Use steam to deep clean and sanitize your home
A vacuum cleaner, mop, or broom is fine for day-to-day cleaning. But these appliances don’t give your floors a thorough clean or remove build-ups of dirt and grime.
You need a handheld steam cleaner, which is the ideal tool to give your carpet, upholstery, and curtains a deep clean. It’ll also tackle stubborn stains and sanitize your surfaces.
We’ll tell you what key features to look out for when choosing a handheld steamer. And our reviews of the best models out there will let you see these features in practice and select the steam cleaner that’s best for your household.
Our Top Picks
The HouseWire earns a commission through the following independently chosen links at no additional cost to you.| Best Handheld Steam Cleaners of 2023 | ||||
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 | Best Overall BISSELL Powerfresh Slim |
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 | Best Budget Comforday Steam Cleaner |
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 | Best for Bathrooms BISSELL SteamShot Deluxer |
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 | Best for Clothes PERFECTDAY Garment Steamer |
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 | Best for Carpet Puetz Golf Steam |
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 | Best for Furniture KIATO Steam Cleaner |
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 | Best Multipurpose Vapamore MR-75 Amico |
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Reviews
- Customers loved the versatility it offered, from floor cleaning, showers, to even giving the kids’ toys a deep clean
- The on-board storage kit was a plus for many users, as they could easily transport tools around as they cleaned
- 2 types of mop head are included so you can clean both everyday spills and tougher, stubborn stains
- Users said it heated up very quickly, in less than a minute
- Some users said that it didnt get rid of mildew in the shower
- There’s no place to wrap and store the cord on the steam mop, which was a design flaw for several customers
Bissell’s 3-in1 steam mop is the best appliance for steam cleaning chores around your whole house.
This powerful steam cleaner has everything you need to clean both your floors and above floors, as well as many items in your home.
Use as an upright steam mop on hardwood, ceramic, linoleum, granite, and marble surfaces. And then use the extension tube to get to hard-to-reach areas and clean your shower doors and walls.
Plus you get a great range of helpful tools to tackle your household appliances, furniture, curtains, and clothing. As a handheld steamer, you can attach a grout brush, flat scraper tool, scrub brushes, angle tool, or clothing tool.
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 14 x 9.5 x 46.5 inches |
| Weight | 6.4 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 12 ounces |
| Wattage | 1500 W |
| Surface Type | Floors, countertops, appliances, upholstery, grout, showers |
2. Best Budget : Comforday Multi-Purpose Handheld Pressurized Steam Cleaner
- Customers felt it offered real value for money – it worked just as well as more expensive steam cleaners they’d owned
- Feedback suggests it was effective at removing build-ups in corners and cracks, especially on grout lines and window seals
- Great for cleaning car interiors as easy to transport and comes with an extension hose
- Users said it was lightweight and so effortless to move it around their homes as they cleaned
- Some said it can be difficult to keep holding down the steam trigger as it needs a lot of pressure to work
- A few users were annoyed at having to wait for a while for it to cool down before they could refill and start steaming again
You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a powerful handheld steam cleaner. This Comforday model is affordable and also comes with a nine piece accessory kit for deep cleaning your whole house.
The QUICKSTEAM technology means that this inexpensive handheld steamer heats up quickly and reaches really high temperatures of 250 to 270°F.
So you know it’ll remove grease, grime, and tough stains, as well as sanitizing your sealed surfaces without any efforts.
There’s a fabric steamer tool for your upholstery, plus tools to clean your clothes, windows, and even your barbecue. This means you don’t have to invest in an additional cleaning tool – still at a reasonable price.
And if you want to brighten up your home, this steam cleaner is available to buy in a range of vibrant colors
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 10.9 x 5.5 x 9 inches |
| Weight | 3.28 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 12 ounces |
| Wattage | 1050 W |
| Surface Type | Hard floors, clothing, cars, stairs |
3. Best for Bathrooms : BISSELL SteamShot Deluxe Hard Surface Steam Cleaner
- Customers commented on how the cord was a good length for cleaning larger areas
- Compact size so consumers found it easy to store
- Users liked the squeegee attachment for shower doors and window cleaning
- Very positive feedback on how well it gets stubborn stains out of grout
- A few users said it didn’t last that long due to the water tank capacity not being that great
- Also, there’s no indicator light and the water reservoir was difficult to see for some
Give your bathroom and shower a thorough clean with this compact but powerful, high-pressure handheld steam cleaner from Bissell.
The steam will reach its optimum temperature in just 30 seconds. So you don’t have to wait between your cleaning sessions.
And it’s hot enough to kill 99.9% of the germs and bacteria found in your bathroom.
Plus, your surfaces will dry really quickly afterward as there’ll be no wet patches left. No slippery risks in wet areas!
And with 10 tools and accessories, you can use this model to clean not just your bathroom fixtures and walls, but any sealed surfaces.
There’s a bristle scrub brush in 3 different colors so that you can designate them for specific rooms or cleaning jobs, such as grout cleaning. Plus a fabric steamer tool.
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 8.5 x 13.2 x 10 inches |
| Weight | 4.85 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 6.6 ounces |
| Wattage | 1000 W |
| Surface Type | Hard surfaces – ceramic, vinyl, laminate, granite, marble, sealed hardwood |
- Very portable – customers could even take it on holiday as it’s so light and compact
- Users said it worked just as well on curtains and furniture as on clothing
- Lots were happy with the inexpensive price
- Offers a great alternative to having to set up an iron and ironing board
- Some said they wouldn’t buy it for larger cleaning tasks as it’s better suited for smaller jobs
- A few users said it sometimes left their clothes rather wet after use
“Say Goodbye To The Wrinkles”. This garment steamer is a quick and easy way of cleaning and ironing your clothes.
There are 8 steam nozzle holes to provide good coverage when you’re steam cleaning. So you’re sure the job is quickly done.
And we know how difficult it can be to remove pet hair from clothes! But with this handheld steam cleaner, you also get a fur brush attachment so that you can get rid of dust, debris and pet hair before starting your steaming.
Plus, unlike an iron, you don’t need to worry about any heat accidents. A safety lock makes sure that the device shuts off if it gets too hot or if the water tank is empty.
Finally, you’ll get about 10 minutes of continuous steam with this portable steam cleaner. This is more than enough to take care of most of your clothes in one session.
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 7 x 6.4 x 4.6 inches |
| Weight | 1 pound |
| Tank Capacity | 100 milliliters |
| Wattage | 800 W |
| Surface Type | All fabric types – clothing, shoes, bags |
- Customer feedback says this steam cleaner is really good at removing tough, embedded stains from carpet fibers
- Users said it was also effective at getting rid of grease and oil marks
- Very affordable price
- Customer service responded well and quickly according to those users who contacted them
- Several users said that the power cord length was too short
- Some said that the brush attachments didn’t work as well because the bristles weren’t stiff enough
Give your carpets a deep clean with this handheld steam cleaner. It emits hot, pressurized steam at temperatures up to 230°F – making sure germs, dust mites and even bedbugs won’t survive in your carpet fibers.
There’s a measuring cup included so you can easily refill it, and with a water tank capacity of 350ml, this shouldn’t need to be too often. Quite practical if you have to spot clean large carpeted areas.
This handheld steamer comes with an impressive 11 accessories. So as well as getting those stubborn stains out of your carpet, you can also use the window squeegee on glass and showers, or the bent accessory nozzle to clean awkward spots like in your toilets.
And you don’t need to worry about your children burning themselves as this model has a safety lock and cap.
Finally, it’s light and small enough to transport around the house, or out to the car to give your car carpets a good clean. It’s perfect for longer cleaning sessions or if you have limited arm strength.
Read Next: Best Steam Cleaner for Carpet in 2023
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 10.6 x 5.1 x 9.4 inches |
| Weight | 4 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 350 milliliters |
| Wattage | 1050 W |
| Surface Type | Hard floors, countertops, appliances, upholstery, windows, showers |
- Most customers said that the continuous steam did work as advertised
- Flexible extension hose and cone-shaped nozzle useful for reaching tight spaces users said
- Feedback suggests it’s very versatile – it cleans everything from upholstery, clothes, curtains, and bedding, to baseboards, car interiors, windows, and much more
- Handy measuring cup and funnel included, which makes filling the steamer easy
- Some customers said that it wasn’t that great at removing greasy or oily stains
- A few users didn’t like that you had to hold the steam button down the whole time while you’re cleaning
Get those stubborn stains out of your furniture with this steam cleaner from Kiato that comes with 10 accessories.
It continuously steams for 8 minutes without the heat dropping off, unlike other handheld steam cleaners.
It has a large water tank capacity of 450 ml. So you won’t have to refill it every 5 minutes.
And the power cord is over 16 feet long. This means you can use this to steam clean your upholstery in larger rooms without having to plug and unplug the unit too often.
The fabric-cleaner attachment is designed to remove marks from and sanitize your couches, and can also be used to clean your clothes.
Plus there’s an indicator light to tell you when it’s heated up, and a cardan joint that rotates 360 for better cleaning with the brush tools.
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 9.8 x 5 x 7.5 inches |
| Weight | 4.75 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 450 milliliters |
| Wattage | 1150 W |
| Surface Type | Upholstery, windows, bathrooms, clothing |
- Customers said it was really effective in killing bed bugs – the steam reaches 210°F so this should eliminate all pests
- Very reasonably priced for all the cleaning tasks you can use it for
- Feedback suggests that it removes greasy stains and stubborn stains from carpets as well as from oven ranges and tile floors
- Users loved that it has a lifetime warranty – so they know they can get a refund or replacement if something goes wrong
- A few users said it was noisy – so bear this in mind if you’ve got neighbors or family members you don’t want to upset
- Some customers would have liked a longer power cord
Use steam power around your whole house to get clean and sanitized surfaces with this multi-purpose steam cleaner from Vapamore.
There are 17 (you read that right!) tools and accessories to cover all your cleaning needs.
You’ll get several nylon brushes and brass brushes to cover steaming different surfaces and different types of stains. Perfect for grout cleaning, both in your living room or bathroom!
Plus there’s a fabric steamer tool and squeegee for cleaning windows.
This set also includes a handy carrying case and storage bag.
So you can store and transport this steam cleaner easily. And use it in your garden to clean the grill, or in your car, RV, or even boat to keep all those tough to reach spaces clean.
Technical Specs
| Dimensions | 8 x 13 x 8 inches |
| Weight | 3.5 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 6.7 ounces |
| Wattage | 1000 W |
| Surface Type | Hard floors, cars, furniture, windows, appliances |
What to Look For in a Handheld Steam Cleaner
Corded or Cordless
The cord length on corded steam cleaners will vary, so check what this is before buying. Most handheld steam cleaners will have a cord that’s somewhere between 9 and 25 feet long.
A long power cord means that you can cover more floor space in one go before you have to unplug and replug in a different power source. Shorter cords add time to your household chores because you need to do this more frequently.
A cordless steam cleaner relies on batteries. It’s really easy to use for smaller jobs – but you do need to make sure that you charge it regularly.
Weight
Batteries and bigger water tanks will make some models heavier. If you don’t have much strength in your arms, you might want to avoid these and opt for a cordless and/or a more compact cleaner.
Water Tank
And the bigger the tank capacity, the less you’ll need to stop to refill it. If it’s small, you’ll spend more time filling it up – but this might not be an issue for you if you only have small cleaning jobs to do.
Larger tanks are heavier but ideal for you if you want to use the handheld steamer for longer periods of time.
Water Temperature
If this temperature isn’t reached, the steam won’t kill the germs and bacteria on your surfaces. So your home won’t be sanitized (1).
In addition, if the steam is too cool, you’ll be left with a lot of liquid. This can damage and warp your sealed floors, so it really is important that you check the temperature before buying.
Then, you also need to check how long the steam cleaner takes to reach its maximum temperature. Ideally, you want a model that takes less than a minute to heat up – some will be even quicker and achieve this in a matter of seconds!
Together, very hot steam and water that heats quickly demonstrate that the product will provide very effective steam cleaning.
There isn’t a measure for how powerful steam cleaners are. But having a high maximum temperature and a very short heating time should show you that the model will be powerful.
Accessories
Many handheld steam cleaners will have cleaning tools that can be used on different surface types. So you’ll be able to sanitize different areas around your home with one cleaner.
For example, you might get scrub pads that can help to remove stubborn dirt from carpet fibers. A grout brush, detail brush tool, jet nozzle or a window squeegee for specific cleaning jobs or deep cleaning.
A long spray nozzle increases the steam’s pressure giving your floors a deeper clean. And an extension hose will give you more range when you’re cleaning bigger areas.
Finally, a flat scraping tool or angle tool would be ideal for giving your grout lines a good clean.
So see what’s included with the steam cleaner. Or check whether you can buy certain attachments as an add-on if there’s a specific tool you need.
Additional Features
For example, a light that indicates when the water tank is empty lets you know when to refill it. A portable steam cleaner with different steam outputs is good for tackling different surfaces or fabric types.
Or look for a convenient easy to press trigger and double sided cleaning pads.
Plus, for an easy to maneuver steam cleaner, look out for longer floor nozzles, mop heads that pivot, and ergonomic handles. These will all help you to get into tighter spots and hard-to-reach places.
You might also see some handheld steamers that come with a storage kit or carry case for easy portability.
Handheld Steam Cleaner FAQs
Can a Handheld Steamer Kill Bed Bugs?
Most steam cleaners produce steam at a temperature of about 210 to 220°F. Bed bugs, dust mites, and other allergens (and their eggs) are killed if they come into contact with 180°F temperatures.
So as long as the steam cleaner gets hotter than 180°F, your bed bugs will be eliminated.
Can a Handheld Steamer Clean Carpet?
Spot cleaning carpets, as well as furniture, curtains, and other fabric items, is easy with a steam cleaner.
Most models will come with a fabric attachment that you can use to remove stains and marks from upholstery. It’ll also freshen and iron out any wrinkles, making your carpets look like new.
This tool can also be used on curtains, cushion and couch covers, and pet beds to give them a deep clean.
For more, see our lists of The Best Steam Cleaner for Cars.
Handheld Steam Cleaners Comparison Chart
| Product | Dimensions | Weight | Tank Capacity | Wattage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BISSELL Powerfresh Slim Steam Mop | 14 x 9.5 x 46.5 inches | 6.4 pounds | 12 ounces | 1500 W |
| Comforday Multi-Purpose Handheld Steam Cleaner | 10.9 x 5.5 x 9 inches | 3.28 pounds | 12 ounces | 1050 W |
| BISSELL SteamShot Deluxe Steam Cleaner | 8.5 x 13.2 x 10 inches | 4.85 pounds | 6.6 ounces | 1000 W |
| PERFECTDAY Garment Steamer | 7 x 6.4 x 4.6 inches | 1 pound | 100 milliliters | 800 W |
| Puetz Golf Handheld Steam Cleaner | 10.6 x 5.1 x 9.4 inches | 4 pounds | 350 milliliters | 1050 W |
| KIATO Handheld Steam Cleaner | 9.8 x 5 x 7.5 inches | 4.75 pounds | 450 milliliters | 1150 W |
| Vapamore MR-75 Amico Steam Cleaner | 8 x 13 x 8 inches | 3.5 pounds | 6.7 ounces | 1000 W |
