Steam Cleaner

Accumulator said:
The idea, put forth by companies that don`t offer the continuous fill, is that it somehow diminishes performance. Forget the details of their argument (inability to attain higher pressures? or maybe.. requires a too-small boiler?) didn`t really pay attention as I simply wanted/needed to be freed from the "wait until it cools down" which was more of an issue than I`d expected.
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I believe this is the statement you are referring to -

"Because the boiler tanks are small, they tend to run low on water quickly. Then what happens? The boiler tank calls on the reservoir tank for more water. The problem is this "new" water is cold!! So each time the reservoir tank sends water to the boiler tank, the pressure drops. Now the user must wait for the pressure to build back up before they can return to cleaning. On top of this, because the water in the tank never gets quite hot enough, the continuous fill machines tend to run "wet". In the world of steam cleaning, running wet is not good."
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Well I have pretty limited use with my machine so far, but for now I see no downside. There is a pump which transfers liquid from the fill reservoir to the boiler on demand. From the time you turn the unit on (from being cool) to the time you have steam is under 5 minutes, so I doubt it is completely filling the boiler, or perhaps it has a tiny boiler, and only makes steam as needed. I noticed if I run the machine without letting off the trigger for many minutes, the pressure may drop some as indicated by the digital gauge, but it goes right back up when I let off the trigger for a minute to wipe something down.

As you mentioned, it is a significantly cheaper option compared to the ever popular VX5000. I couldn`t justify the cost of a VX5000 or other higher end units with how little work I actually do that could benefit from a steamer, so I am extremely pleased so far with the drastic performance benefit vs. the cheap unit I had prior to the Reliable BRIO.
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ShakingHorizons said:
I believe this is the statement you are referring to -

"Because the boiler tanks are small, they tend to run low on water quickly. Then what happens? The boiler tank calls on the reservoir tank for more water. The problem is this "new" water is cold!! So each time the reservoir tank sends water to the boiler tank, the pressure drops. Now the user must wait for the pressure to build back up before they can return to cleaning. On top of this, because the water in the tank never gets quite hot enough, the continuous fill machines tend to run "wet". In the world of steam cleaning, running wet is not good."
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This is getting interesting. I`ve still got my old Gaia steamer that I`ve had for probably a decade now. I`m actually hoping it poops out b/c I`d like a new one, but I have no idea what I`d get. If the boiler is big enough, it should last long enough for just about any job. My Gaia lasts an hour with a 1L boiler. I was using it tonight to clean grout.
 
Continuous refill is worth every penny. I haven`t ever noticed a performance change as it pumps water into the boiler. The only time I`ve started to lose pressure is when steaming almost constantly for a good 5 minutes, even then it still is plenty to keep working, just not as forceful. Wait a minute or two and it catches up. As for running wet, the only time I have an issue with excess moisture in the steam is when the hose is cold, or not up to temp. I usually give a good blast of steam for a few seconds on high pressure to heat the hose up and no more "wet"
 
+1 on continuous refill, it is definitely worth every penny

+2 on detergent injection, but this a luxury feature and I`m okay to live without it.
 
Time for an update FINALLY! Water temp, Temp outside and in the garage were all 54°F

First up was the BRIO -

At first I was taken back at just how SMALL this thing is! I hooked it all up and filled it with distilled water. The manual stated that it takes about 4 minutes to be operational. Now, I didn`t use a timer, but it was damn close to 4 minutes! Plentiful attachments (but no where to store them unfortunately) and just feels like a quality machine. Steam production was great and can really be dialed back if necessary. I love that the reservoir is not the boiler. You can add water at any time without affecting the steam temperature.

Now for the MC1385 -

Much larger and the ergonomics of it were great. Everything had its place and the stand up handle was perfect. Filling this thing is a nightmare - I almost gave up before powering it on honestly, it sucked that bad. After finally get it filled, I flipped the switch on. The manual said nothing about heat up time so I had nothing to go off of. Well, after 10 minutes the needle hadn`t even moved. At the 20 minute mark it finally made it in to the green zone. Pulled the trigger and it dropped back down out of the green. Another 10 minutes and we were FINALLY up and running. I was quite discouraged at this point based on the events thus far. Regardless, I pushed on. Pull the trigger on low and this thing spits water everywhere - let off the trigger and it spits water everywhere. Turn it up to high and get ready for a bath! Attempted to refill the reservoir and was met with steam for 3 minutes - apparently the reservoir is also the boiler. While the MC1385 does hold more capacity than the BRIO, you can`t refill nearly as easily or while in the midst of cleaning. I LOVED the hardwood floor attachments that came with this - a lot of thought was put in to those.


I was only able to test those 2 out today, but here is my conclusion based on only these -

BRIO - an overall quality machine that at this point is my #1 choice.

MC1385 - too many quirks that just really got on my nerves, along with water shooting everywhere, made me pack this back up and put it in the return pile.


I`m hoping to get to the MR-100 PRIMO tomorrow.
 
Wish I had a positive update, but I don`t.

In short, the MR-100 accessories are few and crap. After my post about the MC1385 spewing water, I didn`t think it could get worse........well the MR-100 proved me wrong. I didn`t even clean anything with it like I did the other 2 as I didn`t want to start a lake in my vehicle.

So - test concluded. The BRIO is my choice to keep.
 
Thank you for the reviews. I have a Steamfast steamer that is built for clothes and curtains that does a great job, that I have had for years. I just ordered a Steamfast 370 to try out on some carpet stains and other projects. It is in the $120 - $150 price range, I will report back how it works out.
 
Troy@Protekt said:
I`ve been using steamers for a lot of years now. The McCulloch was the only cheap steamer I ever tried to use. It sucked.

Had a eurosteam which was ok but then found a Technovap (Dupray) continuous fill machine on ebay. I liked it. Got a year out of it before it bit the dust. Just had another one crap out on me. Same unit. It lasted less than a year. Decided to buy a Vapor Chief 100psi. Reasons; price, power but most importantly I believe I will be able to service this unit without having to ship it off for repair. Just got it today actually.

IMO, you`re not going to find a steamer worth using for under $500.
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A little update 2 months in with this unit. Love it! Pleasure to use compared to the smaller used units I was using.

Also, I`m impressed with the customer service so far. I broke the clips on the triangle attachment early on because I tried to use the bonnet that comes with it. Very tight fit causing me to break the clips taking it off. So I ordered a new one and mentioned in the comments section why I`m buying another one. I got an e-mail not long after telling me he voided my order and is sending me a replacement free of charge. That impressed me.
 
Yeah, vapor chief is the best you can buy before you need stupid money .. aka optima and fortador

Got the 75 single pro.. but should of went for the 100 or even 125psi model
 
nothingface5384 said:
Yeah, vapor chief is the best you can buy before you need stupid money .. aka optima and fortador

Got the 75 single pro.. but should of went for the 100 or even 125psi model
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I was planning to pick up a 75 at some point. They have a sale going on which ends today I think.

What is your take on getting the 100 or 125 over the 75? Do you feel the 75 isn`t enough for the type of work you do?

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
IME anything less potent than 75psi isn`t even enough for light household use. That`s about my cut-off level for "genuinely useful steamers" and IME even a little more can make a surprisingly big diff. My #2 steamer (which recently died) was rated in the mid-70s and there were plenty of times I shut it down in frustration and went out to the shop to get the Daimer instead.
 
Accumulator said:
IME anything less potent than 75psi isn`t even enough for light household use. That`s about my cut-off level for "genuinely useful steamers" and IME even a little more can make a surprisingly big diff. My #2 steamer (which recently died) was rated in the mid-70s and there were plenty of times I shut it down in frustration and went out to the shop to get the Daimer instead.
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Agreed. Every bit of psi helps. And your higher models (100psi+) are in a league of their own. I will never buy a steamer rated less than 100psi again
 
RaydiantDetail said:
I was planning to pick up a 75 at some point. They have a sale going on which ends today I think.

What is your take on getting the 100 or 125 over the 75? Do you feel the 75 isn`t enough for the type of work you do?

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
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It works well
Few reasons..the. More PSI the faster it cleans
2..I had the money at the time so should have
Continuous fill is nice option, though I haven`t needed that yet.
 
ShaneB said:
Agreed. Every bit of psi helps. And your higher models (100psi+) are in a league of their own. I will never buy a steamer rated less than 100psi again
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Yeah.

Note that those of us who already spent plenty for steamers kinda lean towards spending *even more* if/when we revisit the market. I doubt anyone has ever found any steamer to be "more potent than they really need".

nothingface53840 said:
Continuous fill is nice option, though I haven`t needed that yet.
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And though I really don`t think I use it all that much, I`d be miserable without the continuous fill. Funny how fast I run through a tank of water, and the Daimer holds quite a lot.
 
Shaking - Does your unit CALL for distilled water...

IME, distilled water is hard on the metal, etc.The boilers and all that jazz , generally like water with ~stuff~ in it....
 
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