Customer Reviews:

0 out of 0 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A1LMP5X6XUD176 2008-10-28
 
Review Summary: Not a magic bullet
 
Review Content: Karcher - SC1122 - Domestic steam cleaner yellow 1400W 1.2L boiler capacity 7...

I was rather hoping for something that will help me shift the grime on the ceramic tiles left over after extensive internal decoration work. Not a chance - the dirt was still there after half an hour of slow and labourious steaming. I first tried water-only, then diluted chemical cleaner (applied to the floor, NOT poured inside the tank), then pure cleaner with steam on top. That didn't work either.

So it was back to £1 brush, which did the job with comparably little effort.

In short, I reckon this is a maintenance cleaner, rather than a full replacement of the more 'traditional' methods. It is not any more effective than the brush, only might be marginally easier and less messy.

I have yet to try it on curtains, upholstery etc. Oh - and read the instructions carefully - I wouldn't use it on laminates, varnished floors and similarly vulnerable surfaces.

That said, this is my first steam cleaner, and it might well be that I expected too much. Thus, 4 stars, at least. The unit is very well made, it is easy to set up, and instructions are reasonably clear. I would have given it 5 stars, except that I really dislike the all-plastic accessories.
 
 
 

4 out of 4 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A2502QGVL21DM3 2008-09-09
 
Review Summary: Steamy!
 
Review Content: I was looking for a domestic steam cleaner to revive my carpets, so
went looking for something that had good reviews.

I came across the Karcher SC1122 Mobile Domestic Steam Cleaner.

This seemed to have the most positive reviews. Although priced at £144.95-more than I wanted to spend-refurbished models were available at £79.99 (plus £7 P & P) with 1 years warranty.

Ordered a refurbished one on a Tuesday, it arrived Friday. Gave it a go the same day.

It came with all the accessories & Vax cleaning fluid exactly as described for the new cleaners. Overall condition is excellent- in fact it looks "brand new".

I had it going in less than 15 minutes. That includes waiting the 8 minutes for the water to heat. Very simple to set up & use.

As mentioned in other reviews , the following points need to be mentioned:

1. You get a free facial when using this. The room quickly becomes very steamy. Well, it is a steam cleaner!

2. Initially there will be areas where you will have to do a bit of scrubbing with alternative methods & solutions. But once dealt with you shouldn't have to do that again. Unless you let it get in a similar state again before tackling it.

3. The reservoir cap can't be removed until the steamer has cooled down sufficiently. It's a safety feature. One I would recommend looking for if you are looking at other models.

4. Any areas of flaky paint etc-this will destroy them so be careful.

5. Remember it uses steam-& steam burns. It won't "dispense" the steam until you press a button so you do have control of it. The machine itself doesn't get hot. I would strongly recommend looking for these features if you are considering other models.

Why use a steam cleaner?

- If your time is limited i.e. you don't want to spend hours doing the deep cleaning- use one of these. I whipped around my bathroom in 15 minutes flat. Including wiping down steamy surfaces.

- Personally, having a husband & sons, the toilet has always been a frightening area to clean. Rubber gloves up to my shoulders, & a gallon of bleach. And always those little areas you can't quite reach. Not with this machine! Amazing where it can reach

I haven't yet had the courage to use it on my carpets to revive the pile.
One tip I read was to shampoo the carpet first- (see my review on the Vax portable carpet cleaner) & then steam.
I think I'll get more familiar steaming non-carpet surfaces first before I attempt this.
There're plenty of other things to have a go at. Kitchen surfaces, cooker, kitchen cupboards, tiled floors........


All in all, does exactly what it says, with no fuss & no bother. It's easy to find a storage spot for it as it doesn't take up much room. Doesn't seem to be much that can go wrong with it, & spare parts i.e. brushes & the cleaning cloths-seem readily available. There are plenty of models on the market. Go for one with the best reviews.






 
 
 

3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: ADFQZF55NPBGU 2008-09-07
 
Review Summary: Time saver
 
Review Content: Let's admit it, this gadget will not change your world. You will not be able to throw away all your chemicals (no, it does not remove limescale) and there are areas that will still need some scrubbing. However, it will save you time. It is particularly useful for cleaning tiles and floors. I like using it on floors because they get clean and instantly dry. I've cleaned my kitchen cupboards in half the time it would normally take me. I managed to finally de-grease my cooker hood by first wiping it with vinegar and then steaming off the grease. It is also very good for window cleaning.

All the attachments are useful and the steamer is small and light so that you can wander around the house holding it in your hand.
 
 
 

1 out of 3 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A1P5QP6KZU9B1X 2008-08-27
 
Review Summary: A lot of hot air
 
Review Content: First credentials. I avoid flying and try to minimise the use of chemicals in the garden and the house, my family is mainly vegetarian - I'm greenish - and I really wanted this product to work.

Now the steam cleaner. I have used Karcher products in the past and they seemed well made and of good quality, as is this one. Unfortunately, it simply doesn't work, here are a couple of examples.

Forget cleaning the oven, if it's baked on at 200 Celsius for hours, a few minutes of a puny spray of steam at half that temperature has little or no effect.

OK, the kitchen units under the oven, sounds like a good idea but the result was grime and stains reduced somewhat but much more varnish removed - doesn't look clean and will need varnishing.

I repeated the cleaning exercise using harsh chemicals and elbow grease, much more impressive results and actually took less time and effort.

I'm depressed because it doesn't do the job that I hoped it would and feel dumb for falling for the hype. One star for the build quality.
 
 
 

2 out of 4 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A3I8JKCEPP3H2N 2008-06-24
 
Review Summary: Over rated
 
Review Content: This steamer is considered highly, most probably because its competitors are so feeble and disappointing! I have tried various brands/models and finaly settled on the Karcher due to its solid design and good name; it is adequate, but really nothing to get too excited about. Hard stains are still a struggle, shifting dirt is still a slow laborious process. Don't get drawn into the hype, it is good quality and a respectable buy. However, getting good results is hard work and time consuming.