SUMJet Pro – A new take on the portable steam cleaner concept
Around one month ago, we have received a request from the SUMJet Pro team to review their steam cleaner. At first we were not too keen on doing it, as steam cleaner is nothing new. However, once we have received more details about it, we realized that it is something totally different – runs cordless, way smaller and lighter than what we have imagined. So we went ahead with the plan.
SUMJet Pro is a miniature version of steam dry cleaners, the type used at boutiques and department stores. After display garments have been tried on, the staff clean and sterilize them with hot steam before returning them to the rack. The hot steam removes dirt and germs without using chemical, preserving the condition of the merchandises. SUMJet claims the same can be applied to clean other places such as the kitchen and toilet as it can be used without the cable in. Let us try it out.
The SUMJet Pro arrived in a smooth cardboard box in black. The unit is depicted on its sides and the overall packing is well made. You can expect to reuse it for storage as it won’t fall apart easily. Lifting off the lid, we see SUMJet sitting on its molded soft foam liner. A user’s manual is on top and there is also a small squeeze-bottle inside.
According to the manual, the SUMJet is pretty easy to use. The only preparation needed is to pour in water into its water tank, then plug in so it boils and generates steam. I used the included bottle for the job, filling it up with tap water and then squeeze it into the device. It is straight-forward and I did not spill any water in the process. Then I plug it in and turn it on.
The SUMJet Pro takes just a few minutes to start making water boiling noises. Once it is hot enough, the light signal changes and I remove cable from the charging base. Curiosity urged me to squeeze the trigger. The spray is both strong and plentiful – you can see the white steam travels a long way from the nozzle and does not disperse quickly. With a full tank of water, it weights at bit but is still very manageable to drag around the house for cleaning.
Like pressure cooker and other devices containing a hot pressurized boiler, safety is a major concern. The SUMJet has a few safety features, the water cap which locks up itself once the pressure has gone up, only releasing once the boiler has cooled down. Also, the trigger lock locks up the exit to avoid leakage. This prevents any accident from happening, and add extra safety if you have any child.
Just like what they have claimed, the “SUM” spray from the device is very fine and penetrates fabrics easily. We have also tested it against the bottom of a drawer and a gap behind of the microwave. We couldn’t capture the process due to constraints in lighting, but it blew out and cleaned up the area with a combination of hot steam and airflow nicely. The battery keeps the boiler hot and pressurized, I could complete all cleaning tasks without running out of steam, though it did get slightly weaker later on.
After testing out the SUMJet for about 30 minutes, we find it roughly matches expectations for such a cleaner. It is reasonably lightweight, compact and does the job well. One thing that has surprised us is its boiling speed, which is by far faster than our usual kettle. The steam also appears finer and travels faster, so it doesn’t get things wet even at 70% humidity. Overall, this is a decent cleaner for household uses. We like it and will certainly keep it if the folks at SUMJet allow us to!
