The thumb control makes it easy to change the level of steam, but when you release the trigger to stop cleanin, it takes a few seconds for the steam to stop. This means you have to be careful when changing accessories. Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity. The Vax Steam Fresh Power Plus leads the brand’s steam cleaning range, with multiple different cleaning functions and even a detergent setting, which lets you use specially formulated detergent with steam power to remove really stubborn stains. Certainly, from the specs alone, this looks to be the big daddy of steam cleaners, with every feature under the sun, but does the premium price make it a cut above the rest? Design The body of the Vax is home to a replaceable water filter and a twin tank that pops off to be filled. The larger (300ml) section is for water, and you have the option to add detergent to the smaller (165ml) detergent tank.

If you feel the need for additional cleaning power, there’s a steam boost button on the floor-head itself. We used this while cleaning carpets and found that it sent an extra jet of steam out of the front. The 0.3-litre water storage tank can be disconnected from the mop itself for easy filling. There’s also a detergent tank section, for the steam detergent supplied in the box, that can be used while cleaning to help get rid of tougher stains. There’s also plenty of attachments, including brushes and nozzles, to help you scour tougher messes. The nozzle can be rotated in 90-degree increments, which was very useful when cleaning walls, just make sure not to rotate it towards your face, though. The Fresh Power Plus didn’t excel when put to the test against some dirty walls in our kitchen, seeming to not reach a high enough temperature to shift really stubborn stains, with less steam being produced than I’d hoped for. This setup does make the Vax Steam Fresh Power Plus feel heavy in the hand, but it offers the advantage that you can use tools on the end of the lance to considerably extend your reach. You can also connect them directly to the handheld for compact cleaning.

The Vax Steam Fresh Power Plus has impressive detergent-assisted cleaning power

Thanks to the high centre of gravity, the design is manoeuvrable but heavy in the hand, so you do feel like you’re working hard. It certainly isn’t as effortless as many rival steam mops.

It is a shame that the use of detergent feels necessary when cleaning, as a steam cleaner should really just do its job without added cleaning solution.The mop head did struggle to stay velcroed to the base when using it on hard surfaces too. Overall steam time was pretty poor at just over 8 minutes, although at least the water tank heated up in a relatively speedy 60 seconds. We found the detergent to be quite smelly and overpowering, so only used it the once. It was effective at blotting out smells, but we felt the Vax’s cleaning performance was fine without it. You could use another brand of detergent if you preferred.When filling the water tank, it’s important to ensure you turn on the tap gently since the fill hole is quite small. It comes with just two tools: a precision tool that emits concentrated jet of steam for hard-to-reach and heavily soiled areas, and a soft-scrub brush with an attached scraper, which is great for cleaning cookers, hobs, sinks and taps. The Vax may only come with two small tools, but it actually boasts a hidden third tool: a smaller triangular brush inside the floor-head. We found it handy for awkward little areas and stubborn spots on carpets, but it can’t be used for bigger sections because it doesn’t glide. The Vax comes with a small bottle of concentrated detergent, and you need only use a couple of capfuls (50ml) diluted in water. Despite its small size, the bottle is enough to fill the detergent tank five times over. For floor cleaning you use the Vax’s triangular floor-head, which is a good size and shape for the job. It whizzed around hard floors well, with the higher of the two steam settings delivering plenty of cleaning power.