Eureka Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer,313A
by Electrolux Home Products (floorcare)
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Eureka Enviro Hard-Surface Floor Steamer,313A
Customer Review: Not entirely impressed despite the rave reviews.
Summary: 2 Stars
Okay, first my disclaimer. I'm not paid or influenced by anyone to write this. Second, I'm a 5'11", 220lb. single 45 year old guy and yes, I love to clean house! Third, I'm no expert as this is my foray into steam mops. Fourth, you'll see that this review of the Eureka Enviro Steamer is done in comparison with another steam mop I have. Anyway, I'm definitely sold on the idea of cleaning my floors without chemicals, dipping into a sink or bucket and wringing mop heads, etc.
I did a LOT of research on the different steam mops out there and decided to try a couple that interested me the most. First, I bought the Euro-Pro Shark Pocket Steam Mop (the new one, model S3501, that costs around $100) and have been rather impressed with it. I still have it.
I decided to try the Eureka Enviro Steamer because 1) of the rave reviews and high ratings it's gotten, 2) the higher steam temperature, 3) the constant flow of steam as opposed to manually triggered steam and 4) the price.
For $65.99 I got the steamer, two big, thick reusable cleaning pads, a styrofoam composite resting tray, a little fill cup and a little funnel. Okay, simple enough. Good price. The Shark, even though a bit more expensive, came with TWO differently shaped/sized steam heads, two pads for each head and special "dusting" pad for the larger head plus a "carpet cleaning tray" for steaming the carpet (useless, really).
Here are my observations:
1) Right off the bat, I noticed the handle on the Eureka to be nothing more than a straight pole with a hard plastic grip that really didn't make for good ergonomic handling, particularly considering the wrist angle while holding it. Part of the problem is that, when fully extended, it isn't all that long, so you can't really hold it like a regular mop unless you're short. The Shark's grip is circular, making it more comfortable to hold, even with one hand, while pushing and pulling. One nice thing about the Eureka is its handle stays locked in place when not in use. The Shark's handle, due to the true pivoting steam head, will fall down to the floor if not leaned up against something.
2) The cord on the Shark is definitely longer than the Eureka's. Not a big issue to me as I have a modest sized kitchen/dining area and one bathroom with linoleum to clean. However, I know cord length is an issue with other folks. The cord wrap hooks are fine on each mop and their cords stow away without any issues.
3a) The Eureka's cleaning pads are cotton, rather thick and have a bit of a waffle design to them. Certainly good for absorbing stuff. The Shark's cleaning pads are of a mixed microfiber material and there's nothing special about their design. I think the choice of materials is a personal one. Some say the microfiber cleans better while some say the cotton lasts longer. I've found that replacement pads for the Shark are much cheaper. They do last a while if you wash them without bleach and let them dry on their own.
3b) The Eureka's cleaning pads stay in place by a couple of grip clips, one on each side of the steamer. They seem to hold the pad securely mostly at its ends. However, I noticed how the leading (front) and trailing (back) edges of the cleaning pad seemed to sag and curl a bit away from the steam head. As a result, the cleaning pad tends to shift back and forth. I also found putting on the Eureka's cleaning pad EVENLY (so each grip clip had plenty of pad to bite) and taking it off, involving those grip clips, took a bit of time and effort. This is compounded by the fact that the Eureka's steam head is big and heavy so I had to put it up on the counter or kneel to the floor for the job of putting on/taking off the pad. I snapped my fingers in the grip clips (they have teeth!) a couple of times. Conversely, the Shark's steam heads are very light plus they're very easy to take off and put on. So are its cleaning pads. They slip on and fit neatly like a glove (but not too snugly, so there's some room for shrinkage). There's no sagging, they close up with Velcro at the openings and they stay on the steam head without shifting around much.
4) An interesting feature of the Shark which makes it better than the Eureka is the fact that you can simply FLIP the steam head over while using the mop to use the other side of the cleaning pad on-the-fly. To use the other side of the Eureka's cleaning pad, you have to unplug the unit, wait for it to cool down a bit, set it on its resting tray, pull the ends of the thick, WET and dirty cleaning pad out of the grip clips, pick up the steam head, pull out the wet and dirty cleaning pad, flip the thing over, pick up the steam head again and put the cleaning pad under it, set down the steam head-centering it so you have plenty of pad on each end for the grip clips to grab- and re-insert the ends of the pad into the grip clips and then turn the unit back on. Whew. At first, when I saw the photos of the cleaning pad attached to the mop, I thought "that looks easy, even if there are a few steps." Wrong. I really found it to be a bulky, time consuming chore.
5) In order to fill the Eureka's water reservoir, I HAD to use the little funnel and cup because the filler opening was so small. I do agree that it's a good thing the water reservoir and steam unit are at the base of the cleaner for maximum steam heat, which is somewhat of an advantage over the Shark. The Shark, however, is easier to fill. With or without the steam head attached, you can just put its tank filler hole, which is larger, right under a faucet and fill the reservoir that way. Or just get a measuring cup and pour water directly into the filler hole without the need for a funnel. Apparently, the Shark's water reservoir is bigger. The Eureka has a dummy light that comes on when the reservoir is out of water. On the Shark, you can SEE how much water is in it. Either way works for me, although the "empty" light does get attention easily.
6) The one thing I do like about the Eureka is that it has an on/off switch. There is none on the Shark therefore you have to plug in/remove the power cord at the AC socket for that function. For some people that may be an inconvenience, so the on/off switch is an advantage. Anyway, I noticed that it takes quite a while for steam to build up in the Eureka. With the Shark, it's rather quick...like 30 seconds to a minute. However, it's also noisier but that's not an issue for me. It's actually kind of nice to know the Shark is actually giving me an audible signal that it's working and heating up. Once it's done heating the water/steamer, it quiets down a bit.
7) The Eureka constantly steams, which is kind of nice. That means one doesn't need to pump the handle or press a trigger to get steam. Some people may really like this. The Shark steams whenever the handle goes downward/inward as you push the mop forward, causing a single pump action the handle to trigger the steam. Not a bad concept, really, but generally effective only if you're going forward with the mop. You can also build up steam on-demand by pumping the handle a few times for tougher spots. The Eureka's constant steam makes it good for going backward while mopping. HOWEVER...one BIG drawback I noticed is, since the steam is constantly coming out, I can't just park it somewhere for any period of time. I have to put it on its resting tray so that over-steaming or water build-up happens there and not on the floor. This doesn't happen with the Shark because it only steams when you push it along. So you can set it anywhere and walk away for a moment. For this reason, the Shark doesn't require a resting tray.
8) I read that some people were dissatisfied with the fact that the Eureka's steam head was too big to fit under counters and toe kick spaces. I found this to be true. As for edging and corners, it sucks. The Shark beats it hands-down in this department. Additionally, I found it easier to manipulate under chairs, table, etc. due to the steam head's low profile, light weight and pivot flexibility. Yes, the Eureka has some pivot flexibility, but with the Shark-I kid you not-you can literally flick your wrist with ease to the left or the right and the steam head will literally make a nice sharp turn in that direction. How cool is that?
9) Weight-wise, the Eureka is certainly heavier to push around. I did struggle with it a few times while pushing and pulling it back and forth. The Shark is lighter and easier to manipulate.
My first use of the Eureka was not impressive. It took a long time to start steaming. Then I saw that when picked up the mop from its resting pad/tray, there was a lot of water standing in the resting tray. I proceeded to mop away. I noticed immediately that the mop was leaving a LOT of standing water on the floor. I mean, it looked a bit like my dishwasher had peed rinse water all over the place. Puzzled, I brought the steam head close to me and tipped it to one side to check the cleaning pad itself. Right then, a bunch of water poured out of the steam head and onto the floor. I confirmed the filler hole cap was on properly. Thinking perhaps that I hadn't let the mop get hot enough, I returned it to its resting tray and let it sit there for a while longer as I got a towel to sop up all the standing water. Then I tried the mop again. Same result...a lot of standing water on the floor. I also noticed that the steam wasn't really all that hot, either. In fact, I found the steam on my Shark to be hotter.
I then remembered reading several comments in user reviews regarding similar issues during other people's first-time use of the Eureka. Apparently, it performs this way for the first 1-3 times before it actually starts working as advertised. A bit of a "break-in" period, of sorts. Okay, I suppose I can buy into that. But, really? Is that a bug or a feature? I mean, my Shark worked fine right out of the box and has worked the same way consistently since. So, I gave the Eureka another shot. And a third. And a fourth. Same results. Lots of standing water on my floor, steam not very hot and the cleaning pad got soppy and loose. Of course, with all that water, the floor took forever to dry.
Okay, so I'm thinking it's the PADS that are causing the issue. So, taking a suggestion from one reviewer, I used an older kitchen towel instead. This time I got warmer steam BUT the towel, because it was only secured to the steam head by its ends, just flopped around at the middle. I tried different towels. Same result. And I mean I really made sure I put them on as snugly as possible. Again, fastening the cleaning pads and towels evenly at each end (so there's plenty for the grip clips to grab) was not easy. I washed the one cleaning pad I used and set it out to dry. Some folks had written that the cleaning pads work better after they've been washed at least once, so I figured this could be the solution. When I started to put it onto the mop, I noticed right away that it had shrunk considerably (I cold wash everything and I hang a lot of stuff to prevent shrinking) and was a little more difficult to evenly mount onto the steam head. Again, same result: lots of standing water on the floor. Maybe not as much as the first uses before it was washed. But still too much water on the floor. Really. It was like I'd used a regular mop. When I use my Shark, I can see the floor is shiny because it's wet but when I run my fingers along the floor they're NOT wading through a lot of standing water AND the floor dries quickly. I mean within just a few minutes.
I also tried it out as a hand-held unit for the counter tops and shower walls to see if it will give me that as a cleaning feature. Yes, the overall unit without the handle is smaller than the Shark without its handle, but the steam head is so big, heavy and ungainly that it felt like I was hoisting a curling stone and moving it along the counter tops and up along the shower walls. I didn't bother doing the steam part because I didn't want all that water all over my counter tops. I did the same experiment with my Shark and found that, while it was bigger (mostly in terms of length, thereby a two-handed hold), it was lighter and easier to manipulate along the flat surfaces horizontally and vertically. Plus-again-I could just flip the mop over on the spot and use the other side of the cleaning pad (while I still had to stop with the Eureka, pull off the pad, flip it over and fasten it back on, etc. as described above). And the Shark's smaller triangle-shaped steam head I can snap on is great for the corners.
I REALLY wanted the Eureka to work out because of all the great reviews I'd read regarding it here at Amazon and other web sites where reviews were done. So, I set it out to completely dry, washed the other pad FIRST before using it, let it dry on its own, followed all the instructions and the recommendations of other reviewers and so forth to get the best results. Nope. While it DID seem to perform better in terms of steam heat, it STILL had the sopping pad sagging along the front and back of the steam head and STILL left too much water all over my floor, which in turn took too long to dry. But even if THAT problem was solved, I just didn't like the fact that I couldn't efficiently and easily use the other side of the cleaning pad.
So, I sent the Eureka back and got a refund. It has a few features I like, but overall it's not well executed. I came away from that product thinking "HOW in the world did it get all these great rave reviews??" Even if I'd gotten a dud, I found that, operationally, several features were too cumbersome for my liking, which I'd mentioned earlier.
I'm happy with my Shark S3501 Pocket Steam Mop (they call it "Pocket" because the cleaning pads are, really, like pockets you put the steam heads into). I recommend you give it a try. Do NOT get the cheaper, smaller, earlier model of the Shark steam mop. Friends I know who have used it say it's not so good and that's accurately reflected in its reviews here at Amazon.com. Apparently, Euro-Pro listened to users and made some significant improvements in their product as evidenced in this new model. However, I am also aware of the issues people have had with the DURABILITY of Shark products (both my mother and sister have had Shark cleaning devices and they broke rather quickly), so I'm going to keep an eye on this new model and see how it goes. But I can tell you right now, I honestly find it easier, more flexible and simpler to use than the Eureka Enviro Steamer, even if its steam doesn't get nearly as hot. But it gets hot enough to clean my floor nicely and I think it does a good job.
If you've gotten this far in my review, I want to thank you for taking the time to read it. I hope it helps you.
Customer Review: Obviously I have "baby soft" hands.
Summary: 4 Stars
I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to using this product and fervently hoping it would do the job I need doing. Good news - it did a wonderful job on my awful, awful dirty floors. My husband and I had been using one of those industrial type mop and squeegie systems where you roll around a huge container of water and use the pressing mechanism to get as much water out of the mop as possible. That mop was so big and heavy when it was full of water that I had a hard time just lifting it up out of the water. We needed help.
MY SITUATION: I have no children living at home but I do have two German Shepherd dogs and the year 2009 was the wettest we have had since we moved here in 1969! No matter how well my dogs react to sitting and lifting their paws to have them wiped off, we still were getting lots of dirt and mud tracked into the house.
I have vinyl floors in a stone pattern which is so textured it appears to be actual stone. I also have ceramic tile and marble flooring. There is the kitchen/sitting room area, three bathroom floors, one laundry room and a foyer.
The mopping we had been doing was not working well enough because I could tell there was quite a build-up of dirt on the floor. Also, the mopping was so difficult that we often put off doing the job when we shouldn't have.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE EUREKA ENVIRO STEAMER: POSITIVES
1. It did a wonderful job on all the flooring. I went over some areas quite a few times just because I had let the dirt build up and it needed some extra attention. Only one obvious food spill would not come up and that was because it was right up next to the shoe molding. The steam got it soft enough for me to wipe it up with a paper towel. Next time it should go much faster because the floor will not be as dirty.
2. The moisture left on the floor was based entirely on how long I stayed in one area working to get it clean. The areas which weren't very dirty required just one quick swipe with the Eureka and that moisture dried very quickly. Specific places, such as in front of the doorway and where the dogs food bowls sit took longer to dry because I steamed those places longer. No space took longer than 10 minutes to dry completely.
3. I refilled the unit three times but had quite a bit of water left from the third filling. I got 15 minutes of steaming from one fill of water. When I could not hear the steaming any longer that signaled that the orange light would come on in about 30 seconds indicating the need for more water.
4. The unit was not hard for me to push, but different flooring materials did feel different in the force needed to push the unit along. It absolutely slid over the marble, but the textured vinyl needed a little more pressure to make the strokes. I knew I had been getting some exercise when I was finished, but it wasn't bad at all
5. The cleaning pad which comes with the Eureka Enviro Steamer did get dirty but I simply turned it over and used the back side. I only had to use one pad for all the cleaning. Granted, it was definitely dirty on both sides when I finished. Another reviewer had suggested using ordinary textured kitchen dish towels instead of ordering more cleaning pads. I'm sure this would work well if you keep your floors very well cleaned. The texture on the Eureka cleaning pad is very pronounced and that is what does the scrubbing of the flooring. I will probably order two more cleaning pads offered for use with this unit simply because they are so thick and highly textured. These pads can be washed in your washer but should NOT go into the dryer. According to the instruction manual, there is a good possibility they will shrink if dried in a dryer.
6. The handle on the unit, when fully extended, was very comfortable for me to use. I'm 5'3" and it wasn't either too long or too short. My 6'2" husband also found it to be a good length.
7. All the floors are absolutely wonderfully cleaned. I'm thrilled!
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE EUREKA ENVIRO STEAMER: NOT SO POSITIVE
1. I would love to sit down and have a discussion with the person who thought it was a good idea to include a dinky little 6 oz plastic container with a unit which requires 12 oz of water to fill it. A very short discussion would suffice. After following the instructions the first time I rebelled. I tested the container to make sure it did hold 6 oz of water. It did. From then on I used a 2 cup glass measuring cup, filled it with 12 oz of water and never looked back. A 6 oz container indeed! NOT GOOD!
2. Maybe my hands are just "baby soft" but I now sport two blisters on my right hand, one on my thumb and one at the base of my index finger. Maybe I was just holding on to that handle with a death grip, but that textured cover on the handle gave me two blisters. I'll know better in the future. A glove? A bandage? We'll see.
**Edited Jan 23, 2010** I have now used the Eureka steam mop several times and it has not caused blisters on my fingers again. Obviously I was so intent on HOW to use it the first time that I was gripping the handle too hard. It is interesting to note though, that the first time I did have the blister problem.
3. That flippin' flappin' cord is waaaay too short. I had read that information on almost every review of the product. I purposefully wanted to see if it was true. Believe me, it's true. I had to move to a different electrical outlet 4 times. That was two times too many. I now have a lovely bright orange extension cord that I will use with this unit.
IN SUMMARY:
The "accessory pack" which comes with this unit includes 2 cleaning pads, the dinky little 6 oz plastic container, and a white plastic funnel. I really like this unit. It is quiet, it begins to make steam in the 3-4 minutes stated in the Owner's Manual, the steam lasts for 15 minutes (but not a minute longer for me), and all of the floor surfaces I used it on are very, very clean. The only flooring where "clouding" might have been a factor was the marble floor and that did not become cloudy. Changing the cleaning pad is very easy to do, but the unit does get hot so care is needed to keep from touching hot surfaces. It was a simple thing to prepare the unit for storage by removing the "fill" cap, turning the unit upside down, and pouring the leftover water into the sink. Now that the floors are so well cleaned I think this job will go much faster and I won't feel guilty again about having dirty floors.
Customer Review: Simply the Best! Excellent Results!
Summary: 5 Stars
After 58 years of trying just about every floor cleaning method known to woman, this is The One!! I think the first three positive Most Helpful Reviews are all you need to know about this appliance, really, and I would say they are accurate. But I want to tell you about my experience; what it was really like to use and how I compare it to other methods.
As for the price, don't think twice about it! With this item, you will never have the expense or inconvenience of buying chemicals or disposable pads, as you would with the flimsy and overpriced but cheaply made "mops" you can buy at almost any grocery or variety store. With this, you will never have to delay cleaning your floor until you can get to the store to buy consumable items. And if you are on a fixed income like me and run out of money before you run out of month, or disabled and can't get out to the store very often, at least you'll be able to have clean floors!
I was skeptical at first and was amazed at how quickly and completely the Eureka 313A Enviro Hard Surface Floor Steamer worked, and how truly effortless it was to use. I have severe arthritis in my spine and I used to dread using other mops because I had to push down on them while mopping and it was painful. I used to hate it when someone would call and say they wanted to stop by, and I would have to hurry up and break a sweat and be in pain to get my floor clean before my guest arrived!
A few months ago I thought I was making a wise choice when I purchased a hard floor cleaner with rotating brushes. I reasoned that it would do a good job with less effort, take less time, and I could suck up the dirty water and flush it away. It was very highly rated and I thought I couldn't go wrong. Wrong! I was very disappointed in that purchase, as the brushes were so soft they did little to clean the floor, and I always seemed to have leftover solution in the machine that I would have to dump out. It wouldn't do me any good to save it, since it would be cold and useless for next time, since the machine didn't even heat the water. Then there was the task of cleaning the dirty water tank and brushes afterwards. And the issue of where to store the machine and all of its attachments and the useless attachment rack and the chemicals that go with it. Crimeny-ations, it takes up half of the hall closet. In reality, using that machine took all of an hour to get a reasonably clean floor in my large kitchen, and the cleanup and stowing it took even more time. Perhaps due to my age and condition, by the time I was finished I felt like I'd had quite a workout and needed to rest.
In contrast, when I used my new steamer today, I couldn't believe the difference and the time and effort I saved. I had just swept the kitchen and I had just planned to try it out on a little spot this afternoon to see if it even worked. It took about three minutes to prepare it and another couple of minutes to let it heat up and start steaming. I tried it out on a small area and couldn't believe my eyes. It only took a minute. So I tried it on a couple more small areas then stood back to take a look and compare the dirty and clean areas. I could hardly believe how well it cleaned, and the first areas I had done were already dry! So I kept going. In about 15 or 20 minutes I had done the whole kitchen floor and it looked awesome. About the time I was ready to call it good, the steam ran out so all I had to do was unplug the unit, remove the dirty cloth, wrap the cord and set the steamer on the heat up/cool down tray in the corner. No muss, no fuss. I wasn't sweating, I wasn't tired, and I wasn't hurting. Eureka! This evening, every time I pass through the kitchen I can't help but notice how clean the white floor looks. It's actually white, for God's sake!
A few more thoughts...
This steamer only weighs a few pounds so it is easy to pick up, but the weight of the machine takes the work out of the task. With the cloth in place, it is effortless to slowly glide it forward and back. I have pet kitties and appreciate that I no longer need to put chemicals on the floor, and it sanitizes as it goes. Some cleaning chemicals do discolor a floor over time, so that is a consideration as well.
Even though I have trouble bending down and worried about being able to fill the steamer with water, it was a non-issue because I was able to simply lift the unit by the handle and place it on table to prepare it. I had no trouble opening the cap, although it took quite a few turns to unscrew it. The threading inside the cap is metal and well machined so it won't break, cross-thread or come off. The size of the cap is good and not too small, so it is easy to grasp and does not hurt my fingers.
When I purchased this, I bought an additional one for my daughter, who has her first apartment and is just starting out. I'm glad I did, because I know she won't have to spend her hard earned money buying chemicals and disposable pads and it will do a great job with little effort. And, if a short stranger dressed in blue or pink comes into her life a little later, granny won't worry because the floor will be clean as a whistle with no chemicals. I think this steamer would make a great housewarming gift or be a great money saver for those heading off for college dorm life, too.
I can finally feel good about the cleanliness of my floor for the first time since I had to give up scrubbing on my hands and knees. I've seen good times and bad times in my life, and I so appreciate those wonderful things in life that are well made, save time and effort, and lighten the labors we all endure and make our lives better. I feel very fortunate to live in a time when such luxuries that are so well made and useful are available to common, simple people like me. I feel blessed. But may the lord have pity on the soul of anyone that tries to break in here and take my steamer! I hope this information was helpful and you had as much fun reading this review as I did writing it. I can't wait till morning when I can make a trip to Goodwill to donate all those other hard floor cleaning appliances, mops, chemicals, etc. and reclaim the space they've been taking up!
Customer Review: The important capabilities of the Erueka Steamer - pro and con
Summary: 5 Stars
By now I'm sure you have read the excellent and detailed comparison reviews. I just want to hit on the capabilities of the steamer. Pro and con.
What it will do well:
This steamer does what it is capable of doing extremely well. Flat surfaces is it's specialty. I have linoleum in my kitchen and 3 vinyl/ plastic type desk chair mats on the carpeted floor in my office. These surfaces are totally flat and the machine does an amazing job. Even removing dried sticky spills. Just go slowly and linger on the bad spots for a few seconds. No need to press down on the steamer. The steam and weight of the tank is sufficient. (Cleaning tile and wood floors is discussed below.) With the tank at floor level the steam is expelled directly through the cleaning pad and onto the floor with no chance to cool down. It puts out all steam. No excess water so it literally dries in a couple of minutes leaving no streaks or dirt. The steamer is very light weight and very easy to push and operate. It will pretty much swivel on a dime and is thin enough to reach under cabinet overhangs. So it gets along the edges pretty well. It is so easy even a senior citizen can do it. I got one for my 85 year old mother and one for me too. It is so much simpler and easier than mopping. No buckets, wringing, rinsing. One step and it is clean, done and sanitized using only water! This steamer can also be used on SEALED wood floors. Just don't linger too long on this type of floor. Keep moving and don't stop in one place.
Very easy cleanup and maintenance:
When finished the cleanup is simple. Just rinse out or gently wash the high quality cleaning pad in cool water. Don't use hot water when washing. DO NOT BLEACH. It can ruin the pad and replacements are very expensive. Hang to dry. DO NOT PLACE IN DRYER. IT WILL SHRINK THE PAD FOR SURE. Remember the hot steam will sanitize the pad as well as the floor. So if the pad looks dirty after rinsing or washing it does not matter. Don't store with water in the tank. Empty any remaining water from the steamer before storing. In a very short time you will learn exactly how much water is needed to clean the amount of area you have to clean. Just adjust the amount you add to the tank accordingly. Once the water quantity is adjusted to your needs you can just run the steamer dry and not have to ever empty any water after use. I always run mine until it is dry and start with fresh distilled water every time. (Distilled water is only about 49 cents per gallon at Wall Mart. Way cheaper than cleaning solutions. Using distilled water will prolong the life of the steamer by eliminating mineral deposits in the steam jets. It does not use much water anyway. Surprising how little is needed.) DO NOT EVER ADD ANY CHEMICALS TO THE WATER. Chemicals can damage the machine and the cleaning pad. Water is all you need! Remember - STEAM CLEANING POWER.
What the steamer won't do well:
The Eureka will not pick up loose chunks of dirt and crumbs etc. You must vacuum first! Make sure to get along all the edges and corners of your floor with your vacuum wand.
It will not clean your grout between tile squares if the grout is even a little lower than the level of the tile. It will not clean deep dips and crevices in textured tile. It will do an excellent job on the tile surface. My mother has lightly textured porcelain tile with shallow dips and crevices and it works great on that but will not get into the grout. We both own Wagner brand wheeled canister type steam cleaners that have a hose and pressure wand spray nozzle that we use to do floor edges and corners as well as counter tops shower etc. It also cleans her grout pretty well but sometimes requires the additional use of a grout brush with grout cleaner. When grout cleaner is applied you must use a grout sealer after cleaning. FYI - None of the other upright hard floor steam cleaner brands including the one with rotating brushes will get into the grout either. They ALL work best on flat surfaces! Also they don't clean as well as the Eureka and take longer for the floor to dry. Some even will leave dirty puddles on the floor because they don't have enough vacuum power or the ones that use steam only don't put out hot enough steam to dry quickly leaving floors wet just like using a mop. Plus too much liquid can damage some floors such as wood floors.
Summing up:
The only physically bad thing about the steamer is that it has a fairly short electrical cord. I just don't get that. The good is the adjustable length handle that can be made quite long or short to fit your requirements. It has a green light to tell you the power is on and one that turns amber when you're out of water. There is a foot operated on off switch. There are hooks to wind up the power cord for storage. It has a small foot print making storage easy. They give you a little funnel and measuring cup for filling with water and it is simple to put on and remove the cleaning pad. Once the water is filled and you turn on the steamer it only takes 3-4 minutes from cold to steam. Once it begins steaming I let the machine steam for about 30 seconds longer before beginning to allow the steam to fully penetrate the thick cleaning pad and then go for it. I recommend this hard floor steamer to everyone but especially the elderly or partially disabled persons because you could even sit in a rolling chair to operate this machine. It is so light weight and easy to push and pull.
One last important notation:
You may or may not have read this in other reviews - The first 2 or 3 times you use the steamer it will steam but put out more hot water on your floor than what is normal for this machine. It will take maybe 15 minutes for your floor to dry BUT after the machine becomes "seasoned" this will definitely stop and you will be getting pure steam from then on. Don't think you have a defective machine when at first this happens. Be patient regarding this issue because it is worth it in the end. Once "seasoned" you won't believe how fast your floor dries! Literally 2 or 3 minutes. Also it will clean the floor even better because of the pure steam. Basically: hot water bad - pure steam good!
Customer Review: not as impressive as I'd hoped, but not bad either
Summary: 4 Stars
I have laminate floors in my house as well as some vinyl and I hate using chemicals for anything. I had been using the Norwex Enviro mop (sold at home parties) because it uses a microfiber pad, but that wasn't cleaning as well as I'd like it to and was leaving streaks all over. I'm mostly concerned with our laminate, as that's more noticeably dirty, it's a very glossy laminate, so you see all streaks, footprints, smears, you name it. So I wanted to find a product that would make it look perfect, as unattainable as that might be, yet use no chemicals. I have small children, run a home daycare, and have a dog constantly tracking across my floor.
I have tried out 3 different steam mops. The first was the Bissel steam mop-hard floor cleaner in green tea, got it for Christmas, was not impressed at all. It left a ton of water on my floor and didn't seem to steam much. It has a water filter that you'll have to occasionally change and a sort of small mop head. Also, to sanitize, you have to leave it on an area for 15 seconds I think it was?! Who has time for that? Also, you have to keep pulling the steam trigger to release steam. So I began reading reviews and couldn't decide between the Eureka Enviro steamer and the Haan Steam Cleaning floor sanitizer, so I ordered both and decided to try them both out.
E=Eureka steamer
H=Hann steamer
-cord length was good on both
-E holds more water than the H, so you can clean longer between fillings
-H has a color changing cap to tell you when the water is hot enough, with the E you just have to listen for when it starts steaming, not a big deal
-The E is a bit larger it seemed, so covered more ground, but still not a big deal
-I liked the microfiber pads on the H, though in the end, I think it pushed more water around and left my floors a bit wetter than the E's thinner pads
-both came with 2 pads
-E can swivel to get under counters/tables easier, H doesn't swivel.
-E is slightly lower profile, so it fit under my table when the H wouldn't quite
-Guess I'm not sure how durable either pads are, though I'd certainly think the H's pad will last longer, but guess who knows, they just seem really sturdy and thick
-The E is a bit heavier (more water in it is perhaps why?) so you don't have to push down much to scrub a spot, but the H wasn't too horrible in that area either.
-like I said before, the H left more water on my floor, not in puddles at all like the Bissel, but just took longer to dry, whereas the E seemed to dry almost right away, which is what I'm used to from using the norwex microfiber mop, so I'm impatient waiting for floors to dry now!
-in the end, really the only thing I didn't like about the E, and I almost went with the H because of it, was that it seemed to leave more streaks once the floor was dry, and that on my glossy floors bothers me. But once I slowed down and pushed the mop even slower, it left pretty much mo streaks.
-both mops really have good steam pressure, I was impressed with that. I think that might be why the H leaves more water, it just soaks that pad. With the E and it's steam, I think it goes right through the pad and dries right away, like it's just so hot it all dries up. That may not make physical sense though! I did notice when I went slow with that mop it wouldn't leave streaks behind, dry OR wet! whatever I passed over came out dry on the other side. I don't think the H would do that because of that absorbent pad not getting a chance to dry (not that the E's pad was dry at the end).
-with the E's pads, you could flip them over and use the other side, so you really have 4 surfaces to use vs. the H's two pads with only one useable side each.
-E seemed a bit better built. Both were really easy to put together, just click pole onto base, with the H also click the handle on.
-my water filling cup came cracked with a whole broken out of it with the H, but that's probably due to shipping, not the actual product. E came with cup and funnel.
-the H came with a few packets of lime and scale remover
-H is a little more versatile, you can order a short handle to use with it and a sanitizing tray. The tray can be used without the microfiber pad to clean carpets and with the short handle and tray to clean bedding/ mattresses. Also the H can be used, with the pad, to clean countertops. You probably could do countertops with the E, you just won't have the short handle to make it easier. I already have a carpet shampooer, so the carpet option here wasn't important to me.
-both come with a pad/tray to set steamer on when warming up and for storage on, or you can hang them up to store. You must always use the pad/tray when preheating the steamer so you don't ruin the floor it's sitting on.
-as far as sanitizing, with both of these I think you need to leave it on an area for at least 8 seconds (which I guess beats 15 seconds) but still...kind of a long time if you have a lot of floor to clean
-both cleaned stuff off my floor nicely, might have to go over an area a couple times, but who doesn't do that with a regular mop anyway?
-for use on floors that can withstand high heat...don't use on unglazed ceramic or unsealed wood floors or waxed floors
-E heats to 220 degrees, the H to 212 degrees (Bissel only 110 degrees)
In conclusion, both are good steamers and I fear I haven't quite made up my own mind, but I am leaning towards the Eureka. (as a bonus in my mind, I like the colors a lot better than the Haan's).