Steam cleaners: Don't Buys 
Don't Buy steam cleaners fail to remove the everyday dirt, stains and grime that others can shift, and are outdone by chemical surface cleaners and a bit of elbow grease.
When testing handheld steam cleaners, steam mops and cylinder steam cleaners, we pit them against stains from different types of surfaces, so we can recommend the steam cleaners that really work. And because Which? does not accept advertising, we can ensure that our reviews and recommendations and truly independent.
Poor steam cleaning
Poor steam cleaners don't have the useful steaming time or grime lifting power to make cleaning tasks easier than doing it by hand. They may be difficult to use and leave too much water behind after steaming as well.
All our Best Buy steam mops offer exceptional cleaning on hard floors, and will save you both time and effort compared to a traditional mop and bucket.
Steam cleaners are tested on grubby tiles, stained and crumpled fabric, oily glass and dirty ovens. Many do a poor job and will fail to take the elbow grease out of cleaning, to make sure you get a steam cleaner that will save you time and effort - go straight to our Best Buy steam cleaner recommendations to find the models that we do recommend.
Don't Buy steam cleaners fail to remove the everyday dirt, stains and grime that others can shift.
When testing steam mops and handheld steam cleaners we pit them against stains from different types of surfaces, so we can recommend the steam cleaners that really work. And because Which? does not accept advertising, we can ensure that our reviews and recommendations and truly independent.
Which? members can log in to read our full steam cleaner reviews, including the Don't Buy steam cleaners we think you should avoid. If you're not already a member, discover the benefits of getting full access for one month, including access to all of our expert reviews and buying advice
Poor steam cleaning
Poor steam cleaners don't have the useful steaming time or grime lifting power to make cleaning tasks easier than doing it by hand. They may be difficult to use and leave too much water behind after steaming as well.
All our Best Buy steam mops offer exceptional cleaning on hard floors, and will save you both time and effort compared to a traditional mop and bucket.
A Best Buy steam cleaner – tested on grubby tiles, stained and crumpled fabric, oily glass and dirty ovens can take the elbow grease out of cleaning. But many do a poor job, so don't assume that any hand-held steam cleaner will do.
Go straight to our Best Buy steam cleaner recommendations to find the models that we recommend.
- Reviews of 51 steam cleaners: steam mops and handheld steam cleaners
- 6 Best Buy steam cleaners for easier cleaning
- Reviews of steam cleaners from 24 companies
