Kärcher SC 1
3 bar · 3 min heat-up · 200 ml · 1.58 kg
A handheld for taps, tiles and hobs — and honest about the twenty square metres it covers.
Best for: Taps, sinks, wall tiles, mirrors, extractor hoods and hobs — detail work, not floors
≈ 71 €
Heat instead of chemicals · review
Polti Vaporetto Smart 120 review
Four bar and a two-litre removable tank: pressure from a boiler, refilling like a kettle.
The bottom line The pressure option that does not make you wait to refill — and the first machine here with a steam dial.
The Vaporetto Smart 120 answers the objection that usually decides against a boiler machine. It has 4 bar of pressure and a removable two-litre tank that feeds it, so the boiler never needs opening.
Two chambers, and why that matters
A classic pressurised steam cleaner is one sealed vessel: high pressure, and a fifteen-minute stop when it empties. Polti separates the two — a cold tank you can pull out and fill at the sink, and a boiler fed from it. The result is pressure and continuity at the same time, which is the combination people actually want.
Heat-up is two minutes, slower than the thirty seconds of the refillable Kärcher and much faster than a traditional boiler.
The dial
Adjustable steam is the feature that separates this from the cheaper machines on this page. One setting means the machine is tuned for its hardest job, which is exactly wrong on laminate joints, sealed wood, glass and fabric. A dial lets one machine do the bathroom and the sofa without soaking either.
Fourteen accessories, realistically
Polti supplies eleven tools and three cloths. In practice a household uses four of them constantly — the floor head, the detail nozzle, the round brush and the hand tool with a cloth — and stores the rest. That is not a criticism of the bundle; it is a reason not to choose between machines on accessory count.
The hygiene claim, as stated
Polti states its steam kills and removes 99.99 % of viruses, germs and bacteria, with the usual footnote about test conditions. Quoted as the manufacturer’s claim.
Availability
One reference across Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain. At the time of writing the listing showed no price on the UK and Spanish stores, so a local search may serve you better there. Not sold on Amazon’s US store.
What we like, and what we don't
Strengths
- 4 bar — half a bar more than the top domestic Kärcher here
- A two-litre removable tank feeding a pressurised boiler: pressure without the refill wait
- Adjustable steam, which the cheaper machines in this group do not offer
Compromises
- Two minutes to heat, against thirty seconds on the Kärcher SC 3 Deluxe
- Larger and heavier to store than the Kärcher cylinders
- Not sold on Amazon's US store
Specifications
| Steam pressure | 4 bar |
|---|---|
| Heat-up time | 2 minutes |
| Power | 1 500 W maximum |
| Tank | 2 l, removable and refillable |
| Steam control | Adjustable, with ready and low-water indicators |
| Accessories | 11 tools plus 3 cloths for hard floors and carpets |
| Part number | SMART 120 |
| Amazon reference | B084WBSQJL |
| EAN | 8007411012617 |
Questions people actually ask
How can it have a boiler and still be refillable?
The water sits in a separate removable tank and is fed into the pressurised boiler as needed. You top up the cold tank at any time; the boiler never has to be opened. It is the arrangement that gives boiler pressure without the classic boiler penalty of cooling down to refill.
Is 4 bar meaningfully better than 3.5?
At the surface, higher pressure means drier steam and a bit more mechanical energy, which shows on grout and on greasy hobs. It is a real but modest difference — the accessory you fit and how long you hold it there still dominate. Adjustable steam is arguably the more useful feature of the two.
Why does adjustable steam matter?
Because the right amount of steam for tile grout will soak a laminate joint or mark a delicate surface. A machine with one setting is set for its worst case; a machine with a dial can be used on sealed wood, glass and upholstery without wetting them. It is the same argument as adjustable pressure on a pressure washer.
What sets this model apart
Compared with the median of its own aisle on this site — not with the market at large.
- Tank2 l, removable and refillable+100 % vs the aisle median
- Heat-up time2 minutes-69 % vs the aisle median
- Steam pressure4 bar+14 % vs the aisle median
Our score
7.8/ 10
The pressure option that does not make you wait to refill — and the first machine here with a steam dial.
Who this one is for, among cleaning machines
Whole-house sessions — several rooms in a row, where pressure and a large water supply both matter
Set beside the neighbouring cleaning machines
cleaning machines from the same category, at nearby prices. Only what all of them publish is shown: a column with holes compares nothing.
| Model | Price | Steam pressure | Heat-up time | Power | Tank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polti Vaporetto Smart 120 | 200 € | 4 bar | 2 minutes | 1 500 W maximum | 2 l, removable and refillable |
| Kärcher SC 3 Deluxe | 170 € | 3.5 bar | 30 seconds | 1 900 W | 1 l, refillable during use |
| Kärcher SC 2 Deluxe | 140 € | 3.2 bar maximum | 6.5 minutes | 1 500 W | 1 l |
| Kärcher SC 1 | 71 € | 3 bar | 3 minutes | 1 200 W | 0.2 l (200 ml) |
Where the models are not equal, in cleaning machines
- If price decides: Kärcher SC 1, at 71 €.
- Highest Steam pressure in the table: this model (4 bar).
- Highest Heat-up time in the table: Kärcher SC 3 Deluxe (30 seconds).
- This model holds the table’s highest figure for Steam pressure.
When to look elsewhere among cleaning machines
- On a tighter budget: Kärcher SC 1, at 71 € in the same category. see the review
- If you need more Heat-up time: Kärcher SC 3 Deluxe states 30 seconds. see the review
Where this one sits on price, among cleaning machines
At 200 €, it sits +18 % against the 170 € median of the 5 models in this category published here.
Accessories confirmed to fit
Listed because the accessory itself names this model as compatible.
This model in our cleaning machines guides
- Choosing a Steam Cleaner — 2026 Guide | CleanVerdict
- Steam Cleaner or Pressure Washer? | CleanVerdict
Price and availability, for cleaning machines
A reference exists on these Amazon stores: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom. Listed is not the same as in stock — availability changes daily.
Details checked on August 15, 2026.
Sources
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for cleaning machines and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
If you are looking at this, also read
Kärcher SC 2 Deluxe
3.2 bar · 6.5 min heat-up · 1 l tank · 1 500 W
The same coverage as the SC 3 for less money, and six and a half minutes of waiting to get there.
Best for: Planned cleaning sessions rather than quick jobs — where a six-minute wait is acceptable because you were going to be there an hour anyway
≈ 140 €
Kärcher SC 3 Deluxe
3.5 bar · 30 s heat-up · 1 l refillable tank · 1 900 W
The one that refills like a kettle: thirty seconds to steam and no waiting for a boiler to cool.
Best for: Kitchens and bathrooms cleaned regularly, where the machine is picked up for twenty minutes at a time
≈ 170 €
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.