The 6 Best Steam Mops of 2023
Updated: Jan. 09, 2023The best steam mop will not only clean your floors but sanitize them as well. Choose one of our favorites to get rid of 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria and make your grout look like new!
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Ready to get your floors sparkling? Using the best steam mop for your floors will deep clean and sanitize up to 99.9% of household bacteria—all with just steam!
Steam mops work by heating up water to produce steam (most mops heat water to a temperature between 200 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit). The hot steam kills dust mites, mold, mildew and viruses on contact, and gets rid of dust and grime in the process. The steam quickly evaporates as you mop, leaving you with clean, dry floors with virtually no harsh chemicals or back-breaking scrubbing.
Steam mops are great for sealed hard floors like tile, stone, marble and hardwood, but heat and steam can penetrate some types of flooring and cause damage. Don’t use a steam mop on unsealed wood, unglazed ceramic tile or vinyl plank flooring. If you’re not sure, check with your flooring manufacturer.
Another tip: According to top brands like Bissell and Shark, you should use distilled or demineralized water to prolong the life of your steam mop.
Is steam cleaning as good as mopping?
Steam cleaning is better than traditional mopping in some ways. You’ll get a deeper clean with a steam mop because the high temperature of the steam actually sanitizes your floors—something a traditional mop can’t do without the use of chemicals. The power of steam can help break up those stubborn stains that a mop can’t. However, steam mops are more expensive than a traditional mop, and require a battery or electricity to work.
Before you start mopping, give your floors a quick pass with the vacuum to pick up any large debris. (If you’re in the market, consider the best cordless vacuums and read our Dyson V11 review.)
How do I make my floor smell good with a steam mop?
You can add scented water to your steam mop to get that lovely “clean” smell when you’re done mopping, but only use your specific steam mop’s recommended products. Bissell makes demineralized scented water in a couple different scents. Using a homemade solution—particularly ones using essential oils—can damage your steam mop.
Best Overall Steam Mop
Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop
The Bissell PowerFresh steam mop has everything you would want in a steam mop, including extra pads and two scented discs for a clean, fresh scent—all for a reasonable price! The extra pads include a microfiber pad for everyday steam cleaning, a scrubby pad for tougher stains and a carpet glider to deodorize your carpet and rugs.
Plus, this model features a 23-foot cord—meaning you can reach even the dirtiest nooks of your kitchen. (Take a peek at our kitchen cleaning guide for more tips.)
Pros
- Three different steam settings
- Easy swivel steering
- Flip-down scrubber for sticky stains
Cons
- Not cordless
- Water tank might be hard to remove according to some reviewers
Best Vacuum and Steam Mop Combo
Bissell PowerFresh All-in-One
Pick up crumbs and pet hair and steam mop at the same time with the Bissell PowerFresh all-in-one. It has both a water reservoir for mopping, and a dry tank for collecting debris. The buttons on the handle let you switch between functions while cleaning, so you can either vacuum and steam at the same time, or do them separately.
It’s a great tool for cleaning floors quickly before guests arrive, or whenever you don’t have time (or patience!) to go over your floors twice. Speaking of quick and easy cleaning, have you tried a stationary vacuum?
Pros
- Mop and vacuum simultaneously
- Clean floors in half the time
- Swap pads easily with the detachable mop pad tray
Cons
- Small wheels
- Vacuum not intended for heavy-duty jobs
Best Scrubbing Steam Mop
Shark Steam and Scrub Mop
While most steam mops have a single pad, the Shark steam and scrub mop features two circular, rotating pads to scrub away those extra-sticky and stubborn stains. The microfiber pads are gentle enough for your sealed hardwood floors, delivering over 150 scrubs per minute! It has three different steam settings for light, normal and deep cleaning modes. One five-star reviewer said it’s so fun to use, even her teen wanted to help clean!
You’ll also want to consider the best Shark vacuums you can buy.
Pros
- Rotating pads for extra scrubbing power
- Three different steam settings
- Great forward motion and maneuverability
Cons
- Cord too short according to some reviewers
- Only comes with two pads
Best Value Steam Mop
PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner
The PurSteam steam mop cleaner is one of the most affordable steam mops on the market, but the low price doesn’t mean it’s low quality—this best steam mop pick has over 26,000 five-star reviews! Not only does it mop your floors, but it also includes a built-in hand held cleaner with attachments, including a steamer jet (great for steaming clothes!), a scrape tool for steaming off sticky messes, a window squeegee, a small brush tool and an angled nozzle for hard-to-reach places.
Reviewers like that the handle folds down for easy storage, and were especially pleased with the grout-cleaning brush attachment. It’s one of our favorite Amazon cleaning products!
Pros
- Very affordable
- Handheld option and many attachments
- Fold for easy storage
Cons
- Cord too short according to some reviewers
- Louder than other models
Best Splurge Steam Mop
Karcher EasyFix Steam Cleaner
Karcher is a global leader in both commercial and residential cleaning equipment, so although you might pay more, you know you’re getting quality when you buy the Karcher EasyFix steam cleaner. Thanks to the included floor nozzle, hand nozzle and round brush this baby can do it all!
Use this best steam mop to clean your range, stovetop, sink, mirrors and windows. Cheaper steam mops might leave behind lines of steam thanks to their cheaper steam nozzles, but Karcher uses something called “Lamella Technology,” which ensures steam is equally distributed in the cleaning cloth for absolutely spotless floors. It’s also safe to use with tap water instead of distilled water, thanks to its built-in decalcification cartridge.
Pros
- Multi-functional nozzles clean more than just the floor
- Can be used with tap water
- Don’t need to stop to refill
Cons
- More expensive than other options
- Awkward shape needs more room to store
Best Indoor-Outdoor Steam Mop
Bissell Power Heavy Duty Steam Mop
We love steam mops for floors, but the best steam mop can do a lot more than that! After you’re done cleaning the inside of our home with the Bissell Power heavy-duty steam mop, take it outside to blast away dust, germ and grime from your garage, car, boat, outdoor patio furniture and deck. Its durable heavy-duty design can stand up to outdoor use, and the handheld cleaner, extension wand and multiple attachments makes it easy to clean almost anything.
Pros
- Durable for indoor/outdoor use
- Heavy duty 25 foot cord
- Versatile attachments
Cons
- Heavier than other models
- Continually pressing the steamer button can get tiresome
Evaluation Criteria
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
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