Shark D01 vs P4: handling and floor-drying notes for Shark S1000 and Shark S5003D buyers

Shark Genius steam mop leaning vertically against a curtain indoors.

Front view of the Shark Genius P4 steam mop body showing the water reservoir and three-level steam control button.

Mint green Shark steam mop standing upright on a floor cleaning pad between pink curtains and an interior door.

A hand inserts the removable transparent water tank into a light mint-green upright steam mop resting on a white mop pad.

There is a little one at home who crawls all over the floor and runs everywhere, so I decided to buy a steam mop. Many reviews online said they were useless, but after using one I found it was still much cleaner than a traditional mop. As for steam disinfection, although both mop heads emitted steam that was not low in temperature—I felt the area near the mop head while steam was coming out, and it was very hot—I think the disinfection effect is probably just a gimmick if the steam only stays in contact with the surface briefly. The mop needs to be used together with a vacuum cleaner or robot vacuum: vacuum first and then mop, and the floor becomes very clean.

After looking through online reviews and the function-comparison graphic sent by the seller, I felt I should buy the more expensive one; surely a higher price had its reasons. I bought the P4 first, but after using it I found the experience average. Because I had a JD Plus membership, I ordered a D01 as well so I could compare the two. (If the mop head has been used, you need to pay for the mop head.)

Appearance

The P4 does feel much more premium in appearance. The D01 feels very plastic-like. They are about the same height, but the P4 must be leaned against a wall to stand, whereas the D01 can stand independently. I think this is very important.

Weight

The P4 is indeed much heavier than the D01, but you do not hold it up the entire time while mopping, so I think the P4 is still acceptable. The D01 is definitely easier.

Water-tank capacity

The area of my home is not particularly large, and I felt that both were sufficient. I noticed no obvious difference.

Steam output

The P4 promotes three steam levels and a one-touch control feature that is supposed to prevent hand fatigue. I think this is a useless design. First, the control button is very low, and there is no control button on the handle. If I want to stop the steam halfway through mopping, I still have to bend down to press the button, which is rather inconvenient. The D01 uses press-to-steam control: steam comes out when you press, and stops when you release, so there is no need to bend down and it is more flexible and responsive. The P4 produces steam a little faster than the D01, but if I have already set aside time to do housework, I do not mind waiting those extra ten-plus seconds. (When I first received the D01, I could not figure out how to make it produce steam and thought it was broken. I read the instructions and found that I had to repeatedly press the handle to prime the steam. That was quite amusing.)

Mop head

The P4 has a double-sided mop head and one-touch removal. First, I do not think the double-sided design is very useful. The machine is so heavy that changing sides requires arm strength, and after turning it over I could accidentally trigger the spray. The one-touch removal means I do not have to take it off by hand, but I still have to wash it by hand, so what is the point? The D01 uses a stick-on or hook-and-loop-style attachment that can be peeled off with a toe. The mop head also has to be washed by hand, but I find the cleaning difficulty acceptable. Once it really cannot be cleaned properly, I can simply replace the mop head. It is not as complicated as some other reviews claimed.

Water marks

After mopping with the P4, the floor dried quickly. The D01 dried more slowly and left some water marks. This is something to consider if you have tiles or flooring that easily shows marks. They are not noticeable on my floor, and as someone from southern China who lives in Beijing, I do not mind it because I feel it can add humidity.

Noise

The P4 is somewhat loud, with an obvious steam-spraying sound. The D01 is relatively quiet.

In conclusion, I kept the D01 because it offers better value for money.

Source: nin酱 · Xiaohongshu · 2022-05-02 · shark蒸汽拖把D01 vs P4. Search this Chinese title in Xiaohongshu to find the original post.

Before You Buy

Models in your region

The owner identifies the tested products as the Shark D01 and P4 but does not provide full model numbers. The regional references below are the Shark S1000/S1000UK manual-pump steam mop and the Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop S5003D; these models offer similar controls, but exact equivalence to the owner’s Chinese-market units is unconfirmed.

Model in this review	Related regional model	What to know
Shark D01 steam mop	Shark S1000 / S1000UK (United Kingdom & North America)	The regional Shark S1000/S1000UK also uses manual pump-handle steam control and can stand upright independently, making it a useful feature reference. Exact model equivalence between the D01 and S1000/S1000UK is unconfirmed, and the owner does not give a full D01 model number.
Shark P4 steam mop	Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop S5003D (North America)	The regional Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop S5003D has three electronic steam settings, a double-sided washable pad with touch-free release and wall-lean storage, matching the comparison’s broad feature pattern. Exact model equivalence between the P4 and S5003D is unconfirmed.

Model in this review: Shark D01 steam mop
Related regional model: Shark S1000 / S1000UK (United Kingdom & North America)
What to know: The regional Shark S1000/S1000UK also uses manual pump-handle steam control and can stand upright independently, making it a useful feature reference. Exact model equivalence between the D01 and S1000/S1000UK is unconfirmed, and the owner does not give a full D01 model number.

Model in this review: Shark P4 steam mop
Related regional model: Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop S5003D (North America)
What to know: The regional Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop S5003D has three electronic steam settings, a double-sided washable pad with touch-free release and wall-lean storage, matching the comparison’s broad feature pattern. Exact model equivalence between the P4 and S5003D is unconfirmed.

What the comparison actually tested

The owner tested both steam mops in a home with a little one who crawls and runs across the floor, and judged both cleaner than a traditional mop. This is one owner’s household experience rather than a controlled disinfection test; the owner specifically doubted that brief steam contact should be treated as credible disinfection evidence.

The owner also recommends vacuuming or using a robot vacuum before steam-mopping. That advice follows the owner’s observed result and is not presented as an official requirement for either regional model.

Manual pumping versus electronic steam control

The owner preferred the D01’s press-to-steam operation because pressing the handle produced steam and releasing it stopped steam without bending down. The owner found the P4’s control button inconveniently low, despite its three steam levels and claimed one-touch control. This distinction broadly aligns with the regional references: the Shark S1000 uses manual pump-handle action, while the Shark Genius S5003D uses three electronic settings on the lower mop body.

The owner found the P4 produced steam slightly faster, but considered the difference of more than ten seconds unimportant in a planned cleaning session. The D01’s operation was not immediately obvious to the owner, who needed the instructions to learn that repeated handle pumping primes the steam.

Storage, weight and everyday handling

Independent standing was a major practical advantage for the owner: the D01 could stand on its own, while the P4 had to lean against a wall. The regional Shark S1000 evidence likewise specifies self-standing storage, whereas the Shark Genius S5003D requires a wall lean or wall-mount bracket when not in use. Buyers should still verify the exact local model because the owner’s D01 and P4 model numbers are incomplete.

The owner found the P4 much heavier but still acceptable because mopping does not require holding the mop continuously in the air; the D01 was easier to handle. The owner noticed no meaningful water-tank-capacity difference in a relatively small home, but regional specifications list a 375 ml tank only for the S1000/S1000UK, not for the Genius S5003D.

Mop pads, cleaning and drying

The owner did not find the P4’s double-sided mop head especially useful because the heavier machine made changing sides require arm strength and could lead to an accidental spray. The owner also questioned the benefit of one-touch removal because the pad still needed hand-washing. The regional Genius S5003D is officially described as having a double-sided washable pad with touch-free release, so the feature is confirmed for that regional reference even though the owner’s P4 identification is incomplete.

The owner found the D01’s stick-on or hook-and-loop-style attachment acceptable to remove with a toe and wash by hand, and would replace the pad if it became too difficult to clean. The regional S1000/S1000UK uses machine-washable Dirt Grip pads attached with Velcro, which may differ from the owner’s D01 attachment and cleaning routine; buyers should check the local replacement-pad and washing instructions.

The P4 dried faster in the owner’s home, while the D01 left some water marks. That difference matters more on tile or flooring that shows marks easily. It was not visible on the owner’s floor, and the owner did not consider the added moisture a problem. This is an owner observation, not a regional specification or general drying-time guarantee.

Noise and value

The owner heard a noticeable steam-spraying sound from the P4 and considered the D01 relatively quiet. The supplied official regional evidence describes the S5003D’s Steam Blaster and the S1000’s manual-pump mechanism, but does not provide noise measurements, so the owner’s comparison should not be converted into a decibel claim.

After buying the P4 first and then ordering the D01 for comparison, the owner kept the D01 and concluded that it offered better value for money. That conclusion reflects this purchase and household test; the source does not provide prices, long-term durability results or a controlled cost comparison.