Don't spend more than £35 on a steam cleaner - Dunelm's versatile mop comes out on top

The Dunelm Steam Mop promises simple, chemical-free affordable cleaning. At just £35, it undercuts most of the market while still offering an impressive 11 attachments. This, naturally, raises the question: is it too good to be true?

To find out, we tested it against some of the best steam cleaners from big-name brands. We sent it to Samantha, one of our trusted expert testers, who used it to give her home a deep clean, testing how well the Dunelm Steam Mop works across multiple floor types on some of the most stubborn stains and dirt.

So, if you're looking to deep clean your home without overhauling your daily cleaning habits, this could be a smart, budget-friendly upgrade. Here’s everything you need to know before you add the Dunelm Steam Mop to your routine.

Dunelm Steam Mop review

• RRP: £35
• Dimensions: L 103cm W14cm D 15cm
• Power: 1500 watts
• Water tank capacity: 330ml
• Settings: Two
• Warranty: One year

How we tested the Dunelm Steam Mop

This steam mop was put to the test by Samantha Priestly, a member of our tester network. Here's a little more about her.

Samantha Priestly

Samantha is a familiar face for testing various items that help at home. She's across all elements of health and wellbeing, so was looking forward to testing a chemical-free steam cleaner across the different floor types in her home. She has a large home across lots of different levels, which meant we could see how this would fare in a family home.

Who would the Dunelm Steam Mop suit?

If you want a steam cleaner that gets the job done without draining your bank account or your energy, this is an easy buy. At just £35, the Dunelm Steam Mop is one of the most affordable options we've tested and the fact that it comes with 11 attachments makes it even better value. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to try steam cleaning for the first time, or simply doesn’t want to spend hundreds on a bulky machine.

It’s also a brilliant fit for multi-level homes. Samantha, our tester, lives in a four-story house and found the lightweight design made a real difference. “Carrying it up and down the stairs was easy,” she says. “It’s so light and takes no effort at all.” She also highlighted the long power cable, which gives you the freedom to move from room to room without constantly switching sockets.

Unboxing the Dunelm Steam Mop

We always assess packaging carefully, and the Dunelm Steam Mop strikes a good balance between protection and sustainability. Samantha noted that it arrived securely packaged in a simple box, without excessive wrapping. “I like this approach,” she says. “It saves on unnecessary packaging and, whilst the mop itself and the handle were wrapped in plastic, everything else was cardboard, which is great for recycling.”

Inside, you’ll find a generous selection of attachments: a carpet glider, scraper nozzle, upholstery or window cloth, detail nozzle, small plastic brush, and a grout brush. There’s also a spare microfibre pad, which is a useful addition, especially since replacements aren’t widely sold by Dunelm.

From box to set-up, it took Samantha just a few minutes. While instructions are included, she found the process intuitive enough to skip them altogether, describing it as “easy and intuitive.”

What is the Dunelm Steam Mop like to use?

If you want the quick summary: Samantha was impressed with the Dunelm Steam Mop. It leans heavily into convenient cleaning across the board and that starts with its lightweight build.

Samantha found it easy to carry around the house and particularly liked the handheld mode, where she could clean comfortably with one hand. “It’s so light it takes no effort to move it around,” she says, “which really took the elbow grease out of cleaning.” That ease of movement makes a noticeable difference, especially for longer cleaning sessions or when switching between rooms.

To start steam cleaning, you only need to fill the water tank by unscrewing the cap and pouring directly in, then use the dial control to adjust the steam level from low to high. Once the power light turns green, you’re ready to go. This is one of the more straightforward steam mop set-ups, especially because it doesn't use any chemicals or different levels.

While Dunelm suggests a 30-second heat-up time, Samantha found it took closer to a minute, which is fairly typical for steam mops at this price point. Once ready, it delivers around 15 minutes of continuous steam, which she found was enough to get through her regular cleaning routine, but might need to be used in rotation with another cleaning task if you're doing a deep overhaul of your cleaning.

One of the other elements of the Dunelm Steam Cleaner that we love is how quiet it is. “The only sound it makes is the steam whooshing,” Samantha told us, so it wasn't disruptive or difficult with other people in the home.

Performance-wise, it handled hard floors particularly well. “I usually mop my laminate floor, which can be damaged over time,” she explains, “but this steam mop did the job just as well without the risk of ruining the surface.” It’s a great example of how steam can clean effectively without relying on harsh chemicals or excess water.

Cleaning the carpets required a little more effort though. Samantha found she needed to go over them a few times and refill the tank before seeing a noticeable difference. That’s not unusual for a steam mop, but it’s worth noting if carpets are your main focus.

Cleaning and maintaining the Dunelm Steam Mop

Cleaning the Dunelm Steam Mop clean is incredibly low-effort. Because you’re mostly using it on floors and sealed surfaces, Samantha found it only needed a quick wipe down after use. “Cleaning floors and bathrooms doesn’t create much mess,” she says, so maintenance never felt like a chore.

The microfibre cloths are machine washable, which makes ongoing use easy and cost-effective. However, sourcing replacements takes a little more effort. “The microfibre cloths aren’t sold by Dunelm and I couldn’t find them on sale anywhere,” Samantha noted. She did find alternatives online, but recommends double-checking sizing before you buy.

One extra tip that Samantha offers is using filtered water. She pointed out that this can help prevent limescale build-up over time, especially important, as Dunelm advises against using descaler inside the tank.

Should you buy the Dunelm Steam Mop?

So, should you buy the Dunelm Steam Mop? According to Samantha, it’s an easy yes. “It’s versatile and covers a range of cleaning jobs in the home at an affordable price,” she says. “It’s easy to use and lightweight, even with the different attachments.”

This isn’t a heavy-duty, industrial-grade machine, but it does a brilliant job of bringing chemical-free, steam cleaning into your home without breaking the bank. If you want something simple, effective, and surprisingly capable for the price, this is a small but mighty addition to your cleaning cupboard.

How we test steam cleaners

At woman&home, we have a series of tests that we put every steam cleaner through to get a good idea of what each model is like to use. We talk about all elements, from unboxing and the extra accessories that come with the mop, through to how it performs on different surfaces around the home. We like to cover cleaning the steam mop too, because how you clean the products that you use to clean matters too. After that, we'll take a step back and compare it to other models to see whether it's good value for money and who it would suit. By the end of the review, you should know whether it's the right one for you. However, if you still have questions, don't hesitate to email me, or you can take a look at our dedicated page for how we test steam cleaners.