Italy · since 1978
Boiler pressure, and the two-chamber design that removes the boiler's usual penalty
Polti is the Italian steam specialist, and steam is essentially all it does. The Vaporetto range covers the pressure end of this site’s steam families: 4 bar on the Smart 120, 5 bar on the Pro 95 Turbo Flexi, against 3 to 3.5 bar on the domestic Kärchers.
Higher boiler pressure makes drier steam — less liquid water reaching the surface for the same cleaning effect. That is what makes grout and greasy hobs quicker, and what shortens drying time on a floor. It is a real difference, and a modest one next to technique and the right accessory.
A classic pressurized boiler must cool before it can be refilled — fifteen minutes in the middle of a job. Polti separates the cold tank from the boiler and feeds one into the other, so the machine works as long as you do. That arrangement is the brand’s most useful contribution to the category.
The Vaporetto machines have a steam dial, which the cheaper machines on this site do not. One setting means the machine is tuned for its hardest job — exactly wrong on sealed wood, laminate joints, glass and fabric.
5 bar · two-chamber boiler · unlimited runtime · 1,100 W
Five bar and a boiler that never has to stop — the domestic machine closest to a professional one.
Best for: Large houses, tiled floors throughout, or anyone cleaning several rooms in one session every week
4 bar · 2 min heat-up · removable 2 l tank · 1,500 W
Four bar and a two-liter removable tank: pressure from a boiler, refilling like a kettle.
Best for: Whole-house sessions — several rooms in a row, where pressure and a large water supply both matter
2-in-1 · detachable handheld · 15 s heat-up · 1,500 W
A steam mop with a handheld that unclips from it — two machines, one price, and one compromise.
Best for: A flat or a small house where one machine has to cover floors, tiles and the occasional hob
