned where much easier and quicker than a traditional way. Other things it did not take off. I myself wasn't expecting a miracle worker. The other thing I would add on this is that once cleaned, I suspect if the Haan steamer is used to maintain, one should not have to put as much effort into cleaning.

Some examples:

I cleaned under my stove. If anyone is like myself and neglect this task or one like it (under the refrigerator), you'll know what I am talking about. It was MUCH quicker and easier with the Haan. I swept first. Then I went over it with the steamer, wiped up the mess with a towel. Then for good measure I went back over one more time, even though, it didn't look like it needed it. It was so quick I wondered why I had neglected it as it was no big deal. Without the Haan that would have taken a bucket of detergent, scrubbing, rinsing, wiping, scrubbing, wiping, wiping... And more time spent doing it.

Mineral deposits that had gotten pretty bad around the water faucet, it didn't' take off. It cleaned the rest of the sink nicely, but I have not been able to get these deposits off without chemicals.

Carpet cleaning. It worked nicely on some spots, by steaming and blotting. One was used immediately and the others were not ones I had worked on so they were newer. On another bigger carpet spot, which I believe is due to carpet cleaning chemical residues, it lifted some but didn't remove completely.

Other types of jobs, were quicker than a traditional way. The stove - all I can say is WOW! I still had to put some elbow grease into it, but it did not take as long as it normally would or as much effort.

I cleaned the shower with clothes, and used the Haan for steaming germs and spots. Again it didn't get the mineral build up spots, but it did get other spots of soap scum, that I didn't get up with the microfiber. I suppose a big job like the shower, one could be disappointed as far a steam running out or if you're expecting a miracle and to put no effort into it.

Finally I have read comments on the steam running out too quickly. I guess if you run a continuous stream of steam, it will run out. But honestly I don't know why you would do this other than maybe a big window job. Because you still have to wipe up what you're steaming, you can get a good amount off, stop wipe (see where you're at with the job), and then start steaming again.

A Journalism Professor of mine once said that when writing a recommendation, one should make a distinction as to whether they are going to write a "review" or a "critique".

The "Reviewer", the Professor went on to say, tells the audience WHAT they should see; while the "Critic" should tell the audience WHY they should or should not see. As a reviewer I must join the many users of this small steam wonder who think it's the best thing since sliced bread. Not perfect, but it truly is a time saver and a blessing for those of us to which "clean" MEANS clean and not "Pretty good except for that one spot...". The HS-20 is easy to fill with plain water, (no additives needed - I prefer distilled water though)It heats up in a very reasonable time and absolutely gets in to clean every spot imaginable for a thorough (especially around the bases of bathtubs and toilets)cleaning.

For those of us with mobility problems it's even better. Combined with it's bigger brother (or sister if you prefer) the Haan slim & light floor sanitizer, I am finally able to get my home really clean with a minimum amount of strain on my spine and knees. Even though I can only work for 10 0r 15 minutes at a time, that brief cleaning time results in excellent results.

Having said that, let me switch to some minor criticism of the Haan HS-20 Deluxe Personal Sanitizing Hand Cleaner with Attachments. Remember I love this little dynamo so don't let these comments stand in the way of your purchase. Instead, I hope the folks at Haan can pick up on these and maybe do some tweaking.

I have a couple of issues. First is with the user's manual. The manual does not explain all the attachments and how they can be used clearly enough. The explanations are implied rather than spelled out. For example, the set up comes with two items that are called a Microcham Towel and a Microcham Sponge what are these for? Are they meant for use with the steamer for cleaning purposes? Is the Microcham towel meant for cleaning some type of surface or is it a base onto which one should put the steamer itself? I just couldn't find clear explanations for their use. I think it might be helpful for the folks at Haan if they would review the users manual, with an mindset toward more detailed, yet simple explanations. That would make it easier for the user to follow, and understand the attachments

The second thing is that while the "Extension Hose" allows the user into tight places very well, it is still a bit awkward to handle. I had trouble maneuvering it into tight places. It felt as if the extender was crimping and pulling the unit over. I don't know the mechanics or engineering here but, if some sort of swivel could be built into a slightly longer and more flexible attachment, it would allow for getting into tight spots (like around the toilet at the floor( and under the toilet rim). A longer extension hose with a swivel would also help those of us who have mobility problems and trouble getting to low places (like floors and corners).

So, there you have it. Even though to some, the price of these products is small; for me, they represented a serious investment of my limited retirement income. I did my homework first and found both of these products to be among the best if not THE best items of their type on the market. Be patient with the users manual and be patient using the smaller HS-20 personal sanitizing hand held steam cleaner. They truly are products that I can swear by and recommend highly.

This handheld steamer is wonderful.I use for pet stains on carpeting fisrt spraying a small amount of stain remover and it does a great job. I also use it for my juice extractor to get beta carotene buildup off.
Anyone who uses an extractor daily knows what I'm talking about.No amount of hand scrubing gets that off. It heats very quickly,the attachments are good and eay to switch out. I had another brand and it
was a piecs of junk.I bought this based on reviews I read of other Haan products.Its easy to use,substantisl without being heavy or awkward to
to handle. Well worth the price.

As with any products you wanna check out the reviews before buying. I know some may be payed to post fake reviews but to find out im a legit buyer, just search me on myspace and ask me there.

I bought this product and it was pretty cool. Came with a bunch of attachement, micro fibber cloth, micro fiber sponge. I read the instructions twice since its my first time messing with a steamer.

There is one negative review i read saying that after one use, this person refilled the steamer with water and then couldnt get the cap to close anymore. I think its because of the people that sell it forgot to advise what happenes when you add cold water to hot metal. Oh yeah btw i noticed the inside of the steamer is copper, i think. The cap twists on it like a large bolt with a rubber cap. Its a little complicated since you gotta apply a bit of force, not only pushing the cap down but also turning it. Dont force it too much or you might mess it up and have a leak. Hot metal expands so dont cool it down right away by adding watter. USE THE FUNNEL, trust me. I recommend you buy a bigger one, the one they supply is small.

At first I struggled with this product, I added water, let it heat up, and once the light came on I started spraying. First I tried it with the long cone (shaped like an anal probe lol). It spit out steam with water like a sprinkler. I thought I put it on wront so I refit it but still, same result. So then I used the other peice with the flat end. Looks like a small vaccum. All it did was spit out 4 streams of hot water. I was beggining to loose hope that the thing actually worked. So I took off the adaptor and tried it just how you see is in the picture. Turns out it worked better that way.

Once the light turns red that meant the steam is ready. Unfortunately you only get a few seconds of spray time before it goes off, and then you gotta let the steamer reheat (Takes bout 5-15 seconds depending on how long you sprayed). It constantly has to heat up again and again so you gotta have patience with it. You cant tilt it pointing down or else you spray out hot water, thats another thing to watch ot for that the seller did not mention in the instructions. I guess thats why they included a bendable nozzle but i havent tried it yet since 2 nozzles already failed.

One main reason I bought the steamer, I wanted to see if this thing could take out the hard year old grease drops that are crusted on the wall behing my stove(gross I know, but hey I was a single guy living on my own). Unfortunately the solid grease won that battle. Yeah i know, I should of cleaned my walls sooner lol.
Another reason was to make ironing my clothes a lot easier, i remember seeing in the mall they use to sell an iron that shot out steam, but that didnt go as planned :/ my shirt ended up soaked.
Id did however work on the tile countertop, the steamer worked great at cleaning in between the tiles, from black to white.
Its pretty good with recent grease stains, on the stove, and mold in the bath tub. The only thing is that it only gives you about 5-10 minutes of continous spray before you gotta refil it with water.
My best results with this thing were without the attachments, and up close to where the tip of the steamer is almost touching the stain you are trying to remove.

Oh yeah, as for the windows, I have yet to try it. I'm a bit nervous about cold glass meating hot steam. Wouldnt wanna shatter a window. I think ill stick to traditional windex for now ^_^

-Dark Jester Photographer

I have the steam mop. And when I fell in love with that I decided to buy the handheld steamer for my bathroom. It cleaned not only my bathroom, but it has all kinds of attachemnts that helped me clean my windows, mirrors, sofa, kitchen and lots of other things I cant even think of yet.
The Haan co. has been just wonderful. They have a 1800 # to call with questions or anyting u need.
This was money well spent. It made cleaning all the soap scum in my bath easy. And I never realized how easy it was to clean windows with a steamer. Its wonderful!!

This steamer may not be the best looking steamer out there but it works. The instructions are a little bit vague and probably translated to English by a machine, but the steamer is easy to use and most users would be able to figure out how to use it with ease. Don't expect this steamer to clean or remove every stain in your house (I doubt any other steamer will either), but it does a decent job to loosen most stains and more...just make sure to have a rag handy to wipe the residue.

Here's a WARNING: Be careful when emptying the steamer. Unplugging the cord and releasing steam pressure is not enough. Believe me, as I received a first degree burn as I poured the water from the steamer into the kitchen sink. Follow instructions; unplug the unit, press steam release button until all steam has been release, LET THE UNIT COOL FOR A WHILE before removing reservoir filling cap.

Here's the issue: I followed all steps above, including removing the reservoir cap. No steam was released so I assumed everything was fine. However, when I tilted the unit to empty out remaining water, as the water touched the upper part of the reservoir it immediately went from boil to steam, burning my hand badly in the process. If unsure whether is cool enough or not, just set it somewhere away from children and let it cool down. Perhaps this should apply to any other steamer you purchase.

It takes awhile to get used to it but when you do, it works very well. It really cleaned out the grout in my kitchen and bathroom well. I'm very happy with it.

The Haan steamer is a great little machine. It worked exactly as I expected. That being said, I should state what some of my expectations were.

1. I expected it to loosen anything that was a stubborn: I drink a lot of hot tea, so there were tea stains on my counter. I blasted them with the steamer and they were easily wiped off--without having to resort to bleach. I also have a parrot. I used this on all of his perches and on the cage. It made cleaning his cage so much easier and I didn't have to worry about any chemicals in his cage.

2. I expected it to get into the crevices where I couldn't get a sponge or cleaning cloth: I used this on the hinges of the toilet seats. This cleaned the hinges out easily. (It was even more disgusting than I thought it would be--even though I bleached them the day before).

3. I expected to still have to actually clean before and after I used the thing: I didn't expect miracles. I still had to scrub some stuff. It definitely made it easier, but it's not a magic machine. If they come up with something that cleans up so well that I only have to spray all the surfaces and they are spotless, I'll be the first in line to buy that--until then, I'll stick with the Haan.

The only real negative thing about this product is the user's manual. It's ridiculous. Luckily, using the steamer is fairly intuitive.

This is my third hand steamer. It is small & fast, has a long enough flexible cord, and, "recovers" quickly. It gets at unreachable accumulated dirt from nooks & crannies. For those of us who paid attention in highschool class steam derives its cleaning power via its extreme heat (recall that triangle symbol in chemistry class) plus that steam droplets are the smallest form that water can obtain: steam penetrates & dissolves. Steam does NOT clean, it loosens. Just as toothbrushes are in control of user. In that regard it works faster, more thoroughly, cheaper than household sprays & chemicals, which, according to health authorities also cause serious medical conditions. The combination of steam loosening & microfiber wipe-up keeps every part of our house impeccable with minimal effort. The few less than enthusiastic posts regarding this excellent steamer seem to be due to uninformed expectations for which the product was never designed, nor, intended. Cleaning consists of loosening & wipe up. I purchased, and, got, a super loosener. Depending on surface to be cleaned have microfiber cloth, or, mop, on ready standby. Additionally, this well designed steamer also is great for keeping the grill in top hygienic & degreased shape; especially nice for those of us who like our Weber grills, AND, avoid carcinogens: same deal, steam loosens, big time. Be ready to wipe. One last bonus use. Many clothing items freshen up to brand new cleanliness status via steaming; in fact, this is the ONE application where no follow-on "wipe" is required. Every sophisticated drycleaner knows that in 90% of instances steaming is vastly more effective, hygienic, and, restorative/preservative of clothes than cleaning fluid, and, or, detergent residue. Steam on.

I bought this item, on a friend's recommendation (she recommended "one of those handheld steam kettle things", not a Haan in particular) to get out many really bad cat barf stains. We recently adopted a new cat from the SPCA and he had a bit of a nervous tummy the first few weeks he was with us; when he gets nervous, he barfs...it usually happened at night (and therefore the barf would sit for quite a few hours before we found it)...... and he always sought out carpeted areas to barf on. (Since then, this is OT I know, we've taken him to vet, he's calmed down and no more chronic barfing).

This episode left me with MANY barf stains, some of which weren't discovered for several days - our house is relatively large and he barfed behind things, down the backs of an upholstered chair in a guest room, that sort of thing. (They were like a bile type stain, so yellow which is usually a very hard substance to remove. I tried club soda (my usual standby) -- it really didn't even get 50% of the stain out. I tried something (going from memory here) called SpotShot from Walmart -- worked about 85% ...so quite a bit better than the Club Soda(SpotShot worked 100% on other stains, but not the barf). I also tried some ChemDry carpet spot remover that I found I had in the back of a cupboard. Same result ...only about 85% of the stains would come out no matter how often they were treated.

So my friend recommended a "hand held steam kettle cleaner" -- so I found this one on Amazon, read various reviews for other similar products, and finally decided on this. Here's why it gets 3 stars and not 5.

First the good stuff: It removed 100% of the remaining stains....and has done a first class job on any OTHER stains I might have had on the carpet/stairs, etc., It appears to be very well made indeed. It comes with a lot of attachments, and a little bag to keep it all in.

Now the reason for the 1st star loss: The instruction manual is worse than bad. I mean, there is a "step" in the "how to use your steamer" that is absurdly written..it says (and I don't have it in front of me), in very broken English, "when you hear dada, then.." (and I mean, it is nearly worth it for me to get the manual, and edit this review so I can transcribe this section exactly. We were all standing in the kitchen going, "it can't SAY THAT.. you're not reading it correctly..." and sure enough -- the instructions are absolutely "un-followable" -- if it were not for my husband who is extremely mechanically inclined, I would never have figured out how to put this thing together. And you have to realize, it is a bit daunting because it is like a little mini pressure cooker (which is how it generates the steam and steam power) -- so if you don't have the cap on right, or you try to release it at the wrong time, you could probably do something stupid and hurt yourself. So I was very wary of it. Finally he showed me what he thought was the way to fill it, put the cap on and use it...and we gingerly plugged it in and waited (there never is a "dada" sound) for the "ready" light to go on.

I used it on the carpet stains and it was great. That is the ONLY thing it cleans well...which leads me to my reason for the 2nd star loss: [And let me preface this with the detail that my house is quite clean....so it is not a case of having never or rarely cleaned the grout in my shower, and now I am expecting this little thing to perform miracles.)

I tried it on my stainless steel sink in the kitchen first as I'd read people say how their stainless sinks shone after using it on them....the steam felt to me like warm mist..... and frankly it didn't do anything at all to the sink to make it look cleaner or shinier or anything. A good scrub with Comet does a far better and quicker job.

Then I tried it on the faucets in a bathroom just to see if it would blast away any dullness and bits of hard water deposit...nothing. Then I tried it on a mirror (but to be fair, I didn't use the squeegee attachment) just to see how it would work on toothpaste splatters ....it was .........okay (no better than Windex, in fact I prefer Windex and Windex is quicker). Didn't work at ALL on a spot of mildew in the shower grout. At all. Spritzed the mildew with a little bleach cleaner and it was gone before I left the bathroom.

So -- I believe the claims that it cleans SO MANY things are just...........highly overblown. And the instruction manual was written in the Twilight Zone. **But** because it DID remove the old and stubborn barf stains 100%, I will give it three stars and will happily keep it. But will it blast everything in your house clean? Uh. No. (Another downside for me is that it also makes the room you're using it in uncomfortably humid).