The Monster EZ1XL Steam Jet floor cleaner depends on two key equations. 1.) Kids/pets + carpet/hardwood floors = dirt. 2.) Dirt + steam = no dirt. Or (dirt x 0), mathematically speaking. Besides having the coolest Jetsons-sounding product name ever, does the Monster really make the math work? Read along as we run it through its paces to find out.
EuroflexUSA produces the very popular Monster Steam Jet and sells it primarily through outlets like QVC.com and via infomercials. Fairly affordable at a retail price a little over $100, the Monster EZ1XL Steam Jet (I just can’t stop typing that badass name) costs only a little bit more than a one-day rental of a steam cleaner from your typical Loews Depot big box store.
While clearly the rental models are more heavy-duty than this consumer-grade steam cleaner, the convenience and portability of the (all together now) Monster EZ1XL Steam Jet gives major points to ownership over rental.
The Monster (OK, I’ll give in to the shorter name, which is still cool) ships in a compact package, which offered me pause when I first saw it, remembering hours spent assembling a propane grill which also shipped in a small box indicating that the largest discrete part was no bigger than a pack of playing cards.
But the Monster assembled easily thanks to clear instructions that, as a man, I ignored anyway. Primarily constructed of plastic and aluminum, the Monster does feel a bit flimsy, but in hours of use has held together steadfastly without incident. Ergonomically, the adjustable handle length works well for my six foot frame and for anyone shorter than that, although NBA power forwards would probably not enjoy using it to clean their money.
Lightweight and easy to maneuver, the Monster is used like a small vacuum to clean carpets, rugs or hardwood floors. Detachable pads Velcro to the bottom of the unit to pick up dirt and dust and protect your floor coverings from the hot steam. Conveniently, the pads are machine washable for reuse.
The small water reservoir fills from an included cup and funnel that helps guide the stream into the small opening at the back of the steam cleaner, not unlike filling up an iron. Euroflex USA recommends against attempting to fill the Monster straight from the faucet, and I’d have to agree with them.
With just one simple control, a large button on the front to turn on the steam generator, the Monster couldn’t be simpler to use. The water in the reservoir heats up quickly, and within 30 seconds you’ll be ready to start cleaning. Unfortunately, the reservoir also empties quickly and I found myself having to refill in every ten minutes or so. But that’s the trade-off for portability and the inexpensive cost of the unit. Since the Monster was ready to steam again within a minute, it really didn’t slow me down much.
What did slow me down was the narrow cleaning head that meant cleaning a large rug was like pressure-washing a deck. Slow repeated passes are necessary to really cover all the dirty territory, but I find a Zen-like pleasure in these sort of menial cleaning tasks anyway.
For use on carpet, the Monster comes with an extra plastic rim that snaps on over the pad to help protect the rug and for ease of gliding across the rough surface. A larger pad can be used on tile or hardwood without the guard, but Euroflex USA suggests first testing on a small inconspicuous spot on your floor to make sure that the steam does not harm the wood. Since the steam is relatively low-pressure, I had no problem using the Monster to deep clean my wood floors. Even though we had always thought they were pretty clean after mopping and sweeping, it was surprising (and a little disturbing) how dirty the pads were after a good going over with the Monster.
So how well did it work? See for yourself.
This is a small cheap Persian rug that we keep in the high traffic area just inside our back door. Figure that our two dogs cross this threshold, oh I don’t know, 653 times per day. So it can get pretty filthy.
On the right you can see how matted down the nap of the carpet has gotten and how the colors have faded to the same shade as the dust on the poodles’ paws. On the left, after just about five minutes of back and forth work with the Monster, the colors are much more vibrant and darker thanks to the power of steam cleaning and a little elbow grease.
Some of the difference in color is due to the fact that the rug was still a little damp after treatment, but the water dried very quickly with no damage to our doggie welcome mat. After use, all we had to do was detach the cleaning pad and toss it in with the wash.
Would I want to clean a whole house worth of wall-to-wall carpet with the Monster? Probably not, since that would be like trying to clean the entire exterior of my house with a toothbrush, and even I’m not that into the Zen experience. But thanks to the ease of use and portability of the Monster, we now keep it in our cleaning closet next to the Swiffer and haul it out frequently for a quick spot clean here and there.
As long as the dogs continue to refuse to wipe their feet before entering the house, I think there will be a place for the Monster EZ1XL Steam Jet in our abode. Like dentists say, “as part of a regular cleaning regimen” including sweeping, Swiffering, mopping, etc., the Monster is a useful tool to keep the dirt and dust on an equation that at least approaches zero.
The Monster Steam Jet floor cleaner can be purchased at the QVC website.
Source: The Monster EZ1XL was a manufacturer supplied review sample
MSRP: $108.00
What I Liked: Ease of assembly and use. Inexpensive, but sturdy enough for regular cleaning.
What Needs Improvement: Small water reservoir requires frequent refilling. Narrow cleaning head makes for slow cleaning work on larger rugs.