Karcher SC1122

This has totally transformed our cleaning regime and we regret not buying one sooner. It is fantastic in the kitchen and bathroom. We also use it on laminated floors and floor tiles with great results. No problems so far. The only thing is that you have to keep it descaled because of the hard water in our area - otherwise it loses steam pressure.

I bought a steam cleaner in the past and returned it hastily when it burnt my hands through the handle, so it was with some reservations that I started looking for steam cleaner again.

Like you are doing now, I read the reviews, decided it was worth purchasing one and that 'you get what you pay for', so despite being over £100 (Tesco Direct £137) I ordered one.

The Karcher SC1122 arrived yesterday, I couldn't wait to get started! I unpacked the very lightweight package, was impressed at the quality of the accessories etc, filled it up with water, waited 10 minutes and voila - off we went. We breezed through cleaning the conservatory windows, downstairs windows, all of the frames, the tiles in the kitchen, the worktops and the laminate floor and even the cats litter tray (Cat by now had fled upstairs!) - and all on 2 tanks of water!

I'm impressed, my new found steamy friend is going to help me cut cost on cleaning products, time cleaning and save me the embarassment of explaining to my window cleaner that one day I will clean the insides of my windows! (not a big fan of window cleaning you understand!).

Overall I'm glad I bought it, it does what it says on the box you just have to remember it makes cleaning easier, it doesn't do it for you - you still have to wipe up the dirty water.

Next port of call - we're off to clean the bathroom. I wonder if I can put a drop of essential oil in the tank???

The Karcher SC1122 can clean the kitchen in a fraction of the time it would take using chemical cleaners. Great because I'm asthmatic and can't use certain products. It even removes burnt on grease from the cooker hob easily.

The seal on the filler cap blew after 4 months. A couple of weeks ago a seal has gone where the hose connects into the machine so it just loses pressure all the time. Looks to me like it is possibly a design fault because the hose connection assembly seems to be quite flimsy.

I bought the machine in April this year but unfortunately I lost the receipt for it. However, I had registered it with Karcher when I first got it.

Contacted Karcher the other day about it and they didn't want to know as I didn't have the receipt for it. Explained that the machine was registered under warranty with them. They told me that the registration is only for their demographic use and refused to honour the warranty. In other words, they couldn't care less!

By contrast I have a Dyson DC04 vacuum cleaner. Had a problem with the belts breaking. Contacted Dyson and although my vacuum cleaner is out of warranty now, they very kindly sent me a new brush bar with their compliments at no cost to myself and even apologised that I was having problems fitting a new belt!

0 points to Karcher. Top marks to Dyson.

Went back to the store where I bought the Karcher today. They issued me with a duplicate receipt and told me to bring the Karcher back and they would exchange it or give me a full refund, whichever is my preference. Suffice to say I will not be replacing it with another Karcher but will replace it with an alternative make.

I would recommend steam cleaners to anyone but not Karcher, which is a shame because the machine does everything it's supposed to and more. Maybe I just got a bad one but Karcher's cavalier attitude means that I will never purchase any more of their products and would never recommend them as a company to anyone.