A steam cleaner or steam mop is a useful tool to have around the home, particularly if you have lots of hard floors to keep clean. Here is our pick of the best steam cleaners on the market right now.Every steam cleaner we featured has been comprehensively tested by us – we never include a product we haven’t put through its paces. Whether you want the best steam cleaner for tiled floors, a steam mop for laminate floors or even a steam cleaner for de-mucking grout, one of our selection of the best steam mops will get the job done.Hit the 'Next' arrow or select from the list below for more info on each model.Watch: First look at Dyson's new robot vacuum cleaner, the 360 Eye – A steam mop that lets you vacuum and steam simultaneously, and comes with built-in fragrance discs and an anti-calc filterVax Steam Fresh Combi S86-SF-C – A steam mop and handheld with 10 tools and a separate detergent tank that's good enough to clean a range of surfacesPolti Vaporetto GO – A compact, cylinder-style steam cleaner that's portable and cheap, yet powerful enough to easily lift dirt from floorsKärcher SC1 Steam Stick – A lightweight, versatile and practical steam cleaner, which can be used either as a steam mop or a handheldPolti Vaporetto Airplus – A compact, cylinder-style steam cleaner that comes with eight inbuilt tools and a deodorant tank, and won't leave your floors drenchedVax S6S Home Pro Compact – A cylinder-style steam cleaner that's powerful and ideal for cleaning any surface

, as well as hard-to-reach cornersVax Steam Fresh Combi S86-SF-C at Amazon.co.uk | Now £74Related: Best Vacuum Cleaners Round-upThis is the first decision you need to make, and it will largely depend on what you want to use your steam cleaner for.Buy a steam mop if you just want to clean floorsThey’re best for hard floors, but some are useful for freshening up carpets and lifting stains from carpets, too. They’re generally cheaper than 2-in-1 steam mops, which can switch into a handheld mode for other tasks.Buy a 2-in-1 steam mop if you want to clean floors and other surfacesThese more versatile steam mops can be used as handhelds as well, and they normally come with a selection of tools suited to different jobs. This means you can tackle the kitchen tops, bathroom tiles, curtains and plenty more besides, and all with one cleaner.Buy a cylinder steam cleaner if you find upright steam mops too heavyWhile some of the large cylinder steam cleaners are heavier overall, the fact that they’re on wheels means they’re easier to lug about.

Most do all the same things a 2-in-1 steam mop will do, while very compact models exist that you can carry on your shoulder.The other key difference is that cylinder steam cleaners take longer to get ready – normally a few minutes – but the advantages are longer running times and less filling up. Some can even be topped up as you clean, so you don’t have to turn off the cleaner to keep going.Steam cleaners heat up water to produce steam in order to clean surfaces or floors at high pressure. cheapest dyson vacuum cleaners ukThe idea is that they shift dirt and grease and kill bacteria fast and efficiently. steam cleaners for carpets hireBut while there is no shortage of models on the market, we found that relatively few deliver on all their promises, making it a particularly challenging task to know which one to choose.pool maintenance brisbane northside

There are three main types: steam mops, handheld-steam cleaners and a combination of both. Steam mops are upright machines with a water tank attached to the handle, and are far superior to the traditional mop. A handheld steam cleaner is a more compact machine meant for cleaning the likes of kitchen surfaces, mirrors and bathroom tiles. The steam is delivered through a nozzle and there are usually attachments for different surfaces. Meanwhile, two-in-one machines – which are the most popular – do both, acting as an upright steam mop, with a removable handheld steam cleaner, usually built into the handle. Work out your cleaning needs before checking them against the list of attachments included in the machine you’re considering – you’ll need a squeegee to clean glass, for example, or a scrubbing brush for grout. Also look into heat-up and steaming time. Some mops are ready to use in just 20 seconds, while steam time can range from 10 minutes to around an hour. We’ve been busy cleaning everything from kitchen floor tiles to bathroom wall tiles, along with wooden floors, carpets and sofas and more to bring you the best of the bunch.

1. Vax Steam Fresh Power Plus: £150, John Lewis This manoeuvres extremely well, reaching the tightest of corners, and the mop worked a treat even when we tried it on encrusted jam and tomato ketchup on the floor. It keeps its promise to make your home smell fresh too. The handheld wand, which has a soft scrub brush, works well on all but the most stubborn grout. 2. Hoover SteamJet Dual Head Steam Upright: £50, eBuyer This is brilliant at getting up almost anything from more textured floors, such as tiles, stone or vinyl tile imitations, although smooth floor surfaces pose more of a challenge and it’s unsuitable for varnished floors. The pressure doesn’t drop off, like some, and the trigger means you can precisely control when you want it to steam and when you don’t. It works on carpets, too. 3. Bissell Vac & Steam: £150, Lakeland Kill two birds with one stone with this machine which, unusually, lets you vacuum and steam clean at the same time. We found it did a decent job on both – sucking up bits of rice while dealing with mopping up curry sauce, for example, although suction isn’t as strong as most conventional vacuum cleaners.

Your floor is dry within minutes and the lightweight machine is easy to empty. 4. Polti Vaporetto Eco Pro 3.0 Steam Cleaner: £289, Amazon A good one for people with asthma and allergies, this machine is so powerful that it gets rid of dust mites and allergens as part of its intensive cleaning process. We found it worked a treat on surfaces such as carpets, sofas, hard floors, windows and tiles, while the attachments, including different sized brushes, are great on areas like grouting between tiles. Give yourself time to get to grips with it, though, and allow lots of time for it to cool down after use. 5. Thane H20 HD: £99, amazon As a handheld machine, this is outstanding at cleaning the likes of tiles and grouting. And used as an upright mop, it’s good at dealing with floor spills, such as yoghurt or tomato ketchup. The steaming is nonstop and we like how the head swivels so you can reach difficult corners easily. But it can be prone to dripping, leaving floors and surfaces wet after use.

6. Vileda Steam Mop: £65, amazon Fed up of muddy footprints all over the floor? This slimline, lightweight steam mop excels at getting rid of them in no time. The steam output maintains its oomph, although particularly sticky spills might need a bit of extra elbow grease. The head swivels for easy manoeuvring around furniture and to reach tight corners, and it’s not bad on carpets and rugs too. The water tank is easy to fill, although a bit tricky to empty (it’s not removable, which means you have to turn it upside down over the sink to pour the water out). 7. Karcher SC3: £125, John Lewis The combination of continuous steam and a powerful motor means you get a really deep clean with this model, whether on floors, corners of bathroom tiles or hard floors – while the ergonomically designed floor nozzle and attachment means you can reach tight corners. There’s a steam flow control on the handle so you can adjust it accordingly. The flow heater system means it only takes half a minute to get the steam going, but it’s not the lightest machine.

8. Morphy Richards Total Clean: £77, amazon Glass, tiles and mirrors look like new when you use this machine in handheld mode and it’s good as a mop too, particularly for cleaning up sticky mess like sauces or jam. Its weaker points are grout (in handheld mode) and muddy footprints (in upright mode). However, in upright mode, it’s a joy to manoeuvre and we found it excelled at reaching tight corners. The steam is activated by a trigger, rather than being continuous, and the handheld device is heavier than most. 9. Black & Decker Steamburst: £90, Currys In its handheld mode, this durable, well-made machine effortlessly removes dirt and sticky spots from all areas, including tight corners. Used in upright mode, it’s not bad at mopping up smooth floors, although stickier spillages might need going over more than once. The controls are easy to operate, with steam operated by a trigger, and the cleaning pads are easy to attach. 10. Vax Steam Switch: £50, Argos

This budget machine is great for a light touch clean. We found it easy to switch between handheld and upright and although the steam pressure isn’t as powerful as some – and you only get 15 minutes’ steam time – it’s good for getting rid of surface dirt between more serious cleans. The surface area dries quickly too. 11. Karcher SC5: £300, John Lewis This machine is surprisingly light considering the industrial results it gives. It’s easy to get going, with clear instructions and simple-to-use attachments. There seems to be nowhere it can’t clean, including ovens. There’s an option to blast extra hot water for really stubborn dirt and stains, yet it remains gentle on surfaces. The two-tank system means the steam never has to stop. If you can afford it, we’d recommend the Polti Vaparetto Eco Pro 3.0 Steam Cleaner as a top-of-the-range all-rounder. For a cheaper model, we loved the Vax Steam Fresh Power Plus. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust.