The Earlex Canister Steam Cleaner IS2000 comes with six attachments and cleans a variety of surfaces, but one of the things we like best is being able to store all the attachments on board. This space-saving feature is a study in convenience, with each attachment having its own secure place to "live" while not in use. This reduces the risk that we'll misplace an attachment over time, and keeps everything in one handy place. The attachments include a window and tile cleaner, floor cleaner, upholstery cleaner (which doubles as a clothes steamer), jet nozzle, brush nozzle and a scraper nozzle.

The Earlex Canister Steam Cleaner is easily portable: It has a built-in shoulder strap for greater mobility and a hose with a 4-foot reach, which is useful when spot-cleaning surfaces, or when using the upholstery attachment or cleaning stairs. It produces steam almost instantly (it only takes about a minute to heat the water) and will provide about 30 minutes of continuous steam before needing to be refilled. The internal boiler heats water to a temperature of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which adequately sanitizes most surfaces. In fact, this is one of our favorite features of the Earlex Canister Steam Cleaner. We like being able to effectively clean and sanitize surfaces without using chemical cleaners. We expected the steam-without-chemicals feature to work well on hard surfaces such as hardwood floors or tile, but were pleased to discover it removed carpet soil as well. The steam doesn't leave behind as much liquid as traditional cool-method carpet cleaners, and the heat seems to aid in the removal of dirt, including stains that had not been pre-treated. The brush nozzle works best on carpet and provides enough suction that the carpet is left damp, but not wet. We found the carpet dried in a matter of hours, not days, which only adds to the appeal of the Earlex Canister Steam Cleaner.

Our chief complaints are small. The canister-style, although portable, is a bit heavier than we expected. It's possible to carry it on one's shoulder via the built-in strap, but it's not something we'd recommend doing long term. It has a 13-foot power cord, which is adequate, but we've tested models with cords up to 20-plus feet and prefer the additional mobility. Overall, the Earlex Canister Steam Cleaner gets high marks for effectively cleaning carpets, as well as a variety of other surfaces.


Pros: Six attachments, can use on a variety of surfaces
Cons: Short power cord

Warranty
1 year, parts and labor