Portable Electric Tools: Black & Decker Steam Cleaning Units
Black & Decker's four new steam cleaning units use water to kill 99.9 percent of germs to achieve a deep down clean.
“We’ve identified four areas with steam cleaning products that were in need of improvement and innovation: steam mops that are difficult to fill; units with awkward controls; insufficient cleaning power; and units that are unable to access difficult areas like tight corners,” said Austin Wilcox, product manager at Black & Decker. “The new Black & Decker Steam Cleaning Units allow users to clean multiple floor surface types like tile, vinyl, stone, marble and even sealed hard wood. Consumers are able to get a deep down clean using only water.”
Features include a removable water tank that allows users to fill directly into the water reservoir and a digital handle command which provides adjustable steam setting controls right in the handle. Two of the new models include SmartSelect technology where consumers can choose a steam setting to address individual floor types.
Smart Select provides three different steam settings that correspond to different floor types to produce the right amount of steam to clean the selected floor material. The wood setting is the lowest and keeps the unit safe for sealed hardwood floors, thus eliminating the guess work as to what setting is safe for your floor.
Select models include the steam burst feature which produces up to 50 percent more steam in a 10 second burst. The steam burst option is useful for removing tough grime and stains in heavily soiled areas.
An additional feature on select models, the Lift & Reach detail head, is designed to provide access to tight spaces and corners. All of the new steam mop units have an automatic upright shut off which helps protects floors from damage during pauses in cleaning, a 15-second heat up time and a ready-to go illumination tank that changes from red to blue to let users know when the steam mop reaches the correct temperature.
The SmartSelect Deluxe Steam Mop with Handle Command (BDH1760SM) is the signature steam mop unit and features the one-touch steam burst option, removable Lift & Reach detail head for hard to reach places and Handle Command which gives users complete control of floor surface settings from digital controls on the handle of the unit. This unit features a swiveling floor head for easy maneuverability. The BDH1760SM is self-standing and includes a carpet glider, two large cleaning pads and two Lift & Reach cleaning pads. The BDH1760SM will have a suggested retail price of $119.99.
The 2-in-1 SmartSelect Steam Mop with Handle Command (BDH1850SM) includes Handle Command steam adjustment and the steam burst option. An on-board detachable hand held steam cleaner is useful for cleaning non-floor surfaces like bathroom wall tile, grout, and kitchen countertops. This unit includes a carpet glider, fill cup and two large cleaning pads as well as five additional accessories for the detachable cleaner: a hose, grout brush, detail brush, adjustable steam nozzle and squeegee. The BDH1850SM will have a suggested retail price of $139.99.
The SmartSelect Steam Mop (BDH1720SM) features a SmartSelect dial for selecting floor type. This self-standing unit also includes two large cleaning pads, a removable tank and hands-free pad removal and will have a suggested retail price of $79.99.
The Handheld Steamer (BDH1800SM) is great for cleaning kitchen and bathroom surfaces. The unit includes a steam ready indicator, one Lift & Reach cleaning pad and seven additional accessories: a Lift & Reach detail head useful for cleaning counters, bathroom wall tile, grout and small flat surfaces; a grout brush to clean corners and grout; detail brush for cleaning stoves and ovens; adjustable steam nozzle useful for targeting a jet of steam at tough stains; squeegee for use on vertical surfaces; large brush; and hose. The BDH1800SM will have a suggested retail price of $79.99.