Carpet Cleaners: Reviews

The Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge F5914-900 is recommended in more reviews than any other upright carpet cleaner. We read hundreds of glowing reviews of the SteamVac, which is less expensive and works better than other… Hoover carpet cleaners. On the whole, carpet cleaners are prone to leakage and tend to leave carpets wet, but this machine suctions better than more expensive models and receives the fewest number of complaints from consumers. The Clean Surge feature delivers an extra squirt of cleanser for tough stains. The SteamVac comes with an 8-foot hose and upholstery and hand-tool attachments. Other Hoover models receive lower ratings from consumers.

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For light duty or tighter budgets, reviews say the Bissell QuickSteamer PowerBrush is a good choice. It's less powerful and will leave your carpets damper than the better rated Hoover SteamVac, but user reports say it's… more reliable than other models in its price range. This cleaner is best for small areas and rugs due to its smallish 1/2 gallon tank. Like other less expensive carpet cleaners, we found some reports of leakage but fewer than with other models.

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The Bissell SpotBot gets great reviews for a portable carpet cleaner, though it's more expensive than many. The SpotBot's best feature is that it can work entirely on its own. You park the SpotBot on a tough stain and the… agitator brush will work away at it automatically. The SpotBot can also be used as a regular carpet cleaner, with a 5-foot hose and small suction nozzle, but reviews say it's best used as a spot cleaner. Experts also praise this model for leaving little residue behind.

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Small portable carpet cleaners on the whole get poor reviews from owners who say they don't work much better than manual scrubbing. They also tend to leave carpets wet because their weaker motors don't offer the… suctioning power of larger models. Users are more positive about the Bissell Little Green than others, but unlike the SpotBot, you can't park this model on a stain and walk away. Rather, it works with a hose and nozzle. The Little Green is marketed primarily as an upholstery cleaner, but reviewers say it's also handy for cleaning cars and stairs.

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