Steam mops are a great alternative to traditional mops and floor cleaners, so whether you're eco-conscious, suffer from allergies or just looking for convenience, they're a great option.
Harnessing the anti-bacterial, effective cleaning power of natural steam, these lightweight floor cleaners are perfect for quick clean-ups around your home, and will make light work of even the most stubborn of stains.
With so many options available, where do you start? Fear not, because we've listed some of the the best steam mops for 2024, including top-rated options from brands including Shark, Vileda, Beldray and more.
Read More: Best vacuums for pet hairs, allergies, hard-to-reach areas of your home, cars and more
Best steam mops to buy 2024
1. Shark Floor & Handheld Steam Cleaner
This multi-use Shark steam mop has two automatic steam settings for deep cleaning on all sealed hard floors including tile, stone and hardwood, and the good news is, it will transform into a handheld option thanks to the brand’s signature lift-away technology making light work of tackling worktops, ovens, shower screens and much more.
Below we've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the Shark steam mop.
Pros: "I have had a few different steamers, but this one is by far the best. I will never have another type, only unless they upgrade this one."
Cons: "Have returned this item. It is not free standing!! So disappointing as was just what I wanted."
Shop here on Shark Clean - £199.99
2. Vileda Steam Mop
Vileda Steam Plus is your new solution to clean all hard-sealed flooring types as well as rugs and carpets hygienically - with just water, and without the need for using harsh chemicals, killing 99.9% of bacteria.
Clean and manoeuver easily in and around corners, under furniture and reach even the smallest of spaces.
The steam cleaner heats up in just 15 seconds using the power of steam and microfibre to remove dirt and greasy marks, for the best cleaning performance.
Below we've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the Vileda steam mop.
Pros: "This is a great steam mop, super easy & light to use, heats up quickly and the mats are machine washable. 100% would
Cons: "Not what I expected. Makes my tiles very steamed up and it’s difficult to get off."
3. Beldray 14 in 1 Steam Cleaner
After a chemical-free clean? This Beldray steam cleaner boasts 1300W power and a 350ml water tank that’s ready to use in 30 seconds. It comes with an ergonomic flexi hinge that also converts into a handheld unit for cleaning under furniture, various surfaces, carpets, hard floors, upholstery, bathrooms, and kitchens.
Shop here on Dunelm - £55
4. Tower 16-in-1 Steam Mop
The new lightweight Tower 16-in-1 steam mop is the perfect choice for all your steam cleaning needs.
With a rapid 15 second heat up time and 15 minutes of steam time, as well as a huge selection of accessories that include microfiber cloths, a carpet glide, a brush tool, a small and large brush, blinder, coral cloth, scraper, and so much more - you'll have enough time and tools to whip around all your floors with ease.
Below we've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the Tower steam mop.
Pros: "I love my steam mop, I’ve used it everywhere in my home, my floors look lovely and my windows are so sparkly and clean."
Cons: "Does not leave floor dry took ages to dry."
Shop here on Tower Housewares - £39.99
5. Russell Hobbs Steam Mop
Enjoy easy and convenient cleaning, for a fraction of the price! This lightweight design is easily transportable at only three kilograms and comes with a five metre cable - making room to room cleaning hassle free.
There's no indicator on the device to control the steam, simply tilt backwards from standing and the hiss of the steam is apparent. It can be used to refresh rugs, but isn't as powerful as some of the more premium cleaners.
This cleaner is great if you want something inexpensive to give your floors a little lease of life, but doesn't quite match up to some of the others available and for the price, you can't really complain.
Killing up to 99.9% of household germs, the steam mop heats up in 15 seconds and will give you a 20-minute chemical free steam clean. It features a handheld function and an extra long five metre cable so that you can get under, in between and around cupboards and furniture with ease.
Below we've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the Russell Hobbs steam mop.
Pros: "Have tried others but this is definitely the best. It is easy to handle and does an excellent job even on stubborn areas."
Cons: "The mop head is to bulky cleans large area ok but cant get in corners."
Shop here on Currys - £34.99
6. Karcher SC 3 Upright Steam Mop
One of the leaders of cleaning technology, it's no surprise that a Karcher creation made it to our list. The SC3 steamer is Karcher's best performing steam mop and comes with all of the great features and qualities you'd expect from a steam mop.
It’s ready to use in 30 seconds, and another it's yet another option that kills up to 99.9% of household bacteria using nothing but tap water. It features three predefined floor settings and the LED lights indicate when the machine is ready for you to use.
Shop here on Very - £159
7. Black + Decker 7-in-1 Steam Mop
This 7-in-1 steam mop from Black and Decker is one of the more versatile steaming options available. It works very effectively as a floor cleaner, but is quickly able to adjust to a handheld device to clean a range of surfaces in your home.
The steam mop takes under 20 seconds to power up, and cleverly adjusts the amount of steam needed based on the surface you are cleaning with the 'auto select' feature. It also comes complete with five attachments to help clean tiles and grout, mirrors, upholstery and more.
Once ready you have a runtime of around 20 minutes, which isn't as long as other cleaners but a decent amount of time to get all the floors done in one go.
We've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the Black + Decker 7-in-1 Steam Mop.
Pros: "It is suitable for deep cleaning of floors with little effort, easy to use and ergonomic."
Cons: "Quite heavy and the wire is too short."
Shop here on Amazon - £191.15
8. H2O HD 5 in 1 Steam Cleaner
A versatile steam cleaner, with a modern style and easy to use features. With just one click you are able to switch to the handheld device to steam clothes and areas of your home that aren't on ground level.
The cleaner features a built in water filter to prevent lime scale. The foldable handle makes it easy to store away when not in use, and also makes it super simple to carry and manoeuvre around the home.
We've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the H2O steam mop.
Pros: "Used it in the bathroom and was impressed with the results . Even the edging round the bath and it came up a lot whiter!!"
Cons: "Fine for very light cleaning and is better on tiles than on laminate flooring."
Show now on Amazon - £119.99
9. H20 X5 Steam Mop
If you're looking for an all purpose steam mop at the lower end of the budget spectrum, the X5 from H20 is the one for you.
In a stylish red colour, this device is powerful, versatile and remarkably simple to use. A medium, triangular shaped head makes it super easy to clean more difficult areas like stairs and kitchen unit corners.
The handheld unit is super compact and great for a variety of areas in the home including: windows, sinks and tiles. The six metre long cable allows ease of use without having to stop.
We've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the H2O X5 steam mop.
Pros: "The handle seems slightly flimsy and wobbly, but without it it is ideal to use on flat surfaces, not as good when trying to do tiles and i would like one with a better water storage capacity as it runs out to fast."
Cons: "I found the steamer to leave floors very wet and full of streaks after using."
Shop here on Amazon - £99.99
10. Salter 14 in 1 Steam Cleaner
The Salter 14-in-1 steam mop is perfect for cleaning your home without chemicals. It's suitable for floors, carpets and windows or mirrors, and includes a range of attachments such as a carpet glider and two microfibre mop heads.
It's incredibly versatile, and can be used as an upright or handheld unit, that comes with a flexi-hinge for getting to those hard-to-reach places.
With a generous 350ml water tank, you'll be able to clean the house without the hassle of constant re-filling.
We've included the pros and cons from two customers who have purchased the Salter steam mop
Pros: "This is a great product dose not leave floor soaking . Or leave streaks on floors . Removes stubborn stains highly recommend."
Cons: "When adjusting the tilt is proper clunks and crunches."
Is steaming floors better than mopping?
Steam mops have a number of benefits over traditional floor mops and a cost-effective way and safe way to keep your floors sparkling clean.
Not only are they better than regular mops at removing stubborn dirt and stains, they are also safe for pets, little ones and those with allergies as you don't need to use potentially harmful cleaning agents.
The water vapour produced by steaming is enough to kill any harmful germs, which means you don't need to spend any money on cleaning products.
Steam cleaners are also much more convenient to use than a regular mop; simply plug it in and you're good to go - no more waiting for buckets to fill up or floors to dry.
The fact that they typically also require fewer passes is also great news if you suffer with back problems as it reduces the need for hard scrubbing on troublesome stains and spills.
Do steam mops kill germs?
As the name implies, steam mops work by heating up water to produce jets of pressurised hot steam. The steam itself reaches temperatures in excess of 100 degree - high enough to kill 99.9% of viruses, germs and bacteria without the need for harmful cleaning products.