The 7 Best Steam Cleaners of 2024, According to Testing

Best Overall

McCulloch Heavy Duty Steam Cleaner

It may be ideal for heavy-duty cleaning, but this steam cleaner is surprisingly lightweight and comfortable to hold.

It may be ideal for heavy-duty cleaning, but this steam cleaner is surprisingly lightweight and comfortable to hold.

You can’t see the water level from the outside, so you’ll have to measure with care when refilling the water tank.

You can’t see the water level from the outside, so you’ll have to measure with care when refilling the water tank.

In our testing, we liked cleaning with the McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner most. It was effective in all of our tests, and although it may appear industrial at first glance, we found it comfortable to use and easy to roll around the room.In our cleaning tests, we didn’t have to refill the tank at all, a big plus if you want to be able to clean with minimal interruptions. However, when filling the tank for the first time, we noticed that the water level isn’t visible from the outside. That means filling up the water tank requires diligence in filling the included measuring cup and adding the water via a funnel, avoiding over-measuring and overfilling the tank.

This steam cleaner comes with 18 accessories, and we found it easy to remove one attachment and simply slide on the next one. It worked quickly and efficiently to clean a wide variety of surfaces, including window tracks, tile and grout, and a glass board.

THE DEVICE COMES WITH A PLASTIC FUNNEL, WHICH MADE IT EASIER TO POUR WATER INTO THE RESERVOIR. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Splurge

Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner

This steam cleaner operates quietly and works well at blasting through dirt and grime, even on tough-to-clean grout.

This steam cleaner operates quietly and works well at blasting through dirt and grime, even on tough-to-clean grout.

The water reservoir is difficult to fill and requires a funnel, which you’ll need to purchase separately.

The water reservoir is difficult to fill and requires a funnel, which you’ll need to purchase separately.

For a quick yet powerful clean, the Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner will get the job done. In our tests, it cleaned even tile and grout in under two minutes, thanks to the powerful steam lance attachment included in the box. We liked how intuitive it was to swap out the attachments. We didn’t need the manual to figure out how to switch one attachment for the next, although it did offer handy tips for which attachments work best for certain cleaning tasks.

We did, however, rely on the manual to figure out the water reservoir. The water level isn’t visible from the outside of the steam cleaner, and the manual is strict about not exceeding the water limit. The opening is small, so we needed to use a funnel—which wasn’t included in the accessories—to fill the tank. We were disappointed that there was no indicator light or warning when the water tank was near or completely empty.

But aside from the issues with the water tank, we loved how quiet this steam cleaner was. We’d even feel comfortable using this when other people in the home were sleeping. When done, the cube shape makes it easy to store this cleaner away.

Of course, the steam cleaner was also a really powerful cleaning tool, cleaning up stains in window tracks, tile, and glass with ease. Although the steam lance is one of the most powerful cleaning attachments, it tends to send dirt flying, so you may need a cloth close by to clean the sprayed out residue.

OUR TESTER CLEANS A GLASS PANE WITH THE WINDOW ATTACHMENT. IT TOOK FOUR PASSES TO CLEAN THE ENTIRE PANE. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Accessories

McCulloch Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner

This steam cleaner doubles as a steam mop, making it more versatile to clean different surfaces, including floors.

This steam cleaner doubles as a steam mop, making it more versatile to clean different surfaces, including floors.

This is a large steam cleaner, so it can be harder to find the space to store it, and it can be tricky to carry it up any stairs.

This is a large steam cleaner, so it can be harder to find the space to store it, and it can be tricky to carry it up any stairs.

For heavy-duty cleaning, the McCulloch MC1385 Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner boasts a 64-ounce tank that allows you to take on longer cleaning sessions with fewer refills. When you do need to refill it, this steam cleaner includes a measuring cup that clearly marks the fill level which fills the machine to its maximum capacity when empty.

This steam cleaner comes with 23 accessories, and we liked that many of the included attachments came as a pair in case one is misplaced or worn down. The accessories were easy to slide into place, and these tools and the nozzle each had an octagonal pattern to align to help keep attachments in place. Another perk that we liked is that the plastic accessories and the nozzle didn’t seem to get too hot, so there was no need to wear gloves when switching out attachments while cleaning.

We particularly liked the locking mechanism, which was easy to use and helped keep the steam trigger activated during longer cleaning sessions. This machine was a little noisier than some of the others we tested, making about as much noise as a vacuum cleaner.

While the larger capacity is ideal for big cleanups, keep in mind that this machine is about the size of a small suitcase, meaning it needs a good amount of space for storage. The large size can also make it more difficult to take up any staircases.

A PRESSURE GAUGE SHOWS THE DEVICE'S OPERATING PRESSURE. IT'S READY TO USE WHEN THE NEEDLE IS IN THE GREEN SECTION. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best Handheld

Bissell Power Steamer Heavy Duty 3-in-1 Steam Mop

The size and variety of attachments make it an easy all-purpose cleaner.

The size and variety of attachments make it an easy all-purpose cleaner.

It has less powerful steam output, meaning it took longer to complete some tasks compared to others we tested.

It has less powerful steam output, meaning it took longer to complete some tasks compared to others we tested.

There were several things we really liked about the Bissell Power Steamer Heavy Duty 3-in-1 Steam Mop and Handheld SteamShot 2685A, including the clear water reservoir and the inclusion of helpful attachments for cleaning. It was also easy to convert from a mop to a handheld steam cleaner and back again.

The cleaner converts from an upright to a handheld or an extended reach steam cleaner, so it's versatile for a variety of messes and surfaces. Some of the attachments were really impressive, such as the squeegee for cleaning glass and the bristle brush for getting between grout lines.

But we found that this steam cleaner had a less powerful steam output, so some cleaning tasks took longer compared to other products we tested. Although the model is lightweight at 3.5 pounds, it felt heavy to hold during those longer cleaning times, and it requires you to hold down the trigger button to release steam.

As a handheld, it's very small and portable, and we didn't find that the cord got in our way while operating, even in various positions. The variety of attachments and ease of use made us feel that it was well worth the cost and a nice value.

Best for Grout

Bissell PowerFresh Slim Steam Mop

This slender steam cleaner is one of the easiest devices we tested to refill thanks to the wider reservoir opening and the visible water level.

This slender steam cleaner is one of the easiest devices we tested to refill thanks to the wider reservoir opening and the visible water level.

This tool works great for cleaning up dirty grout, but because it doesn’t include a squeegee attachment, it’s harder to clean up glass shower doors or bathroom mirrors.

This tool works great for cleaning up dirty grout, but because it doesn’t include a squeegee attachment, it’s harder to clean up glass shower doors or bathroom mirrors.

If cleaning grout is your least favorite chore, make it easier with one of the best steam cleaners for grout, the Bissell Powerfresh Slim Steam Mop, 2075A. Despite being called a steam mop, this powerful cleaning tool doubles as a steam cleaner that can clean dirty grout quickly with attachments like bristle brush heads and a flat scraper tool.

We mostly liked the design of the Bissell Powerfresh Slim Steam Mop, as it was easy to store and lightweight for better portability. It also includes a visible water reservoir, so you’ll always be able to see when the tank needs a refill. However, the design wasn’t perfect, as we noted it was sometimes difficult to remove the handheld pod from the wand for some cleaning tasks.

Although the bristle brushes for this steam cleaner worked well at cleaning tile and grout, they did tend to get caked up quickly. You’ll want to consider investing in some protective gloves to wear to swap out bristle brush heads when they get too dirty, as the attachments tend to get hot during use.

UNLIKE THE OTHER STEAM CLEANERS WE TESTED, THE BISSELL POWERFRESH HAS A CLEAR WATER TANK, WHICH MADE IT EASY TO FILL. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK

Best for Cars

Ewbank Steam Dynamo Steam Cleaner

This steam cleaner operates quiet enough to talk while using it, and it has a long hose to access harder-to-reach spaces.

This steam cleaner operates quiet enough to talk while using it, and it has a long hose to access harder-to-reach spaces.

The power cord is on the shorter side, so you may need an extension cord or to move to different outlets for bigger cleaning sessions.

The power cord is on the shorter side, so you may need an extension cord or to move to different outlets for bigger cleaning sessions.

With multiple attachments that can clean anything from glass windows to upholstery, the Ewbank SC1000 Steam Dynamo was our top pick to use in a car, although we thought it worked great for all types of cleaning jobs around the house and garage. In our test, we found it simple to swap one attachment for the next, and the plastic attachments didn’t get too hot, so there were no delays when swapping out accessories.

Despite the large tank capacity and steam cleaner size, it was surprisingly lightweight. Wheels allow it to roll where you need it, and the base can sit flat or upright. We noted this device has a pretty short power cord, but fortunately, the hose is over 6 feet long to reach farther spots in a car or home.

Aside from effectively clearing away dirt and even water spots in our tests, we also liked that this product operates quietly, so you can still hold a conversation while using this steam cleaner. Another perk is that the trigger that releases the steam can lock into place, allowing for continuous steam during long cleaning sessions.

OUR TESTER CLEANS TILE FLOORING WITH THE STEAM DYNAMO USING A ROUND BRUSH ATTACHMENT. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Easiest to Use

Steamfast Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner

The Steamfast Deluxe Canister steam cleaner features adjustable steam flow, allowing you to use more or less steam as needed.

The Steamfast Deluxe Canister steam cleaner features adjustable steam flow, allowing you to use more or less steam as needed.

The jet nozzle on this particular cleaner isn’t quite as powerful as some other brands and models, although the other attachments did perform well in our tests.

The jet nozzle on this particular cleaner isn’t quite as powerful as some other brands and models, although the other attachments did perform well in our tests.

One sticking point for some steam cleaners is that they can take some getting used to, whether they have buttons that are hard to press while steaming or attachments that are tricky to remove or click into place. These common problems aren’t an issue with the Steamfast SF-375 Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner, which we found to be one of the best steam cleaners because of how easy it was to use.

We appreciated the Steamfast's handle design, which includes a lock for the steam trigger, allowing you to lock the steam for continuous flow or lock it to avoid it from accidentally releasing steam when you set it down. The lock button is easy to access with one finger while pressing the trigger, so you can lock the trigger into place while cleaning without having to stop what you’re doing to find the buttons.

Another great feature of this steam cleaner is the adjustable steam flow dial, which will let the steam cleaner release more or less steam, depending on your preferences.

The steam cleaner packs a lot of clever storage design elements, like a caddy for cord storage and a compartment to hold the attachments. When using the steam cleaner without the wand accessory, you can store the wand in a holder on the steam cleaner, rather than needing to carry it from room to room with you.

One drawback that we noticed was that the jet nozzle attachment wasn’t as powerful as similar attachments on other products tested. This made it slightly more difficult to thoroughly clean dirty grout.

THE HANDLE INCLUDES A DIAL TO ADJUST THE AMOUNT OF STEAM RELEASED. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON