The 5 Best Steam Mops The Spruce Has Tested

Best Overall

PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop

$100 at Amazon $110 at Target View on Pursteam.com

One of the reasons we love the PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner is that not only does it clean and scour surfaces, but it has nine attachments which can be used with the detachable handheld steamer for careful cleaning.

We've actually conducted multiple tests with this steamer over the past two years, and it frequently comes out on top. We've seen it perform especially well on tile and grout. Beyond your floors, you can use this pick on windows, glass, and on fabric like upholstery, curtains, and even the clothes in your closet.

The mop pads are easy to switch, pop into the washing machine, and then put back onto the mop. Plus, after months of wear and washes, the mop pads have not dipped in quality, in our experience.

We also found that the large mop head easily turned on flat surfaces; a benefit since larger spaces can be cleaned more quickly. The pump inside the water tank makes a sound and vibrates when the tank is out of water, too, which struck us as a helpful feature.

During one of our tests, this mop was challenged by hard candy stuck on glass, so there are some limitations to its powerful cleaning. The other potential downside we encountered is that the cord length (15.9 feet) is shorter than that of other models on this list, and could be a nuisance when you're trying to clean several areas at a time.

Fortunately, the PurSteam mop heats quickly, and we found that periodically turning it off wasn't a problem. In fact, the model took less time than the manufacturer noted to heat up when we were using it—just under 30 seconds.

_{Weight: 4.4 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 12.8 ounces | Cord Length: 15.9 feet}

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Bissell PowerFresh Pet Steam Mop

$145 at Amazon $145 $137 at Walmart $145 at Wayfair

True story: We wanted to keep cleaning with the Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off Pet Steam Mop even after testing wrapped because it was so satisfying to use. It isn’t just helpful for floors, it also can be used to clean numerous other areas of your home.

Like our best overall pick, the PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop, this versatile tool has a lift-off pod, essentially transforming it into a handheld steamer. It comes with 13 additional attachments that allow you to use it on everything from curtains to grout.

The accessories in your box include a window squeegee, fabric steamer, grout tool, flat scraper, extension hose, scent discs, and more. These attachments make it easy to reach a lot of small areas other mops might miss, or even skip entirely. They also make this mop a particularly great value.

At 10 pounds, it's a bit bulkier and harder to store than more lightweight models. You'll likely need to keep it in a dedicated space in your laundry room or utility closet. Another important note: while this mop is marketed for pet owners, some experts warn against using steamers on untreated pet urine because the heat can further set the stain and odor into your carpet.

The Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off Pet Steam Mop is easy to set up in our experience, taking only 32 seconds to heat up and 17 seconds to cool down. An on-off button is also included, so you don't have to be ready to steam immediately after plugging the mop in (notably, not every pick has this, but it was a feature we loved!).

Then, when you're done tackling those messes, the mop pads of this machine are easy to toss into the washing machine for a quick wash and repeat.

_{Weight: 10 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 12 ounces | Cord Length: 25 feet}

Best Canister

Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner

$150 at Amazon $200 $150 at Walmart $150 at Home Depot

Few steam mops clean as well as the Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner, and even fewer are as cute and cleverly designed as this one. The canister, which holds 50 ounces of water, is a simple white cube on rollers, so you can push or pull it easily as you complete your chores.

It's the only canister-style steam mop we've chosen to recommend, and it's great for large-area cleaning for a couple of different reasons. It's easy to maneuver (thanks to the aforementioned rollers) and easy to fill when more water is needed with its built-in funnel. The large container does require more time to warm up, but since it's heating a larger amount of water than the other mops on this list, we're okay with the extra few minutes it takes.

During one cleaning session with this steam mop, we were particularly wowed by how well it cleaned grimy window tracks and hard candy melted onto glass (which some other mops struggled with). It also cleared hard water residue from a faucet speedily, proving that the steam output is suitable for an array of surfaces and stains.

While it comes with three different mop pads, you can also use your own towels or cloths. This convenience is unique among steam cleaners and mops, and for those large-scale cleaning projects, you won't be forced to stop when your supply of mop pads becomes too saturated or messy.

After six months of testing this, it's still a beloved household essential. It works great, heats up quickly, and all of the attachments are still in tip-top shape, even after tackling tough stains. It's so versatile that we even tried it beyond our kitchen floor and on windows, appliances, and a disgusting basement floor.

_{Weight: 9 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 50 ounces | Cord Length: 16 feet}

Best for Tile and Grout

Hoover Steam Complete Pet Steam Cleaner

$110 $90 at Amazon $102 at Home Depot $130 at Ace Hardware

For a steam mop that heats up and cools down in seconds, we love the Hoover Steam Complete Pet Cleaner. During our testing, we discovered that it took only five seconds to heat up, but more impressively, it effectively cleaned up our tile and grout stains with ease.

We especially though the company's instructions were written well and included plenty of images. Plus, there were no puddles or drips on the floor after our testing. The controls were intuitive and easy to operate, and overall we were pleased with the ten attachments that came in the box, including a carpet glider, squeegee tool, grout brush, and a scraper nozzle. It also has a handheld steamer that's great for smaller jobs.

While the mophead does need to be manually removed, it cools down in a flash, which made it easy for us to touch the mophead soon after we finished cleaning. One thing we did note was that after use, the mophead looked a bit stretched out.

Still, the weight of this machine, at less than seven pounds, made this mop a cinch to carry even with two full tanks of water. This makes it easy to take from job to job, if you're moving from the kitchen to your upstairs bathroom.

_{Weight: 6.8 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 12.8 ounces | Cord Length: 26 feet}

Best Basic

Bissell BGST1566 Commercial Steam Mop

$123 at Amazon $154 at Lowes View on Sylvane.com

For those just dipping their feet into steam mopping, start with something straightforward, lightweight, easy to maneuver, and, of course, effective. The Bissell Commercial Mop is what we would call a basic steam mop. After months of testing, we've found it to be one of the best steam mops for heavy-duty cleanups, including cleaning grimy floors and stubborn stains.

This Bissell mop couldn’t be simpler to use and has no attachments beyond three mop pads. Starting the steaming process took nothing more than plugging the whopping 50-foot cord into an electrical outlet, and once the unit is hot and ready to go (which happens almost instantaneously), an LED light will appear. 

When it came time to disassemble and clean, we were able to remove the mop pad quickly without burning ourselves. The pads were hot from the steam, but the excess fabric and product tag allowed us to pull and remove them comfortably. 

We can confidently give this mop our stamp of approval—it's still working great after six months, and the quality hasn't changed since using it. We did note that because the head swivels, it can cause you to maneuver it in funky directions, causing some arm and elbow discomfort.

Also note that this mop requires you to use distilled water (a frequent recommendation for appliances). It may not be the most convenient, but it will improve the lifespan of your appliance.

_{Weight: 8.5 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 14.98 ounces | Cord Length: 50 feet}