What is a steam mop? It produces steam inside behind the reusable washable mopping pads. Steam helps to remove stubborn stains in some way it is similar to vibrating heads or water sprays.
Shark Lift-Away Pro (S3973D) vs. Pocket Mop S3501 vs. Genious vs. S1000 specs
| Features/Models | Lift-Away Pro (S3973D) | Steam Pocket Mop S3501 | Genious | S1000 | All-in-One Scrubbing Steam Mop S7001 |
| Water tank, ml | 500 | 450 | 350 | 375 | N/A |
| Cord length, ft. | 22 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 25 |
| Auto release button | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Mopping pad type | double-sided | double-sided | double-sided | one-side | one-side |
| Price | $159.99 | $69.99 | $109.99 | $59.99 | $169.99 |
How and why to use a steam mop
You can use this machine the way you use a regular mop but the main advantage over a traditional mop would be this steam which does two things:
- It helps to clean difficult stains.
- It disinfects the floor without using chemicals.
These things are more convenient than mops because you don't have to full up a mop bucket with water and all the following things you would do with a traditional mop.
The most expensive Shark Lift-Away Pro has a handle that you can lift to use in a variety of other applications. It also has lots of other additional attachments.
What is Steam Blaster technology
Steam Blaster technology can be used to remove tough stains. It engages a spray nozzle on the base of the unit and it sprays steam to loosen up the stain. This is convenient to use and if you normally see stubborn stains that are hard to get rid of have a look at the mops with this technology.
Only the Shark Genious and Lift-Away Pro have this feature.
What are the differences between the Shark steam mops?
Mop heads are the main differences between the four.
The Genious and Lift-Away Pro has a mopping pad with longer fibers which are also easy to release and attach. There is a button that detaches the pads with one simple click.
Shark Lift-Away Pro
Has extra attachments for all-surfaces cleaning
Has steam blaster technology to help to remove stains
$159.99 on Amazon
The S3501 has a double-sided mopping pad but it does not have a button and is difficult to take off. You have to manually release the mop.
Steam Pocket Mop S3501
The best in the budget category
Has a different type of mopping pad which is better at removing stains.
$69.98 on AmazonThe S1000 is the cheapest and it has a one-side pad. You can't flip it over like you can with the others. It does not have a release button and uses velcro.
The two cheaper ones operate by a pumping motion. Where the motion of your arm as you mop keeps the steam pressurized where the others do this automatically by choosing a setting with the control panel.
Mopping Tests & Performance
When testing all of them, it was clear that they all did a good job of removing sticky stains.
While using most advantage Genious or Lift-Away Pro with tough stains and they both showed really great results of getting rid of it by using the Steam Blaster technology, there was no advantage of this technology when comes to sticky dried stains. They all need the same amount of time to do the job with or without the blaster.
The S3501 did slightly better, it required fewer passes than the others did to completely remove the stains. It was just as good as the others but feel like doing a little bit better. Maybe because of the design or the different kinds of mopping pads. To figure out which one is better let's take into account other factors.
Which is a better value?
The most expensive Lift-Away seems to have more value for a little bit of extra money because of all the extra attachments it includes. For example, a garment steamer takes the wrinkles out of clothes really quickly. You can also use it for curtains or other things. The 3 ft. hose with pocket cleaning tool is good for small things such as sinks in a bathroom. With the triangle scrubber head, you can get to hard-to-reach places like corners and edges.
When taking to account cord length and water tank size we see that the Lift-Away Pro and S3501 have the biggest water tanks. The Lift-Away and Genious also have the longest cord but at the same time, the Genious has the smallest water tank.
To sum up
These steam mops are really a genially upgrade over traditional mops. After testing, it was clear that four of them did an excellent job with picking up really difficult dried on sticky stains.
The Shark S3501 was better at cleaning and also a lot cheaper. It lacks a steam blaster and automatic release pad yet costs cheaper so these are things you might live without if you don't want to spend extra.
The Shark Lift-Away Pro (S3973D) is a no-brainer considering the attachments, the biggest water tank, and cord length. If you don't mind spending extra money, this is a great choice.
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