Euro-Pro S3501 Shark Steam Pocket Mop Review

Wednesday, 10 November 2010

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A very popular item at this time, the Euro-Pro S3501 Deluxe Steam Pocket Mop has received praise from consumers on many websites. It is a best seller on Amazon and many bucket and mop sceptics appear to have been converted. Average consumer ratings for this steam mop are about 8.5 out of 10. It reportedly does a great cleaning job and is considered by most to be very easy to use. It can also be found discounted on some sites for under $100. [REF Euro-Pro Vacuum Reviews 2010]

A review of consumer ratings from across the web yielded the following consumer ratings for the Euro-Pro Shark S3501 Deluxe Steam Pocket Mop:

Source	Consumer Ratings	#Ratings
Amazon	4 stars out of 5	291
Macy's	4.3 stars out of 5	18
Epinions	4.5 stars out of 5	20
Viewpoints	4.45 stars out of 5	49
Walmart	4.5 stars out of 5	166
Home Depot	4.3 stars out of 5	6
Sears	4.5 stars out of 5	17

The above statistics indicate that there is a fairly high level of satisfaction with this Shark Steam Mop. Also, a review of many consumer comments has provided the following common S3501 likes and dislikes:

PROS
- Lightweight
- Very easy to use
- Does a great cleaning job
- Small footprint and simple to store
- Good for homes with pets (muddy floors)
- Produces lots of steam
- Power cord is long
- Heats up quickly
- No chemicals

CONS
- Have to wait for it to cool before changing pads
- No on/off switch. The unit must be unplugged
- Cleaning pads do have to be replaced (there are consumables)

Steam Mop Features
The S3501 Shark Steam Mop is easy to assemble out of the box and it comes with a telescopic handle that allows one to adjust it to a comfortable length. The dimensions of the unit are 7 x 13 x 51.5 inches. Two interchangeable heads come with this steam mop, one standard head (for typical mopping) and one triangular head (for getting into corners and hard to reach areas). To accommodate the different heads the S3501 comes with 2 two-sided microfiber triangular pads and 2 two sided microfiber rectangular pads. An extra large rectangular pad is also included and additional pads can be purchased at several outlets. The steam heads are said to be very meneuverable and the S3501 has 180 degree swivel action steering.

Euro-Pro indicate that tap water can be used by there are many consumer comments promoting the use of distilled water. Some folks have indicated that some tap water (presumably hard water with high mineral content) will create mineral build-up inside the unit and over time cause problems. The water tank on the S3501 holds 15 ounces and this is said to provide about 25 minutes of cleaning. Filling the tank is also considered to be quite easy – it has a lid that screws open and the opening is fairly large.

After the unit is plugged in it takes about 30 seconds before it heats up and is ready to clean. The water/steam left behind is quite hot and is said to evaporate quite quickly leaving surfaces dry in a minimal amount of time. Steam is pumped out of the unit as it is moved back and forth in a mopping motion. Much of the marketing material discusses the ability of the mop to “sterilize” surfaces. This is likely the case with some bacteria but we are not sure about others. The floor surfaces are hot to the touch after cleaning however.

The power cord on the S3501 is 30 feet in length providing the ability to finish large areas without having to hunt for another outlet. In our experience 30 feet is the minimum we suggest for most vacuum cleaners and several meet the criteria (although most do not).

The Shark Steam Pocket Mop also comes with something called a “carpet glider”. This device deodorizes rugs and carpeting. It is also said to be useful for “refreshing” carpets and can remove indentations after furniture has been moved for example. Keep in mind that this is not doing any carpet cleaning however.

The S3501 is designed to clean hard surfaces such as linoleum, hardwood floors, tile, and vinyl. The unit itself is very light, weighing in at about 5 lbs, and it carries a 1-year warranty. The cleaning path of the unit is 12.5 inches.

Owner’s Manual
If you wish to read more beyond this review you may want to peruse the S3501 Shark Steam Pocket Mop manual.

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