Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Please note that I have posted before and after images for 2 different stains on cement floors. The first thing I did when this item arrived is pour myself a tall cup of coffee and read the instruction booklet. Radically banal, I know, but I did this for 2 reasons: 1) Things that steam and operate under pressure wig me out a bit 2) Is it advised for use on my specific application? (Cement floor? Answer: yes) My Main Intended Application (possible gross-out alert): This steamer is marketed primarily for wall-paper removal. While my house does not have any wall-paper, it does have certain tell-tale signs that 4 cats live here. They have produced prodigious and near-permanent 3-D stains using every orifice available to them. Scrub-brushes, a garden hoe, bleach, TSP, Brillo pads ... NOTHING removes the stains that went undetected for more than a couple of days, especially on our basement's cement floor. WHAT I LIKE: 1) Ease of set-up and ease of use - not messy, though it did scare the cats, and required lots of paper towels 2) Attachments (1 jet nozzle, 2 nozzle brushes, 2 extension wands, 1 steam plate, 1 large cleaning brush, 1 squeegee) 3) Light-weight, easy to carry up and down stairs 4) 16 ounces of water heated in just a few minutes (max of 48 ounces will require longer time) 5) Results on cement floor - outstanding!! (see my Customer Images) Just a few swipes with the cleaning brush attachment did the job (plus a whole lot of paper towels). WHAT I DO NOT LIKE - POTENTIAL HAZARD: This steamer has no water-level indicator and you should use your own timer to prevent fire and/or electric shock from allowing the steamer to boil dry. The machine DOES have a thermal safety fuse reset capability for when the steamer is allowed to run WHILE dry (i.e. if you turn the machine on without filling the reservoir first), yet it does not seem to kick in if the steamer had been previously filled but allowed to boil dry. Thus, for safety, you have to be VERY mindful about your usage time based on how much water you have inserted (see "Good To Know" below). The manufacturers seriously need to add at least an automated timer to this machine and ideally an auto-shut-off feature. WHAT I DID NOT EXPECT: During my first 10 minutes of use, I had to stop and wait 4 times for the water to reheat. This is a bit of a pain for longer periods of cleaning, but I can get used to this. (I just have to remember to look at the indicator lights very frequently; when the light is red, the machine is working on creating steam, therefore you must wait for the light to turn green again, indicating steam is available for use.) GOOD TO KNOW: 1) 16 ounces of water provides 15 minutes of steam time 2) 32 ounces of water provides 30 minutes of steam time 3) 48 ounces of water (max capacity) provides 45 minutes of steam time 4) Distilled water is recommended over regular tap water. 5) You'll most likely need an extension cord, and only a heavy duty 3-wire 3-prong (grounded) cord. 6) You'll need to use your own timer to avoid a hazardous boiled-dry situation. BOTTOM LINE: For cleaning nasty old 3-D pet-stained cement floors, I am positively pleased with this steamer. What this steamer was able to accomplish in just 10 minutes outweighs the concerns I mentioned above. I am looking forward to experimenting with all the attachments and getting to know this machine much better.