Black & Decker Handheld Steam Cleaner (BDH1800SM) Review
Review: 4/5
Portable, Well Constructed, Great Steam, Minus 2 Drawbacks.
Overall it is a great portable steamer. It is well constructed and delivers very good steam, fairly comparable to my Wagner canister steamer but way more portable. It delivers on portability while being a competent steamer. It is easy to fill, and re-fill to keep going without slowing you down (unlike some canister models that require cool down to refill). It has a very long cord that gives you lots of freedom (although there is nowhere to wrap it conveniently when not in use). It is ready extremely quickly. And it delivers plenty of hot steam. It might not be quite as hot as my Wagner canister, but it is plenty hot. It weighs more than you would expect, a hefty 3.5 lbs when filled, plus a hefty cord, but in actual use hasn't been noticeable at all to me. It feels like it has good, solid parts inside that justify the weight (like my canister steamer), but isn't a drawback to actual usage. I find it a lot more convenient to grab this than haul my canister out, and it cleans nearly as well.
The two biggest drawbacks are (1) no trigger lock to keep steaming, and (2) no trigger at end of hose. There is a trigger-start lock that keeps you from accidentally starting steaming, but what is far more useful would be a trigger lock to keep steaming (like my canister model). This is especially noticeable when you use the hose attachment because you cannot set down the unit to use the hose. And there is no trigger at the end of the hose. So you have both hands full, one to hold the unit and trigger, the other to work the hose with attachments. It still works fine, but you will have to stop steaming to alternate wiping and steaming, or juggle catching steady drips from the window attachment. It isn't a problem at all when using without the hose attachment. My canister has both and is faster and more convenient in this respect. Cleaning often involves alternating steaming and wiping with a towel which is fast if your other hand is free. But these are not deal breakers. It makes up for it being overall more portable.
It works really well on my kitchen tile and windows, and not so well on my bathtub. Steam isn't a miracle worker, just a helper, so don't expect miracles. Steam works well to help loosen & lift grime that would have otherwise come up with a lot of work. But it doesn't just melt everything away, especially things like hard water. I find alternating the small brush attachment and wiping to be the most effective in general. It lifts the grease from my kitchen tiles easily that use to take tons of scrubbing. It makes my metal blinds a lot better, but will not restore them to like-new. It made no dent on bathtub mildew that is sealed in by hard water deposits. This steamer does a great job at steaming, at least wherever steaming would actually work.
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