The 7 Best Steam Mops of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Shark Steam Pocket Hard Floor Mop System

$170 At Amazon $123 At Walmart View On Kohls.com

We've tested (and loved!) previous Shark Pocket Mop models, and are excited about this latest iteration. Along with the classic, easy, and efficient steam operation, this new model includes an attachable spray mop, as well. While that requires a bit of extra storage, you get two tools in one purchase, and also ultimately have the option to use the sprayer tool on smaller stains instead of turning on the steam function.

When testing this steam mop, we tried it out on tomato paste and syrup, among other messes—two substances we wouldn't wish on any kitchen floor. The steam broke down each mess so the pad could easily and smoothly absorb the remaining residue. And, on the subject of the mop pads, we found them easy to remove thanks to a separate button; you don't have to touch anything messy (which can't be said for all of our top picks). The mop pads also wash up well, looking and smelling clean.

This steam mop is otherwise straightforward, and doesn't have or need any extra attachments. It's designed specifically for use on floors, so if that's what you're after, it's a great pick. However, if you're looking for your steam mop to handle other surfaces, like curtains, upholstery, and clothing, some of our other picks that come with a variety of attachments—such as our best value pick, the PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner—will be a better fit. The Shark Pocket Mop heats up and cools down quickly and easily, though, and the 22.4-foot cord is long enough that you should be able to make it through most rooms without needing to unplug and start over.

Overall, we're big fans of the Shark Pocket Mop line, and this iteration, the Genius Steam Pocket Hard Floor Mop System S6002, in particular. If you're looking for a reliable and robust cleaning machine for your hard floors, this is our top recommendation.

_{Weight: 11.41 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 11.84 ounces | Cord Length: 22.4 feet}

Best Value

PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop

$80 At Amazon

The PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner can be used on many surfaces beyond your floors, and comes with multiple attachments and mop pad replacements to make cleaning a total breeze. This pick works on flooring and fabric, so you can use the detachable handheld steamer on all your upholstery, curtains, and even clothes, and the regular mop head on your kitchen floors. The replacement mop pads are both easy to switch and easy to pop into the washing machine and then back onto the mop. Plus, even after six months of wear and washes, the mop pads have not dipped in quality in our experience.

When we tested this pick in our lab, we found that the large mop head easily turned on flat surfaces. Although the size of it could make it difficult to maneuver the mop into tight spaces, this could also be 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.

The only potential problem we encountered during testing was a minor and common one: the mop head kept flipping when passing over sticky stains. We also think the cord, which is shorter than that of other models on this list, could be a nuisance in rooms with limited outlets. We've found the cord is long enough to clean a room, but required switching to a new outlet each time we moved to a different room. 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—under 30 seconds.

All in all, the other positive features and price tag of this pick outweigh the negatives by far. It's performed very well on multiple surfaces (including hard flooring, windows, grout, and clothing), and the 12.8-ounce tank has also been plenty large for regular cleaning. After six months of use, we continue to hold this steam mop in high regard and don't hesitate to recommend it.

_{Weight: 2.2 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 12.8 ounces | Cord Length: 15.9 feet}

Best for Tile Floors

McCulloch Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner

$200 At Amazon $250 At Walmart $200 At kohls.com

If you want a steam cleaner to tackle grout and to provide you with the flexibility to clean other areas around your home as needed, look no further. This canister-style cleaner is well-equipped to handle rooms large and small. The spacious water tank (64 ounces) will get you far in your cleaning, and the more than 20 accessories (including brushes of different sizes, a nozzle, a squeegee, a scraper, and more) give you a tool for every task.

During testing, we focused our efforts on cleaning tomato paste, mud, and syrup. Like many of the steam mops we tested, this steam mop didn't do as well with the thicker substances, since the design of the pads is meant for liquid absorption, and not clearing solids or thick residue. The wider floor mop pad wasn't as effective on the grout lines, but that was really the attachment's time to shine. We found it was easy to switch attachments and the smaller piece gave us the ability to target and clean the grout with ease.

Now, the canister design does mean that this model takes a bit more effort to manage. Along with being bulkier due to the separate container and mop head, you'll need to be mindful of the cord and hose as you're operating it. We also found some water and residue was left behind after cleaning; the mop pad didn't quite absorb every bit of moisture. If you're okay with wiping off your surfaces when you're done cleaning, though, you'll likely be pleased with the McCulloch MC1385 Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner, just like we were.

_{Weight: 13 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 64 ounces | Cord Length: 18 feet}

Best for Large Areas

Dupray NEAT Steam Cleaner

$150 At Amazon $150 At Home Depot $150 At Walmart

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 that's on rollers, so you can push or pull it easily as you complete your chores.

It's one of two canister-style steam mops we've chosen to recommend, and while it holds less water than the other (the McCulloch Deluxe Canister Steam Cleaner), we like it for large area cleaning for a couple different reasons. For one, it's easy to maneuver thanks to the aforementioned rollers, and it's easy to fill when more water is needed (it has a built-in funnel). 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.

On the subject of the mop pads, however, we don't love that you have to remove them by hand. A separate button or latch (like what you'll find on our best overall pick, the Shark Genius Steam Pocket Hard Floor Mop System S6002) is always preferred. Though, this is a small criticism of an otherwise great option.

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

Best Features

Bissell PowerFresh Pet Steam Mop

$130 At Amazon $130 At Wayfair $138 At Walmart

Steam isn’t just helpful for floors. It also can be used to clean numerous other areas of your home, which is why you may want to consider a feature-packed pick like the Bissell 15441 Steam Mop. We wanted to keep cleaning with it even after testing wrapped because it was so satisfying to use.

Like our best value pick, the PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop, this versatile tool includes 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, a fabric steamer, a grout tool, a flat scraper, an 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, and make it so you don't need to splurge on as many additional cleaning tools. 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. Of course, as most pet owners know, our furry friends can get into plenty of other messes to make this a worthy choice. And when you're done tackling those messes, the mop pads of this machine are easy to toss into the washing machine.

It's 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!). However, the long list of attachments do make it better for a household looking for a versatile, feature-packed model for deep cleans and everyday cleans alike, versus a ready-set-go one for essential floor maintenance.

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

Best Vacuum and Mop Combo

Tineco FLOOR ONE S5 Steam Cleaner Wet Dry Vacuum

$399 At Amazon $500 At Walmart $500 At Best Buy

The multipurpose, multifunctional Tineco Floor One S5 is a floor cleaner you can pull out for messes big and small. It's the only pick on our list to be designed as a combo vacuum cleaner and steam mop, and it excels where other models struggled—with messes that are more than just liquid. We found it to be effective when cleaning up the mud messes we made in our lab. Classic steam mops with only a pad mainly push any solids around, but this robust machine picks it all up.

The steam mechanism isn't just for floors though—when you're done with your chores, there's a self-cleaning function that gives the mop brush a dose of steam, too, giving you a leg up on the care and maintenance of your machine. Along with the extra features, however, there is more to learn on this pick, which we noticed right off the bat during our testing. We had to consult the manual to help us get started and to understand what the different buttons do. This isn't a big deal, but still a contrast to the overall ease of the other steam mops we recommend.

As is frequently found on Tineco machines, this unit has a digital display that informs users about details like battery power and water level, and also indicates when the machine has found debris or dirt to clear. This level of information can be useful but isn't necessary (none of our other picks offer this sort of detail when in use), so it can feel like a bit of a luxury. Though, given that the overall price point is among the highest of our picks, the extra features make sense, too.

_{Weight: 22 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 25.4 ounces | Cord Length: 26.9 feet}

We Also Like

Bissell 1806 PowerFresh Deluxe Steam Mop

$103 At Amazon $103 At Target $103 At Macy's

Cleaning with this Bissell steam mop was satisfying—dare we say, even fun. It gave a standout performance, taking only three slow passes to completely remove sticky, dried-on syrup in the lab, a task that took some other models up to 60 passes. The 12-inch cleaning path (the width of the mop head that affects how much surface area you can cover in one pass) also ensures you can move efficiently over your floors, making this a great pick for homes with lots of floor space to clean.

Another perk? The on-off button. While this doesn't sound like it should be an exception, as it turns out, not every mop offers it and we very much appreciated the ability to turn the mop off while still keeping it plugged in. (Notably, the Bissell 15441 Steam Mop, our best features pick, also includes a power switch.) We also liked how the accessories were built right into the mop, so you don't have to find extra storage or make adjustments when you're in the middle of cleaning. The included scent discs were also a very big hit and left a lovely smell in our testing space.

If we had to complain about anything, it would be that the body of the mop is quite bulky, despite being light. It can't reach under low-furniture well, so you may find yourself moving furniture around or caring for those hard-to-reach areas with a damp cloth instead. Emptying the machine also isn't as streamlined as some of our other top picks, but the 25-foot cord (while keeping you attached to an outlet) is generous. That being said, the mop can maneuver well around table legs in our experience.

Ultimately, this mop rivaled and even outperformed more expensive models, and we can't help but recommend it despite testing a new batch of steam mops.

_{Weight: 6.4 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 12 ounces | Cord Length: 25 feet}