In need of some effortless, everyday shine? This steam cleaner is for you

If you've ever wondered whether there's an easier way to keep your floors clean, surfaces sparkling and your backsplash bright, there is. And it's called the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner, a nifty gadget that cuts out the chemicals, using heat and water to deliver streak-free and shiny results.

Lots of people are turning to the best steam cleaners for a speedy, natural, and satisfying way to clean and the Kärcher has a lot to offer. It boasts a 30 second warm up time (a stand-out amongst the standard 3 minutes) as well as attachments for all the nooks and surfaces from your kitchen through to the bathroom.

To give the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner a true test, we handed it over to Madeline Crisp. She has pets (including an aging, incontinent dog) who give her floors a lot of wear and tear. So, after a few weeks of cleaning her toughest, most tedious and tiring cleaning tasks at home she's finally got the answers the questions: are steam cleaners worth it? And most specifically, is the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner the perfect one for you?

Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner review

How we tested the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner

This steam cleaner was put to the test by Madeline Crisp, a member of our tester network. Here's a little more about her.

Madeline Crisp

Madeline is part of our tester network and she's been working hard on finding the perfect steam cleaner to help her home sparkle. She has a cat, as well as an elderly, incontinent dog, so her floors have certainly seen better days. She's a discerning tester for all things cleaning related.

Who would the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner suit?

As a lightweight, simple steam cleaner, the Kärcher SC3 is ideal for anyone looking to upgrade their daily cleaning habits without adding extra hassle. It heats up quickly, is easy to manoeuvre, and delivers a noticeably deeper clean than a traditional mop. Madeline, our expert tester, was particularly impressed with how it tackled her hard floors: it felt more rigorous and powerful than her usual routine, yet left surfaces dry and sparkling in a fraction of the time. If you want something that makes everyday maintenance feel faster and more effective, this is a smart choice.

It’s also a great option if you’re taking on a tips for how to deep clean your home and want one tool that can take on multiple jobs. The generous range of accessories means you can move from grout lines and taps to larger sealed floor areas with ease. During testing, we found it reached into small crevices and awkward cracks just as well as it refreshed broader spaces, thanks to the nimble floorhead and targeted nozzles.

However, it won’t suit everyone. If you’re after heavy-duty power for very stubborn grime, fabric compatibility for upholstery, or a design that’s especially comfortable for long cleaning sessions, you may want to consider alternatives. Madeline noted that the handle can feel uncomfortable to hold over extended periods, so those with sensitive hands might prefer a more ergonomically cushioned model.

Unboxing the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner

Madeline was sent the Kärcher SC3 EasyFix Extra, which offers some extra accessories, as the name suggests. She noted that the steam cleaner arrived in a compact box that was easy to unpack, although there was a fair bit of plastic packaged around each accessory, which isn't fantastic from a sustainability perspective.

She made her way through unboxing all of the different accessories and extras included in her package. As promised, her Kärcher SC3 EasyFix Extra arrived with two steam pipes, microfibre cover for hand nozzle, descaler cartridge, detail nozzle, hand tool, window tool, round brush, floor nozzle and carpet glider, plus 4 cloths. A standard package would omit the three spare floor clothes, carpet glider, and window nozzle, which you could certainly get by without. The reason you might go for the Extra is if you think you'd get a lot of heavy use from the Kärcher SC3 EasyFix. You can buy these extras separately from the site at a later stage if you change your mind.

Once unboxed, Madeline set about connecting all the parts ready for cleaning. As is the case with most steam cleaners, she found the instructions were not as clear as on other appliances "some of it is quite intuitive," she says, "but I did need to refer to the Kärcher website to work out where some of the bits went."

There are instructions, but these don't have diagrams or step-by-step guides, so her advice is to take the time to really familiarise yourself with all the different elements. That way, you don't miss out on any special cleaning tricks, tools, and tips.

What is the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner like to use?

Once you've got to grips with the different parts of the Kärcher, you can get to work. You'll need to start by filling the Kärcher SC3 EasyFix Extra with tap water. This is really simple and can be done under the sink, but there is a special, unique extra that almost all Kärcher users comment on. The reservoir on the top is open, which means you can top up the Kärcher as you clean, rather than having to stop and go back to the sink. Whilst this was useful, Madeline noted that hers needed "refilling quite often if you're cleaning a large area." She added that the open reservoir requires you to "be mindful that jerking the machine around could cause water to slop out or tip over."

Once the reservoir is full, you can choose which water setting you use (depending on the hardness of the water in your area and you can select two levels of steam, depending on how intense your cleaning needs will be. With that, you're ready to start cleaning, just make sure you know the everyday things you should never use a steam cleaner on too.

Madeline, our expert tester, instantly noticed that the Kärcher SC3 EasyFix felt "light and easy to move around," she added "it's nice and quiet when operating and less effort than a mop." She found gliding over the hard floors of her large Karndean kitchen a breeze and very satisfying, but also noted that the steamer dispenses some water before cleaning, so "be mindful to clear that over the sink before starting."

As we mentioned at the beginning, Madeline's floors go through a lot. Not only does she live in a busy home, she also has a cat and an elderly incontinent dog, so she describes them as "having seen better days." She was pleased to see that the Kärcher SC 3 EasyFix "worked well to quickly clean the area and it was nice not to have to use chemicals and know it was hygienic." Madeline also commented on the flexible head, as she found it was really effective at reaching into even the tightest spaces in the kitchen.

The hard floor tests were the perfect place for the Kärcher to shine, especially against Madeline's mop. She added that the heat and lightness of the steam meant that her floor dried a lot quicker too. Madeline's only word of warning is that "over time, the handle is uncomfortable to grip and could be more ergonomic to hold," so it's better for smaller, quicker mopping jobs than deep, whole home cleans.

The next test that Madeline put the Kärcher SC3 EasyFix through was in the bathroom. She used the detail nozzle, in her grout and found the size was perfect for getting "black gunk out of the corners of the cubicle," she added, "it was really satisfying watching the steam cleaner reach the bits that are usually tricky to clean."

The lightness of a steam cleaner, as opposed to wiping, is also brilliant for shower screens and mirrors, especially if you have the "extra" package. These will give your glass gleam without any streaks and have been a true highlight amongst lots of other reviewers, as will as with Madeline.

Her only note on using the Kärcher in the bathroom is that it "cleaned, but didn't improve the colour of my grout." If you're going for a deep and thorough clean of your bathroom, you'd want a treatment to clean out any mould beforehand.

Our final test for steam cleaners is always on fabrics, be it a carpet, rug, sofa, or curtain. Madeline found that the Kärcher SC 3 moved easily over her carpets, but didn’t remove the minor marks that she was hoping it could lift. She was "disappointed that neither rug looked much cleaner afterwards," but added "the description on their website only claims to ‘freshen’ up carpets though so perhaps I was expecting too much."

There are plenty of other steam cleaners that are designed to get deep into the fabric of rugs and carpets alike, but these often tip into wet vacuum territory. It's worth noting that the Kärcher is much better on hard surfaces and really only refreshes fabrics.

Cleaning the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner

It's important that your steam cleaner is easy to maintain, otherwise you end up with yet another job on your to-do list. Madeline found the unit is easy to clean. "I had to simply drain the water over the sink after removing the decalcification cartridge," she says, adding to "take care not to push this in too hard as it can get stuck."

This is also where the floor cloths included in the extra package come in handy, because you can cover more ground without having to clean them. Kärcher says these are safe to pop in the washing machine once you've cleaned with them, so they are low maintenance anyway.

Should you buy the Kärcher SC3 Steam Cleaner?

So, after weeks of cleaning with the Kärcher SC3, what does Madeline think. She describes it as "a nice tool to have if you want to keep hard floors sparkling and enjoy cleaning regularly," however, she adds that "it won’t replace the need for a carpet cleaner or chemicals for other areas around the house."

How we test steam cleaners

At woman&home, we have a series of standardised tests that we put all our steam cleaners through. They have to polish hard floors until they shine, lift dirt out of grout in the bathroom, and get stains our of your fabrics at home. We make sure to test all the steam cleaners thoroughly before taking a step back and comparing them to other models on the market, as well as looking at their value, design, and maintenance needs. By the end of the review, you should be clear on whether this is the cleaner for you, but if you still have questions, don't hesitate to ask me, or visit our dedicated page on how we test steam cleaners.