Best steam cleaners 2024: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice

The best steam cleaners take the hard work out of refreshing your floors and surfaces. 

The high temperature of the steam kills harmful bacteria and can eliminate the dust mites that cause asthma and allergies.

Because steam cleaners use steam to tackle dirt and germs, rather than harsh chemicals, they're better for the environment and your home.

Browse all our steam cleaner reviews to compare models from brands like Karcher, Vax, Shark and Thane.

Best steam cleaners for 2024

Here's our pick of the best steam cleaners.

Every year we rigorously test steam cleaners – from cleaning performance to durability – to help you find the model that clears away the toughest stains and stands the test of time. Only logged-in members can see our full list of the best steam cleaned in our tables below. Join Which? to get instant access to our Best Buys and expert reviews.

Tables last updated: June 2024

Best steam cleaner overall

The best overall steam cleaner from our testing is a knockout. It has plenty of accessories, including a glass cleaning tool, carpet glider tool, two additional brushes, and an extension wand.

Whether hard floors or carpets, this steam cleaner held its own. It could clean sticky residue and glass better, but it aced our crevice cleaning test with ease.

It's well-built and very durable – we found there was no significant decrease in steam output even after 30 runs. As steam cleaners go, you'll struggle to find one better.

Expert verdict: This versatile steam cleaner cleans most surfaces brilliantly. It's straightforward to operate, and won't leave damp streaks all over your flooring like some other models.

Only logged in Which? members can see the results of our lab tests and find out which steam cleaner is best. Which? is a not-for-profit organisation – every member subscription helps fund our charity's campaigns to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Not yet a member? Find out more, including how you can join Which?.

Steam cleaner reviews by type 

• Two-in-one steam mop and handheld reviews
• Cylinder steam cleaner reviews
• Steam mop reviews
• Handheld steam cleaner reviews

Steam cleaners by price 

• Steam cleaners under £100
• Steam cleaners under £200
• Steam cleaners under £300
• Steam cleaners under £600

Why you can trust our steam cleaner reviews 

We buy every single steam cleaner we test and we don’t accept free samples of any models meaning all of our reviews are completely unbiased. During our testing, for each model, we assess how well a steam cleaner is able to clean floors by measuring the time and effort it takes to shift dried-on pasta sauce and sticky drink stains. As well as this, we also test the durability of steam cleaners by recording how repeated use affects the amount of steam they produce, as some can soon clog up with limescale.

Our steam cleaner reviews are based on the thorough lab testing and assessments that we carry out at Which? – nobody goes to the lengths we do to make sure your steam cleaner can handle your household chores. 

Read more on how we test steam cleaners 

Cylinder, handheld, steam mop or two-in-one ?

Discover the difference between cylinder, handheld, steam mop and two-in-one steam cleaners. If you already know the type of steam cleaner you need then head over to compare steam cleaner reviews to help you find the perfect model for you.

Cylinder steam cleaners 

Cylinder steam cleaners are wheeled devices with a larger water tank. The mop head is attached to a flexible hose, and the water tank is housed in the main body that you pull along behind you.

You can connect accessories to the hose to clean different surfaces. A good cylinder cleaner should be able to do all your steam-cleaning jobs. 

• Best for: those with larger areas to clean, as the larger water tanks mean they can steam for much longer. Most steam mops produce up to 15 minutes of steam, but cylinders often last three times that long. 

Handheld steam cleaners 

Handheld steam cleaners are designed for steam cleaning small areas – bathroom tiles, kitchen surfaces or hard-to-reach corners, for example.

They give a concentrated burst of steam through a nozzle and usually come with a range of attachments for different surfaces. Handheld steam cleaners only have a small water tank, so they are easy to carry around and store.

• Best for: anyone who wants to clean awkward or smaller areas, rather than larger areas such as floors. 

Steam mops 

Steam mops resemble vacuum cleaners, but rather than suck up dirt, they have a mop head on the bottom to clean floors. 

They’re usually lightweight with a pivoting mop head that’s easy to manoeuvre around obstacles and into corners.

• Best for: anyone with hard floors looking to upgrade from a mop for a deeper clean.

Two-in-one mop and handheld steam cleaners 

These multi-purpose steam cleaners comprise an upright steam mop to tackle large surfaces like floors, plus a detachable handheld steam cleaner for smaller, more awkward spaces.

They can tackle most steam-cleaning tasks, but they're often heavier and more expensive than standard steam mops.

• Best for: those who want the flexibility to clean both larger and smaller areas

How much should I pay for a good steam cleaner?

We’ve tested and rated dozens of steam cleaners over the years and have uncovered big differences in quality and cleaning power between different brands and models.

You can pick up a Best Buy steam mop for no more than £70, while you'll need to pay around £150 for one of our two-in-one steam cleaners.

There are far fewer cylinder and handheld steam cleaners. Cylinders can cost more than £250. You can pick up a handheld steam cleaner for about £30.

What floors can you use a steam cleaner on?

We've outlined the type of flooring you can use a steam cleaner on, those you shouldn't, and why.

Read 5 surfaces you shouldn't use a steam cleaner on to find out more

Be inspired to make home improvements. Get our Home newsletter – it's free monthly

Best steam cleaner features to look out for

You need to consider the capacity of the water tank, heat-up time and steaming time.

• Heat-up time – how long the steam cleaner takes to start pumping out steam. 
• Water-tank capacity – the bigger the tank, the longer your steam cleaner will take before it pumps out steam. And the longer that steam will last.
• Steaming time – how long you can use the cleaner with continuous steam before it needs refilling with water. 

Steam mops are much faster to heat up than cylinder steam cleaners. The fastest mop is ready to use in less than 20 seconds.

Handheld steam cleaners are light and easy to use, but don’t steam for long. Their small tanks mean they can only generate steam for short bursts before you need to stop and fill up.

Which steam cleaner accessories do I need?

Attachments help you tackle other cleaning jobs around the home, such as window cleaning, refreshing your carpet, and even cleaning your car.

You won’t usually get any accessories with a standard steam mop other than machine-washable cleaning pads.

But if you’re buying a cylinder or handheld cleaner (either a standalone model or part of a two-in-one device), it’s worth keeping an eye out for the following:

• Squeegees for cleaning glass
• Scrubbing brushes to remove embedded grime from grout and tiles
• Carpet gliders to refresh carpets
• Cleaning pads for wiping down surfaces
• Upholstery tool for treating stains and refreshing fabric – these often comprise a brush or squeegee tool with a cloth/pad fitted over the top
• Scrubbing pad to make light work of removing grease from ovens

We’ve come across a few models that can be used with detergents. These are marketed as giving extra cleaning power, but the idea of using chemical cleaning agents may put you off.

Where to buy a steam cleaner

These major retailers sell steam cleaners from a number of brands. Some brands, such as Karcher, Polti and Shark, are available direct from the manufacturer's website. 

• Amazon
• Argos
• B&Q
• Currys
• John Lewis