Comparison Karcher SC 3 Deluxe EasyFix Premium vs Karcher SC 3 EasyFix

In addition to the main unit of any steam cleaner, in which the actual conversion of water into steam takes place, steam cleaners are equipped with a different number of nozzles and accessories for various tasks. Among them, there are a floor nozzle, a carpet nozzle, a textile nozzle, a spot nozzle, an angle nozzle, a flat nozzle, a round brush, a brush, a tile grout brush, a fabric nozzle, a a window nozzle, a window squeegee, a flexible hose, an iron, an ironing board. A few words about them:

– Floor nozzle. Nozzle for cleaning floors – mostly smooth, without a special coverage (tiles, stone, etc.). It is used in combination with a bar or hose like a vacuum cleaner; the shape usually also resembles the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner. The design usually provides a brush to remove dirt, and the set may include a cloth, when installed, such a device turns into a fabric nozzle (see below).

- Nozzle for carpets. Wide nozzles for refreshing carpets,...textile paths, carpeted floors and other surfaces of similar texture. Their use allows you to restore the elasticity of carpet fibers under the influence of steam. Attachments of this type are in addition to floor nozzles, their frame allows you to effectively glide on carpets.

- Nozzle for textiles. A narrow elongated nozzle with many pinholes in a row for steam to escape. It is used to refresh clothes, smooth out light wrinkles, eliminate odors. Can be used to process clothes on hangers, curtains or curtains. Often, the design of the nozzle for textiles includes a special device for removing lint.

– Spot nozzle. A long and narrow nozzle with a very small outlet that produces a fine, directional steam jet. Designed mainly for work in small areas and in cramped conditions: for example, with a spot nozzle, you can effectively treat individual spots on the surface of a stove or angles between tiled walls. For more convenient and effective removal of dirt, the nozzle can be equipped with its own round brush.

– Angle nozzle. A nozzle used mainly for working in hard-to-reach places. In terms of capabilities, it is similar to the spot nozzle described above, however, the nozzle itself in such devices is bent at an angle relative to the nozzle itself (hence the name). This shape allows to easily reach where more traditional nozzles cannot reach – for example, to clean the space under the rim of the toilet.

- Flat nozzle. Nozzle in the form of a scraper with a narrow elongated nozzle to release steam. Used to remove stubborn dirt from flat surfaces. The power of steam softens them, and dried dirt is easily removed with the tip of a scraper.

– Round brush. A type of brush used in traditional steam cleaners (other than garment steamers) to clean floors and other surfaces. Usually, such a brush has a small size and is intended for cramped conditions and small spaces where a full-sized floor nozzle is not possible or does not make sense to use. In particular, it is convenient to clean the seams between tiles with such a device.

— Brush. A distinctive feature of such nozzles for steam cleaners is the presence of a characteristic bristle. The brushes are supposed to be used for working with floor coverings, plumbing, tiles, etc. First, the dirt on the surfaces is softened with steam, then it is easier to wipe them off with a brush. There are brushes with different lengths and stiffness of the pile. Nozzles with soft bristles are designed for cleaning sensitive surfaces to avoid scratches, with hard bristles for processing unpretentious materials.

- Tile grout brush. Specialized nozzles for effective cleaning of grime between tile joints. As a rule, they are a point nozzle, on both sides of which bristles are located. Due to the combination of high temperature and mechanical friction, even deeply embedded dirt is removed from the tile spaces.

— Window nozzle. Nozzle for washing windows with hot steam. Steam is supplied to the glass directly through such a device – this is how window nozzles differ from the squeegees described below. Otherwise, these two types of accessories are very similar in principle of operation: in both a special scraper is used to remove dirt from the glass. Also note that in some steam cleaners, the feature of a window nozzle is performed by another type of accessory (for example, a nozzle for textiles), on which a squeegee is installed; at the same time, if desired, the squeegee can be used separately.

– Window squeegee. Scraper for cleaning windows, used separately from the appliance: first, the glass is treated with hot steam, and then the moisture, together with the softened dirt, is manually collected with a squeegee. This procedure is somewhat more complicated than using the window nozzle described above, and also somewhat less effective; therefore, this type of accessory is rarely found in modern steam cleaners. And in some models, the window squeegee can be used both as a hand tool and as an adapter that turns another type of nozzle into a glass washer.

- Flexible hose. A flexible extension hose is attached to the outlet nozzle of the steam cleaner to allow operation in hard to reach places that are difficult to reach without the use of accessories. The flexible hose helps to direct the steam in the right direction and reach the most remote areas in any corner of the house. Other suitable specialized nozzles can be installed on the end of the hose. The presence of a flexible hose is indicated for portable models and steam mops, where it is supplied as an option. In household steam cleaners, the hose is an integral part of the standard equipment of the device.

– Iron. A classic iron connected to a steam cleaner with a hose. Such equipment actually turns the device into a steam generator for ironing; and models equipped with an ironing board are often comparable in functionality to full-fledged ironing systems.

– Ironing board. The classic ironing board is a horizontal surface used for ironing fabrics. Allows you to turn the steam cleaner into a system not only for the house cleaning but also for linen ironing.

Modern steam cleaners may come with items and accessories other than those described above. For example, steam vacuum cleaners (see above) can be equipped with "vacuum cleaner" nozzles – dust and crevice nozzles; and in more traditional models, you can find special nozzles for carpets.

The steam flow provided by the steam cleaner. For models with power and/or humidity controls, this item indicates the maximum possible value.

When choosing according to this indicator, note that the performance characterizes only the amount of water steam produced by the device per minute. The intensity of the impact of this steam on the treated surface/product can be different, first of all, it depends on the working pressure. Therefore, only devices with similar pressure indicators can be directly compared by this indicator. In such comparisons, it is worth assuming that high performance allows to cope with larger volumes of work faster, but requires more powerful heaters and capacious tanks – which, in turn, affects the dimensions, weight and price of the entire steam cleaner.

The volume of the water boiler used in the steam cleaner.

First of all, we emphasize that you should not confuse the boiler and the water tank (see below). A boiler is a tank in which water is heated to form steam; in some models, such a tank is supplemented by a cold water tank, in others, the entire supply of water is located directly in the boiler. Accordingly, the meaning of this parameter depends on whether the unit has an additional tank or not.

If there is a separate tank in the design, then the volume of the boiler is rather a secondary indicator: it is selected in such a way as to provide the claimed performance characteristics, primarily productivity (and it is worth focus on these characteristics when choosing). If there is no tank, then the volume of the boiler directly depends on how much water will fit in the unit and how long it can work on one such “charge”. At the same time, an increase in volume allows you to work longer without refueling, but it affects the dimensions, weight, price, and often also the power consumption of the device (a more capacious boiler requires a more powerful heater).

The volume of the water tank provided in the device.

This parameter should not be confused with the volume of the boiler (see above): in this case, we are talking about a reservoir with a supply of cold water, from which such water enters the boiler for heating. Not every steam cleaner is equipped with such a tank - see "Options" for details. tank for water". As for volumes, a large capacity, on the one hand, allows you to work longer without refuelling. On the other hand, it affects the dimensions, weight and cost of the unit. Therefore, in handheld devices and steam mops (see "Type"), the volume of the tank does not even reach 1 litre — for such devices, compactness and light weight are more important than the ability to do without unnecessary refills. Similar tanks can also be found among household steam cleaners, but most of this equipment still holds 1 - 2 litres. And tanks of more than 2 litres are used mainly in powerful professional units.

A protective device that prevents a critical increase in pressure in the working tank of the steam cleaner. When the pressure reaches a critical value, the safety valve opens and releases excess steam; this helps to avoid troubles such as damage to the boiler or even the explosion of the device and injury to people nearby.

Safety system in case a curious little child gets to the steam cleaner. The specific way the child lock works may vary. So, often it provides blocking the opening of the water tank — during operation, there is high-temperature steam under high pressure in the tank, and opening it, a curious baby can easily get a serious burn or injury. In some models, the controls may also be locked so that the child cannot turn on the device or, taking advantage of the inattention of adults, change its mode of operation.

A special compartment for storing nozzles and other accessories, usually located directly in the body of the steam cleaner.

Note that most often the nozzle compartment is designed for accessories of a relatively small size. However, even such a device greatly simplifies the storage and transportation of the device: for additional items you do not have to look for a separate package.

The length of the steam supply hose supplied with the steam cleaner.

The longer the hose, the farther you can reach without moving the device itself. On the other hand, a large length can create inconvenience during storage and transportation, as well as when working at short distances.