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1,058 of 1,066 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The top steam mops: Results of steam mop first hand comparisons & studying of comps, August 7, 2009
This review is from: Eureka 313A Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer (Kitchen)
Know going in If you get the Envirosteamer, know that, though it cleans the best, the first two times you use it the water goes through holes faster than it will in subsequent uses, so it will go through steam faster and your floors will be wetter than normal. Enough people wrote me to know this happened the first one or two times as it did my first time of use, then after that the mop was normal, our floors are great and it lasts waaaah longer. We don't know why. Just know that going in. After the first two initializing uses it steams perfect! Also obviously the steam lasts longest if you don't hold the mop above the floor to walk to another area since the steam pours out as it will with any steam mop if you do.
(update: This review was updated on 11-2-09 after I got to compare the Bissell as well as add notes about the Ladybugg steamer at the bottom, and then on 11-30 when I got to compare the SteamFast SF-140 and on 12-7 to compare the Steam Boy)
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 7 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
"E" The Envirosteamer by Eureka
"H" the haan steamer
"M" the Monster
"B" The Bissell Green Tea
"SF" The SteamFast SF-140 by SteamFast
"SB" The SteamBoy T1
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 *Note* The Envirosteamer has a clip at the top of the handle to keep the cord out of the way. When it's plugged in and you need more cord length, a light tug undoes this cord on the clip so that you have the full 25' of cord. Otherwise it's only around 20 feet. It's made to do this.
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
SteamFast (will be referred to as SF): 18.7 ft.
SteamBoy (will be referred to as SB): 16 ft.
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
SF: 137 degrees. Not hot enough to clean well nor sanitize.
SB: 120 degrees. Not hot enough to clean well nor sanitize
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)
SteamFast: very flimsy plastic all over, but it's also more affordable than the other mops so it's a bit of a trade off. 7 lbs.
SteamBoy: They didn't even ship this preassembled like the other mops. We had to assemble it! Pretty flimsy plastic. 9 lbs but that includes the water filter you have to get with 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 up to 10 oz of water. Lasted for 10 miinutes of cleaning
E: holds up to 20 oz. of water. Lasted for over 20 minutes of cleaning (we stopped at 20 and it was still going)
H: holds up to 11.83 oz of water. Lasted for 13 minutes of cleaning
M: holds up to 17 oz. of water. Lasted for 15 minutes of cleaning
B: holds up to 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.
SF: Holds the least amount of water and I had to stop and fill up and get the water reheated often in trying to clean the floor. Only holds 8 oz of water and if you use 8 oz it gets your floor too wet so we wound up filling it with just up to 7.5 oz of water for best results and it only lasted 7 minutes when we did that before we had to refill again.
SB: up to 24 oz BUT it only lasted for 12 minutes of cleaning. I think because of the build. This one also is made so that the water has to flow past heating elements down the handle, rather than flowing directly from a hot tank to the floor at the base. Because of this it can develop calcium deposits inside the mop so you have to also buy a water filter for this mop and replace it every few months when there is build up which means extra cost and, quite possibly, more repairs. Because this does not flow directly out of a hot tank it cools on the way down and possibly with this one evaporates somehow because we tried it twice and the steam simply didn't last as long as it should.
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. Steamboy also didn't have holes near the edge
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)
SF:49x11.8x7
SB: 28.2x6.9x7.9
Conclusion of comparison: First it must be pointed out that, in order to use the shark and the Bissell and the SteamBoy, you had to keep pumping the water...
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1,336 of 1,360 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I've summed up product comparisons for you!, June 9, 2009
This review is from: Eureka 313A Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer (Kitchen)
I spent days and days reading reviews for the perfect steam mop and I felt that the Eureka Enviro Steamer was the best choice. I'll sum up what I LOVE about my Eureka Enviro Steam Mop.
Eureka Euro Features:
1. Swivel head (a must, can get around objects)
2. tall and removable handle (yes you can take the handle off and steam your counters to sterilize them)
3. Eureka has been making steam mops for over a decade and this is the 2nd version of their VERY POPULAR steam mop.
4. Long cord.
5.Weight is on the floor where the water tank is, this makes it easier to use and makes for less scrubbing (tanks on the handle make you scrub and push down more to remove grim)
6. NO PUSH TRIGGER! This means CONSTANT steam. Who wants to hold down a button the whole time you're mopping?
7. The steam vents are from SIDE to SIDE..not one hole in the middle like some.
8. THICK and tough waffle cone pads. Picks up plenty.
9. HIGH heat (220 degrees)
10. About 3 minutes to heat water.
11. Leaves very little water on floor, dries quickly.
12. TOTALLY GREEN! Okay, I'm not a green fanatic (I don't recycle, sorry guys) but this product makes me feel like I'm making a difference! No wasteful trash (i.e. disposable pads) and it uses JUSTS water. No chemicals!
OKAY NOW SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD HEAR OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT OTHER MOST POPULAR MODELS:
MONSTER STEAM MOP:
1. BAD HANDLE (complaint after complaint about flimsy handle and it breaks when pushing too hard).
2. takes 5+ min to heat up.
3. does not have a swivel head.
(compared to Eureka: does heat up more- 266 degrees and does have extra burst of steam in front, more expensive)
SHARK STEAM MOP:
1. very flimsy handle and plastic tank (both break easily)
2. you have to "pump' the handle to get steam.
3. hard to push because the weight of the water is half way up the handle on the tank)
4. tends to "sleep" in the middle of the job as it takes a break to re-heat the water for the next pumping action.
5. heats to about 110 degrees.
BISSELL STEAM MOP:
1. Again, top/plastic water tank-very flimsy.
2. leaves very wet floors.
3. uses a "trigger" again to get steam.
4. thin pads, get soaked easily.
5. not hot enough (110 degrees)heats pad, but not more than hot water from your sink.
6. One steam hole in the middle, not all the way across like Monster or Euro or HAAN.
HAAN STEAM MOP:
1. cost more money
2. handle breaks again and not tall enough
3. does have attachments and removable handle
4. water has leaked from tank and burns hands when lifting up to steam object (like counters, beds, etc).
H20 steam mop:
1. 130 degrees temp
2. tends to leak from the tank and the tank is flimsy.
OKAY THESE ARE THE IMPORTANT THINS TO CONSIDER FOR ALL STEAM MOPS.
1. They aren't going to clean your grout. If you steam it and then get in there with a brush or rag I'm sure it will come up, but ALL fiber pads don't have "fingers" deep enought to get in the grout (neither will any product likely except a good ole fashioned brush) But they will be sterilized!
2. You need to take in consideration what type of water you have. All hard water will clog up your steamer over time. Use soft/distilled water (we installed a water softener in our house because we had VERY hard water)You could clean it with a de-calcification product (like CLR) or vinager occasionally.
3. You should NOT use a steam mop on unsealed wood or waxed floors. We are talking HIGH HEAT here and you're going to ruin wood if it isn't sealed, or melt that wax and make a mess.
4. Water should be at least 155 up to 212 degrees to kill germs (depending on the type of bateria). Steam is nice, but not if it isn't hot enough to kill bateria.
5. These are not ALL IN ONE floor cleaners. You are STILL going to have to vacuum. Heck-do what I did-invest in a Iroomba robot vacuum (HSN has Flex Pays) AND a steam mop. You'll have floors you can eat off of every day for very little effort.
6. My opinion is that ANYTHING that is rechargeable ins't going to last as long as something with a cord. Batteries have weird electronic memory to them (yeah I'm obviously not a tech pro) and they are luckly to last 6m! Don't waste ANY money on those rechareable products. They are a waste.
All in all this is the BEST product I've found for the cost, unless you want to invest a fortune in commercial grade steamers. I'm THRILLED with this purchase!!!
Update: After 10 months, I'm still thrilled. However, many complain that the first couple of uses the mop tends to leak a lot and leave the floors very wet. Although I never did experience this, many have and the solution they have found is that it requires a couple of uses to "season" the product and then the appropriate amount of steam and heat becomes reliable.
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261 of 263 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Throw away your mop., December 23, 2008
This review is from: Eureka 313A Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer (Kitchen)
Very happy to see the Enviro Steamer return !!! I have had the 311A enviro steamer for 2 years. I had to pay an arm & a leg for it on ebay because Eureka discontinued this product several years ago. Mopping was my least favorite chore, it almost brought me to tears I hated it so much. I have over 1200 sq.ft. of tile in my house & keeping it clean used to be a daunting task. UNTIL........the enviro steamer.
One of the best purchases I have ever made. No more bucket & mop, no more over perfumed wet jet that leaves you with a sticky floor & expensive replacement pads & fluids. Now it is just water, the enviro steamer, a washable & reusable magic pad & me. I actually consider cleaning my floors FUN now. By the way.....men love using the enviro steamer, you may even find your husband cleaning the floors more often.
Hint: Get a few extra Magic pads, 1 or 2 is not enough unless you have only 1 small area to clean. After I finish with 1 room, I just slap a new pad on, refill the water, give the enviro steamer a few minutes to heat back up & I'm on to the next room. The first room is dry in minutes & clean.
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