When we started to decorate and the mess was unbelievable. I never realised that the dust and dirt could get in all the places that it has.
We have been saying for a long time that we want a steam cleaner. I recently borrowed my mums and have to say it helped us strip the wallpaper in no ... Read review
Handheld - Water Capacity:-1 - Max Boiler Wattage:1500 - Steam Pressure in Bars:-1 - without Vacuum Function - without Steam Iron Function - without Variable Steam Regulation
Advantages: Makes cleaning easy. Easy to use. Provides 2 hours of steam from one fill. Reasonably priced. Long flex. Disadvantages: If you over fill, it can spurt boiling hot water out.
When we started to decorate and the mess was unbelievable. I never realised that the dust and dirt could get in all the places that it has.
We have been saying for a long time that we want a steam cleaner. I recently borrowed my mums and have to say it helped us strip the wallpaper in no time and it did wonders on cleaning the shower cubicle. This made me more determined to get one!
While we were n B and Q the other ... ...I spotted one, at a very good price. I pointed it out to my bloke and we spent a good 10 minutes looking at it and reading about it. It was the only one left and I have to say it was an impulse buy. The price was fair, we need one, it had a lot of accessories and it was the last one.
I would like to apologise for the length of this opinion, before you start to read it. I want to tell you all I can, as there is so much to this product ... more
When we started to decorate and the mess was unbelievable. I never realised that the dust and dirt could get in all the places that it has.
We have been saying for a long time that we want a steam cleaner. I recently borrowed my mums and have to say it helped us strip the wallpaper in no time and it did wonders on cleaning the shower cubicle. This made me more determined to get one!
While we were n B and Q the other day, although we weren’t actually looking for a steam cleaner, I spotted one, at a very good price. I pointed it out to my bloke and we spent a good 10 minutes looking at it and reading about it. It was the only one left and I have to say it was an impulse buy. The price was fair, we need one, it had a lot of accessories and it was the last one.
I would like to apologise for the length of this opinion, before you start to read it. I want to tell you all I can, as there is so much to this product that you should know. I will do my best to keep it as short as I can.
This product comes in a big yellow box. It is detailed with black and grey colouring, which I have to say, makes it very noticeable. On the front of the box there is a picture of a woman cleaning a wooden floor with the machine and then little pictures all the way along the box, of the other things that this machine can do.
Pictures of all the accessories are continued around the box and there is a description on the back and the sides, of everything that is included and what each part does.
Even though the box is big and bulky, I was surprised at how light it was. I bent down to pick it up and nearly fell over when I realised the weight. I had thought it would be heavy and so prepared myself for the lift, but the actual lightness of it nearly knocked me off my feet. A very amusing sight to my boyfriend and passers by!
**********************WHAT YOU GET********************
*Steam boiler. This is the container that holds the water and heats it up.
*Mains lead with plug.
*Floor cleaning attachment.
*Towel that fits on the floor cleaning attachment.
*Window/Tile cleaner.
*Jet Nozzle.
*Scraper for the jet nozzle.
*Brush for the jet nozzle.
*Universal handle. Can be used with all the attachments.
*3 lengths of handle. Provides support for the flexible hose.
*3.6m Steam hose.
*Large plate. Used for wallpaper stripping.
*Small steam plate. Used for wallpaper stripping in awkward areas.
This is the main part to the steam cleaner, as it is were you pour the water in and where it heats up. The steam is contained within this container and dispensed through the hose that can be attached to the front.
It is white/clear in colour with a yellow screw on cap. To fill it with water you need to unscrew the yellow cap and pour the water inside, then screw the cap on. There is no on and off switch on this steam cleaner. As soon as it is plugged into the mains it will turn on. When it is unplugged from the mains, it will turn off.
The heating element is at the bottom of this container and it is silver in colour and looks just like the heating element in your other appliances, just bigger.
This main water container will hold up to 4.5 litres. This amount of water will provide you with about 2 hours of steam!
*****************MAINS LEAD WITH PLUG*****************
The mains lead is black in colour and it measures 3 meters long. This gives you plenty of length to play with, meaning you do not have to carry the cleaner in your spare hand, it can be left on the floor and the whole room should be accessible.
This attachment is black in colour and is made from plastic. It is a hard, durable plastic and the attachment is oval in shape. It connects to the flexible hose with a push and turn action. It is very easy to attach and unattach, but the fitting is tight and secure.
The towel that is supplied for this attachment is to be placed over the flat side, over the steam holes and secured around the edges, with the ties that are attached. This will provide you with a smooth and soft surface, to help avoid scratches when cleaning the floors.
This attachment is black in colour and made from strong plastic. It looks just like what a window cleaner uses to wipe down your windows. It can be used on the inside and outside of windows and connects to the flexible hose, with the same push and twist action as the floor cleaner.
Steam is dispensed thought a ridge on the underside, meaning the steam hits the window, as you run the rubber blade over the glass. It works to help minimise streaks and remove grease and grime.
This is a small black attachment that will, once connected, will provide you with a jet of steam that is capable of getting in those hard to reach areas. It is ideal for corners that need a bit of pressure to remove dirt.
The scraper is small and black and made from plastic. It attaches to the end of the jet nozzle. This means that once the steam is released from the jet nozzle you can use the scraper to remove the dirt. It is flexible, but too much pressure will break it.
The brush base is black in colour and the bristles are bright green and very stiff. This can be attached to the jet nozzle, to allow you to remove stubborn stains with less pressure. The brush is really stiff and so along with the steam, little effort is required.
This is the main attachment. It can be used with all of the other attachments and it also protects your hand from any steam droplets. It is black in colour and made from strong plastic. It connects in the same way as the other attachments and it has a handle. When you hold the handle, you hand is inside another piece of plastic and this is a shield. The shield will protect your hand whilst you are steaming, and so it will prevent any burns, if boiling water escapes.
*******************LENGTHS OF HANDLE******************
These are like the hard tubes you get with a hover. They slip over the flexible hose to provide you with a stable hose from applying pressure. They simply push together and then are slotted over the flexible hose. You do not have to use them, but if you are cleaning a floor, you will require a stable hose and not a flexible one.
This is made from flexible black plastic and it connects to the water container. All of the other attachments connect to the other end and the steam is dispensed through this. It is 3,6 meters in length, meaning that depending on the height of your ceiling, you should be able to reach without having to stand on a chair.
This is white in colour and connects to the flexible hose. Steam is then dispensed through a nozzle on the underside of the plate, meaning that when the plate is held against the wall, the steam goes directly on the wall, allowing you to remove wallpaper easily.
The handle that you hold is located on the back of the plate, away from the steam flow, minimising the chance of any steam touching your hands.
This is small and black in colour. It is to be used in the same way as the large plate, but it is better for getting into awkward places. It is less than half the size of the large plate, but operates in the same way.
This looks just like the floor cleaner, but it is a little smaller in size. It is the same shape and is to be used in the same way, but this can be used on fabrics. It is great for settees, curtains, blinds, cushions, and mattresses.
The towel that comes for this attachment fits in the same way as the one for the floor cleaner and again it is to prevent snagging or tearing of the material.
You are supplied with two of these. One is short and one is a bit longer. I am unsure of the measurements. Both are a clear thin tube that connects to the jet nozzle. Once it is connected to the nozzle the other end is to be placed down the sink and covering the outlet flow with your other hand, steam can be shot down the drain, to release the blockage.
*******************DIRECTIONS OF USE******************
Unscrew the yellow cap and pour water into the container. There is a minimum and a maximum level. When the container is full a float inside will rise to the top. Do not over fill the container. Screw the cap back on; making sure it is securely tight.
Plug the mains lead into the container. Attach the flexible hose and the attachment that you want. Plug the mains lead into the socket and turn it on at the wall.
Wait for the water to heat up and when it is ready the steam will start to leave the container through the flexible hose. Make sure the hose is pointed away from people while you wait for it to heat up.
When the steam starts to leave the container, it is ready for use. There is no control over the steam flow, so when you have finished with it, it must be turned off at the wall, or it will continue to dispense steam, until it is empty.
To refill the container, wait at least two minutes before you unscrew the yellow cap. This will avoid you getting a face full of steam. Fill as you did before, turn it on and wait for the steam to build up again.
In total, from one container full of water, you will get about two hours worth of steam.
It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for the steam to build up, depending on how much water you have put into the container.
**********************WHERE TO USE********************
As you can see from all the attachments, this product has a lot of uses. It can be used for all of the following:
Wallpaper stripping
Upholstery (carpets,settees,curtains,cushions)
Appliances (showers,fridges,freezers,cookers,ect)
Sink unblocking
Bathroom cleaning (tiles, toilets, sinks)
Kitchen cleaning (sanitisation)
Window cleaning
Mirror cleaning
Grout cleaning
Mould removing
Lime de-scaling
Garden (weed killing)
As you can see, there is no limit as to what you can use this product on. The only restriction is you!
*********************EASE OF USE**********************
I have found this product to be so easy to use; it doesn’t feel like you are doing housework! Once the steam has built up and it is ready to use, all you have to do is point the steam where you want it to go and let it do its job.
Light pressure is needed from you, to remove stubborn stains, but the steam really does all the hard work for you.
Each attachment is easy to fix to the flexible hose, as they simply push on and then require a light twist. They are also easy to remove. When I first attached some of the attachments, I thought that they wouldn’t stay on, as they didn’t seem to fasten in place as strong as I would have liked, but non have ever fallen off during use!
The machine is quite light in weight, until you pour the water in. If you require the cleaner upstairs, then I would suggest you carry it up there empty and then fill it with water as it can be quite heavy if you fill it to the top and then try to carry it.
You can if you want buy castors for this steamer. They are not supplied with this make, which I found a little disappointing, but there are places for them to be attached, if you require. Personally, I think I will be buying some, just to make life that little bit easier, but like I said earlier, the flex and the hose are long enough for you to reach most of the room without you having to carry it about.
**********************GOOD POINTS********************* Style Price Versatility Ease of use Length of flex and hose Amount of attachments you get Amount of steam from one fill Replacement parts can be bought
********************BAD POINTS*******************
If you over fill, it will spit boiling hot water out No steam control switch No on/off switch
I thought that it had been priced wrongly when I first saw the price tag. This product can be bought from B and Q and Argos and it is priced at an affordable £49.99!
I have to say that this is the best £50 I have ever spent! Now that I have this steamer, I would not be without it. It certainly helps to take the hard work out of house cleaning and it tackles most jobs effortlessly.
I have used this steamer in every room in the house and I have to say I am very impressed with it versatility. I have used it on just about everything we own and it handles every job you throw at it.
The main reason I have wanted one is for the shower and the cooker. Two jobs I absolutely hate doing, oh and the toilet! Now, I simply fill the steamer up, wait for the steam to build up and let it doe it’s job.
Its ease of use is great. You simply stand there, holding the hose where you want it and let the steam spray onto the parts that you want cleaning. Then, if you want, you can get a cloth and wipe away the dirt that is removed, or simply fill a jug with water and pour it over the dirt, to wash it away. Simple.
I think that for £50 this is an affordable cleaner, because of all the extras that you get with it and the fact that there is nothing it can’t do! I now have lovely clean carpets, cushions, settees, windows, toilet, shower and cooker.
The fact that you can get anywhere between one and two hours of steam means you can tackle quite a few jobs all at once, without having to worry about running out of steam half way through a job and then having to wait for it to build up steam again, after the refill. I have found that I can easily clean the entire bathroom and still have some steam left. In my bathroom I do the shower, the carpet, a five-foot tall mirror, the window, the basin, the toilet and the tiles and it handles all of this brilliantly, with just one fill of water!
If any of you were thinking of investing in a steam cleaner, then I would seriously advise you to consider this one. If you don’t have a spare £50 then save up for it. You will not be disappointed.
Advantages: Cheap and cheerful Disadvantages: Basic
...I purchased my Earlex steam cleaner from Argos about six months ago, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't part with it now for love nor money (well, OK then, I would probably part with it if you offered me more money than I'd paid for it, but I'm a sucker for a profit!) But seriously, the Earlex is a very basic machine, it looks like something your Gran might've been using thirty years ago, but it is absolutely worth it's weight in gold and I bless ... ...that! So, for me, the Earlex was a Godsend, everything I needed at a price I could afford, smashing! OK, first things first, the Earlex steam cleaner is a very basic, no frills piece of equipment. If you do decide to purchase one of these, please don't expect that when you open the box you'll find something shiny and glamorous with all of the bells and whistle's you'd expect on a (considerably) more expensive steam cleaner, this ain't no Polti, I ...
mokee 21.08.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Earlex SC165
Advantages: Hot steam for you to clean ? Disadvantages: Too much messing about, cheapo.
...thing for carpets.
The Earlex is a bit like a giant kettle, and sounds like one once it gets going. First ever use of it was a bit weird, suddenly it started making a strange noise...... like it was going to blow up, but this is Ok.
Its first victim was the cooker oven, plenty of baked on hard to get at grease to blast !.
To be honest , I was expecting wonders , but found that it melted the grease ok but then just pushed it around into a different ... ...set , just moving the problem elsewhere.
Then tried steam + wipe away, no better, but burned my other hand a bit because the nozzel also spits out drops of boiling hot water...... not impressed.
Next , tried it on the carpet, ....haha this'll do it ! fitted the 3 piece tube together, inserted the flexi bit and carpet cleaning head. Fitting the supplied towel was a pain in the arse and never stayed on tight enough.
Well, ok it did a fair job, in ...
cashman44 19.11.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Earlex SC165
Advantages: Good at steaming off wallpaper Disadvantages: Jet of steam not up to the job..
...Yes, when I bought our Earlex Combi Steam cleaning kit, I was rather disappointed. We got the product home from B & Q and I couldn't wait to "start it up" and clean that stubborn brake dust from the alloys on my car. But it didn't work. Why? Because the powerful jet of steam I was expecting didn't materialise. Just a trickle but enough to burn your hand if you got it in the way, and even though I waited and waited, that's as good as it got. Soon ... ...with it and said she thought I was doing something wrong. But no, I had read and re-read the instructions and no matter what I did, it remained the same. She then decided that it may be the wind causing the problem (although there was very little). As it was all set up, she would try it out on the cooker, but all she got for her efforts was a blister on her arm. And to work out her frustration she attacked the cooker with a Brillo pad. Inside the ...
derek-j-a 25.05.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Earlex SC165
Advantages: Inexpensive and saves a lot of otherwise hard work. Disadvantages: Overfill .....and boiling water may squirt or spill out when moving around.
...remember my mum having an Earlex steam cleaner, but not as exstensive as this one, that one only had a few parts, the part I remember most was the wallpaper stripper because there was always a family member or friend who wanted to borrow it , that's how popular it was!
The Earlex SC165 Combi has many more parts, 8 to be precise,
I've owned my a steamer for about 5 years now and have used it extensively indoors and outdoors and to be honest I would ... ...available to buy from the Earlex website, which also has a lot more information available.
The steamer cost me £49.99 5 years ago and came with a 2 year guarantee and an easy to follow instruction manual listing all the parts and how to use them.
I recently saw it selling on Ebay at a buy it now price of £44.99 which promted me to review the item. ...
smcccc 24.03.2006 (05.04.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Earlex SC165
Advantages: Excellent Value for Money, Good Cleaning Power, Lots of Useful Attachments Included Disadvantages: Design is very Simple, No on/off Switch on the Unit Itself
...quite surprised to find the Earlex at less than £50, which I must admit gave me some doubts about its performance. However, I have found that it has cleaned everything I have tried it on perfectly. Dirt and grease comes off virtually any surface in seconds - all without any chemicals.
The kit is very basic in design. It isn't especially attractive to look at and lacks some features that may be useful, such as castors. The boiler unit is basically ... ...water and wait for up to 20mins (time depends on how hot the water was that you put in) for it to boil. At around 3m in length, the steam hose is long enough for most purposes. The kit comes with the boiler, mains cable (just over 3m), steam hose, tile/window cleaning attachment, jet nozzle with brush and scraper, floor cleaning attachment, upholstery cleaner, wallpaper stripping plate and extension poles and safety hand guard.
The biggest downside ...
C.Laslett 29.05.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Earlex SC165
