The Best Steam Mop Reviews for 2021

Mopping the floor doesn’t make most people’s list of favorite household tasks — however, for a clean and healthy home, it’s necessary. But dragging a mop and bucket around your house, sloshing dirty water all over your floor? There’s got to be a better way. Enter the steam mop, which instead of detergent or elbow grease uses steam heat to clean and sanitize floors. Here we’ve rounded up the best steam mop reviews for 2021 so you can choose the right one for your home.

How do steam mops work?

Steam mops work by rapidly heating up water to temperatures high enough to evaporate into steam (much like a boiling pot of water). This steam is then forced through a spout directly into your floor.

Dirt, grease and stains are far easier to remove when you apply super-heated steam. Scrubbing is all but eliminated as the grime is pulled from the floor and allergens are destroyed. Steam loosens up dirt particles, and these particulates and grimy materials are sucked back into a hose or vacuum.

You’ll soon learn that your new steam mop is far more versatile than you thought. Most people know how these devices can be used on linoleum, tile and hardwood floors. However, there are also models that come with attachments to clean high-traffic, dirty areas, including your countertops, shower, grout, and upholstery. Just make sure that nozzle of your steam mop is the right size for the space you’re cleaning.

The Best Steam Mop Reviews of 2021

What you’ll discover with the help of our report is that any of the models of steam mops that we report on are going to be a good buy. Expect to spend more on better features or more powerful, robust models of steam mops. The best part is, even if you can’t afford to spend a lot, you can still get a great steam mop for the purpose you require.

Without any further ado, here are our best steam mop reviews of 2021:

BISSELL 1940 Powerfresh

The Bissell 1940 Powerfresh is a small and affordable model that unfortunately doesn’t come with vacuum suction or get hot enough to easily sanitize a room. However, it does work on a large variety of sealed floor types (like tile, vinyl, hard wood or laminate) and even freshens carpets (with a separate attachment).

Another great feature of this mop is that the pad is actually made of an antimicrobial material that resists mold and mildew, so your pads will never stink. It swivels easily, has a very thin design, and boasts a 23 foot cord. The manufacturer calls it a “PowerFresh” is because it holds small cartridges that keep your home fresh.

Pros	Cons
Good for sealed floors	Pads tend to slip off
Antimicrobial pads	Shorter cord than other models
Easy to maneuver	Cannot use with cleaning solution.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop

The best feature about the Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop is how much cord they give you to work with — 18 feet. It heats up in about 30 seconds (which is pretty average) and holds nearly 16 ounces of fluid. We also really enjoyed how the mop head goes all the way around the Shark, so you’re not attaching flimsy attachments that easily fall off over time. At the same time, it comes with both a rectangular head, a duster attachment and a triangular head (for corners). This Shark model also comes with the all-important swivel feature that lets you get everywhere you need to — like around toilets.

Pros	Cons
Mop heads don't fall off.	Short warranty
Easy to maneuver	More expensive than other models.
Plenty of cord to work with.	Doesn't get as hot as other models.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

Shark S1000 Steam Mop

If you love the Shark brand but don’t want to pay high prices, the Shark S1000 steam mop is one of the most affordable steam mops out there. It uses the power of steam alone to clean, and has a removable water tank capacity of nearly 13 ounces. You get 18 feet of cord, which means less unplugging, relocating and having to heat it back up. The design of this model reminds us of a Swiffer wet-mop and it’s very light on features, but for a budget pick it’ll do the job.

Pros	Cons
Very budget-friendly.	Cheap construction.
Plenty of cord length.	Only steams when you hold down the trigger button.
Large water tank capacity.	Doesn't get as hot as other models.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

BISSELL PowerEdge Steam Mop

If you want to steam clean more than just floors, the BISSELL PowerEdge Steam Mop is a great pick. This is a 2 in 1 steam mop with a detachable handheld steamer that can be used to clean countertops, showers, grout, etc. Another budget-friendly pick, this mop kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria and can get into tight places thanks to its triangle-shaped head.

Pros	Cons
Detachable handheld steamer to clean other surfaces.	Small 10 oz water tank capacity.
Budget-friendly price.	Only comes with triangle-shaped mop head.
Comes with tool to clean grout.	Have to pull trigger to create steam.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

O-Cedar Microfiber Steam Mop

O-Cedar isn’t a common steam mop brand, but that doesn’t mean that the O-Cedar Microfiber Steam Mop doesn’t deliver a good value worthy of some of the best steam mop reviews. It’s affordable and powerful, killing germs with adjustable heat and steam level settings. In fact, it heats up enough to disinfect within 20 seconds of plugging it in, and it refreshes carpets easily. It only weighs 5 pounds and comes complete with microfiber cloths for your hardwood and laminate surfaces.

Pros	Cons
Can be used to refresh carpets.	Reusable pads are hard to clean.
Budget-friendly price.	Warranty isn't valid when purchased in U.S.
Heats up quickly.	Hard to see how much water is left in tank.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

BISSELL Symphony Pet Steam Mop

We consider the BISSELL Symphony Pet Steam Mop to be a hybrid between a steam mop and a steam cleaner, which means it’s very versatile. It cleans and vacuums, picking up dirt and grime that other models might just push around. With all of these features, it still clocks in at only 10.1 pounds with a generous quart of water storage, giving it some of the best steam mop reviews of 2021.

Pros	Cons
Vacuum capability	Doesn't come with any extra attachments.
Generous water tank size.	More expensive than other models.
Includes both disposable & reusable pads.	Pads are very soft, limiting their cleaning ability.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

Shark Professional Steam Mop S3801

With an interchangeable design and the promise of sanitization, the Shark Professional Steam Mop S3801 leaving streaks. Overall it’s not hard to see why this product has some of the best steam mop reviews of 2021.

is one of the more expensive Shark products on the market today. Luckily, it’s easy to assemble and easy to use, and unlike other Shark products, it produces constant steam in variable amounts, cleaning quickly and effectively without

Pros	Cons
Produces steam constantly.	Water tank is awkwardly located.
Heats up to sanitizing temperature quickly.	No on/off switch.
Extra-large water tank capacity.	Included pads don't pick up as much dirt.
Best Steam Mop Reviews

The benefits of using a steam mop

Because steam mops are efficient and fast drying, they’re quickly becoming more popular than traditional mops. Add in the fact that they’re friendlier to the environment (because you don’t have to use harsh chemical cleaners) and easier to use, and you may never want to use a traditional mop again.

• Compact and versatile. Many even come with specialized mats that keep your floors from absorbing the residual heat that steam mops create. Because you’re not carrying around a bucket, you don’t have to worry about space either!
• No more back-breaking labor. Steam mops are typically light and easy to use. Generally, you fill the small reservoir (which can vary from 10 ounces to several quarts) with water and mop your floor. There’s no need to apply a lot of pressure or elbow grease as the steam does the work.
• Far more sanitary than a traditional mop. When you watch survivor-type shows, they always boil outdoor water before drinking it. Why? Because boiling kills germs and bacteria that make you sick. These same germs are found all over your house, deep in your carpet and coating your floor.
• Quick to dry. With traditional mops you need to leave about 30 minutes for the floor to dry. One of the most frustrating things in life is a footprint or paw print on your newly cleaned floor from an impatient child or pet. Meanwhile, steam evaporates nearly instantly.

Finding the right steam mop for your home

There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to steam mops, making it difficult to know exactly which one to buy. The most common steam mop brands are Bissell, Shark, Hoover, Dyson, and Black + Decker. But no matter the brand you choose, you should consider the following features before deciding on a model:

1. 1. You’ll want more cordage rather than less. The average steam machine cords average between 15-30 feet, and you’ll want at least 20. 25 feet gives you about a room’s worth of space without having to constantly unplug and move your mop.
   2. Consider the water tank capacity. A quart of fluid can keep you cleaning for up to an hour without stopping to refill your steam mop. Make sure any steam mop you buy has removable tanks that you can fill from the tap and regularly clean.
   3. Look for a mop that swivels easily and fold flat. This makes it easier to clean around obstacles and furniture (as well as underneath furniture). Many handles also stretch and bend so that you don’t have to.
   4. You need microfiber cloths to steam mop more delicate surfaces like hardwood. Plus, microfiber is best at picking up dirt and dust.
   5. Look for a mop that heats up quickly. Good steam mops heat up in about 30 seconds. This statistic is more important if you consider that you’ll be cleaning more than one area and probably unplugging your device and starting the heating process from the beginning of the cycle every time you do.

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Ready to buy a steam mop?

While there are a lot of different models out there, there are some clear winners as seen in our best steam mop reviews. Whether you’re steam mopping vinyl floors, laminate flooring or hardwood floors, the models that we’ve suggested are extremely popular because they work well and have great reliability ratings. Plus, you know your home is going to be clean and that bacteria and grime has been eliminated. Your home will smell fresh and natural, and you’ll have far more free time to do the things that you really enjoy.

Make sure to read the instructions! Now that you know what you’re looking for, you’re bound to be very excited to get started, but take time to read the instruction manual to ensure you don’t damage your floors. Don’t leave your steamer sitting around unattended either. We have a feeling that mopping will soon become one of your favorite chores, especially with these models that make steam mopping a breeze.