The 8 Best Steam Cleaners, According to Our Tests

Best Overall

McCulloch Heavy Duty Steam Cleaner

$150 at Amazon Orig. $175 $150 at Walmart $150 at Kohls.com

The McCulloch Steam Cleaner is a lightweight yet heavy-duty machine that comes equipped with several attachments, including extension wands, a mop head, and several different brushes. There’s also a steam jet nozzle and a measuring cup and funnel that makes it easy to fill. Its water capacity of 48 ounces provides enough steam for extended cleaning sessions. Despite its large capacity, we still found the cleaner to be portable, even when filled with water.

During testing, this unit effectively cleaned various messes with ease. Changing attachments was a breeze due to its user-friendly push-down button mechanism—all attachments slid on and off effortlessly. Its plastic components stayed comfortably cool during operation, but wearing gloves is advised. The noise is minimal, and there’s a convenient warming indicator light that turns off when the cleaner is ready to use. It's worth noting that the unit does take longer to heat up than the manual claims—while the manufacturer says it takes two to eight minutes, it took 12 to 15 minutes in our testing.

There’s no external water level indicator on this model, so you need to carefully measure the water before adding it so as not to inadvertently overfill the tank. While useful, the locking button for continuous steam proved somewhat challenging to use, but this did not significantly detract from the overall cleaning experience. At around $150, this model is simple to use and an excellent value for money. Its comfortable handle also serves as storage for all the attachments.

Weight: 12 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 48 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Ceramic tile, grout, granite, sealed wood flooring, laminate, countertops, appliances, grills, vehicles | Attachments: 19-inch extension wand (x2), mop head, triangle brush, brass utility brush, nylon utility brush (x5), steam jet nozzle, 8.5-inch squeegee, scrub pad, microfiber pad (x2)

Best for Everyday Cleaning

Bissell PowerFresh Slim Steam Mop

$161 at Amazon $30 at Walmart $165 at Macy's

The ergonomic, lightweight, and easy-to-use Bissell Powerfresh Slim Steam Mop is certain to become your go-to for quick, everyday cleans. This versatile unit is a steam mop, extended steam cleaner, and handheld steam cleaner in one. It comes with an array of attachments, a measuring cup for precise water filling, and a see-through water tank to monitor the water level. It also has a wide opening for spill-free refills.

We found this machine to be effective at cleaning the various surfaces we tested it on. The bristle brushes tackled grime on tiles and grout without much effort, though the flat scraper tool struggled a bit removing stubborn stains. The grout tool was great at reaching narrow spaces, but the angle concentrator tool for window tracks was a little messy to use as it splattered all the grime and steam everywhere. The locking attachment system is simple, and there are clear indicators to ensure they’re securely in place.

The handheld pod has a comfortable design and a well-placed steam-release button, but it did take us a little while to figure out how to detach it from the extension wand. We found that the attachments clicked onto the device easily, with little arrows indicating where to line them up. However, it's worth noting that they do get quite hot to the touch after use, so you'll have to either wait for them to cool down before swapping or wear thick gloves. Other than that, it’s lightweight and easy to use and move around. It operates quietly, offers a quick heat-up time, and has clear readiness indicators. There’s also ample cord length so you can access every corner of the house.

Weight: 6.12 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 11.8 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Bare floors, sealed hard floors, pet beds, countertops, clothing, children's toys | Attachments: Grout tool, angle tool, flat scraper tool, bristle scrub brush, flat surface tool with mop pad, clothing steamer tool, red bristle scrub brush

Best for Glass

McCulloch Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner

Orig. $200 $190 at Amazon $249 at Walmart $229 at Macy's

With its convenient 9-inch squeegee, the McCulloch Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner is our top choice for cleaning glass and makes particularly quick work of washing windows—we cleaned a dirty panel of stained glass in less than a minute with just one pass. But the perks don’t end there. For starters, it comes with 23 different attachments and has variable steam control for cleaning almost any surface you can think of using the correct amount of pressure.

During testing, it effortlessly lifted dirt, grime, and stains and effectively loosened dirt. This made it easy to wipe surfaces clean without having to scrub excessively or make much of an effort. Switching between attachments was smooth sailing (the nozzle and attachments feature a clever octagon pattern to slot them into place), and there’s an extra-large water tank that can last for up to 120 minutes of continuous cleaning. There’s also a 4-bar pressure indicator to let you know how hot and powerful the steam will be, plus a readiness indicator light. 

The large mop head attachment swiftly cleans sealed flooring, and the utility brushes are great for grout, grills, outdoor furniture, and a whole lot more. We loved the top-fill design and included cup, which made refills a cinch. While the water hole is small, it has an area to allow for spillage, preventing excess water from dripping down the machine. We appreciate the quiet operation as well, as we were able to easily hold a normal conversation without having to shout.

The attachments do heat up during use but remain comfortably warm to the touch. Note that this suitcase-sized cleaner is a little on the bulky side. It’s designed to be wheeled to your preferred location and then stood upright, but this does make it prone to tipping over.

Weight: 13 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 64 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Ceramic tile, grout, granite, sealed wood flooring, laminate, appliances, grills, vehicles, outdoor furniture | Attachments: Floor mop head, mop pad (x2), bristle brush, 4.5-inch brush (x6), 4-inch triangle brush, angled nozzle, jet nozzle, round scrub pad (x2), 3-inch scraper, 9-inch squeegee, round brush (x2), nylon utility brush (x2), brass utility brush (x2), 16.5-inch extension wand (x2)

Best for Grout

Wagner Spraytech On-Demand Steam Cleaner

Orig. $160 $145 at Amazon $145 at Target $145 at Walmart

If the grout in your bathroom or kitchen has seen better days, we recommend the Wagner Spraytech On-Demand Steam Cleaner. It offers a powerful steam output, user-friendly features, and versatility. Its 18 attachments include a jet nozzle and nylon and brass utility brushes that effectively lift dirt and grime from tile surfaces, restoring grout lines to their original condition.

Other attachments include a large cleaning brush that can be used with the microfiber mop pad to clean and disinfect floors. The squeegee head was great for glass panels, and the jet nozzle cleaned out windowsill groves. It also comes with a microfiber bonnet for steam-cleaning fabric. There’s a slight learning curve when it comes to these attachments, but once you get the hang of it, they pop on and off via the simple connector button on the extension handle. 

Indicator lights let you know when it’s on and ready to use. This unit has a large water tank with a screw-on cap for easy refilling, but there’s no fill indicator. The steamer produces a notable white noise hiss, but we could still talk over it without shouting. The short cord does limit movement, but you can always add an extension cord. The hose is a little flimsy and would kink if we didn't make sure to keep it untwisted, but otherwise, we had no trouble moving this steamer around and using it either standing or kneeling.

Weight: 13.3 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 40 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Kitchen appliances, walls, toilets, countertops, floors, windows | Attachments: Wallpaper steam plate, large cleaning brush, mop pad, window and tile squeegee, fabric steamer, microfiber bonnet, jet nozzle, straight adapter, nylon utility brush (x4), brass utility brush (x2), fill funnel, angled adapter, extension pole (x2)

Best Steam Mop

PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop

Orig. $100 $80 at Amazon Orig. $90 $80 at Walmart View on Pursteam.com

Looking for a good steam mop to safely clean various floor types? We recommend the lightweight, efficient, and budget-friendly PurSteam Steam Mop Cleaner 10-in-1, which offers an excellent blend of convenience and performance. This machine has a clearly visible water tank, and although the description says it takes up to 30 seconds to heat up, we found it ready to go in just nine. 

This steam cleaner made us proud when it came to hard stains, particularly the mud masks on tiles that it cleaned in a couple of passes. Its powerful steam output, along with the included microfiber pad attachment for glass cleaning, got our windows and glass surfaces sparkling. The steam was able to push through the pad to steam the glass, while the microfiber absorbed the liquid. The squeegee attachment then did a stellar job of wiping down the excess water.

It converts from mop to cleaner easily, but its design made it somewhat awkward and uncomfortable to hold—almost like the handle was in my way. We also would have preferred a trigger instead of having to turn it off every time we needed to put it down. We found that the attachments weren’t as simple to swap out as with some other models, but we did appreciate the stable base that prevents it from tipping over. Overall, the PurSteam offers good value for its performance and features versus price.

Weight: 2.2 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 380 milliliters/0.012 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Hardwood floor, tiles, grout, laminate floor, carpet | Attachments: Steam mop cleaning pad (x2), small brush, large brush, double brush, angle nozzle, scrape tool, squeegee, garment cloth

Best Steam Control

Steamfast Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner

Orig. $190 $180 at Amazon $180 at Wayfair $180 at Home Depot

Thanks to its trigger-operated system and lock button, the Steamfast SF-375 Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner offers exceptional steam control—something that a lot of other models lack. There’s a dial for adjusting the unit’s steam levels according to the surface and the mess you’re dealing with, and there’s a handy button to lock your setting once you’ve got the perfect amount of steam going.

This low-noise machine is lightweight and has wheels to move it around from room to room. It comes with 18 attachments and, as per our testing, takes just under 15 minutes to fully heat up. Its large-capacity water tank allows for up to 90 minutes of continuous use, the handle is comfortable to hold, and filling the tank is uncomplicated with the included measuring cup and funnel. There’s no exterior water level, but the water tank is clear so you can easily monitor it. 

Attachment changes are safe and fairly trouble-free, and the machine can convert to a mop for cleaning floors with the large mop head attachment and microfiber pads. You can also clean windows with the squeegee. We loved the 10-foot hose and 17-foot power cord, which gave us plenty of slack and no need for an extension cable. There’s also a cord caddy for tidy storage. For its higher price tag, we were slightly underwhelmed with its performance on grout, which required multiple passes to clean thoroughly, but it cleaned other surfaces wonderfully.

Weight: 10.7 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 48 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Ceramic tile, grout, granite, sealed wood flooring, laminate, appliances, grills, vehicles | Attachments: Nylon utility brush (x2), brass utility brush, round scrub pad (x2), round brush, jet and angled nozzle, scraper, squeegee, extension wand (x2), large mop head, microfiber pad, scrubbing microfiber pad

Best Versatile

Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner

Orig. $200 $150 at Amazon Orig. $213 $150 at Walmart $150 at Home Depot

For a powerful machine that can be used on bathroom and kitchen surfaces, cars, and mattresses, try the Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner. While testing this reasonably priced unit, we found it to be effective at cleaning grout, glass, and floors, as well as accessing hard-to-reach areas. It effortlessly converts from a steam cleaner to a steam mop, and attachment switching is simple—each one snaps securely into place, and their temperature stays comfortable to the touch. 

The small brush attachment was remarkable for detailed cleaning and got rid of stains from tiles and grout lines. Despite being powerful, it operates quietly. The intuitive trigger operation, along with the comfortable handle with adjustable length, makes it easy to use even during longer cleaning sessions. Its steam lance (which resembles the ones you find on pressure washers) cleaned away dirt on windowsills, although it did produce some splatter that needed wiping.

Filling the water reservoir is a piece of cake, but there’s no clear water level indicator, making it difficult to know when it's full. You’re also supposed to use a funnel, which isn’t included. The wheeled base allows it to be rolled around smoothly, and its cube-shaped design makes for convenient storage. It comes with 17 accessories and attachments, and there’s a two-year warranty, with a lifetime warranty on the boiler.

Weight: 9 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 54 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Sealed wood floors, stone/ceramic tiles, grout, kitchen, windows, mirrors, furniture, mattresses, vehicles | Attachments: Window tool, triangle tool, steam lance, floor tool, nylon brush (x5), brass brush, microfiber pad (x3), microfiber cloth, bonnet, extension wand (x2)

Best Powerful

Dupray One Steam Cleaner

$549 at Amazon View on Dupray.com

With 120 volts of steam cleaning power, the Dupray One Steam Cleaner is so efficient that it can even be used in professional or commercial settings. Its intuitive design made it easy to switch out its 16 included attachments, and its safety lock feature prevented steam release during attachment changes, minimizing the risk of burns. We put this machine through the wringer, testing it on surfaces like window tracks, grouted tile, and glass boards. It cleaned each one impeccably with impressive speed and minimal effort on our part.

It has a practical design that offers excellent maneuverability as there are wheels in its base. Its long hose made cleaning corners and tight spaces effortless, and there’s a control panel with a pressure gauge and ready-to-use and low water indicator. The cord also has a swivel feature to prevent it from getting tangled up. It emits a reasonable noise level—we could still carry out a normal conversation above its whirr.

When filling the water tank, we found the provided measuring cup and funnel helpful, although there was a slight overflow when adding the stated capacity of 1 liter (38 ounces), so we recommend adding around 750 milliliters (25 ounces) instead. The Dupray One also needs to be laid horizontally for cleaning—something that was not clearly outlined in the instructions. While it is quite the splurge, it is extremely powerful, versatile, and easy to use. For added peace of mind on your investment, it comes with a three-year warranty and a lifetime warranty on the stainless steel boiler. 

Weight: 10.4 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 38.88 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Floors, grout, upholstery, windows, kitchen appliances, mattresses, bathrooms, cars | Attachments: Triangular tool, extension tube (x2), connector, hose, plunger tool, floor tool, lance, window tool, brass brush, nylon brush (x2), microfiber bonnet (x2), microfiber cloth