All three of these mops worked efficiently and, in many ways, they all have their strengths depending on the reason you're buying one and, frankly, how much dirt you're going to throw at it. Whereas traditional mops rely on detergent and elbow grease to disinfect floors, steam mops heat water in an onboard tank and then release the vapour directly on to the floor at temperatures of up to 120 degrees Celsius, making for a deeper clean and killing most bacteria likely to be lurking on surfaces. But, as with so many household appliances, there is a mind-boggling array of different makes and models available and it can be hard to know whether it's worth spending the extra of a premium model like a Shark when there are other options that largely do the same thing and are literally a third of the price. Initially I assumed that comparing steam mops would be rather uneventful. Let's face it, the function of the mop is largely the same no matter what the colour scheme of the version you buy or the price tag that it comes with, how big a difference can there be? The Shark and Russell Hobbs had spare pads so you could wash a set and use a set. They also both came with small plastic jugs to make filling the mops with water easier - but this isn’t necessarily the perk you would imagine.

Russell Hobbs RHMSM3101 Steam and Clean 1400W Multifunctional Russell Hobbs RHMSM3101 Steam and Clean 1400W Multifunctional

Both the Lakeland and Shark mops had two speed settings, with the lower speed recommended for wood floors and more delicate surfaces and the higher speed for more ingrained dirt and tiled areas. Perhaps understandably, the more budget-friendly Russell Hobbs version only had one setting. I pitted three of the best-selling steam mops head-to-head for our test, the Shark Steam and Scrub, the Lakeland Steam Mop and Russell Hobbs' Steam and Clean. However, in terms of immediate impact, the Shark really came into its own. Instead of one large pad it has two circular pads that work together to effectively simultaneously steam and scrub the floor. When you turn it on it feels noticeably more powerful to use, to the extent if you’re someone who struggles with holding a hefty gadget I’d consider plumping for one of the others. While they’re all roughly the same weight, once the Shark is on and working you need to really hold on tight to make sure you don’t lose control of it. Steam mops have become increasingly popular in the UK over the last few years, thanks in part to cleaning influencers like Mrs Hinch and Stacey Solomon who swear by theirs and who, like many of us, are keen to have a gleaming home without using too many chemicals, especially around children and pets.Two of the mops tested came with a host of additions in the box, although notably the Lakeland only came with an instruction book.