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Steam mop reviews

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Last updated: 28 September 2023
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Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

Our expert testers try out over 40 stick and barrel steam mops in real-world conditions to reveal which ones:

  • perform the best, leaving your floor drier
  • are the easiest to use
  • have the most accessories
  • have the best member-rated reliability scores.
 

We've also partnered with Shop Ethical on this update to show the ratings the Ethical Consumer Group gives to each company.

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Our interactive comparison tool helps you find out which brands have features like hand-held accessories and jet nozzles and which ones don't leave floors wet, while our Recommended list quickly shows you which models come out on top.

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Brand

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List of brands we tested in this review.

    Price

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    Recommended retail or typical price.

    enter value/s in increments of 1 between 45 and 1099

    Recommended products

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    Member only

    This test score is for members only. Join now to unlock our expert results.

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    Type

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    Steam mops come in barrel/canister form as well as the more typical stick type and we define both types as being steam mops (steam mops can sometimes be referred to as steam cleaners or steam systems). Steam cleaners which have suction abilities are not part of this category.

      Floor wetness score

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      The higher the score, the drier the floor. Note that models tested year to year (see "year tested") can't technically be directly compared as we changed our floor wetness scoring method, but results should be similar.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 50 and 90

      Ease of use score

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      The ease of use score is made up of: mop head moving score, ease of using the controls, mop reach and replacing the mop pad.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 54 and 82

      Time in use until tank empty (min)

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      How long you can use steam mop for before tank is empty.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 5 and 49

      Water tank volume (L)

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      Capacity of the steam mop's water tank. Canister/barrel models, by design, have a larger capacity and will require less topping up.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 0.05 and 1.9

      Shop Ethical rating

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      Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. N/A means there is no rating for that company.

        Included in this review

        Members-only access
        • Recommended
        • CHOICE Expert Rating
        • Floor wetness score
        • Ease of use score
        • Year tested
        • Time in use (min)
        • Measured wattage (W)
        • Good points
        • Bad points
        • Price
        • Product type
        • Shop Ethical rating
        • Water tank volume (L)
        • Carpet glider
        • Telescopic wand
        • Removable water tank
        • Handheld tool
        • Jet nozzle
        • Refill while cleaning
        • Steam ready indicator
        • Steam 'on' lock switch
        • Steam 'off' lock switch
        • Water low indicator
        • Adjustable steam output
        • Accessories supplied
        • Weight (kg)
        • Reach (m)
        • Waiting time recommended before reservoir can be filled (min)
        • Warranty (years)
        • Country of origin

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