The relatively inexpensive Morphy Richards 12-in-1 is both a steam mop and a handheld steam cleaner. A whole host of attachments come with it, out of the box, and so it should be able to get to work on almost any cleaning scenario, but does it handle them well?
Design
While you shouldn’t really be buying a steam cleaner for its looks, the Morphy Richards 12-in-1 is impressively sleek. It stands upright unassisted, clicking into place on its cleaning head, so that you can take a break mid-clean or store it easily in a cupboard. Once upright, though, I found it a bit of a struggle to click it out again when I wanted to get some cleaning done.
The lack of buttons and settings, compared to the Vax Steam Fresh Power Plus is notable, with no variable steam settings in sight. The handheld cleaner, that contains the water tank, can be used to clean walls and other surfaces, with multiple brushes, nozzles and a squeegee that can be clicked into place for practically any task. When the handheld is housed within the mop, the Morphy Richards can be used to clean both hard floors and carpet thanks to the supplied carpet glider.
The 0.4 litre water tank capacity is twice that of the excellent Karcher SC1, with a respectable 14 minute rigorous steam time. The lightweight 2.1kg mop meant I could carry the Morphy Richards around the place with ease, while the handheld only weighed just over 1kg.
The steam control is powered by a trigger located on the handle of the mop, as well as on the handle of the handheld when detached. The Morphy Richards 12-in-1 falls short when it comes to safety features, since the water tank cap can easily be opened during use. There’s a light on the on/off switch that lets you know when it’s turned on and that’s it.
Cleaning Performance
Tackling grout on the kitchen wall was relatively straightforward with the Morphy Richards handheld and I started to see decent results around the two-minute mark following constant use. After a while though, my arm became incredibly tired, especially given the cleaners leverage, with the handle being at the very end of the cleaner. You’re possibly supposed to hold the body of the handheld with your other arm, but as that area is pretty much the entirety of the water storage tank, it became far too hot to hold.
It would have benefited from a hose attachment like that on the Karcher SC1 handheld. That means you can rest the device on the floor or kitchen worktop as you work. In addition, the attachments are only twisted into place and not particularly tightly, as a result they often became loose in use.
The steam mop was somewhat disappointing, struggling to clean up basic spills and stains. The Morphy Richards broke up the breakfast spill relatively well, but required a decent amount of time and effort, having to really put my back into it to see any positive results. Steam power was lacklustre overall and would have benefitted from at least a little bit of variable steam control, such as the comparatively priced and frankly better, Vileda Steam Mop.
Conclusion
Overall, the Morphy Richards 12-in-1 is a bit of a disappointment considering the price bracket it sits in. In a crowded market it simply doesn’t stand out. The handheld, while giving decent results, isn’t spectacular, becoming cumbersome and uncomfortable to use, especially with a full tank of water.
While the Vileda Steam Mop is basic and only cleans floors, it does this far better than the Morphy Richards 12-in-1, even going so far as to say that it cleans 12 times better in fact. If you’re still after a steam mop/steam cleaner hybrid though, the Karcher SC1 is your clear choice, with unrivaled versatility and cleaning power.
Dimensions (HxWxD): 1100x300x150, Weight: 2.1Kg, Maximum reach: 5.6m, Water tank capacity: 0.4 litres, Warranty: One year RTB