'I clean with Shark's answer to a steam mop - it's hundreds cheaper than Dyson'
The days of the mop and bucket are long gone, with hot steam appliances quickly becoming the preferred choice for many households to achieve sparkling floors. Dyson, often hailed as a 'must-have' brand, offers its washG1, an all-in-one vacuum and mop that hoovers up dirt and mops floors, but with a price tag of £599, it's certainly not for all budgets.
I use one of Shark's competing products, which not only reduces cleaning times, but is also hundreds cheaper than Dyson's alternative. The Shark Kick n' Flip Automatic Steam Mop, now £139.99, uses hot steam instead of the conventional bucket of soapy water, and due to the heat, there's no need for chemical-laden cleaning products.
Unlike Dyson's model, this doesn't include a vacuum, so it lacks that major feature, but when it comes to mopping, this agile device has been a game-changer.
I switched to the Shark Kick n' Flip at the start of the year, and my floors are less dirty, the bathroom tiles shine, and it can cover my entire flat in about 10 minutes. My only downside currently is price, it's jumped back up to its £139.99 price, when I reviewed it for the Mirror, it was on sale for £99.
It's straightforward to use; all I do is fill the container with water and select the steam setting - I personally always opt for 'hi'. These can be used on a variety of different floor types, like the wooden laminate in my living room, kitchen, and tiles in my bathrooms. Considering the size of the Shark pads, they also appear more nimble than other alternatives.
For instance, this more affordable Steam Fresh Combi from Vax (now £79.99) boasts a larger triangular mop head, which, while slightly bigger, appears more challenging to manoeuvre under furniture.
If there's a specific mark or spot, the steam blast technology is ideal for tackling it - in tribute to its 'kick n' flip' moniker, all I do is flip over the mop head with my foot and press down on the handle, which emits a concentrated, high power burst of steam to help eliminate stubborn stains.
Once finished with cleaning, the dirt pad (or mop head) can be detached with a simple button click, releasing it from the mop. It lands face down, meaning I don't have to touch any of the muck, just lob it straight into the washing machine for a warm wash.
The only thing I've noticed is that it's worth buying more detachable mop heads than what comes free with purchase (two), as this is handy for alternating between the kitchen and bathrooms. I've been using the Shark Steam Mop for nearly six months and haven't encountered any significant issues.
It's still functioning as well as when I first unboxed it, which is why I chose to highlight a product I've bought with my own money, rather than it being something I've been sent to review. I'd recommend it to anyone in need of an affordable cleaning upgrade.
Online customers have also expressed their enthusiasm for it, particularly praising the distinctive steam sprayer feature. One buyer commented: "Brilliant love this so easy to use. Does a great job of cleaning my floors, love the option to trigger more steam which is simple to do .
"Only four-stars as the cord is not long enough and water tank could do with been a little bigger so less refills however wouldn't put me off getting another one."
Another customer said: "This is our third purchase of this steam mop because it really is the best we have found of its kind. it does not remain upright unless propped or held up. It is really easy to knock or pull over when switching plug sockets which may damage it."
Similar to the customer above, I've encountered the identical problem with it being unable to stand independently, though personally this doesn't bother me. Rather than supporting it upright, I ensure to place it horizontally, and no water has ever spilled from it when positioned this way.
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