PRODUCT REVIEW: KENWOOD Vapori Jet

By now you may have picked up that I like to turn the act of cleaning, from a tedious chore we'd rather delegate, into an enjoyable activity we'd love to engage in. It works for me anyway. That said, I have a certain cleaning appliance you may have fun using: the Kenwood Vapori Jet. Honestly, when I got it, I didn't even know what to do with it. I simply got it because it looked like something I could use, but for what? I honestly didn't know. I'm serious.
That was 6 months ago and I don't regret making that decision. So here is my review that might help you decide whether or not this is something you could keep in your house.

Unboxing
The Kenwood Vapori Jet comes in a small package of about 11" by 10.5" by 7.5" (inches). Inside this
box you'll find:
1. The attachments: bent nozzle, round brush, straight nozzle, window squeegee, flexible pipe
2. Accessories: Funnel, measuring cup, cloth
3. The Appliance with its 16 ft cable
4. User manual

First Impressions
It looks like a fancy electric kettle with a nozzle - it is after all a hand held steamer. It has a sturdy, firm body. It is metallic inside because it has to contain a lot of pressure from the heating water. The electric cable is permanently fixed onto the steamer - for a good reason. It is 16 feet long, and that is awesome!

User Guide
First you'll have to fill the tank using the funnel and only ONE measuring cup. I initially tried to put in more water (since the cup is so small) but as the water starts to heat up, it expands and leaks out through the safety cap! So I learnt that one measure is enough to go a long way. (Plus you can top up as you go along, read on to find out how). Once the water is in, screw in the safety cap really tightly. Then plug in.

After 4 to 5 minutes, point the nozzle away from you and shoot out some steam to sort of let it cough or burp! Sometimes when I burp my steamer it spits out steam and water (not just steam). Since the steamer is still plugged in, the water continues to heat up and soon you'll be shooting pure steam. Now it's ready to use, so you can fix the right attachment for whichever task you want to embark on. I've used it in several cleaning tasks, some more successfully than others.

Does it Work?
Mostly YES; you've got to "pick your battles" as they say. The artwork on the box indicates that the Kenwood Vapori Jet can clean cooker burners, range hood filters, toilet seat hinges, upholstery, steam clothes, tile grout and glass windows. I know it can easily remove greasy stains from burners, but I gave mine a bigger test. I tried to remove black stains that had accumulated on one of the burners over 13 years. Perhaps it was too high an expectation to think this steamer could clear them. I've blacked out that memory because that was the first task I failed. I also found limescale stains quite difficult to deal with. Nevertheless, I have had success cleaning grout on my kitchen backsplash, sanitising counter tops, steaming clothes to remove creases while still on the hanger, blasting dirt from the base of faucets and for small upholstery cleaning tasks.

TIP: Always use when plugged in. Back then, I would heat up the steamer then unplug it and get to steaming. But the blasting jet would quickly turn into a whisper of steam in a matter of seconds. Then I would have to heat it up again, before repeating the task, because without the jet of pressurised steam, you cannot do any steaming. This was extremely frustrating, not to mention, redundant. The manual does not mention that the steamer should remain switched ON, yet that is the only way it will work. For this reason, the 16 ft cable comes in very handy.

CAUTION: In case you want to refill the appliance with water, you must unplug and wait a few seconds before slowly turning the safety cap just a little, so that you can hear a hiss as pressure is released. When it goes completely quiet, you should then open the cap and refill.

Pros

• The biggest benefit is that it cleans and sanitizes. Meaning you actually kill germs as you clean. So you can use it to clean kitchen counter tops, points of contact like door handles all over the house. This is essential in the cold season especially if you have kids.
• It is small, light and easy to carry around
• The pressure lasts long enough just to complete a task
• Very good for cleaning out greasy range hood filters
• It is well-priced (about Ksh 2,500 at Hotpoint, Sarit Centre)

Cons

• Its small size already suggests that it is to be used for small jobs. So if you're in the mood to do a lot of household cleaning, you'll have to stop to refill between each task.
• Must be used while plugged in. Even though the cable is very long, I could not clean the faucets in the bathroom without making endless trips to reheat the appliance.

The Pros outnumber the Cons. So it's a "buy" for me. Because of my user experience, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Maybe you'll have a different experience from mine, but at least now you know what to expect when you buy the Kenwood Vapori Jet.

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