by Janet Martinelli
Unfortunately, there are many sub-par steam mops on the market, so we are compiled a wide list of the best steam mop models of which we think are a cut above and explain how they were chosen.
Read our steam mop reviews to gauge products by use and by brand and find out for yourself why steam mops really do work for steam cleaning, which steam mop is best for home use, and the best mop to provide multi purpose steam cleaning on the market.
TOP CHOICE OVERALL
BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro All in One
Reasons to buy:
- Specializes on tiles, sealed hard floors, linoleum, rubber, wood floors, carpets, rugs, floor mats
- Finish clean up in seconds after using
- Combines washing and vacuuming which saves you time
- Great for owners of pets that shed fur
- Help fund pet foundation
Reasons to avoid:
- If you are only looking for a vacuum function, better to look at the other products
- If you prefer dry cleaning/vacuuming
Best steam mops Reviewed
Steam Mops by Purpose:
- Best Overall: Pet Pro All in One Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner and Steam Mop
- Best Combo: Steam Mop Cleaner ThermaPro 10-in-1
- Best For Tile: Steam Mop Cleaner ThermaPro 12-in-1
- Best For Hardwood: Bissell PowerFresh Slim
Here's How We Did the Test:
Making this evaluation possible would require us a team of people who will check the pros and cons each product, a wide variety of steam mops to test, and a specific number of hours to be utilized to assess all the units.
12 USERS
27 MODELS
44 HOURS
Top Steam Mops on the Market
Best Steam Mop Reviews
1. BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro All in One Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner and Steam Mop for Hard floor cleaning and Area Rugs, 2306A -Combo
BEST OVERALL
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 10.5 x 12 x 46 inches
- Tank: 28 oz
- Cord: 25 ft
- Weight: 11.5 lbs
- Features: Great for home and pets; vacuums and cleans at the same time
PROS
- Multi-Surface Cleaning
- Two-Tank Technology
- Versatile Pet Brush Roll
- Included stainer for pet hair
- Easy cleaning
CONS
- Relatively high price
As a cat owner, it’s hard to overstate how much I value something that can pick up pet hair, particularly for the younger of my two cats. She has thick, fine fur which sticks to the furniture, carpet, and accumulates in every corner of the house to the point it sometimes feels like my house is growing the fur itself.
Something like this then is a godsend, because regular vacuums have trouble with picking this stuff up, and untangling the stuff from the roller afterward is more of a chore than the actual cleaning ever is.
This thing solving both issues while also steam cleaning my hardwood floors or carpet (perfect, since I basically have hardwood everywhere but the bathroom and a couple of area carpets) instantly rockets it to the top of my list.
If you want raw stats, it has some pretty impressive ones.
Its brush spins at 3000 RPM (and includes a pet hair strainer), can properly strain hair up to 8 inches in length, works on pretty much any surface (sealed wood, pressed wood, linoleum, carpet, rugs, tile, and rubber are just the ones listed), and its microfiber and nylon blended brush is easy to remove for replacement or cleaning.
To facilitate this, it has two major settings that can be swapped between for ease of use: hardwood floor and area rug (the hardwood floor setting for any flat surface, and the area rug setting for any carpet).
Unlike many cheaper units, this one has two separate chambers: one for water, and one for cleaning fluid. This saves you some time and effort on needing to spray ahead of your steam if you need to throw down some cleaning formula for tougher spots.
The vacuum portion isn’t as good at being a vacuum as my current one (an absolute workhorse of a Kirby that’s older than I am), but that’s as low praise as I can give it: it’s not as good at its secondary function as the optimal vacuum cleaner I’ve ever owned.
While it will cost you a pretty penny, for an appliance like this it’s absolutely worth it. Even if you don’t have pets, having a product that vacuums at the same time is useful and that functionality is pretty hard to come by. One of the best steam mops on our list.
2. Steam Mop Cleaner ThermaPro 10-in-1 with Convenient Detachable Handheld Unit
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 23.9 x 10 x 8 inches
- Water Tank: 11.5 oz
Cord: 20 ft - Weight: 2.2 lbs
- Features: 30-sec heating time, child and pet safe
PROS
- Includes multiple accessories
- Microfiber replacement mop pads
- 99.99% Sanitation
- Good for tiles, floors, carpets
CONS
- Needs regular mop pad washing
The most versatile product you’re likely to find.
Finding a 10 in 1 steam mop is pretty difficult. Technically you can use any floor steamer on any surface, but generally you want to stick to what they’re good at unless they have multiple settings (you don’t want to scorch your carpet, for instance).
This one boasts being able to work on any surface (Laminate/Hardwood/Tiles/Carpet Kitchen, Garments and Clothes) with a little adjustment, making it our strong second place winner (and top pick if you don’t need the vacuum function of the Bissell steam mop above).
In addition to being great for all the more common surfaces (hardwood, tile, and carpet) it boasts being great on glass, sealed stone, sealed tile and grout, and stainless steel.
Basically this means you can use it to get a great clean on not just your floors, but things like windows or sliding glass doors and appliances, making them take less time and scrubbing for you as well. This is facilitated by its removable portion, turning it into a handheld steamer for that use (or even steaming garments!).
The 11.5 ounce water tank provides about 20 minutes of steam, superheated to kill most germs on contact on most surfaces. If anything breaks, it’s backed by a no questions replacement guarantee, as well as a 2 year limited warranty, taking all of the sting out of its already low price tag.n
3. Steam Mop Cleaner ThermaPro Elite 12 in 1 for Hardwood/Tiles/Vinyl/Carpet Multifunctional Whole House Steamer- Steam Mop For Tile
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 27.9 x 10.4 x 4.4 inches
- Tank: 8.5 oz
- Cord: 16 ft
- Weight: 6.3 lbs
- Features: 25-sec heating time, child and pet safe
PROS
- Includes multiple accessories
- Microfiber replacement mop pads
- 99.99% Sanitation
- Adjustable Steam
- Good for tiles, hardwood, linoleum
CONS
- Needs regular pad washing
And it only makes sense for this spot.
I went over the nitty gritty just above, but I couldn’t think of a better candidate for this spot. It’s pretty great at everything, but since tile (in general) is one of the easier surfaces to clean, the floor steam mop that does it all, also does it for tile. The inclusion of a copper brush is what sets this model apart from the 12-in-1 version for scrubbing grout.
With a multitude of settings making it great for all types of tile, not just the common bathroom tile or laminate, and its grout cleaning option for tile floors, it’s the only product I strongly considered here. If you find you need to have a steamer for multiple surfaces (not just floors) you may want to also look at our reviews on steam cleaners.
4. Bissell PowerFresh Slim Hard Wood Floor Steam Cleaner System, Steam Mop, Handheld Steamer and Scrubbing Tools, and Clothing Steamer Tool, 2075A- For Hardwood
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 14 x 9.5 x 46.5 inches
- Tank: 12 oz
- Cord: 25 ft
- Weight: 6.4 lbs
- Features: grout and scraper tool, 3-in-1 unit
PROS
- Includes multiple accessories and tools
- On board tool kit
- Takes out 99.9% of common germs and bacteria
- Good for hardwood, linoleum, ceramic, clothes, granite, marble
CONS
- Less effective on pet hair
Just beats out the Crosswave here.
We’ll talk about this one more below (it’s my pick for top non-Crosswave Bissell steam mop), but suffice to say that due to its combination of many attachments, heating in seconds, and lightweight design, it’s perfect for a home primarily floored in hardwood.
It’s no slouch on other surfaces either, but for hardwood especially it runs at just the right temperature and can get into all those hard to reach places, and even do your walls just fine. Give it a look.
5. Shark Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop (S3973D)
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 12 x 12 x 51.2 inches
- Tank: 16.9 oz
- Cord: 22 ft
- Weight: 11 lbs
- Features: Intelli-Mop head, 2-in-1
PROS
With steam blaster
- Dual-sided dirt grip cleaning pads
- 3 levels of controls
- Uses 1 dirt grip mop pad
- Good for hardwood, tile
CONS
- Relatively high price
Shark’s simple steamer.
This steam pocket mop pretty straightforward, but by no means does that make it any less effective.
This Shark steam mop has a huge water tank (approx 17 ounces), giving it about 30 minutes of steam. Combined with a double sided microfiber mop head, 3 levels of Steam Control and it's lightweight design, make it a pretty darn good floor steamer that works on all hard surfaces.
The removable part that turns it into a handheld increases its versatility by a lot, expanding it to be great on curtains and other upright surfaces. The only thing this one really DOESN’T do is carpet; the cleaning pads it comes with simply aren’t able to do the scrubbing needed for that.
It’s a bit expensive, but it’s pretty much perfect unless you need to steam your carpets as well. Great for houses with all hardwood or tile.
6. Bissell PowerFresh Slim Hard Wood Floor Steam Cleaner System, Steam Mop, Handheld Steamer and Scrubbing Tools, and Clothing Steamer Tool, 2075A
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 14 x 9.5 x 46.5 inches
- Tank: 12 oz
- Cord: 25 ft
- Weight: 6.4 lbs
- Features: grout and scraper tool, 3-in-1 unit
PROS
- Includes multiple accessories and tools
- On board tool kit
- Takes out 99.9% of common germs and bacteria
- Good for hardwood, linoleum, ceramic, clothes, granite, marble
CONS
- Less effective on pet hair
A good amount of attachments are the name of the game here.
Call this out second place winner for Bissell’s spot. The Crosswave Pet pro steam is still my favorite, but it wouldn’t be interesting if it took every spot, right?
Besides, in many ways this one is better. For all the cool things about the Crosswave steam mop, it lacks a bit of versatility because it doesn’t have a handheld portion.
This one fixes that issue in spades, easily coming apart into a handheld with a bunch of tools, a garment or curtain steamer, or just being left whole in its floor steam mop form.
The tools are the big draw here, having everything from your standard smaller head for corners or spot jobs, to detailed scrubbers and focused nozzles for hard to clean areas (like greasy stove tops). The 25 foot cord makes this simple, though the relatively small 12 ounce tank leaves a bit to be desired.
All the better, it’s about half the price of the Crosswave, so if you find yourself in need of a great, versatile product and don’t have pets (or need it for carpets), this one is perfect.
7. LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop Floor Steamer Cleaner Multifunctional Garment Steaming All in 1 Cleaning for Hardwood Tile Laminate Floors
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 46.4 x 11.8 x 6.8 inches
- Tank: 11.5 oz
- Cord: 20 ft
- Weight: 6.4 lbs
- Features: 11.5x7.8 inch mop head, Automatic control movement sensor
PROS
- Detachable unit for more maneuverability
- Smart controls
- Easy replacement pads
- Good for floors, clothes, sink, hood
CONS
- Steam can sometimes be inconsistent
A cheap, reliable option.
It heats up fast (30 seconds) and runs for about 20 minutes before a refill with its 11.5 ounce tank, giving us a great baseline. It also works well for all surfaces, from the standard tile and hardwood, to carpets and glass (with the detachable handheld portion), to stainless steel and other sealed hard surfaces, making it a good versatile tool.
It coming in cheaper than some other options, and the free replacement policy and 2 year warranty to back that up, makes this our most tempting budget option around.
While it doesn’t have a ton of fancy attachments, and its cord is a little shorter than some (at 20 feet), it’s still a great pick for the price.
8. H2O SteamFX Pro - The handheld steamer that converts to a floor steam cleaner
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 15.1 x 9.3 x 7 inches
- Tank: 12 oz
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Features: carpet glider, variable steam settings
PROS
- Deodorizes rugs
- Long Steam Lazer
- Hands-free cradle strap
- Converts to a more compact unit
CONS
- Shorter steam time compared to others
Not a whole lot of bang for your buck.
While not bad, exactly, the price tag leaves it comparing poorly to some similarly priced entries on the list, like the Bissell PowerFresh.
The plusses include its myriad of steam levels and the fact that it’s designed to work on carpet, along with its swap to handheld. But other than that, little stands out. The three attachments (jet nozzle, wire brush, and nylon brush) are nice but standard, and users report issue with it working poorly for many hard floor types.
Not bad for simple hardwood or tile, or light carpet work, but you’re better off with other entries on this list.
9. Haan Swift Sanitizing Steam Mop
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 11.8 x 6.9 x 46.5 inches
- Tank: 12 oz
- Cord: 19 ft
- Weight: 7.3 lbs
- Features: Lightweight
PROS
- Easy to use
- Kills common germs & bacteria
- Easy to assemble
- 20-second heating time
CONS
- Tank capacity can be small for some
Subpar in many ways.
The steam heating up in 20 seconds is great, but that’s about all it has going for it. The 19 foot cord can be cumbersome to use in large rooms and requires a lot of downtime when moving from room to room. The design leaves it unable to be really used on carpet, and worse; it doesn’t snap off into a handheld.
There are far superior products around. Pass.
10. Reliable Steamboy 300CU 3-in-1 Steam and Scrub Mop, 1500W, Fast Heat-up, 2.4 Cup Water Tank Capacity, Heavy-Duty Tile Scrubber, Carpet
USER RATING:
PRODUCT DETAILS:
- Dimension: 10.5 x 12 x 50 inches
- Tank: 19 oz
- Cord: 21 ft
- Weight: 5 lbs
- Features: Easy Access Control Panel, removable tank
PROS
- Ready to use in 2 minutes
- 180-Degree Swivel Head
- Foot release
- Good for scrubbing tiles
- Ergonomic handle
CONS
- Hit or miss
Hit or miss, but great when it does work.
My main issue with this one is quality control seems to be a crapshoot. About half of users report having problems with the steam heating up or leaking or sputtering, which is terrible for a floor steamer. The other half report it working beautifully.
If you’re willing to take a shot on it, it has good specs. A 21 foot power cord, a head with an 11 inch cleaning pad (that can be changed from scrub to steam with a foot press), 245 degree superheated steam, and nice swiveling head make it a tempting deal.
It’s even better…just be prepared to ship it back if it doesn’t work for you.
Conclusion
With the exception of the H2O Mop and Haan there aren’t any on this list I’d warn you away from, except maybe the ironically inconsistent reliable brand. The Bissell Crosswave is of course top of our best steam mops list, but the rest on this list are pretty great for any surface you could imagine. Just make sure to get one that specifically does carpet if you need that feature.
Favorite: Bissell Crosswave
How Do I Pick the Best One?
Still with me? Let’s get started.
Steam mops are an excellent tool for improving your floor cleaning routine. The rewards are immense using a floor steamer and can half or even quarter your time spent on your cleaning jobs. Cut down on scrubbing and cover a lot more ground than a simple mop, bucket and elbow grease. They have the same concept as garment steamers, but focused on cleaning and not removing wrinkles.
The main things you want to look for are: function, price, cord length, and steam settings.
Function
What I mean here is “what does it do”? Most floor steamers work on any hard surface, though some clean some types of surfaces better than others.
If it doesn’t at least do laminate, tile, and hardwood well (gauged by looking at specific user experience), it’s junk.
Doing carpet is a bonus, and many floor steamers have a carpet function that lets them glide over carpet and steam clean the fibers. If your floor steamer isn’t designed to work on carpet, don’t use it for that. Best case scenario the fiber cleaning head is just awkward and weird and doesn’t do anything. Worst case you soak through your carpet and start breeding mold under there.
If it breaks out into a handheld version (especially with special attachments), consider that a huge plus. That means it can be used for anything from cleaning walls, appliances (like your refrigerator or stove) to steaming curtains and garments. This rockets it into an instantly more versatile and desirable product since it means you can combine several cleaning tools into one and save a ton of space.
Cord Length
I gave this one its own slot to stress how important it is to have a long (around 20 feet or so) cord, just like you’d want on a vacuum cleaner. Shorter cords make for more awkward cleaning, especially if you have a room with only one plug. Extension cables can help, but you shouldn’t have to attach a separate item to get the most out of your current product as far as I’m concerned.
Steam Settings
Floor steamers generally use super heated pro steam (over boiling by about 20 degrees), which tends to be “drier” and has a disinfecting effect for some bacteria. This is good for most things, but having settings for bursts of even hotter or even slightly softer steam can be great for some things as well.
Price
Like all home appliances, these products have a wide pricing range. Your low end for price may vary as well as the high end ones (particularly for commercial use, though we won’t be talking about those here).
Keep that in mind when buying, and don’t go over your budget; there are still good, relatively cheap options even if the more expensive ones tend to be a bit better in number of settings or special features if nothing else.
Top Rated Floor Steamer Brands
Other articles that you should read:
Last Updated on January 8, 2024