Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop – a new generation of steam cleaners from Shark

Mopping is a common cleaning activity, especially with the upcoming Easter holidays. Everybody can do it, it’s not rocket science. Floor mops were at the beginning dependent on a bucket of water. Time changed this, with the introduction of the steam cleaning technique. Shark has a long history of building steam mops. Every once in a while, they renew their line of models with a new unit, which steams and mops better than the others. That time has come now, as I will be presenting today the latest Shark product in this field, the Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop.

But first, a little bit of history: a couple of years ago, I was talking about one of their first models, the Steam Pocket mop. A few months later, I received from SharkClean the Steam & Spray Pro mop. The last steam mop  I reviewed from this company was the Shark Blast & Scrub. The rapid evolution of  these models shows that Shark is gradually improving their technology. The Genius mop is at the moment one of the most advanced yet simple to use steam mops on the market.

Today, you’ll learn from me:

• what are the main specs of the Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop
• how it compares with its brothers, the Shark Blast & Scrub and the Shark Steam & Spray Pro
• how it compares with some of Bissell’s new steam mops, including the latest Powerfresh and Symphony models
• how to save money while purchasing it

Shark Genius design & looks

If you are looking for a well-designed steam mop to do your cleaning, Shark Genius has your back. Shark produces several Genius models. The S6001 series is white, the S6002 series is blue, the S6003 is burgundy and the S5003D is gray (which is also the one presented here). With all the exceptional lines, this product is one design breakthrough aimed at providing the best experience in cleaning hard floors. Here are some photos and my video review of this mop:

Shark Genius specifications

Steam cleaning & pads

Starting with the Touch-free technology and ending with the electronic steam control, this steam mop has a lot to offer. It cleans and sanitizes all types of sealed hard floors with the help of a steam blaster system and a new type of dirt grip pad, measuring 13″ x 7″. This is designed to hold and lock dirt in its fibers, and thus the exterior surface can trap, pull and lift more dirt than before. The washable nature of the pad cloths enhances cleaning and maintenance. The pads should be washed and dried after every use (don’t use bleach or fabric softener). Another point to be discussed here: you don’t need to touch them when you’re done: the touch-free technology keeps the tough and greasy dirt on the pads; not on your hands.

An adequate amount of steam can be set up using the three-setting steam control, which is just perfect for every cleaning work. For tough messes, you can use the “Hi” option, while for moderate cleaning you can use options “Med” or “Low”.

At the end of the stick, near the nozzle assembly, the Steam Blaster can deliver powerful steam bursts, for quick and easy clean-ups.

Input power

The electronic steam system runs on a fairly decent power: 1200 watts (8.75A at 120V). The sturdy and durable construction supports a cord length of 22 ft. The plastic clips on its back help you to properly store the cable.

Water tank

The tank holds up to 350ml, which is an equivalent of 11.8 fl oz of water. This is just the perfect capacity that can be accommodated by any functional steam mop in the market. This will easily cover around 1000 sq ft.  Water is cheap, effective and healthy, as opposed to most expensive chemicals out there. A hard water filter is more that necessary to avoid or at least reduce the intensity of surface scaling. Shark Genius has a sophisticated filtering system, yet I recommend you to use distilled water, in order to increase the life of this mop.

Product dimensions

In its complete package, Shark Genius weighs almost 6 lbs. This is fairly lightweight considering its widely used types of material: metal, plastic, and rubber.  The overall dimensions are 47.1 x 11.8 x 11.8 inches.

Warranty

A 2-year/5-year VIP warranty protects your purchase (depending from where you’re buying). It’s wise to make your purchase from authorized retailers (such as Amazon) or directly from Shark’s website, to avoid running the risk of fake warranty claims.

Accessories

If you buy from Amazon, you will enjoy a 5 year warranty, a better price, and will receive in the package the Genius mop, another stick bar called Spray Pocket, the Genius nozzle, 2 Dirt Grip pads and a filling flask. If you buy directly from Shark, you’ll pay around $20 extra, have a 2-year warranty, but you will additionally get a triangle mop head w/ a triangle Dirt Grip pad and a spray bottle with a cleaning solution and a clip which allows you to store it directly on-board the product. The triangular scrubber pad and the  triangular scrubber head are among the very essentials. The good news is that you can purchase them separately for approximately $10 or so. No other additional accessories included but for floor mopping, I believe you’re set to go with these.

Usability

The steam is heated at 212 F, while the water heat up-time is around 30 seconds. The dual-sided design of the dirt grip pads is a great idea. So is the simple Spray pocket mop – its lightweight and flexible. The touch-free technology is without a doubt a small plus. The user manual will get you started right from the installation process (which lasts under 1 minute) to using the device. The instructions are straight forward and one can handle this product in the least time possible.

Price

It’s a bit more expensive than its contenders, at around $100 (depending on the extras).

Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop vs Shark Blast & Scrub vs Shark Steam & Spray Pro

	Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop	Shark Blast & Scrub	Shark Steam & Spray Pro
Aspect
Steam control	Digital – 3 Steam Settings	Digital – 3 Steam Settings	1 Steam Setting
Cleaning width	13″	11.5″	11.5″
Length of the power cord	22 ft	25 ft	20 ft
Tank capacity	11.8 oz	13 oz	12 oz
Pads	2 Dirt Grip Pads	4/6 washable pads	1 washable pad
Dual-sided pads	Yes	Yes	No
Touch-Free	Yes	No	No
Steam Blaster	Yes	No	No / It can spray

Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop vs Bissell 1806 PowerFresh Deluxe vs Bissell Symphony Pet All-in-One

Bissell has recently released new versions of their successful products, the PowerFresh steam mop and the Symphony vacuum and steam cleaner. The 1806 PowerFresh Deluxe comes to replace the classic PowerFresh which I covered here, and the Symphony Pet All-in-One 1543A replaces the Symphony 1132A I was talking about here. All-in-all, here is the comparison chart I’ve promised:

	Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop	Bissell 1806 PowerFresh Deluxe	Bissell Symphony Pet All-in-One
Aspect
Steam control	Digital – 3 Steam Settings	Digital – 2 Steam Settings	Digital – 2 Steam Settings
Cleaning width	13″	12.5″	11″
Length of the power cord	22 ft	25 ft	25 ft
Tank capacity	11.8 oz	16 oz	12.8 oz
Pads	2 Dirt Grip Pads	2 Microfiber Pads	2 Microban Pads
Dual-sided pads	Yes	No	No
Touch-Free	Yes	No	No
Steam Blaster	Yes	SpotBOOST Brush	Vacuum & Steam

Pros

Shark Genius steam mop compliments any contemporary home setting with its sleek and flexible design. This product guarantees a high level of performance and sanitation without using chemicals that can be harmful to the health. It’s one of the environmental-friendly devices we need to keep for a better tomorrow.

Its ease of use and flexibility make it a top pick. I can’t speak durability wise, because I haven’t tested it for that. However, this steam mop leaves your room dry within seconds, with no streaks at all. It offers a very quiet operation – you don’t have to disturb the whole family while running this machine. It’s light and compact; you can store it nearly anywhere, provided it’s outside children’s reach.

Cons

Despite the countless advantages that come with this product, a bit of drawbacks cannot be neglected. The steam mop will demand your support throughout the cleaning; it can’t stand on itself. This can be a challenge especially if you want to lift some luggage or move furniture to provide room for cleaning. Edge cleaning also needs some kind of experience and regular practice; otherwise, you won’t be able to meet the expectations.

Conclusion

Shark Genius is a steam mop built for fast, effective and satisfactory floor cleaning. Owning this product is a necessity. IMO, this product is worth the investment. Weighing in the comparisons with the other products and the drawbacks, here is my VGMst:

VGMst table for Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop

What do you think about this steam cleaner from Shark? Would you buy one? Have some experience with it? Please share it with us.