Dupray Neat Plus Steam Cleaner Review: Worth Upgrading From the Original Neat?

I used the original Dupray Neat for a full year before I bought the Neat Plus to compare them side by side. This Dupray Neat Plus steam cleaner review covers what changed, what didn’t, and where it earns its price. I’ve run it on car engine bays, kitchen grease, bathroom tile, sofas, beds and floors.

Quick Overview

Spec	Detail
Best For	Deep cleaning grout, grease, car interiors and engine bays
Price Tier	Upper mid range (around $250)
Water Tank	About 1.8 liters, refillable while running
Heat-Up Time	About 90 to 120 seconds
Power	1600 watts
Max Steam Temperature	About 275°F
Accessories	17 pieces in the standard kit
Weight	Around 11 lbs empty. Feels heavy when you carry it
Storage	Cord tucks into the base. Wheels on the bottom

My Scores for the Dupray Neat Plus

I score what I actually use it for, not what the box says. Here’s the breakdown.

Category	Score	Quick Note
Steam power	4.5 / 5	Strong and steady once it settles
Heat-up and refilling	4.5 / 5	Fast start. Top up anytime
Grout and tile	4.0 / 5	Works, but you still scrub
Car interior and engine bay	4.5 / 5	My favorite use for it
Kitchen, oven and microwave	4.5 / 5	Grease lets go fast
Sofa and bed sanitizing	4.0 / 5	Good heat, needs care on fabric
Floor mopping	3.5 / 5	Fine, but slow on big areas
Weight and storage	3.5 / 5	Heavy. Neat storage solutions help
Value for money	4.0 / 5	Fair price for what you get
Overall	4.1 / 5	Recommended for heavy cleaners

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Ready in about 90 to 120 seconds	Fill opening is small and easy to spill
Refill while it’s running, no cool down wait	Sputters for a few seconds at the start
Strong, steady steam for grease and grime	The brass brush wears down fast
17 accessories, including a brass brush and a jet nozzle	Costs more than the original Neat
Long hose and a tucked away power cord
Wheels and a lock button for continuous steam

Testing Results

Steam power: Strong and steady once it settles. It feels like a real steam cleaner, not a handheld toy. Baked on grease softens quickly.

Heat-up time: About 90 to 120 seconds. The power button is orange while it heats and turns green when it’s ready. My original Neat needed closer to 8 minutes.

Runtime and refilling: This is the big upgrade. Pop the cup open and add water while it’s still running. In one long session I went through a little over 2 liters and just kept topping it up.

Grout and tile: It works, but don’t expect magic. Steam loosens the dirt and you still have to scrub. My first big grout session on a dirty kitchen floor took around 2 hours.

Car interior: Seats, carpets, door panels, vents and cup holders all clean up nicely. Steam loosens the grime and a microfiber towel lifts it off. The jet nozzle gets into seams and tight corners.

Engine bay: It cuts through oily dirt and road grime better than a spray and a brush. Let the engine cool first. Keep the steam away from exposed electrical connectors and wipe each section as you go.

Kitchen, microwave and oven: Stovetop grease, microwave splatters and oven door glass all come clean with less scrubbing. Steam softens the stuck on food so a cloth does the rest.

BBQ grill: Grates and the inside of the lid clean up well. Hit the greasy spots, then scrape and wipe. It’s much easier than scrubbing cold, hardened grease.

Bathroom floors and glass: Floor tile and grout respond well. For shower glass I steam first, then use the squeegee tool that comes in the kit. Stubborn hard water spots can still need extra work.

Sofa and beds: I use it to sanitize my sofa and two beds. Keep the nozzle moving and don’t soak the fabric. A microfiber pad over the tool helps, and everything needs time to dry.

Floor mopping: It works with the floor tool and a microfiber pad. On a large area it’s slow, and you’re dragging a heavy unit behind you. A dedicated steam mop is easier for whole floors.

Dupray Neat vs Neat Plus: What Changed After Owning Both

I own both, so this isn’t a spec sheet comparison. The cleaning power feels the same. The difference is how much time you waste waiting.

Feature	Original Neat	Neat Plus
Price	About $179	About $250
Heat-up time	Closer to 8 minutes	About 90 to 120 seconds
Refilling	Pressurized tank. Shut off and cool down first	Add water anytime while running
Accessories	17 pieces	17 pieces

If you want the full breakdown, I wrote a separate Dupray Neat vs Neat Plus comparison. My original Neat review is also in the works if you want to see how it held up over a year: Dupray Neat steam cleaner review.

My Dupray Neat Plus Steam Cleaner Review After Use

The faster heat-up and the continuous refill are what you’re paying for. With the original Neat, a big job meant stopping, letting it cool and refilling. With the Plus, I just keep going.

Now the annoying parts. The fill opening is small and spills easily, so I use a measuring cup or a small funnel. It also sputters for the first few seconds. Point it at a towel until the steam runs steady, then start cleaning.

The unit is heavy. It rolls on wheels, which helps on flat floors, but stairs are a pain. The brass brush is the tool I use most and it wears down quickly, so buy a spare.

There’s also a startup routine, so read the manual before your first run. It’s not hard. It’s just not plug and play.

Is it worth the extra money over the original? If you clean a lot and hate waiting, yes. If your original Neat still works fine and you only steam once in a while, I wouldn’t rush to upgrade.

Tips for Getting Better Results

• Angle the brush so the tip sits in the grout line. Holding it flat is much less effective.
• Wipe right after steaming with a clean microfiber towel, before the loosened dirt dries again.
• Use the lock button on the wand for long jobs so you don’t keep a finger on the trigger.
• Check the manual for water guidance. Distilled water helps limit scale buildup.
• To empty leftover water, turn the unit upside down and pour it out.

Who Should Buy the Dupray Neat Plus

Buy it if you do real deep cleaning. That means greasy kitchens, dirty grout, car interiors, engine bays and BBQ grills. It’s also a good pick if you want to sanitize sofas and beds without chemicals.

It’s a strong match for car people. If you detail your own car, check our guide to the best steam cleaner for car detailing and the roundup of steam cleaners for engine bays. Both show where the Neat Plus fits.

Skip it if you mostly want to mop floors. A steam mop is lighter and faster for that job. Also skip it if you’re on a tight budget or only clean a few times a year.

If you’re still comparing options, I’m adding head to head reviews soon. Start with Dupray Neat Plus vs McCulloch MC1375 if price matters, or Dupray Neat Plus vs McCulloch MC1385 if you want a closer match.

Rating: 4.1 / 5

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