Single Boiler   2 - 3 qt.
Model	VC2000 / Saphire 2 Home	Vapor Clean II Home	T630 Home	VC 3000 Home	Whitewing Home	VX 5000	Vapor Clean TR5 Pro	Vapor Clean Unilux	VC 3000	Euro Steam 1900
Housing	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic	Enamel coated	Enamel coated	Stainless	Stainless	Painted Steel	Stainless	Stainless
Boiler	Aluminum	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Aluminum	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless
Watts	1400	1500	1780	1400	1400	1500	1700	1500	1400	1600
Boiler Temp	293	298	293	298	285	293	298	315	295	298
Pressure	58	65	58	65	60	60	65	72	65	65
Gauge	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Detachable Hose	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Agency Approvals		CE	ETL	CE	ETL	CE	CE, TUV	CE, UL	ETL	ETL
Price	399.00	369.00	499.00	595.00	599.00	695.00	489.00	629.00	695.00	1695.00
Dry Steam Cleaners w/ Continuous Fill Operation / Non-extraction
Model	Vapor Clean IV Home	T 730A Home	Vapor Clean TR6	VC 4000-C	Ladybug 2150	VC5000 Ci	Ladybug XL2300	Vapor Blitz ll	Vapor Jet 2400
Exterior	Plastic	Plastic	stainless	Stainless	Plastic	Stainless	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic
Boiler Temp	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless
Watts	1500	1450	1700	1600	1500	1800	1500	1700	1500
Temp	298	293	298	298	293	310	298	290	298
Pressure	65	58	65	65	58	72	65	65	66
Gauge	yes	yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Detachable Hose	yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Injection	No	No	No	No	No	Yes - external	No	No	No
Agency Approvals	CE	ETL	CE, TUV	CE	ETL	CE	ETL	TUV, UL	ETL
Price	499.00	599.00	669.00	995.00	999.00	1295.00	1449.00	1690.00	2098.00
Dry Steam Cleaner with Extractor / Vacuum
Model	Vapor Clean  Gaia	Swappy-2	Vapor Clean  Desi Auto	Vapor Clean  Desiderio	Vapor Clean  Desiderio Plus
Housing	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic
Boiler	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless	Stainless
Watts	1700	1700	1700	1700	1700
Temp	293	298	311	311	311
Pressure	58	65	72	72	72
tip	220 - 40	220	284	284	284
Gauge	No	No	yes	Yes	Yes
Continuous Fill	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Injection for carpet cleaning	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Agency Approvals	CE, UL	CE	CE,	CE	CE
	769.00	995.00	1095.00	1295.00	1595.00

Before You Purchase....A Steam Vapor Cleaner
Useful information in making your decision

Don't make a decision based on inaccurate information or "marketing hype"
- While the internet is an amazing gateway to a world of information and exciting possibilities, it can also become a forum for inaccurate information about products or the companies that sell them. We pride ourselves in offering informative, helpful insight, honest and completely accountable facts in a somewhat confusing new market.

1. Boilers - Bigger is not always better - In looking for a steam vapor cleaner, a larger boiler may sound like the better way to go for longer running time but remember.....when pressure is released during the cleaning process, the longer you will wait for it to recover pressure (up to 7 minutes) and more power is needed to heat larger mass. Larger boilers 3 - 4 qt.,  will take longer ( Avg. 20-25 min.) to heat for use, and of course heavier to move around.
        Hence, the smaller the capacity, the better the ability to maintain pressure and temperature consistently with less power consumption. Boilers (1.5 - 2.5 qt.) or continuous fill boilers also heat up far quicker (3-9 min) for very little "down time".   For average cleaning, chances are you'll run out of steam before your machine does. Heavy commercial users can be recommended to look at continuous fill or single boiler units meeting their needs.
   
   

2. Pressure is important - but it doesn't have to blow the roof off -  Typically homeowners and light commercial users should look for 58 psi (4 bar)  and above from a Vapor Cleaner. While some of your jobs will require to maximize your pressure, much of your cleaning will require you "turn it down" instead of up. More is not always better! Remember, the clean is in the steam and the temperature. If you are using your cleaner for commercial cleaning you may need a heavy duty high temperature, high pressure unit designed for really tough jobs. Look for that temperature -  
   low priced  "Steam" cleaners will always yield a lower temperature and pressure.
    

3. Heating Elements - Do they really "die" and what is the difference?
   Steam cleaners have two possible types of heating elements. External plates attached with no contact to water or Internal or insertable elements encapsulated in the boiler with direct contact with water. Our experience has shown either has proven functional as each machine should be properly designed to utilize the heat in the most efficient way for the unique product.
   Vapor Clean has both designs and we find both favorable.
         For the record, do heating elements fail? No! Heating elements are one of the most reliable components on a steam vapor cleaner next to the boiler. In our years of retailing/servicing we have replaced one element. The "death" of a heating element is either a poor design (we have never encountered) or introducing a foreign agent to the boiler which is an absolute "no". When using a steam cleaner and adding a chemical, it  will corrode the element itself, and this is only if it the element is an internal coil. I do not remember a single Iron in my years that the heating plate failed. Frayed cords, dials, switches, wiring...everything but the element.
   
   

4. Temperature = Pressure - We know that you see different temperatures and pressures stated by various steam vapor cleaner retailers, which becomes confusing.  Looking at the saturated steam tables will simplify this for you. Here are standard measurements that you should see:
   

   Pounds Per Sq. Inch /Pressure	Bar  (European measure)	= Internal Boiler Temp
   50 PSI	3.5	281 F.
   58 PSI	4	293 F.
   65 PSI	4.5	298 F.
   72 PSI	5	311 F.

   Overall, almost all steam vapor cleaners you will see on the market are designed by the mfg. for 65 psi or less, unless specifically designed for commercial use with a heavier gauge boiler. Many of our products carry the higher pressures/temperatures and are produced with the proper materials and components to meet proper certifications.
   Confirm with your retailer if their advertised specifications match the manufacturer's stamped specifications on the bottom of their machines, then you can purchase with confidence. One rule of thumb, machines with aluminum boilers should never exceed 4 bar (58psi). If you are unsure, please ask the retailer what pressure is displayed on the pressure gauge on their machine.
   
   

5. What function does a pressure gauge have? Machines offering  pressure gauges  will either show Bars, PSI or both. A pressure gauge will help you to be assured  that your machine is functioning properly, and that you are maintaining your desired temperature for proper operation. While any product with or without a gauge is certainly fine, it is a nice feature if available.
   

6. BOILERS - Stainless / Aluminum / Commercial vs. Home units - Is there really a difference? -  Stainless is the premium material used in boilers, therefore look for this feature. Higher safety points, better handling of lime-scale as steel is more resistant (lime-scale will eat aluminum). Pitting and deterioration will also occur at a faster rate than stainless steel.  Ultimately, there is only one reason that aluminum boilers are used in "steam" or "steam vapor"  cleaners - lower manufacturing/material costs.
        However, beyond all this, true "vapor cleaners" feature the same 18/10 AISI 304 boiler integrity and design. You can spend $400 or $1400 they are all similar if not identical. Therefore, there is no measurable difference from advertised "home" or "commercial" when considering the boiler, be not afraid!  Stainless is excellent and reliable in our opinion.
        Boilers, do they fail?  Rarely, sure, leaks can occur anywhere there is not a complete welded seal i.e. drain plug, removable heating rods, sensors,  however it seems that most purveyors offer lifetime boiler warranties on your purchase (we also offer this) therefore telling you that the odds are....the boiler is not going to fail. Who would warranty a part that had a short operating life?
   
    

7. Continuous Fill vs. Single Boiler Cleaners - Either machine can meet your cleaning needs. Continuous operation means there is an additional reservoir that enables the user to never have down time or a pressurized cap system. Single boilers fill directly into the boiler and when the machine runs empty of water it will need to be refilled and heated. Look for a small boiler when purchasing a continuous fill as this heats quickly and maintains excellent pressure as the and steam for those Commercial and/or heavy cleaning jobs. A favorable design, as the boiler normally remains 90% full at all times adding approximately 1 - 2 oz per injection of water into the boiler. This dilution rate will keep pressure or temperature unaffected. Please read more on our TR6 / Continuous Fill FAQ's page to gain more information and dispel the uneducated statements being made by companies that do not offer such a machines yet warn consumers away.
   

8. Hand Nozzles, buttons, switches or triggers - Just what  is the difference and are they safe? - Absolutely, all "steam vapor cleaners" on the market must adhere to strict guidelines or they would not achieve their CE, ETL and / or UL certifications required. Wiring in the internal insulation of hoses range from 3v to 12v - equal to a battery. There are 3 basic designs of the nozzle handles on the market. Button, switch or trigger. All are clearly functional in their own design but you may want to look closely at the type of cleaning that you will be doing when considering your purchase. We strongly recommend for arthritic, fibromyalgia, lupas or similar conditions restricting function to call us as we can offer alternative hoses and switches to ease the challenge and offer steam cleaning availability.
   

9. Hose Length - Does it matter?  -  Quality manufacturer's should design their hose length for optimal pressure and temperature to maintain the standards of sanitizing and cleaning test results, a  7 - 8 ft hose is the length of choice primarily by most manufacturer's. Extending length beyond what a machine is designed for can compromise temperature necessary for sanitizing and optimal cleaning. Be sure that lab test results are provided with products with longer hoses such as our Vapor Clean 3000 and Sanipack (9ft) to assure confidence.
   

10. Steam Vapor vs. Steam Vapor/Extractor - This is a decision based primarily on what your needs are. Hard surfaces, combination cleaning, personal priorities apply when making this decision.
          Do not however, hold true to companies that state you cannot clean carpet with a Steam Vapor "Extractor" System. Yes, you can! With the proper machine and process, Websites that state this is impossible do not have our machines!  Vapor Clean steam extractors have the added feature of heated liquid injection with extraction that no other machine in the USA can offer. Basic dry steam cleaners with extractors do not have this ability. Please call us for more information at 800.758.3141 and read the consumer reviews on our equipment.
    
    

11. Plastic, Stainless or Painted Metal - Most models on the market today are plastic or stainless. There are a few painted metal models available. Remember "non-stainless" steels may rust in a long term, but a well cared for machine will endure the test of time. Plastic or stainless are perfect for home use, however we never recommend plastic in commercial use. Stainless is far more durable, acceptable, and quite often required within the commercial marketplace. From a manufacturing standpoint, stainless steel is the most expensive material to use when designing this type of equipment therefore going the extra step in constructing a quality piece of equipment inside and out.
    
    

12. Mono-block (detachable hose) systems vs. attached hoses - Detachable hoses make far more sense and mean less repairs.  Storage is easier, and if you have to send in for repair, quite often it may just be a switch on the hose. Why send the whole machine in for service?  Mishaps occasionally occur, we have had to replace chewed hoses (new puppies), crushed nozzles (spouse backed over it with the car) and so on......Pulling cleaners by the hoses of direct wired machines can put stress on the connection eventually loosening the connections and wiring of attached hoses. Detachable hoses "lock" into place thus relieving the stress and potential repairs.