4 Best Steam Cleaners in 2025, Tested and Reviewed by AD | Architectural Digest

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The best steam cleaners are absolute game changers for keeping every last crevice of your floors spotless. Sure, soapy hot water is a trusty standby, but it can’t always remove built-in grime without a lot of elbow grease involved. The addition of chemical-based cleaning products in can increase cleaning power, but at what cost? Many of those contain harsh ingredients that can be harmful to humans, pets, and household surfaces alike. Meanwhile, steam only needs water heated to a high temperature to loosen up dirt and grime, plus sanitize surfaces.

There are steam cleaners designed to clean everything from hard floors to carpet to tile and grout, along with upholstery and other fabrics. Below, I (AD's resident expert on cleaning devices) tested several highly rated options to find ones that help you work smarter, not harder, to keep surfaces spic and span.

Amazon

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May be difficult to find extra Black & Decker pads

Specs

Accounting for all the many reasons someone would purchase a steam cleaner, the Black & Decker Steamer (or Steam Mop) is the best choice for most people: It’s a super versatile option for just a hair over $100, with several attachments at your disposal. It’s also easy to assemble and use, heating up to steam in just 30 seconds, with a user-friendly steam interface that toggles between low-steam and high-steam settings.

The low setting worked well for gently steam-cleaning my hardwood floors, and the mop head pivots to easily maneuver around corners. The floor mop head does a good job of dispensing steam evenly without leaving a mess, as well. Other attachments, from a squeegee to a garment steamer option, also add versatility though I wasn’t tempted to forego my dedicated handheld garment steamer or Windex and paper towels for them long-term.

The grout brush and small detail brush in particular made it easy to clean my bathroom and kitchen, though bear in mind there is also a metal grate brush for clearing baked-in grime off appliances and a countertop mop pad for wiping away crumbs and dirt if you want more surface cleaning options. I didn’t end up needing to use most of the attachments, but the option to have them all is great for the price, and the machine-washable mop pads even come with their own mesh storage bag. Cleanup is everything, and there’s even a wall-mountable storage bin for keeping the steam mop and attachments handy and off the floor.

Amazon

Tineco

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Quite expensive

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What on earth is a ‘floor washer,’ you might ask? Simply put, it’s the best of both worlds. The sleek and stylish Tineco Floor One S7 Steam combines the convenience and power of one of the best wet-dry vacuums with the power of steam, so I’m able to vacuum, mop, and steam my hard floors. In fact, the Floor One S7 Steam offers two steam modes, and the iLoop technology can even detect the mess level and adjust to the appropriate mode—such as deep cleaning if it’s been awhile since your last wipe-down.

Honestly, the only reason this wasn’t our top pick is that we weren’t sure that the average person looking for a steam cleaner would want to shell out $600 for a floor cleaner that can’t be used anywhere else. However, if you’re primarily looking for a steam cleaner, we highly recommend this deluxe model. It’s cordless, with no bulky cord to trip over, and the battery run time is 20 minutes when using the powerful steam feature (40 minutes when using non-steam functions).

Since it uses the same type of brush rollers as a regular wet-dry vacuum, the feel is much sturdier than a steam mop, and it does a much better job of picking up wet messes and removing stains for a deeper cleaning. The continuous clean-brush washing system also uses a brush scraper to remove gunk from the brush roll and prevent buildup, and replaces the dirty water with clean water. The self-cleaning (and self-drying) system also eliminates the need for me to take an active role in the cleaning process.

Amazon

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Doesn’t clean floors

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Bissell is known for making some of the best vacuums and carpet cleaners out there, like the Little Green Steam Cleaning Machine and the Big Green Cleaning Machine, that it’s no surprise their handheld steam cleaner is an excellent choice, too. If you want one specifically for above-floor cleaning in the kitchen and bathroom, the Bissell OmniReach Handheld Cleaner has your name written on it. It includes numerous accessories, including a window cleaner, three round bristle brushes, a tool for cleaning grout, flat scraper tool, and even an angle concentrator tool. There are so many attachments designed to make quick work of my cleaning tasks that, sometimes, I was just walking around my home trying to find places to clean with the handheld steamer.

The trigger control makes it easy to release steam on demand, and the measuring cup helps ensure I don’t overfill the water tank on the handheld steam cleaner. The extension hose also comes in handy for accessing inconvenient places, while the handy flat scraping tool makes it easy to remove baked-on messes. The brush for cleaning grout gets into all those mildewy crevices in your bathroom, while the round brushes do a great job cleaning toothpaste and gunk around the faucets and in the sink.

I used the fabric sanitizer on a pillow with good results, and the steam squeegee helped to clean my bathroom mirrors without leaving streaks. I also put it to the test steam cleaning my drapes and curtains. Usually, when cleaning the kitchen and bath areas, it’s not uncommon for me to wish that I had an additional tool for a specific cleaning function. The OmniReach is like the Swiss Army knife of handheld cleaners—and I was always able to find just the right attachment when needed.

Amazon

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No accessories besides pads

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If you’re looking for a sturdy steam mop that’s lightweight and easy to navigate into corners and back and forth, the Shark Steam Mop earns our vote for the best steam mop. It’s easy to assemble and very user-friendly, with an extra-large water tank that doesn’t require frequent refills. It only takes 30 seconds for the water to heat up, and since the water tank is removable, it’s a lot easier to fill and empty it—an ideal perk for at-home use.

The textured microfiber pads were well-equipped to remove dry and wet messes, and fortunately they were machine washable for easy maintenance as well. Although this is the only pick on the list that comes with a cord, the length is generous enough that you can clean without worrying too much about straying so far from an outlet that you lose power.

From the best wet-dry vacuums to the best vacuums for hardwood floors, AD editors and contributors try out appliances in their homes year-round to find options worthy for your space—and the same goes for this story. Read on to find out how these tried-and-true steam cleaners were tested:

Performance: The most important criterion when creating our list of the best steam cleaners was performance. Nothing else matters if the item in question can’t get the job done. Steam cleaners were tested on how easily and how effectively they removed dirt, grime, and other unsavory substances.

Ease of use: As with most purchases these days, we all want tools to help us work smarter, not harder. We rated steam cleaners on how easy they were to assemble, understand, and operate. However, some features may depend on personal preference, such as whether the steam cleaner produces continuous steam or not.

Durability: A steam cleaner that only works for a while isn’t going to make our list. Also, we’re not using extreme care when testing or when swapping out attachments. That’s not how they’ll be used in real-life environments, so we want to be sure our choices can stand the test of time in your home.

Value for the money: We included steam cleaners at a variety of price points—which means some are more budget-friendly and some may cost a small fortune. But in every instance we chose models that provide a great value for the price.

We’ve already covered some of the criteria you should consider in the section above. However, below are some additional considerations.

Surface Type: The first choice you’ll have to make is how you plan to use the steam cleaner. Some people may prefer a model that can only clean floors, and others may want a steam cleaner that cleans everything but floors. And, of course, some models are multipurpose and can steam clean everything from floors to upholstery to grout and tile.

Regarding flooring types, most steam cleaners can be used on sealed hardwood floors, as well as laminate and tile floors. And mop pads tend to include scrubber features as well. However, it’s a good idea to use one of your vacs to remove as much loose debris as possible before using the steam cleaner.

Attachments: Attachments can increase the functionality of your steam cleaner. Some of the models on our list have numerous attachments while others hardly include any. With the right attachments, you can even steam clean clothes, mattresses, and curtains, as well as windows and mirrors. However, your selection is a personal choice, which refers back to the surface type(s) you’re trying to clean.

Maintenance: You don’t want to spend more time maintaining your steam cleaner than you spend actually cleaning with it. However, we also want you to know that most steam cleaners have a cooling-off period. In other words, you need to cut if off/unplug it and then wait about five minutes before removing the pads or water tank. This precaution will help prevent hot water scalds. Mop pads tend to be machine washable and need to be replaced around three or four months. However, that’s a general rule, and if you tend to sanitize more than normal, you’ll need to wash the pads more often, which could decrease their lifespan.

On the other hand, since steam cleaners use soap and water, you’ll save money on cleaning solutions and other cleaning products. And as a bonus, you can complete your cleaning tasks without any allergens or health hazards since you’re engaging in chemical-free cleaning.