Euro-Pro Shark Super Steamer
by Euro-Pro
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Euro-Pro Shark Super Steamer
Customer Review: This steamer is amazing!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Since the moment I got it, I have been using it for everything. I clean the stove, the fridge, the bathrooms, everything is easier to clean with this gadget.Customer Review: Shark steamer
Summary: 5 Stars
LOVE IT!!!!!! My old one burned out from all the use I give it so I bought a new one last month and I Love It!! Would not clean without one.Customer Review: Euro-Pro Shark Super Steamer
Summary: 5 Stars
I do appliance repair and it works great for small defrosting jobs on refrigerator evaporators.Customer Review: A fine machine, as long as you know what you're getting...
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a useful tool, but it will not replace anything already in your cleaning closet. It may save your manicure.
First, the machine itself: Small and relatively light weight, but seems sturdy. It takes about a cup of water and turns it into moderately hot steam. The instructions were clear, everything worked as promised. The steam runs out after about 15 minutes. Refilling requires letting the machine cool for a few minutes first.
The nozzle attachments are pretty solid -- there is a fine sprayer and a diffuser. The little brush and the terrycloth upholstery pad are useless. Buy a separate scrub brush with a handle (the kind you use to scrub out pots and pans). Then you hold the steamer in one hand, the brush in the other -- the combination is quite effective.
Washing tile and grout: Very good job, but slow.
The machine does what I bought it to do -- wash dirt and dog pee off of my quarry tile kitchen floor. (I have an 18 year old dog, and he leaks.) Mops were hopeless. Even floor cleaner and a scrub brush did not get it all up, especially did not clean the grout lines very well. The Europro Shark Steamer alone did not do much, either. But the Steamer PLUS spray-on cleaner PLUS scrub brush PLUS sponge and pail of water did an excellent job, although slow. I bought a pot cleaning brush, with a handle, so I could scrub without scalding myself. I sprayed cleaner on the floor (just about any spray cleaner seems to work), then scrubbed while directing a jet of steam at the floor. The dirt really did come out. I can watch the little stream of dirty brown water get blown out of the grout lines. Gross, but impressive. Of course, I then had to mop the dirty water up with a sponge.
So overall, I am pleased with my purchase. However, the cleaner does not replace your closet full of mops and sponges. Let me try to explain what the machine can, and cannot, do.
Cleaning out your cracks: What this machine does best.
Basically, this machine is designed to get crud out of cracks. It sprays steam, which melts the crud and forces it out of the crack. But it doesn't move the crud very far and it doesn't pick it up. You need a sponge or towel or pile of paper towels to pick up the dirty, crud filled water that is created.
The process is effective, but slow. I don't plan to do my whole kitchen floor more than once or twice a year.
What the machine doesn't do:
Wash large surfaces
Pick up the dirt
More Detail:
Washing flat surfaces: slow and not a big improvement.
The machine does include a steam diffuser to wash flat surfaces. It seems to work fine, but it isn't a big improvement over a bottle of Fantastick and sponge.
Washing upholstery: A failure.
The steam diffuser also comes with a little terry cloth for washing upholstery. I tried it on a perfectly filthy wing chair. I couldn't see any improvement and the heat damaged the upholstery (check first -- I didn't care because I am having the chair recoverd.)
Washing Pots: Better and Easier than Brillo.
This was a pleasant surprise. The steamer cleans dirty frying pans without scrubbing.
Cleaning dirty appliances: Works well.
As long as the surface can take the heat, the steamer is quite effective at getting baked on grease and crud off of things like crockpots and the outsides toasters and fryers. Also gets crud that is stuck under faucet handles and stuff.
Cleaning the bathroom: Effective, but slow.
Works pretty well, but slow. Does not clean grout that is very badly stained with mildew, you will still need bleach. But it does get the crud out.
As a clothes steamer: Decent
Steam works okay, but not great. The steam is not hot enough, and it is too energetic. A real steam cleaner produces hot but gentle steam. Also the machine spits a little water. Use the little terry cloth boot (the one that is useless on upholstery) to prevent spitting when steaming clothes.
Carpet:
I have not tried, but I don't think it would do much.
Bottom line:
This tool gets greasy crud out of cracks and melts it off of small, hard surfaces.
It does not replace any of the tools you already own. You will still need surfactant (like Fantastick) and a scrub brush with a handle. (A toothbrush is be useful for small cracks.) But it makes your brush and Fantastick about ten times as effective, and about 1/10 the work. And you won't scratch the surfaces.
I hope this review has been useful.
Customer Review: Does a reasonably good job steam-cleaning but is small
Summary: 4 Stars
Overview
Small, handheld bottle-shaped steamer for spot cleaning jobs.
Specifications
Size: 13-6/7 by 5 by 9-1/4 inches
1-year limited warranty
Uses ordinary tap water
16-1/2-foot power cord
several attachments included
Attachments:
Window squeegee
Curved steam concentrator
Detail brushes
Triangle brush
Cleaning cloth
2 scrubbing pads
Scrubbing sponge
Garment steamer cloth
Microfiber towel
Funnel and filling cup.
How to use the Shark Steamer
This small flask-shaped steamer delivers a light stream of steam that you can direct onto stains, dirt or onto wrinkles in your clothes.
You fill up the container, allow it to heat to boiling, and then press the hand lever to expel the steam.
Applications include:
The grease on your oven door: with a scrubbing sponge, you can remove spills after you roast or bake. Even self-cleaning ovens have places that the heat doesn't reach to remove grease and spills. If you use a steamer after roasting or baking, you can keep your oven very clean. You still have to wipe or scrub, but the steam loosens the soil without the need for strong chemicals.
Carpet depressions: After moving furniture, your carpet may have some deep depressions. Light steaming, along with brushing with a scrub brush, can bring the carpet back up in no time.
Outdoor charcoal grills: these are notoriously hard to clean. Steaming the grill allows you to scrub off the grease more easily.
Clothes: Steam out wrinkles, save on dry cleaning
Car detailing
Kitchen cleaning, especially around the sink, stove and oven. Nice for fridge shelves.
Bathroom cleaning, especially TILE GROUT. I like to use it around the commode, followed by a clean rag with a non-toxic environmentally-safe spray disinfectant.
Things we like
The cord is long enough to move around a room. The bottle is relatively light. It doesn't steam for all that long, but is easily refilled. The shape has nice egonomics--we like the trigger for steam release.
The attachments are good--especially the detail brushes, which we use most of all. The inclusion of scrub sponges indicates that this doesn't remove dirt on its own--you have to scrub. The steam does loosen dirt well, without chemicals. We are sensitive to chemicals and the steamer also pays itself back in gallons of pricey cleaners over the years.
Things we didn't like
Not many objections here--nice styling, good attachments.
Summary
If you want to clean with a minimum of chemicals, the Euro Shark Bottle is a great addition to your home. Just remember, you will have to scrub the dirt after steaming it--this loosens dirt, doesn't remove it. This won't remove stains from carpets--for that, you need carpet cleaner. Overall, a versatile small appliance.