A shortlist that lists identical steam temperature and steam pressure figures is not a comparison. Before those two numbers influence a purchasing decision, write down the duty the machine has to perform, then state exactly how each supplier's figures were produced. The PowerDe HW02 steam cleaner specification sheet is a useful reference for the wording you should expect back: heating power, a steam temperature value, a vapour pressure value, tank capacity, working voltage and a named water inlet fitting. If a vendor replies with two numbers and nothing else, treat that reply as incomplete.
State the surface and the soil before comparing numbers
Steam temperature and steam pressure are only meaningful against a named surface and a named soil. Record the material you clean (painted metal, stainless steel, sealed flooring, plastic housings, coated glass), how the soil behaves (fresh film, dried residue, thick buildup in a seam), and what "clean enough" looks like afterwards. Two machines with the same stated pressure can behave differently on a vertical seam because nozzle geometry, flow rate, hose length and operator technique all change what actually reaches the surface.
Ask where the temperature is measured and where the pressure is measured
Put this question to each supplier in writing, and keep the answers side by side. Steam can be measured at the boiler, at the gun, or at the nozzle tip, and those points are not equivalent once the steam leaves the machine. The same applies to pressure: a boiler reading and a working-line reading describe different things. You are not looking for a specific figure from one vendor; you are looking for a stated measurement point plus a test method, so that the vendor's own numbers can be reproduced at your site.
Compare mode selection, not one headline mode
A machine that offers a drier steam mode, a wetter steam mode and a hot-water mode gives the operator ways to match the moisture load to the surface. Ask each vendor which modes the machine offers, how the operator switches between them, and which mode the stated temperature and pressure figures apply to. If a comparison table only carries one line for a machine, the table will hide the fact that the figure belongs to a single mode and may not describe how the machine runs during most of the shift. The dry and wet steam cleaner wording on the HW02 page is an example of mode naming you should require in every offer you receive.
Check duty cycle, recovery and water supply
Ask how long the machine can run at the stated settings, what happens after the tank is empty, and how quickly it returns to working conditions. Note the tank capacity and the water inlet arrangement: the HW02 page lists an 80 L SUS304 tank and a tap-water inlet with a 1/2 inch 4-point internal-tooth joint. Those details decide whether one operator can work continuously or whether a second person is needed for refilling and hose management. Compare the recovery behaviour and the refill route for each candidate, not just the peak figure.
Confirm power supply and installed protections
Record heating power and working voltage for every candidate, then check them against what your site can actually supply at the working location — socket type, circuit capacity, cable length, and whether the cable crosses a drive lane or a public area. The HW02 listing shows 6 kW heating power and a 220 V working voltage; a vendor who cannot state both has not answered the electrical question. Also ask the vendor to list the protections the machine provides. The HW02 page names leakage, short-circuit, high-temperature, high-voltage, water-shortage and high-voltage-explosion protection. Ask each supplier for the equivalent list in their own words, and keep the lists comparable.
Define how the figures will be verified on your own site
Before any order, decide the acceptance test you will run with your own equipment and your own staff. Fix the nozzle type, the nozzle-to-surface distance, the travel speed and the number of passes, then run the same sequence on the same kind of surface for each candidate. Write the pass condition as something a supervisor can check: soil removed at a named location, a named seam cleared, a named area dried within the window you need to return the area to service. For surfaces you have never cleaned with steam, review our guidance on what to test before using wet-steam cleaning mode on a new surface, and keep the trial in a small, controlled area first.
Keep the comparison table honest
Build the table with one column per supplier and one row per question, and leave a cell blank rather than guessing when an answer is missing. Rows should cover: measurement point for temperature, measurement point for pressure, modes offered and which mode the figures belong to, heating power and working voltage, tank capacity and refill route, duty cycle and recovery, protection list, accessory options, and the vendor's willingness to run a trial on your own samples. A comparison like this usually shows that the two headline numbers were the least useful row in the sheet.
If you want the specification questions answered against your actual surfaces and your cleaning schedule, contact PowerDe and send the surface list, the soil you are removing and the working window you have to fit.
