9 Best Carpet Cleaners 2019 [UPDATED BUYER’S GUIDE]

It really doesn’t matter how often you vacuum your carpets, you are not getting the best clean.

Fortunately, designated carpet cleaners exist to give you the deep clean that you are looking for. A carpet cleaner uses a combination of warm (or hot water), detergent and spinning brushes to remove old stains, new strain and deeply embedded dirt and grime from your carpets. It’s easy to know that purchasing a carpet cleaner will save you from costly “professional” carpet cleanings.

But what is the best carpet cleaner 2019 for you?

That is an entirely different question and one that needs its due diligence.

Carpet cleaners are not cheap, the better quality ones costly at least $100, with professional grade ones stretching up above $300, so you will want to make sure that you are well informed when it comes to purchasing one.

Best Carpet Cleaner Reviews

When considering what the best carpet cleaner is, there are many different specifications that need to be considered, such as tank capacity, cord length, included attachments, detergent tanks, heated air-drying capabilities and weight. The chart below details how the top 9 carpet cleaners stack up against each other.

Hoover Smartwash Automatic Carpet Cleaner, FH52000

One of the most user-friendly carpet cleaners currently available on the market, this cleaner will allow you to clean your carpet just as well as a professional carpet cleaner could. The best part about this hoover is the way that it handles the cleaning. The system is pretty sweet. When using this cleaner you have to push forward the cleaner to clean and pull it back to dry. That system makes it a lot easier to clean carpets efficiently. It also comes with a bunch of helpful features such as the 2-in-1 extendable pet tool that allows you to reach hard to get to places, and the low profile foot which can reach under furniture for better cleaning.

There are a few drawbacks of this cleaner, though. The biggest one is the weight. Since this carpet cleaner is designed to meet industrial standards, it is understood that it will be heavier than most others on this list. This carpet cleaner comes in at around 20 pounds which makes it quite a hefty piece of machinery. That can lead to problems moving it between different floors, but if you can handle that then the weight should present no problem.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this carpet cleaner is an exceptional piece of equipment that allows you to handle the toughest of spots with ease. This vacuum focuses on ease of use, and that is evidenced by the variety of features that it comes with that make cleaning carpets a breeze.

Pros	Cons
Easily switches between cleaning and drying	Heavier than average, weighs about 20 pounds
Reaches hard to get to places with the attached tools	Is louder than average
Designed to handle tough stains and pet messes	Cleaning solution cost
Removable nozzle makes cleaning the brushes incredibly easy	Not as powerful as a commercial cleaner

Buy Hoover Smartwash On Amazon

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Bissel ProHeat 2X Revolution Max Clean Pet Pro Full-Size Carpet Cleaner, 1986

If you’re looking for a carpet cleaner that can help you clean and dry your carpet instantaneously, then look no further than this Bissel product. It is capable of cleaning and drying the carpet in 30 minutes, provided that you use it in the Express Clean Mode. This powerful carpet cleaner is designed to be just as good as a professional carpet cleaner and can help you remove even the toughest of stains. This carpet cleaner also has a focus on removing odor which it manages to do extremely well. The odor removal function is so powerful that it can even handle skunk odor, although it is highly unlikely you’ll be using it for that specifically.

This carpet cleaner is built according to industry standards but that also means that it comes with an industrial price tag. That is one of the drawbacks of this particular product because it is more expensive than others on this list. This carpet cleaner is also pretty heavy, coming in at around 20 pounds which may make it difficult for a few people to actually transport this cleaner between floors. 

Conclusion

This carpet cleaner may have a few drawbacks but those inconveniences are more than worth it because of the service that this cleaner can provide. This cleaner emphasizes thorough cleaning done extremely quickly. The quick-drying feature is also a pretty big deal because it can make cleaning sudden messes a lot easier to handle.

Pros	Cons
Very fast drying times	Weighs a bit more than average
Great odor removal feature	Costs more than the average price of carpet cleaners
Separate cleaning solution delivery system	Cleaning solution cost

Buy Bissel ProHeat 2X On Amazon

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Bissel Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner, 1400B

One of the most compact carpet cleaners that you can find anywhere, this multi-purpose cleaner allows you to have the best of both worlds because you can use it to clean both your carpet and upholstery. This carpet cleaner doesn’t have any really outstanding features but the fact that it allows you to clean both carpet and upholstery is a pretty big deal. This is accomplished because it comes with a detachable cleaning hose that serves as the basis of this cleaner’s cleaning ability. This hose is also extremely easy to clean, so you won’t have to worry about it being impossible to clean. All you have to do is remove the hose and clean it with soap and water.

The biggest drawback of this cleaner is the fact that it isn’t as powerful as most of the others on the list. It can handle moderate stains and is best used for kids and medium-sized pets. If you have large dogs or cats, then you should look to other cleaners. This one can get overwhelmed and is best used for light cleaning rather than tough stain removal.

Conclusion

This tiny cleaner can come in handy at cleaning messes in hard to get places, which make it a great asset if you frequently have to deal with messes in inconvenient places. It’s not the most powerful cleaner but it manages to get the job done. 

Pros	Cons
Extremely compact	Small water tank
Easy to maneuver	Suitable for only light cleaning
Cleans both carpet and upholstery	Very small cleaning width

Buy Bissel 1400B On Amazon

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Hoover Powerdash Pet Carpet Cleaner, FH50700

A carpet cleaner that is specifically designed to cater to pet owners, the Hoover Powerdash may be your next best friend. It focuses on cleaning up after pets and does so without a hitch. This compact machine makes cleaning after pets a breeze because of the strength with which it is able to clean carpets, and the water/solution trigger makes sure that you won’t waste water or solution when cleaning.

That is not to say that this product is perfect. In fact, one of the most common complaints that people have from this product is the tiny cleaning width that this cleaner has. That makes it time-consuming to clean up big messes and may require multiple run throughs of the same area.

Conclusion:

This carpet cleaner allows for a perfect compromise between size and power which makes it a perfectly average carpet cleaner. That is not a bad thing, necessarily, because it makes this cleaner extremely well-suited for handling day-to-day messes.

Pros	Cons
Very compact	Small cleaning width
Great for cleaning up after pets	Small water tank size
Very lightweight	Not good at quickly drying carpet

Buy Hoover Powerdash On Amazon

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Bissell 86T3/86T3Q Big Green

This gray, black and green Bissell really emanates the name “Big Green.” It is large, weighs in at 40 pounds, and is green! Aside from its less than sleek appearance, the Bissell Big Green is everything you want in a carpet cleaner.

The DirtLifter Powerbrushes that comes on the model is patented technology, which enables the Big Green to loosen and lift any deeply embedded dirt and grime from your carpets.

A newly added feature in this Big Green model and one that sets it above the competition is that this model can work in both forward and backward cleaning passes. This not only reduces your cleaning time, but it saves your arm muscles from double the passes! While some models have continuous flow, this model has a water trigger that needs to be held down to release the water. This gives you more control over the amount of saturation.

If you’re worried about dry time on this model, don’t.

Depending on temperature and humidity, the carpets cleaned by this unit actually take only 3 hours to fully dry, which is quick compared to other models.

The Big Green does this by directing hot air from the motors down the nozzle to heat the carpets. That, combined with superior suction power to suck the water back into the machine, means that you can have your carpets dry in no time.

The Bissell Big Green does lend some of its cleaning power to the use of hot water. But unfortunately, the Big Green doesn’t actually heat the water. You will need to add the hot water manually, but it’s worth the extra step for the clean that this carpet cleaner provides.

There are also some complaints that the unit is large and bulky, making it very difficult to carry up the stairs.

Conclusion

The Bissell Big Green Deep Cleaning Professional Grade is extremely popular due to its effective cleaning. Adding “Professional Grade” into the name isn’t overstepping because this carpet cleaner really will get your carpets as clean as a professional will. Bissell is so confident in the professional carpet-cleaning machine that they stand behind their product with a 5-year warranty, much longer than the competitors do. One thing to note is that with the “professional grade” tagline comes a professional grade price.

Pros	Cons
Has a power brush system that can be used to clean pet hair	The machine is on the heavier side and bulky
Can clean in BOTH directions to save time	Does not come with a specific edge cleaning attachment
Very large tank compared to competitors	Does not come with a water heater, which isn’t a big issue
Has separate tanks for clean and dirty water	This Bissell is the most expensive on the list

Buy Bissell Big Green On Amazon

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Hoover FH50150 Power Scrub

This red and gray Hoover does live up to the trusted Hoover name. The Power Scrub is one of the best on the market for many reasons that we will get into.

Right out of the box, the Hoover Power Scrub is easy to figure out. Assembly generally takes fewer than 10 minutes (with a Phillips or flathead screwdriver handy) and the box even includes a bag to store the three different attachment tools in.

The one tool that will be the most useful to you, is the turbo brush. This little brush is great for scrubbing stairs or sports cleaning.

The other tools that come are large and medium-sized suction tools that are useful for cleaning up spills.

Also in the box, a crevice tool for getting those baseboards clean, and a bottle of the Hoover All-Purpose Carpet Cleaner.

When we get to the cleaning aspect, this Hoover does a great job. It is lightweight at 18.1 pounds without the water tank full, and more compact than other models, which makes it easy to maneuver.

The SpinScrub technology featured only on Hoovers lives up to the hype and provides 360 degrees cleaning on your carpet.

There is also a Force Heat feature that dries the carpet during the final rinse phase, so your carpets won’t be damp for as long.

Really, the only issues here are that the Hoover Power Scrub has a smaller reservoir tank than other models, so it will need to be cleaned more often. Also, the water can at times spray a bit uneven, so some parts of the carpet are damper than others.

This Hoover also only has a 2-year warranty, which is above average, but still less than the 5-year warranty that Bissell provides on the Big Green.

Conclusion

This lightweight, low-priced carpet cleaner is quite popular and is simply one of the best carpet cleaners 2019 on the market today. This carpet cleaner is great for someone who doesn’t need the most powerful carpet cleaner but is still looking for something that does a deep clean for an affordable price. It is easily maneuverable and comes with all the tools you will need to get into those hard-to-reach places.

Pros	Cons
There is a tank for clean and dirty water	Has a smaller tank so you will need to refill it often to clean a full house
The tank indicator lights will let you know when it needs a refill	Can sometimes spray water unevenly so some sections are damper than others
Has a quick dryer that will reduce the drying time
Comes with an automatic detergent mixing feature so that you always have the correct balance of water to detergent
Has a separate rinse option to get rid of residual soap residue
Comes with both a crevice and upholstery tool
Budget friendly

Buy Hoover FH50150 Power Scrub On Amazon

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Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner

Rug Doctor might automatically be the name that comes to mind when looking for a carpet cleaner since you can rent them from big-box retailers and supermarkets.

This model, the red and gray Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner, though, can be purchased and become a permanent addition to your home cleaning collection.

This Rug Doctor boasts 75% more suction than other leading upright carpet cleaners. With its Dual Cross Action Brushes, every side of the carpet fibers gets clean, lending even more cleaning power to this 25-pound unit.

If you’re looking to clean very dirty spots of a carpet, perhaps a more heavy-traffic area, there is a new feature on this Rug Doctor, the Super Boost Spray. This feature allows you to increase the water and solution going to a particular area, which can help break up deeply ingrained dirt and mud.

If you have a particularly dirty spot, Rug Doctor also offers some of the best carpet cleaner solutions on the market for spot treating.

Some drawbacks are that the hose is the shortest of the list, listed at 7.7 feet, but with a 28-foot power cord, you can still reach far with this unit.

There is also no heated air dry, but with the superior suction power, the Rug Doctor does suck up most of the residual moisture. So, you won’t experience extended drying time.

The tank is also on the smaller end at 4 quarts, but you will be able to refill them very easy.

Like the previous models, there is also no water heater. So, if you want the extra cleaning power of hot water, you will need to physically add hot water instead of room temperature tap water.

Conclusion

This Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner lives up to the solid and trusted Rug Doctor name. Priced in the middle range, it does a great job on mud, stains and overall dirty carpets. The suction power really is superior to other brands, but there are some drawbacks that keep this Rug Doctor in the middle of the pack in terms of overall quality.

Pros	Cons
Longest cord at 28 feet	There is no separate tank for water and detergent
Fantastic cleaning and suction capability	This machine does not have heated air-dry capability
Great upholstery attachment	Smaller reservoir tank that will need to be changed/refilled more often
Easy-to-use reservoir tanks	Shortest hose in the Top Five list

Buy Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner On Amazon

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Hoover FH50220 

Hoover is well-known and trusted brand name in vacuums and cleaning machines, and it delivers this blue and black carpet cleaner that is great for cleaning stairs.

Stairs and generally the most neglected carpet area in regards to cleaning, because let’s face it, no one wants to deal with the hassle.

This Hoover SteamVac Max Extract Pressure Pro does a great job with them!

At 22 pounds, it is lightweight compared to other carpet cleaner models and has a fairly long cord that will likely reach up to an entire flight of stairs. Combine the long cord with a 9-foot long hose, and you can get the entire flight of stairs done without having to unplug and lug the cleaner to the top of the stairs.

The Hoover SteamVac Max Extract Pressure Pro 60 will give you a great, deep clean. It has patented SpinScrub Technology that has 60 counter-rotating brushes to clean carpet fibers from every angle.

The strong suction and forced heated air features also allow for very fast drying carpets. While they will not be bone dry right away, you really can tell the difference in dry time compared to carpet cleaners that do not. The main reason for this is the Max Extraction part of the name. This carpet cleaner is fantastic for removing the majority of residual water in your carpets. If you have a company that drops by on short notice, this is the carpet cleaner for you!

This carpet cleaner also comes with the Smart Tanks System. This system has separate tanks for dirty and clean water, so you can clean, empty and fill them individually. They are also extremely easy to use and consumers have raved about the ease-of-use that this model boasts.

As great as this model is, there is a few drawbacks. There is only one attachment, which makes the Hoover a bit less adaptable than other models. The reservoir tank is also on the smaller end, so you will have to refill it often.

Conclusion

If you want a budget-friendly carpet cleaner that has much more upside than down, the Hoover SteamVac Max Extract Pressure Pro 60 is a great option. It is lightweight and maneuverable enough for stairs, but sturdy enough to tackle a large carpet cleaning job, while leaving your carpets fairly dry.

Pros	Cons
The best carpet cleaner on the list at extracting water from carpets	There is only one attachment included for the extended hose
Forced heated air feature to decrease drying time	You will need to fill the reservoir tank often as the tank is small and the machine is very “thirsty”
SmartTanks System has separate tanks for clean and dirty water so that you are never cleaning with dirty water
Counter-rotating brushes to clean dirt around carpet fibers from every angle
Pressurized water spray gets that water and solution deep down into the carpets

Buy Hoover SteamVac Max Extract Pressure Pro On Amazon

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Shark Sonic ZZ550 Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner

This unique looking with and black floor cleaner is a new release from Shark Sonic. It is great for versatility, cleaning both carpets and hard surface floors, such as vinyl, hardwood, and others.

It has 2 scrub modes, one for carpet and one for hard floors and measures out at 1,000 scrubs per minute. To match the different scrub modes, there are also different cleaning solutions for hard floor, carpet, spot removal and polishing.

The swivel head, Airglide Maneuverability feature, and light weight also make this carpet cleaner very easy to use.

This unit actually comes with the most “accessories’ in the box. You will receive 1 carpet/rug cleaning pad, 2 hard floor cleaning pads, 1 carpet scrub n’ stain pad, 1 polishing pad, 12 ounces of carpet cleaner, 12 ounces of wood and hard floor cleaner, 16 ounces of wood and hard floor polish and 10 ounces of activating pretreater for spot cleaning. This Shark Sonic unit really does prepare you with everything you will need for thorough carpet and hard floor cleaning.

The drawbacks here are that you lose carpet-cleaning power as you gain versatility with a 2-in-1 cleaner. This is true with any type of 2-in-1 cleaning model though, so the Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner is really no different in that regard.

However, if you are looking for a top-notch, heavy duty carpet cleaner, then this is not the carpet cleaner for you.

Conclusion

The Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner is definitely not the best on the market, but it is still a good carpet cleaner. What you lose in carpet cleaning power, you gain in versatility. You can pick up a carpet cleaner AND a hard floor cleaner. For those that only have a little carpet and a lot of hard floors, this is a great option.

Pros	Cons
This unit can clean both carpets and hard floors	You have to use the cleaning solution provided by the manufacturer
It has headlights	Not as good of cleaning power as standard carpet cleaners
A swivel head for the best maneuverable
Comes with various cleaning solutions and cleaning pads

Buy Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner On Amazon

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The Result: Editor’s Choice

After a thorough examination of all the features, drawbacks, and prices of the different carpet cleaners on this list we have decided that our pick would have to be the Hoover Smartwash, FH52000. It is an incredible carpet cleaner that comes with a ton of features fitted into a very compact machine. It’s cleaning strength and the way that it can handle even the tough to reach spots makes it an obvious choice for non-commercial carpet cleaning.

Buy Hoover Smartwash On Amazon

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Carpet Cleaner Buyer’s Guide

There are several features and factors to understand and consider when selecting the best carpet cleaner. This Buyer’s Guide aims to break down features, such as tank capacity, cord length, included attachments, weight, and heated air-drying, which are crucial when it comes to a carpet cleaner.

1. Type of Cleaning Job

It is also important to determine what you need the carpet cleaner for. Are you going to be doing light cleaning jobs, or do you have three kids, two dogs, and a cat, which will require more cleaning power? Knowing the job that you are expecting the carpet cleaner to do, will help you select the best one for your household.

2. Tank Capacity

This is important when considering how long you want to clean for before refilling the cleaner solution tank. The larger the tank, the less often you will have to refill it.

3. Heated Air Dryer

Carpet cleaners that use hot air and force it through the nozzle can help dry the carpets faster. This means that you can walk on the clean carpets much sooner than if you used a carpet cleaner without heated air-drying.

4. Weight

When you are using a carpet cleaner, you will be dragging (or rolling) them around the room and they will be full of water and solution. It is important to consider how much the carpet cleaner weighs before its filled. Heavier units will slow down the cleaning process, and can easily exhaust you.

5. Hose Length

With the weight of carpet cleaners, it is good to have a longer hose. This will make cleaning stairs and maneuvering much easier.

6. Power Cord

Most carpet cleaners are corded, so you will want to consider how long the power cord is. A short cord keeps you tethered to a small area, which makes cleaning a large carpet much harder and more time-consuming.

7. Detergent Tank

Some carpet cleaners have a separate tank that houses the cleaning solution, which allows you to switch from shampoo to rinse quite easily. This can make the job of cleaning the carpets much faster since you won’t have to empty and refill tanks.

8. Tank Indicator Lights

A carpet cleaner has two tanks, one for the cleaning solution, and the other for the dirty water that accumulates throughout the cleaning process. Having indicator lights that let you know when either needs to be emptied or refilled can save you from using dirty water to clean your carpets.

9. Powered Brushes

Having brushes that are powered can give you a much deeper and better clean, though they can also be just another part to malfunction.

10. Attachments

The more attachments a carpet cleaner has, the more versatile it can become. Attachments are great when it comes to cleaning stairs or small crevices.

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