I am considering purchasing one for furniture cleaning and bathroom cleaning. Can you suggest a brand?

They all seem to get mixed reviews. I'll bump this back to the top, but you might try posting over on the Organizing and Cleaning board to see if you might get more responses.

I have one (put away someplace) couldn't tell you the name. But hand held steam cleaners are NOT pressure steam cleaners. In other words, the steam is not pressurized to aim at an area and really clean it (like pressure washers, oh IF only we could do that in our bathrooms!). The steam does come out like in a tea pot spout (not as strong) and you can aim it at an area. The place you put the spray (such as on tile and grout) will cool that steam quickly and it works OK to get caked on build up.

I got one because I do not have the arm power to do the scrubbing I used to be able to do, but used the steam cleaner a few times and found I was tending the steam cleaner more than I was getting anything really accomplished. The water basin does not hold that much water so it needs refilling often depending on the job.

As for furniture, some stains set with heat, so applying steam and heat to a stained area might set it rather than remove the stain.

It is a matter of what you need and how you like to clean. I have a collection of small brushes that do more cleaning and faster than getting the steamer ready for cleaning then feeding it with more water... etc.

You can use the hand held steamer for getting wrinkles out of (clean) drapery when hanging after they were folded for some time.

That was my 2 cents, I am sure someone else will chime in and give you their success stories with their steam cleaners.

Thanks so much for your reply. I will rethink the cleaner.