If you want to remove dirt from your own four walls in a big way, you can hardly do without a vacuum cleaner and mop. However, the two appliances together can take up a lot of space, especially in small apartments. What’s more, the two work steps often turn out to be real time wasters – at least for non-professionals. So why not combine the two household appliances without further ado? A vacuum mop does just that! This is where a vacuum cleaner meets a mop. One of the most popular manufacturers of practical combination appliances is Tineco. In today’s Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam test, we take a closer look at the company’s latest steam model. Is it possibly even better than its wired predecessor?
Successor to the Tineco FLOOR ONE S5 Steam
As the name suggests, the FLOOR ONE S7 Steam is part of the manufacturer’s product family of the same name. With the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Pro(test), we were already able to take a look at a member of the family as part of our test series. And it was completely convincing. It was not without reason that it received the Gold Award. The S7 Pro scored particularly well with its great cleaning performance. But what makes it different from the new Steam model? Unlike the other vacuum cleaners from Tineco, the Steam model does not use cleaning fluid. Instead, 140 °C steam is used to ensure hygienic cleaning of your hard floors. However, this concept is not new. After all, the steam version is also available for the predecessor Tineco FLOOR ONE S5 Pro(test).
However, it required its users to be willing to compromise. Although it provides deep pore cleaning using hot steam, this was only possible with an active power connection in the form of a power cable. The lack of a rechargeable battery and therefore the cordless design, which is a recipe for success for Tineco’s vacuum cleaners, meant that ease of use was compromised. But as the saying goes: you learn from your mistakes. So the latest version with the “Steam” label comes with an integrated rechargeable battery. This means that it can finally be used wirelessly and therefore with significantly more comfort. But does the battery concept really only have advantages? Is it possibly at the expense of performance? We’ll find out below.
Technical data
| Device type | Steam floor cleaner |
| Power output | max. 350 watts |
| Cleaning modes | 3 cleaning modes (vacuum mopping, steam cleaning, steam boost) |
| Water tanks | Fresh water tank (800 ml) Dirty water tank (700 ml) |
| Special feature | 140 °C hot steam kills 99.99 % of all bacteria |
| Power supply | Battery operation |
| App support | Yes |
| Price | € 699.00 * |
Scope of delivery
- Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam
- Base station
- Handle
- Spare cleaning roller
- Cleaning tool
- Replacement filter
- Operating instructions
Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam Test: Design and workmanship
Of course, a direct comparison with the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Pro is also possible in terms of appearance. Here you can recognize the relationship at first glance. One reason for this is the color scheme. Here too, the US manufacturer has opted for a combination of black and white. However, the Steam model is predominantly white. With the Pro model, on the other hand, black sets the tone. The basic design is also similar. The handle with the bar is located in the upper area. The user interface is located on the handle. A total of three buttons are available. Firstly, you can start cleaning and secondly, you can adjust the mode. The button for the self-cleaning function is somewhat hidden. However, as this is only carried out in the base station anyway, the position is understandable.
The rather bulky body forms the basis of the smart household helper. This is where the two water tanks are located. Both the fresh and dirty water tanks are easy to reach. The mechanisms for inserting and removing them interlock smoothly. This is representative of the overall build quality of the household appliance. However, a look at the top of the main unit reveals a huge difference to the basic model. After all, the animated display is not used here. I think that’s a real shame, as this was a real highlight of the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Pro. We’ll find out later whether the vacuum cleaner also scores with its rudimentary display in practice.
The cleaning unit or roller is located at the bottom of the vacuum cleaner. As with the S7 Pro, the manufacturer also uses practical LED lighting on the front. This allows you to keep an overview even in dark corners and under furniture. However, given the bulky design of the S7 STEAM, this might not be so easy. After all, the bulky main unit and the limited angle of the cleaning unit’s joint ensure that you can’t even get under flat furniture. I like the articulated design of an OSOTEK H200 Lite(test) much better. Incidentally, the cleaning unit itself is slimmer. After all, the S7 Pro is a few centimeters wider. However, both models share the almost rimless design of the roller.
Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 STEAM test: Steam unit and display
The smart household helper is ready for use in a flash. This is mainly due to the fact that Tineco once again delivers it almost completely assembled. There are just two steps to get the appliance up and running. First, insert the handle from above into the appropriate hole in the main unit. Then fill the fresh water tank with tap water. As the S7 Steam relies on steam, you don’t even need to add detergent to the water. As part of the assembly process, I also took a look at the cleaning unit in the lower section.
Here you can see the floor nozzle and the generator for steam production. As with the standard model, the water from the fresh water tank is fed to the cleaning unit via hoses. However, a pipe here also leads to the vaporizer. This is responsible for steam production. Another special feature compared to the S7 Pro is the display. Tineco has opted for a downgrade here. The screen on the standard model came with helpful and, above all, attractive animations.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with the S7 Steam, which certainly not only saves costs, but should also benefit the battery life. In practice, the loss of quality didn’t bother me at all. The pleasantly bright display shows the most important status information such as battery status or the current cleaning mode. The typical illuminated ring is also a must. This makes it clear that the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam once again uses the iLoop dirt sensor. If the illuminated ring is blue, the current surface is clean. If parts of the ring are red, dirt is still present.
Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 STEAM test: Less power than its predecessor
Now that we have clarified the features of the S7 Steam, it’s time for a first practical test. When cleaning with the vacuum cleaner, you have a total of three modes to choose from. Experience has shown that the auto mode is the best for everyday use. This works completely without steam, which ensures efficient operation and therefore a longer battery life. Here, the power of the vacuum cleaner is quickly adjusted to the degree of dirt on your floor.
This is made possible by the in-house iLoop dirt sensor. There is also a steam-only mode. When this is switched on, the S7 Steam simply works as a steam cleaner. The third mode emits powerful bursts of steam. This is particularly suitable for stubborn dirt. However, targeted mopping is required here. After all, the steam blasts are not emitted across the entire width of the cleaning unit.
When looking at the cleaning modes, it becomes clear that the FLOOR ONE S7 Steam wants to be a real all-rounder. After all, it doesn’t just operate as a vacuum cleaner. It can also work with steam, which primarily ensures hygienic cleaning. It scores with the virtues of the S7 Pro. First and foremost is the almost rimless design of the cleaning roller. In practice, the vacuum cleaner leaves a barely visible edge to the baseboard, which is reflected in a comprehensive cleaning pattern.
Sometimes I missed a little power in practice. Given the impressive 1500 watts that the S5 Steam has to offer, my expectations were high. If you take a closer look at the performance data, it becomes clear why. With a maximum of 350 watts, the S7 Steam has significantly less steam in the boiler. Of course, this is due to the lack of an active power connection via a mains cable. Here you simply have to weigh up performance against user convenience.
Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam test: No cleaning agent allowed
In practice, however, I have only had good experiences cleaning with the S7 Steam. However, I don’t have a direct comparison with the S5 Steam in this respect. What is certain is that even with the maximum 350 watts of power, you generate steam that is supposed to be able to kill 99.99% of all bacteria on the floor. As I don’t have a suitable measuring device, I am of course unable to check this.
What I did notice, however, was that even dried stains were no problem for the smart household helper. With the predecessor, however, the whole thing should certainly go faster given the higher performance. The mopping function itself has to take a back seat compared to the pure vacuum cleaners from Tineco. This is not only due to the narrower mopping surface. On top of that, the steam unit means that no cleaning agent can be used. For stubborn stains, you can’t avoid using steam.
Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam test: Battery life
Unlike the S5 Steam, the S7 Steam allows cordless operation. The integrated battery makes this possible. This undoubtedly makes for gigantic ease of use. However, the battery life is also quite short. The S7 Steam uses a 100 Wh battery. When the steam function is activated, this provides just under 20 minutes of runtime. Of course, large areas cannot be cleaned in this time. A replaceable battery would certainly be helpful here. After all, you could use it as a backup without further ado.
Alternatively, the vacuum cleaner with steam function would also benefit from a quick-charging function. Unfortunately, this is not available here. The base station charges the vacuum cleaner for just under 4 hours until the battery is completely full. What else would you expect with 30 watts of charging power? Tineco really needs to improve this in the successor model. It’s not just the charging power that needs to be increased. In my opinion, it is also high time that the US manufacturer introduced a replaceable battery in its appliances. After all, even vacuum cleaners are not world champions when it comes to battery life.
Conclusion
Despite a few points of criticism, the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam is a really good vacuum cleaner. However, it only really comes into its own if it is used by the right people. Firstly, your focus should be on cleaning with steam. After all, the mopping function is not comparable to that of a pure vacuum cleaner because it does not use cleaning agents. Furthermore, your home should not be too large. The battery life of 20 minutes with the steam function switched on is quite short. However, this should certainly be sufficient for a 2- or 3-room apartment. Of course, the weaker performance compared to its predecessor may also be noticeable in practice. But thanks to cordless operation, it is simply much more convenient to use.
Other features also ensure ease of use. In particular, the LED lights on the front of the cleaning unit prove to be extremely helpful in practice. However, you should not expect to be able to get under flat furniture with this smart household helper. The bulky design puts a stop to this. Speaking of design. Once again, I really like the design of the S7 Steam. Tineco proves once again that it simply knows how to make high-quality household appliances. You can also feel this in the build quality.
This is at a very high level. After testing the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam, I have mixed feelings. Using a steam cleaner on battery power alone is really cool. However, things like the short cleaning time and the limited usability as a mop-only vacuum cleaner are also two notable disadvantages. If you’re not afraid of cables, you should definitely take a look at its predecessor. If, on the other hand, the function as a mopping vacuum cleaner is more important to you, the Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Pro may be the right model for you. Here you get extended premium features and therefore even more user comfort.
Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam
Workmanship & design
Hardware
Cleaning performance
Usability
Value for money
89/100
The Tineco FLOOR ONE S7 Steam is a great steam cleaner that scores particularly well with its cordless operation. However, a little more battery life would have been nice.
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