NEW AT HARBOR FREIGHT! New Budget Friendly Steam Cleaner - FULL REVIEW

Harbor Freight just released a new handheld steam cleaner under the Grant's brand. At $34.99 this little steamer is very cheap but how does it actually perform? Is it good for car detailing, for around the house or both? In today's video we jump in and test this little unit to see how effective it actually is. From unboxing this steam cleaner, to testing how long the steam actually lasts for such a small unit, and finally how effective it is at cleaning. This is a longer video so I time stamped everything so you can jump ahead if needed... ENJOY!!!
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PRODUCTS USED IN THIS VIDEO:
New Grants Handheld Steamer - www.harborfreight.com/1200-wa...
McCulloch Handheld Steamer - amzn.to/3SfqZJn
My favorite Budget Steamer - amzn.to/3TXN28O
Best Budget Steamer Video - • STEAM CLEANER FOR YOUR...
TIME CODES:
0:00 - New Harbor Freight Steam Cleaner
1:13 - Unboxing
1:40 - Featured & Accessories
5:17 - Prepping for use
6:28 - How long does it take to produce steam?
7:28 - How long does the steam last?
12:09 - Car Interior Cleaning
12:48 - Window Cleaning
14:28 - Cleaning Wood Floors
18:40 - Cleaning a BBQ
20:56 - Cutting through Grease
22:08 - Final Thoughts
#harborfreight #steamcleaner #cardetailing #Grantshandheldsteamer
**These are affiliate links to the products. We make a small commission on anything purchased from our links.
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond my control, I cannot guarantee against improper use of the information I share in my videos. (IMJOSHV) assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not (IMJOSHV) or any business affiliated to (IMJOSHV).

[@DiamondPaintWithDiamondDave]

I've been using one since around the same time this video came out (just now finding the video) and it has become an integral part of my detail process. As an Uber driver who is also a detailer, it has helped me clean up plenty of messes left behind by drunk Bama students. Several instances of chewing gum stuck on my floormats, then stepped in the rest of the night...the next day, this little steamer got it right out in seconds...I cant imagine cleaning a car without it anymore.

[@geofftroxell4560]

Roll Tide

[@angeloreyes3727]

How do you use it on your car all the time if you have to plug it in right

[@xValorxSorax]

@@angeloreyes3727 they plug it in

[@squirehaggard4749]

⁠​⁠@@angeloreyes3727I’m guessing that he lives in a place that has electricity. Indoor plumbing, too.

[@SuaveMont]

I appreciate the 8mins hold, doesn't get more empirical than that.. Great job explaining the little features and possible applications. Thank you!

[@cutuupak]

Great tool, used it to take the tint off my car windows. It did exactly as it was suppose to. Only problem I had was it ran out of steam real quick. By the time I finished one window it was out of water!!! But it works.

[@BXGreen]

Nice review Josh ty. Good to know what it can do. Most of us don’t want a big steamer sitting around but comes in handy once in awhile.

[@LotusDetail77]

such a cool little unit. I can see that coming in handy for light to medium jobs or more so specific areas, where you just need some cup holders or areas on door panels touched up with some steam and you don't need to bring out the big steamer for a real quick task. I have an aqua pro steamer and for some jobs I don't need to get the whole thing going just for some stubborn areas, so this is a total win, especially at $35.

[@williampinchbeck4321]

Thanks Josh have a great weekend!!

[@josephnavarro3620]

Great review on a product I've been looking at. Thanks

[@WARMEZ911]

Nice little steamer from Harbor Freight! Great video as always with an honest non scripted review!

[@tedk9144]

Hi, I appreciate your review of the steamer. For my gas grill, I typically just use a clean new pump spray bottle with plain tap water, on mist setting while the grill is warm and a typical grill brush. Almost everything comes clean and drips down to the bottom. I've had good luck using this method on a grill with porcelain coated grates and cast iron ones on my current grill.

[@DavidStriker]

Nice little product. I bought one today to help with cleaning up the house for getting into tight spots and I like the idea of using it to sanitize the air vents. Definitely going to be used a lot . Thanks for the video .

[@byronlentz4825]

Thanks buddy for the review. I've been thinking about getting one.

[@joselozano0528]

Good video man. I'm a random that came across your video to research this exact steamer. Video is well produced & I learned something new. I'm a big time steam guy, & I didn't know you can do that with the vents. This method works great for polish or chrome rims, & if it's really bad you can use it to clean the seal gaskets around the windows. You can also use that floor attachment double up on the bonnets & use it to clean the head liner (be careful not to get it to wet & only if necessary). Anyway great video.👍🏽

[@MC_Reds_Mark]

Hey Josh! Great video and very helpful to know. I would be very interested in seeing a side by side comparison with the major brands of handheld units. Then another comparison video looking at the next size up units.

[@johnniejohnson8026]

Very educational for the price it seems to do the job thanks Josh

[@aowens7035]

Great review Brother I will try this product out not bad for the price and great for starters I just subscribed to your channel so I can learn more about auto detailing so I can start doing my own vehicles and my families vehicles.

[@ismondragon]

I saw it t HF and the first thing i wondered was if you were gonna do a review on this and like all your videos it didn’t disappoint thank you

[@ThePainkiller3666]

Greta vid man, hopefully we'll get a vid of you using it on a car further down the road.

[@dawndrew8313]

I bought the central after watching you n reading comments.Black Friday $89 ;) I gave my mom the hotshot..it is not working so watching this to decide again...lol Thanks!

[@MoparHollics]

Awesome video bud this unit seems great for the diy guy and once's every other day use 👍

[@roninvirtues8012]

Appreciate this video! I was looking to get a decent, affordable steamer for my car(s).

[@trickytrent5146]

It cleans the grout in my kitchen pretty nicely

[@dthomas1001]

Very thorough review. Thanks a lot!

[@dtimm612]

Loving your reviews, great details and thorough while staying on point, subscribed

[@Ridiculousvibez]

Just got one yesterday used it on floor mat worked bad ass!

[@nickwarren5800]

This is an awesome little steamer for in the house and in the car especially around the cup holders to break up spilled coffee drips that have hardened over time and in the back seat from the kids stuck on candy stains

[@segraves138]

Just picked one up yesterday. Excited to find things to use it on. Once I start I’m not going to be able to stop haha.

[@paulyde01]

Thanks for the review 👍

[@Playtrack22]

Thanks for review I bought it today and worth every penny cleaning wise I got for 30 bucks coupon.

[@b.williams4396]

Needed this video. Thanks.

[@ssclassof2000]

Would love to see a temp test with the short nozzle vs the hose to see how much heat is lost between the two.

[@ryanshutz4748]

I picked one up the other day, and have used it twice around the house just to test it out. I’m 100% satisfied with it at its price point. I have HF’s 1500W steam cleaner as well, but for quick small jobs I’d rather set this up over the bigger unit. Of coarse today I could have gotten 15% off, but it’s whatever. I’ll need something else tomorrow I’m sure :). Thanks for the review, Josh!

[@joselozano0528]

If it's 30 days or less (could be 90) they will price match & give you the difference.

[@wisdomSP]

Cool video mate. I may just have to get one of these. Wonder how well it would work to clean wheels. Based off what it did to your grill, it seems like the way to go.

[@krisperez275]

I used mines today to work on a commercial vehicle I liked it worked good for me

[@-OrangeTabby-]

Finally you got a haircut! Looks Great! LOL.... HF coming in with another strong budget detailing product for 35 dollars! Let's go! For a DIYer, I think this will work fantastic and not break bank, if you can get it with those coupons. Great Video, Josh.

[@richsmith3120]

I often wonder if these small steamers are worth the money spent for cleaning. Great examples on cleaning tips.

[@user-to3nx9ws4p]

got one like that from B&Q great ive a bigger one but this is handy for the car and a quick set up in the bathroom or kitchen

[@SwiftyMcVeigh851]

B&Q? Do you have a link? I absolutely want one of these, but the small size makes me hesitant...I don't want to refill and have to wait constantly... Also if I owned one I would only run distilled water through it...

[@kathysanchez5945]

Great video...Thanks for taking the time!!!

[@gettyfernandez5428]

Looks like a genuine review. Bought it before research. Great review.

[@imjoshv]

Thanks!

[@scottsigmon926]

Excellent review

[@danieltriana5512]

Great review !

[@kenabi]

this size of unit is fabulous for small jobs. if you're doing a full car interior, you should probably get a bigger unit, but even for starting out in detailing or occasional jobs, they work great.

[@arcforceworld]

now that dont look too bad. Might pick one up for some of them mystery stains around the house.

[@justinmarquez2826]

Yes please do a couple more like bissell and others

[@robertdimeglio7880]

After playing with the Grant & realizing the huge benefit & possibilities with the a steamer, I pulled the trigger on the Wagner... Now if my head could stop spinning over the unlimited possibilities with a all around wet/dry shop vac.... Too many options!!!!😬

[@TheSnatchbuckler]

I bought this exact steam cleaner at Walmart a couple years ago. Same accessory set, funnels, instructions, etc. The only difference is that the one I bought isn't branded. Solid red body, but I think the box was branded "auto drive" or whatever Walmart's store brand car accessories are called.

[@coreymerritt7742]

Right on thanks josh👍

[@michiganborn8303]

Good review Josh. Is this the proper tool I would need to remove (I think it's milk) stain from the cloth upholstery in the rear seat of my Tacoma? Would I need any specific chemicals like Blue Coral and a shop vac?

[@philipheilman5413]

good tip steam cleaning vents, vides are always good, what cameras do you use?

[@ScreaminBanshee559]

Love to see more steamers been wanting to buy one just not sure with one also did you know that Hart makes a cordless shampooer also like the Ryobi one you reviewed

[@keavinclark4859]

I just got one and I love it

[@stevenmccall2127]

You know HF has some great products and this looks like one. As of today 1/12/24 they have three coupons out with no exclusions, this price range gets 15% off = $29.75 + Tax. I will get one.

[@priestess333]

Great job 👍💯

[@doloresestrado75]

I purchased the steamer based on your review of it and am glad I did. So far after using it the only thing I don't like about it is showing the water level mark that is the same color as the measuring cup. Now, I think that is major nit-picking. The only thing I would like to know is whether you can use an extension cord with it?

[@wolfmansgoodies]

Awesome job

[@jiojimenez1120]

Great video, what brand is the pressure cleaner on the shelf behind you ? the gray one.

[@viperrcr]

Would love to see more portable steam cleaner videos like this and a head-to-head show-down.

[@imjoshv]

Thank you! I’ll get some others ordered

[@tsherwoodrzero]

@@imjoshv I tried out a chinese "2500 watt" ones with a 1 liter reservoir, using my BMW as the guinea pig after a Bissel Steamshot (about the same as this one from HF) just wasn't up to the job. Took a ton of pictures if you'd like to see the results.

[@A2ZREY]

Awesome stuff

[@hoobie7588]

Going to get one to steam clean crystal chandeliers!!

[@imjoshv]

Nice

[@steveschwab922]

Might try this with the 30% off sale this weekend.

[@gergemall]

Looks powerful ❤

[@davestewart9146]

As a DIYer my first thought was my engine bay, nice unit, thanks Josh 👍😁

[@DMUSA536]

I have a 65 Mustang and I thought of using this to clean valve covers and other areas without a lot of water

[@salami99]

degreaser and a brush work too

[@tsherwoodrzero]

These are a tweaked Bissel Steamshot, same accessories and everything. I tried out the Bissel one on my BMW E38's engine bay and was not impressed. Between the tiny reservoir (~8 ounces) and recharge time (~6 minutes in real world use), it's just too wimpy to do real work. That and having stop every 5 minutes completely KILLS your productivity. Plus, the temperature and pressure drops like a rock if you hold the trigger for more than a minute. I returned it the next day, went on ebay and got a chinese "2500w" steam cleaner for $40 with a 1 liter reservoir. It made quick work of pine tree sap and the thickest, chunkiest, nastiest engine goo you can think of. Imagine goo so thick that bolt heads vanish in it. Most of the time, It blasted through the goo. And for the areas it didn't, pre-treating with Dawn Powerwash and agitating with a household cleaning brush from walmart made it a breeze to de-gunk. 4x the reservoir and double the power means a LOT less downtime. Once refilled, it takes about 30-45 seconds to get back up and running. The extension on it is MUCH thinner too (around 10mm give or take), making deep, tight spots a lot easier to clean. This was while chasing/diagnosing a coolant leak and a TON of pictures were taken. The only downside is that the pump quit after 2 months of being worked HARD. I pushed it pretty hard for several hours a day to de-goo the engine bay. Probably just a weak pump from the factory that got out the door and failed under warranty (1 year). But for a car that was covered in pine tree sap and had 20 years of filth under the hood, I'm happy with the results.

[@zenaxia8063]

link?​@@tsherwoodrzero

[@scottweinstein4255]

​@@tsherwoodrzeroany chance you could post the brand, model, or seller you used on eBay?

[@user-eh5de2ik7c]

Awesome I'm going to pick it up and try it on a car that I'm doing tomorrow.

[@imjoshv]

Good luck! How did it work? I know it doesn’t have the longest run time compared to larger units but for the price it’s great

[@user-eh5de2ik7c]

They was sold out at my harbor freight . @@imjoshv

[@zachpieper6957]

Two questions how do you like the epic ceramic coating from Malco and what do you think of their products?

[@gdbigchicken8177]

I’ve been using this exact steamer for detailing and it works good for a beginner. I need to upgrade though because it doesn’t last long and can make you sore from how hard it is to press

[@imjoshv]

Yea that’s a fair point!

[@Mugenkidd82]

I bought a lil Bissell one.. didn't come with all the accessories. But i made my own tubing using suction tubing from my job. It works really well.

[@imjoshv]

Awesome!

[@Mugenkidd82]

​@@imjoshv You've definitely helped me choose my products for my business

[@jamesdavies686]

Missed opportunity by HF to brand this Cleveland since they already have Pittsburgh branded stuff

[@matthewwhitehead4220]

Question for ya, off topic of this video but have you ever tried your mj foam sprayer that you like so much with just a garden hose hook up? Wondering if it would still work? Or does it have to have a pressure washer hooked to it to work.

[@chewy6942]

If you need to actually use the heat right at the tip and anything further away is too cold to sanitize, what good does it do to spray into vents!

[@pauladams7180]

I’d like to see a demonstration of a more high end model. Something that would be good in a detail shop that sees dirty engine bays about every other day.

[@davidloganguest9662]

How do you think it would do steaming wrinkles out of clothing being the dry steam?

[@Callsign_Sturm]

How does it compare to the larger floor model HF sells? I've been using mine for a while. It's awesome but a little wet. Can't use it for some things.

[@markfitzurka9995]

Put the bonnet on it. Lol. pretty good review. Thanks.

[@greenhouse3505]

If the trigger locks to stop accidental starting. Wouldn't it also lock the trigger on?

[@paradoxworkshop4659]

It has the same cap as my countertop espresso maker. I bet I could add a long wand and just use that!

[@imjoshv]

Haha

[@loco144]

It looks identical to Intertek VSC38B, probably one of many rebadged brands. I got it for like $10 at local Pepboys when they had a closeout clearance sale. It's a touch little steamer

[@TheSnatchbuckler]

Yeah I got the same unit from wally world a couple years back. Steamer itself is unbranded, just a solid red body, but the box was branded with Walmart's "auto drive" in house car accessories brand iirc.

[@mzondi1970]

What's the best budget steamer that also vacuums up the water

[@robprator5890]

If I use distilled or ionized water would it be safe to leave water inside for storage? Just curious if it damages any of the internals.

[@ciscogarcia3463]

Plus they have a sale going on this weekend

[@JoseVera20]

How long does it take for the steam to warm up from when you turn it on?? My steamer is pretty high end but takes about 15 minutes to warm up and steam!

[@THUNDERIN78]

JOSH, I live in a strict HOA community & water consumption is closely watched. I am thinking of using a suction hose and bucket to feed my Elec. pressure washer. Any thoughts, suggestions, or tips for me. I’ve learned so much from this channel. Thanks

[@richardamooney]

You should check out Optimum No Rinse. That product was made for people in your situation.

[@SwiftyMcVeigh851]

I would buy my own distilled water for it....eff the HOA.

[@boskosdoghouse]

not bad for the price hard to go wrong

[@nopiatl]

The exact same one from Walmart. I already have it it is just not ergonomic at all when trying to use it

[@ronaldogomez8582]

Do steamers work well on headliners?

[@enlightenedhummingbird4764]

Anyone have any recommendations? I need a decent, small steamer for a reasonable price, to regularly (weekly) steam mattresses, upholstered furniture, curtains, etc. Hoping to kill/decrease things that contribute to asthma attacks. This unit looks promising, but thought I'd ask others what they suggest. Thank you!

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

Nice price and nice to see how it is

[@darktoadone5068]

Do you know anything about leather repair for vehicles? My drivers side seat is starting to crack.

[@iamher6422]

You think it would be a better idea to use distilled water..?

[@samueladams584]

Where did you get the bottle holders on the wall ? I really need to get some of these. I have limited space

[@thegarbear05]

i hate that these parts are plastic because they like to break i used to have a bissil but i do love useing the bigger HF steamer

[@The1Music2MyEars]

Bissel has the handheld steamer called Steam Shot selling for $42. Would that be better?

[@PaulWall78]

harbor freight never fails.

[@tonyz2551]

Will this work plugging it into the 4runner's outlet?

[@gardenstate235]

Wondering how it is comparing the Walmart what about the same price

[@alpha42069]

good shit brother

[@dawndrew8313]

Will wait for the upgrade..trigger needs work and 15 minutes would be cool...lol Thanks

[@robertfowler217]

How does it compare to the McCulloch as far as ease of use and run time I would think these small units need to heat quick and longer run is important over accessories

[@imjoshv]

I’ll get that small mcculloch ordered and test them side by side

[@rheyn70]

14:12 How about if you turn the Heat on HIGH, and then put the steam on? Can you add a little Alcohol to the water while in the vents? Just curious.

[@tashie6288]

Steam cleaners you should only use distilled water cause you’ll ruin the machine.

[@StovieFromBama]

Can you use this on clothes to knock out gunk too ?

[@micd9256]

I have a larger McCullough but I get tired of waiting for it to heat up. I don’t need a ton of steam but when I want to use it I want quickly. Might be time to part ways with the McCullough. For $30 this weekend, it’s zero risk. Thanks for the heads up.

[@imjoshv]

Yeah for the price it’s well worth it! I’m in the same boat, I dont always use a steamer so this is a great compromise

[@heyallenify]

The manual on the product page you linked shows a lock button on the left side of the handle, just below the trigger. Wasn't that the black spot in most of the video when you were commenting about how firm the trigger was?

[@imjoshv]

Oh man haha I’ll check it out! Thanks

[@heyallenify]

@@imjoshv I'm not sure if the manual matches reality, but I had to ask!

[@superado2k]

Curious how well the glass cleaner attachment (and maybe the MF bonnet) would do on the interior of a windshield of a fairly new vehicle with all of the off gassing of plastics coating it?

[@imjoshv]

That’s a great point, I would think it should do a good job of breaking down the stuff that causes the issues. Or even to remove small pieces of lint from a microfiber transfer

[@DiamondPaintWithDiamondDave]

works wonders on the interior of a windshield that collects a ton of vape, so should work well for the off-gassing plastics