If you require a quick answer, the best car steam cleaner is the Dupray NEAT, which is a full-size steamer that’s built to the highest of standards and comes with 17 different accessories to deep clean your car’s interior. However, if you would prefer a more affordable handheld steamer, the Comforday HH2214 is the best alternative.
To rate the car steam cleaners within this article, we based our recommendations on testing, the latest research and several factors. The factors we considered included the steam temperature, time taken to reach its optimum temperature, duration of steam per tank, accessories supplied, power cord length, weight, warranty and value for money.
Best Car Steam Cleaner Overview
- Best Overall: Dupray NEAT
- Best Professional: Kärcher SC5 EasyFix
- Best Value Full Size: Ewbank Dynamo
- Best Handheld: Comforday HH2214
- Best Performing Handheld: BISSELL SteamShot
- Best Value Handheld: Belaco Multipurpose
Even if you use some of the best-rated car upholstery cleaners, they’ll never be able to provide as deep of a clean when compared to steam cleaning. The powerful hot steam provides unbeatable cleaning power that’s safe to use and can completely transform neglected interiors that are covered in all sorts of dirt and grime.
Below is a list of the best steam cleaners for cars that are available as powerful full-size or handheld cleaners.
The Best Car Steam Cleaners
1. Best Overall: Dupray NEAT Steam Cleaner
By far one of the most popular full-size steam cleaners on the market that’s ideal for cars is the Dupray NEAT. It has a heavy-duty design and a large capacity that’s capable of providing up to 50 minutes of steam cleaning per fill-up.
- Provides up to 135°C of steam
- Takes 7 minutes to reach optimum temperature
- Supplied with a 17 piece accessory kit
- Equipped with a 2 metre steam hose
- Retractable handle
- CE and RoHS approved
- Backed by a 2 year warranty
- Relatively expensive when compared to the alternatives
Although relatively expensive, the Dupray NEAT is the best steam cleaner for cars that’s ideal for car valeting. It comes with all the attachments required to give your interior or engine bay a deep clean as well as a two-year warranty for complete peace of mind.
2. Best Professional: Kärcher SC5 EasyFix Steam Cleaner
Whether you are a professional, detailing enthusiast or someone that simply wants the best money can buy, the Karcher SC5 is a great option to consider. According to the brand, it’s designed to kill 99.99% of bacteria and this is thanks to the powerful 4.2 bar heated steam along with the “Vapo” hydro function.
- Powerful 4.2 bar of steam pressure
- Refillable 1.5 litre tank
- Supplied with a variety of attachments and brushes
- Backed by a two year warranty
- The most expensive machine within this roundup
Karcher are well known for their pressure washers and their SC series of steam cleaners follows that great reputation. The SC5 in particular is the brand’s new and improved model that’s designed for maximum performance and it certainly won’t disappoint. However, the premium price that it comes with is quite off-putting for those that want a basic machine.
3. Best Value Full Size: Ewbank Dynamo Steam Cleaner
If you want a full-size steam cleaner for your car but don’t want to pay the premium price tag, the Ewbank Dynamo is the perfect solution. Although it’s a relatively affordable machine, it still packs plenty of performance with up to 3.4 bar of steam pressure that provides continuous steam for up to 45 minutes.
- Supplied with a variety of tools
- Continuous steam for up to 45 minutes
- 54PSI (3.4 bar) of steam pressure
- Ideal for car and home use
- Available in red or black
- Not as high quality as the Karcher and Dupray machines
To conclude, the Ewbank Dynamo is by far the best option for those on a tight budget but still require a full-size machine. It offers plenty of steam power to tackle even the toughest of dirt as well as a range of useful attachments to make giving your car a deep clean far easier.
4. Best Handheld: Comforday HH2214 Car Steam Cleaner
If you would prefer a handheld alternative, the Comforday brand has the answer. Their compact steam cleaner comes as a 9-piece kit and provides up to 20 minutes of powerful hot steam between fill-ups.
- Fast heating time (3 to 4 minutes)
- Provides up to 20 minutes of hot steam
- Supplied with 9 accessories
- Weighs just 1.78 KG
- May require refilling regularly due to its small size
Overall, the Comforday Handheld Steam Cleaner is the best handheld option on the market that combines great performance with value for the money. Whether you use it for car valeting or around the house, it won’t disappoint.
5. Best Performing Handheld: BISSELL SteamShot Multi-Purpose Steamer
Another popular handheld steam cleaner that’s ideal for use with cars is the BISSELL SteamShot. It’s a multi-purpose cleaner that comes with 8 attachments and an extra-long power cable for working your way around the car.
- Extra long 4.8 metre cable
- Supplied with 8 accessories
- Built-in safety cap
- Max water capacity of 360 ml
- Ergonomically designed handle and trigger
- Backed by a 2 year warranty
- By far the most expensive handheld machine within this roundup
Although more expensive than the Comforday alternative, the BISSELL SteamShot is a high-quality steam cleaner that’s backed by a reputable brand. It also comes with a two-year warranty for complete peace of mind.
6. Best Value Handheld: Belaco Multipurpose Steam Cleaner
One of the cheapest car steam cleaners that’s actually worth buying is the handheld Belaco steamer. It’s a lightweight cleaner that comes with 9 accessories and a distinctive long nozzle to reach all the tight areas within your car.
- Double layer shell structure to prevent heat loss
- CE and RoHS approved in the UK
- Max water capacity of 250 ml
- 3 metre long power cable
- Robust construction
- Not as powerful as the alternatives
- Small water capacity (250ml), which means it will require regular refills
Overall, the Belaco Handheld Steam Cleaner is a great budget option that’s ideal for car cleaning or around the house. Considering its low price tag, you really can’t go wrong and it won’t disappoint.
How We Tested & Rated
Investing in a steam cleaner for cleaning your car is a great way to tackle tough dirt and grime and there is plenty to choose from. Whether you need a full-size or handheld steam cleaner, we’ve tried and tested several machines from multiple brands.
As you can see in the image, we are using the Karcher steam cleaner within a door bin that had gathered lots of dirt from spilt drinks. However, we also own the Dupray NEAT and a handheld steamer too.
As well as testing, we also based our recommendations on research and several factors. The factors that we considered included the steam temperature, time taken to reach its optimum temperature, duration of steam per tank, accessories that are supplied, power cord length, weight, warranty and value for money.
Conclusion
Car steam cleaners aren’t the cheapest detailing tool but when used correctly, they can take your car cleaning routine to the next level. Whether you want a powerful full-size cleaner or an easy to use handheld alternative, both are more than ideal for cars. All of our recommendations include a variety of car steam cleaners that are suitable for all budgets and are more than capable of providing a deep clean to a range of interior components.
If you require further information with regards to our car steam cleaner recommendations, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.
