Verdict

Although a little garish-looking, the Russell Hobbs Poseidon has a light frame and a compact design, transitioning from a steam mop to a handheld appliance with ease. With a built-in limescale filter, mop head detergent drawer and a wide range of attachments, it offers plenty of value for money. But the default (and only) steam setting is relatively intense here, meaning it can soak or scorch surfaces.

Pros

• Wide range of accessories
• Compact and light
• Stands up on its own
• Limescale filter
• Detergent drawer

Cons

• One default steam setting
• Residual water
• Some odd design choices

With its compact frame, the Russell Hobbs Poseidon Steam Mop combines the attributes of a simple steam mop with that of a handheld steam cleaner. This makes it a handy tool for both everyday mopping and spot-cleaning your bathroom or kitchen.

While it would be useful to have more than one steam setting for fine-tuning the Poseidon’s performance, it strikes a happy medium for most tasks.

Russell Hobbs Poseidon Steam Mop design and features – Its appearance may not be to everyone’s liking, but the compact design is key here

• Easy to assemble and take apart, and the handheld configuration is light to carry around
• An impressive range of accessories are included
• Using the hose in handheld mode puts less pressure on wrists

The Poseidon steam mop looks a little like what was considered futuristic circa the turn of the millennium (purple and grey, with metallic accents). Nevertheless, its clever design enables it to be smoothly configured from a mop to a handheld cleaner and back again. The main part of the appliance detaches easily from its frame, and both the mop head and handle are also removable, making it easy to store.

The mop head here is sturdy and wide, and features a small detergent compartment. The Poseidon is supplied with two microfibre pads and a carpet glider. The mop handle’s rubberised coating makes for a firm grip, and the steam trigger is comfortable to press or hold down. The generous 6m cable can be wound around two hooks for storage, or attached to the upper hook to keep it out of the way during mopping. While the 0.5-litre water tank isn’t particularly large, it means this cleaner isn’t too heavy as a handheld appliance (the entire mop weighs just 2.3kg).

The water tank is located at the back of the appliance and isn’t too tricky to remove once you get the hang of it. One of the metallic discs functions as the base of the water tank, and it can be detached on twisting. The water tank can then be filled from a tiny hole (a plastic filling jug with a narrow spout is provided for this purpose). Meanwhile, the other disc gives access to the limescale filter.

For handheld use, a range of attachments is provided that can be fitted to the main part of the appliance or onto the hose. The main body of the appliance has a plastic handle with a groove, into which the handheld steam trigger can be fitted. Due to the location of the water tank and the hard edges of the handle, it isn’t convenient for continuous use. Attaching to the hose proves wrist-friendlier, since the appliance can be held and the steaming activated in one hand, while the other hand is free to move the hose with one of the attachments.

A squeegee tool can be fitted with a microfibre cover for use on textiles. Small and large round brushes are good for all-around cleaning, while the crevice brush can access harder-to-reach grouting. The curved nozzle is also good for nooks and crannies, while the scraper tool and the metal brush can be used to remove particularly stubborn stains.

Russell Hobbs Poseidon Steam Mop performance – Impressive steam power can be a little excessive for some handheld tasks

• Functions well as a mop, although leaves the floor wet after prolonged steaming of dried-on stains
• The one-setting steam power can soak surfaces or prove a little too hot for some handheld tasks.
• A delay between pushing trigger and emitting of steam can result in gusts even after you’ve let go of the trigger

The first test I put the Poseidon through involved cleaning some muddy footprints off textured laminate flooring. I’m happy to say the steam mop took less than 20 seconds to clear the mess, aided by the large and flexible mop head. There was no dirt remaining and the floor was left nearly dry.

Mopping up dried tomato paste and coffee from smooth tiles proved more challenging; it seemed there was too much water and not quite enough steam involved. It took about 2 minutes to clean the mess, but the process left the mop pad saturated with dirt and water, and as such, some smears remained. A cloth was required to dry the floor, and it still felt like some oily residue was being wiped back and forth. The extra mop pad turned out to be handy in this instance.

Fitting the mop head with a clean pad and a carpet glider, I steamed part of a rug for 45 seconds. The carpet was only slightly damp and looked refreshed, with a pronounced difference in colour between the steamed section and the rest of the rug.

Then, I set to work on the handheld challenges, starting with grouting. I chose to use the hose with the crevice tool here, so I could focus on the scrubbing and keep the appliance next to me on the floor. It was a bit noisy and released a moderate amount of water – but the grouting was restored from dark grey to its original bright white state.

Next, I fitted the hose with the curved nozzle to clean dust and grime from hard-to-access bathroom corners. While I needed a cloth to dry up afterwards, all the dirt had been removed, even from the cracks in the grouting.

Removing the hose and fitting the small round brush straight onto the appliance, I set about cleaning the grease on the inside of the oven door. After some vigorous scrubbing, I’d made a bit of progress, but I had more success when I swapped the attachment for the large round brush.

The latter also proved useful for cleaning limescale and soap scum from the bathroom sink. The scraper tool was handy for steaming a greasy stovetop, although it did need to be dried afterwards. Meanwhile, the metal brush made good progress with the burnt grease residue on an oven rack.

The squeegee tool removed soap remnants and most of the limescale off my bathroom mirror and shower screen – although something stronger may be required for more stubborn areas of limescale.

Finally, I added the microfibre cover onto the squeegee tool to steam some stained fabric-covered dining chairs. The steam definitely removed some dirt, since the fabric became visibly lighter. However, it was unable to get rid of specific stains and proved a little too intense, damaging the fabric slightly. It’s important to start with a small area when steam cleaning furniture and bear in mind that certain stains will need something stronger than steam.

Throughout testing, this cleaner heated up in the matter of seconds, although, as is normal, there was always a delay between pressing the steam trigger and the steam coming out. This means the appliance will continue to emit steam after you release the steam trigger – so beware of being too trigger-happy.

Russell Hobbs Poseidon Steam Mop Conclusion

A neat and convenient tool, the Russell Hobbs Poseidon Steam Mop is a useful steam cleaner for all jobs, and the ability to use detergent makes it stand out from the competition. Overall, the slightly more expensive Hoover 2-in-1 Steam Capsule is a better floor cleaner, thanks to its brush, but the Poseidon is a good budget option. Need something with more power? Check out the steam cleaner buying guide.

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