Best Industrial Steam Cleaner for Grease: A UK Buyer’s Guide

Table of Contents

• How Steam Removes Heavy Grease Without Harsh Chemicals
• Quick Comparison: Pure Steam Cleaners Range at a Glance
• Commercial Steam Cleaners for Light to Medium Grease
  • Pure s6 and Pure s6-T: Steam-Only Units for Equipment
  • Pure v6, v6-T, v6-D and v6-DT: Vacuum and Detergent Options
• Industrial Steam Cleaners for Heavy Grease and Commercial Kitchens
• Choosing a Steam Cleaner for Greasy Equipment
• Industrial Steam Cleaner Buying Guide: Cost, Running Time and Upkeep
  • Purchase, hire and lease
  • Running time and downtime
  • Energy and water
  • Detergent and consumables
  • Maintenance and boiler care
  • A simple payback calculation
• Which Pure Steam Cleaner to Order for Your Grease Problem
  • Can a steam cleaner remove heavy grease on its own?
  • Do I need detergent for industrial grease?
  • How often does the boiler need care?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Best Industrial Steam Cleaner for Grease: A UK Buyer’s Guide

Last Updated: November 5, 2026

How Steam Removes Heavy Grease Without Harsh Chemicals

Grease is one of the hardest contaminants to shift from commercial equipment, and most of the difficulty comes from heat. Hot, pressurised steam softens baked-on fats so they can be wiped or lifted away. Steam machines are built around this principle, combining pressure with output so the steam reaches the surface while it is still hot.

The process works through heat and moisture rather than strong solvents. Steam penetrates the crevices of extraction hoods, oven doors and hinges, loosening grease that would otherwise need repeated scrubbing.

Steam is not a universal answer. Very heavy, carbonised residue may need a pre-scrape and a second pass, and some surfaces need checking before steam is applied. For a buyer, the practical question is which machine delivers enough pressure, steam volume and water capacity for the grease you actually face.

Quick Comparison: Pure Steam Cleaners Range at a Glance

The table below sets out the starting prices and main roles of the Pure range covered in this guide. Prices are the starting figures listed in our catalogue, in GBP.

Model	Starting Price	Type	Best For
Pure s6	£950.00	Steam only	Light equipment cleaning, ovens
Pure s6-T	£1,100.00	Steam only, trolley	Mobile steam-only jobs
Pure v6	£1,495.00	Steam and vacuum	General commercial cleaning
Pure v6-T	£1,595.00	Steam and vacuum, trolley	Mobile vacuum-and-steam work
Pure v6-D	£1,645.00	Steam, vacuum, detergent	Greasy surfaces needing detergent
Pure v6-DT	£1,745.00	Steam, vacuum, detergent, trolley	Heavier mobile jobs with detergent
Pure i6-SO	£1,995.00	Steam only, heavy duty	Professional steam jobs
Pure i6-SV	£2,495.00	Steam and vacuum, heavy duty	Heavy grease and contaminant removal
Pure i8	£3,100.00	Steam and vacuum, heavy duty	The most demanding industrial jobs

Commercial Steam Cleaners for Light to Medium Grease

For lighter grease and routine equipment cleaning, the commercial models in the s and v ranges cover most needs. These machines share a 6 bar steam pressure and a copper boiler with external heating elements, and they are designed for continuous operation.

Pure s6 and Pure s6-T: Steam-Only Units for Equipment

The Pure s6 suits jobs where steam alone is enough, such as equipment cleaning and oven work. It has two 1200-watt heating elements producing 48 g/min of steam at 6 bar, and a 3-litre water container gives continuous running time. The s6-T adds a trolley for easier movement around a site.

The s6 is a steam-only model, so it will not extract loosened grease or residue the way a vacuum model can.

Watch out: the s6 water container must be refilled at the rear once empty.

Pure v6, v6-T, v6-D and v6-DT: Vacuum and Detergent Options

The v6 family adds a vacuum, which lifts loosened grease and water from the surface as you work. The v6 is the base model. The v6-T adds a trolley, the v6-D adds switchable detergent injection into the steam, and the v6-DT combines both features with a trolley.

The v6-D at £1,645.00 offers switchable, adjustable detergent injection into the steam, while the v6-DT at £1,745.00 adds a trolley to the same detergent feature.

Industrial Steam Cleaners for Heavy Grease and Commercial Kitchens

Heavy grease calls for more steam volume, more water and more vacuum capacity. This is where the i-series machines are built to work. The i6-SV and i8 combine steam, vacuum and detergent supply in heavy-duty bodies.

The Pure i6-SV delivers 53 g/min of continuous steam at 6 bar from three 1000-watt elements, with a 5-litre water container and a 5-litre detergent bottle. It is priced at £2,495.00.

The Pure i8 is the most powerful model in the range. Its three 1000-watt heating elements produce steam at 8 bar with an output of 60 g/min. The 10-litre water reservoir provides over three hours of continuous running time on one top-up, and the automatic refill function lets you top up and carry on. A 23-litre waste tank and a 2-stage 1000-watt vacuum handle large volumes of waste. The i8 costs £3,100.00.

Choosing a Steam Cleaner for Greasy Equipment

Before comparing models, classify the residue on your equipment into one of four types, because each responds differently to steam temperature, steam volume and extraction.

Oily, fresh grease, the film left on extraction hoods, splashbacks and fryer surrounds after a shift. It is soft, mobile and emulsifies quickly.

Food-based grease, baked-on fats from roasting, grilling and frying that have polymerised onto oven interiors, grill plates and tray runners. This is the most common commercial-kitchen case. The grease has bonded to the metal, so you need sustained steam volume rather than a short burst: the surface must stay above the fat’s softening point long enough for the bond to fail.

Pure i8 Heavy Duty Industrial Steam & Vacuum Cleaner →

Baked-on and carbonised residue, the dark, hard layer on oven doors, hood baffles and hinges. Steam alone softens the outer skin but does not dissolve the carbon. The practical sequence is a pre-scrape, a steam pass to soften, a second scrape, then a detergent-assisted pass. This is where detergent injection (v6-D, v6-DT, i-series) and vacuum extraction earn their place, because the loosened residue has to be lifted off rather than pushed around.

Industrial and mineral-heavy grease, lubricants, cutting oils and workshop grime that carry metal particles or mineral fillers. These do not emulsify like food fats. Steam loosens the carrier oil, but the solids remain and need extraction. A vacuum-and-steam model with a large waste tank, such as the i8 with its 23-litre waste tank, is designed to collect waste during cleaning. Because mineral residues can transfer from workshop grime to clothing, cleaning grease from shirts calls for treating the fabric separately from the extracted solids.

Once you have classified the grease, match it to three machine capabilities in this order:

1. Steam volume (g/min), the single best predictor of grease-removal speed. Higher output keeps the surface hot across a longer pass. The s6 and v6 family run at 48 g/min; the i6-SV at 53 g/min; the i8 at 60 g/min.
2. Pressure (bar), drives penetration into crevices and hinges. The commercial range runs at 6 bar; the i8 at 8 bar.
3. Extraction, vacuum models remove the loosened grease and water as you work, which halves the wipe-down and stops residue being spread. Steam-only units rely on the operator to wipe immediately.

Industrial Steam Cleaner Buying Guide: Cost, Running Time and Upkeep

The purchase price is the smallest part of the cost of owning an industrial steam cleaner. Over a machine’s working life, labour, energy, water, detergent and maintenance usually outweigh the capital outlay. Comparing models on sticker price alone will point you at the wrong machine.

Purchase, hire and lease

Buying outright suits sites with steady, year-round cleaning demand, because the capital cost is recovered over a long service life. Hiring suits short projects, seasonal deep-cleans or a trial before committing, but hire rates over a multi-month period typically exceed the purchase price of a comparable machine, so hire is a poor fit for routine kitchen work. Leasing spreads the cost but the total paid over the term is higher than buying. For most commercial kitchens with daily cleaning, outright purchase of a mid-range model pays back fastest.

Running time and downtime

Running time is set by water capacity. The s6 uses a 3-litre container, the i6-SV carries 5 litres, and the i8’s 10-litre reservoir gives over three hours of continuous running on one top-up, with automatic refill.

Energy and water

The s6 uses two 1200-watt heating elements, and the i-series uses three 1000-watt elements.

Detergent and consumables

Detergent injection on the v6-D, v6-DT and i-series adds a recurring consumable cost.

Maintenance and boiler care

Regular boiler care is required, particularly in hard-water areas where scale builds on the heating elements and reduces efficiency. Follow the operating and maintenance instructions supplied with your machine. Because the copper boiler uses external heating elements that do not sit in the water, element fouling is reduced compared with immersed-element designs, but descaling is still part of ownership. Factor in the cost of descaler and the labour time for routine care.

A simple payback calculation

Compare the machine price with your current spend on chemicals, labour and any outsourced deep-cleaning. Divide the purchase price by the monthly saving to see how many months the machine takes to pay back.

Which Pure Steam Cleaner to Order for Your Grease Problem

Our recommendation depends on the grease you face:

• Light grease, ovens and equipment: the Pure s6 at £950.00 or the s6-T at £1,100.00 for mobile work.
• General commercial cleaning with extraction: the Pure v6 at £1,495.00 or v6-T at £1,595.00.
• Greasy surfaces needing detergent: the Pure v6-D at £1,645.00 or v6-DT at £1,745.00.
• Professional steam jobs: the Pure i6-SO at £1,995.00.
• Heavy grease and commercial kitchens: the Pure i6-SV at £2,495.00, or the Pure i8 at £3,100.00 for the most demanding industrial work.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can a steam cleaner remove heavy grease on its own?

Steam loosens grease, but very thick, baked-on residue may need a pre-scrape and a second pass. Detergent-assisted and vacuum models are listed with detergent injection and extraction features.

Do I need detergent for industrial grease?

Not always. Light to medium grease is often removed with steam alone. Detergent injection, available on the v6-D, v6-DT and i-series models, speeds up cleaning when a lot of dirt is present.

How often does the boiler need care?

Regular boiler care is required, including in hard-water areas. Follow the operating and maintenance instructions supplied with your machine, and contact us if you need the correct manual for your model.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best industrial steam cleaner for grease?

For heavy grease, the Pure i8 Heavy Duty Industrial Steam and Vacuum Cleaner at £3,100.00 has three 1000W heating elements, 8 bar pressure and 60 g/min of steam. The Pure v6-DT at £1,745.00 offers switchable detergent injection. Choose by the grease level and how often you clean.

Can steam cleaning remove heavy grease from industrial equipment without chemicals?

Pure’s listings describe its machines as using very little water and no harsh chemicals. Very thick or old grease may need repeat passes, and the machine’s detergent supply can be used where specific products are required.

What features should I look for in a steam cleaner for greasy equipment?

Look at steam pressure and output, which are 6 bar at 48 to 53 g/min on the s6 and i6 models and 8 bar at 60 g/min on the i8. Check water capacity and whether automatic refill is fitted, since the Pure s6 is designed for continuous operation. The v6 and i-series models include vacuum or detergent features as listed. Weigh up the trolley, portability and whether the unit suits your floor space.

How should I maintain an industrial steam cleaner?

The copper boiler uses external heating elements that do not sit in the water, but regular boiler care is still required, including in hard-water areas. Follow the operating and maintenance instructions supplied with your machine. Pure Steam Cleaners offers a 3-year boiler guarantee, and you can contact them if you need the correct manual or advice for your model.