McCulloch makes some of the world’s best, user-friendliest, steam cleaners out there. From large, heavy-duty models to tinier, spot-focusing ones, you can rest assured that McCulloch has at least one steam cleaner model made to handle any steam-cleaning job you have at home.
We’ve gone over many of McCulloch’s canister models, and this time, we’re going to see what the MC1230 Handheld Steam Cleaner has in store for us. Does his handheld unit live up to the good McCulloch name? Find out in our full review down below.
58-PSI Steam Power
The MC1230 is no mean handheld steam cleaner. With a steam pressure release rating of 58 PSI, you’ve got plenty of dissolving power on your hands to remove the grimiest, muckiest, foulest stains in hardly any time. The quicker you can remove stains, the more steam you have leftover to work with, and considering its tiny tank (more on this in the following section), that means a whole lot with the MC1230.
We feel inclined to warn our readers that 58 PSI of steam pressure is not something to play around with as many customers have found out the hard way. The MC1230 isn’t necessarily an unsafe tool, but in the wrong hands, it can cause a lot of damage, both to nasty grease stains and to your skin.
0.18-quart Tank Capacity
As a handheld unit, you shouldn’t expect it to carry huge quantities of water at once. The MC1230’s tank holds onto 0.18 quarts of water at any given time which, even by handheld steam cleaner standards, is hardly anything. However, limited tank capacity translates into a lighter unit which makes spot-cleaning tight spots a lot easier to do.
3-minute Heating Time
The tiny tank means quick heating times—a major plus if you don’t want to spend all day waiting on the pre-heating function. It takes roughly three minutes for the boiler to begin producing sanitizing steam for 10 continuous minutes. Make use of the on-demand steam trigger (more on this later) to increase cleaning session times per tankful of water.
11 Awesome Accessories
Following tradition, the MC1230 comes with 11 super-handy accessories that make steam-cleaning tiny spaces a breeze. Many of them are multiples of the same tool, but essentially, you get a suction hose, a scraper, a round scrub pad, triangle brushes, large brushes, and nylon and brass utility brushes, as well as a storage bag where everything goes into.
34-inch Extension Hose
The nozzle on the MC1230 can be a bit too stubby to reach deep or high-up surfaces without too much trouble. The extension hose itself feels pretty cheap and flimsy, and it does tend to kink up from time to time, but cracking has never been a significant issue to customer reports. Also, it’s able to withstand steam so there’s little worry about whether it’ll melt in your hands (a good thing, right?).
Continuous or On-Demand Steam
Whether you want a continuous jet of steam or steam whenever you pull the trigger, the MC1230’s got your back. The lockable trigger makes things easier on your index finger so cleaning the grimiest surfaces with all 10 minutes of steam shouldn’t lead to complications. If you prefer blasting brief bursts of steam and scrubbing with the brass brush, then the on-demand trigger should be of some help.
15-foot Power Cord
Ironically, the handheld MC1230 is very portable due to its short 15-foot power cord. Whether this long enough varies from person to person, but you can always extend your reach by plugging this device into an extension cord. Also, the 34-inch extension hose should work wonders at poking this device into all sorts of nooks and crannies.
Durability
Although the MC1230 is supposedly made of a high-quality plastic outer housing, there have been customer reports of the plastic cracking or becoming warped after only a couple of months of light use. We don’t have the full story on these anecdotes, but we can say for sure that the stainless-steel boiler housing should stay perfectly intact for several years of careful use.
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Verdict: Should I Get the McCulloch MC1230 Handheld Steam Cleaner?
The MC1230 lives up to the good McCulloch name by being an ultra-versatile handheld steam cleaner that delivers an ample amount of steam and pressure to tackle concentrated stains. Extended waiting periods between refills can be a bit annoying, but this is natural in every handheld steam cleaner. If you need a handheld steam cleaner to erase grease and grime from small surfaces, the MC1230 is one of your best options.
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