Best handheld steam cleaner for quick and easy cleaning

Whatever mucky job you have to tackle, the likelihood is the BISSELL Steam Shot has a tool for the occasion, from a window squeegee to a scrubbing brush. It’s certainly a handheld steamer that likes to come prepared.

The BISSELL heats up in just 60 seconds flat and the steam-on-demand function delivers a targeted blast of steam for a satisfyingly deep clean. The Steam Shot works with tap water, without the need for any special cleaning products, which is good news for your wallet. The extra-long cord and hose help you to get to those hard-to-reach places, while the compact nature of BISSELL Steam Shot means it doesn’t take up too much room in your kitchen or under-stairs cupboard.

The only real downside to the Steam Shot is that it has a relatively short steaming time of just 15 minutes. While this is perfect for smaller jobs, such as cleaning the loo, if you have a bathroom of grubby tiles waiting for you or a particularly filthy oven to tackle, then you may have to stop for a top-up or two. However, previous buyers have commented on how quickly the steamer dispenses with even the most stubborn of stains, so you may end up completing your cleaning job quicker than anticipated. Which means time to put your feet up with a cuppa - you deserve it.

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If you want to harness the awesome cleaning power of the best handheld steamer, but without paying a premium price, then this little number from Beldray is the smart choice.

Just like the BISSELL Steam Shot, the Beldray Handheld Steam Cleaner comes with a plethora of tools and attachments to allow you to give everything from taps to curtains the once-over. The long power cord means you can even take the steam cleaner out to the car to give the interior a good clean.

However, a small water capacity means that the Beldray Handheld Steam Cleaner has a short steaming time, and you can expect to get about 10 minutes of cleaning and sanitising done before having to refill the tank.

Reviewed by MNHQ editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our full Vax Steam Fresh Home review

If you are after a powerful steam cleaner that can also work wonders on floors as well as tackling all the fiddly bits, we thoroughly recommend the Vax Steam Fresh Home. While you’ll need more space to store it than a handheld-only model, the upright cleaner uses a mighty jet of steam to cut through unsightly grime and dirt with little effort. 

We love that it easily transforms into a handheld cleaner too; by simply detaching the unit, you can use it to target all those hard-to-reach places like taps and the far corners of the oven. This two-in-one functionality makes the Vax incredibly versatile, though it does have a price tag to match, costing a lot more than a standalone handheld. That being said, it offers great value for money when you consider all the cleaning jobs it can tackle.

During testing, we did find the tank can leak if the handheld unit isn’t clicked back in properly, so this is something to be mindful of when switching between the two. We also found that the power cord was a little too long for our liking and could sometimes get in the way during a clean, but on the plus side it did provide plenty of reach to give the house a good go-over.

Mumsnetters love a Shark vacuum or mop to keep their floors clean - but the influencer favourite also knows a thing or two about keeping the rest of your home tidy too.

Using Shark’s Klick & Flip double-sided cleaning pad on the mop head, the steam mop can power through floor filth before the handheld cleaner is lifted away from the mop so you can give the rest of your home a thorough deep clean. 

With a range of handy accessories, including a crevice tool, scrubbing tool and concentration nozzle, the Shark will make light work of dirt on tiles, taps, worktops and any other sealed surface. We also like that there are two different steam settings to make sure you are using the right amount of oomph for the job in hand.

The only downsides are that it doesn’t stand up of its own accord, so you'll need to rest it against a wall when not in use. It’s also pretty expensive, though we think it’s a price worth paying for a sparkling clean home.

The multi-talented H2O 5-in-1 (aka the X5 Premium Edition) is a great all-rounder, transforming from an upright steam mop into a handheld steam cleaner, ready to tackle anything from dirty carpets to filthy windows.

With its three levels of steam cleaning, this powerful mop can easily get into tricky corners and clean right up to the edges, thanks to its angled head, which is not always possible with some steam cleaners and mops. It’s lightweight too, making it easy to manoeuvre around your home, but don’t be fooled by its flimsy appearance - the H2O X5 Premium Edition is an absolute beast of a steam cleaner, capable of getting its teeth into any cleaning job thrown at it.

Once your floors are spotless, the H20 X5 Premium transforms into a handheld window cleaner and garment steamer, allowing you to blast away dirt, leaving your windows, mirrors and grouting gleaming. What’s not to like?