[TOP] 10 Best Carpet Cleaner Reviews 2022

Carpets need to be maintained otherwise the dirt and damage will build up and require professional cleaning.

To prevent your carpets from getting to that point, which can cost you hundreds of dollars each time, you need to take care of your carpets.

These machines are a great investment and are very easy to operate and put away.

Short on time?

Here are the 5 Best Carpet Shampooers Right Now:

1. Best Overall 2022 – BISSELL Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner Machine, 86T3. “Great for cleaning large areas of carpet and very tough stains. Tools for stairs, upholstery and tough stains.”
2. Best Pet Carpet Cleaner – BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Carpet Shampooer. “Great for removing tough pet stains and all odors. Lightweight, powerful and dries in 30 minutes.”
3. Best Budget Choice –Hoover Power Scrub Elite Carpet Cleaning Machine. “Easy-to-use, lightweight cleaner that comes with stair and upholstery tool, and a 2-1 pet tool.”
4. Best Budget Carpet Cleaner for Pets – BISSELL Turboclean Powerbrush Pet . “Lightweight and easy-to-use.”
5. Best Portable Carpet Shampooer – BISSELL 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable. “Powerful, portable spot and stain cleaner.”

Scroll down to see our Buying Guide, all our Reviews and our FAQ.

Carpet Cleaner Buying Guide 2022

However, picking the right machine isn’t necessarily an easy task.

Do You Own Pets?

If you have pets, it is a good idea to  get a specialized pet carpet cleaner , that are better designed for dealing with ingrained pet hair, stains and smells.

Below is our top ten carpet cleaning machine section, we’ve mentioned quite clear which of the cleaners are created to deal with pets and pet hair and these should be your wheelhouse.

Undoubtedly, any quality cleaning machine will be able to remove pet hair from your carpet, but some may struggle with large amounts and can leave some on the ground.

On the other hand, those that are specialized on pets can be incredibly efficient at removing large amounts of hair even from dogs and cats, and they are also good at removing smells and old stains.

How Large is Your Space to Clean?

The size of your space is also an important consideration. If you’re only aiming to clean up small spots that get damaged or have liquids spilled on them look for a portable carpet cleaner.

If you want to clean all of the carpets throughout your entire home, that’s a very different situation. For these larger spaces, you’ll want a much more capable machine with a large tank and cleaning surface.

This large cleaning area will make quick work of even bigger homes, with less trips to refill you rank.

Carpet Cleaner Tank Capacity

The capacity of the machine is important because  you don’t want to have to stop every ten minutes to refill it .

A large tank is ideal when you are cleaning large areas of carpet.

But that’s not to say that you should be looking for the biggest tank possible, you need to find a balance.

The problem is that  the bigger the tank, the heavier the weight of the machine and also the larger it will be,  which can present problems when you’re trying to maneuver it or carry it upstairs.

There are a few portable options which have much smaller tank capacities, but which could be ideal for carrying up and down stairs.

Weight – How Much Can You Handle

Although weight might not be the most important consideration for everybody, for those who know that they will need to take it up and down stairs, it can be the biggest factor.

Cleaners come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, from small handheld models which weigh as little as 15 pounds, through to huge machines that can come in at way over 100 pounds.

Cord Length

As with a vacuum, the cord length of a cleaner is something that you might not think about, but which will annoy you repeatedly if it’s too short. To maximize the practicality and usefulness of the device you want to ensure that it can reasonably stretch throughout your house from the outlet points around your home.

Although most models will run between 15 and 22 feet of cable, which is acceptable for the vast majority of homeowners, cheaper units can have less than 10 feet which once you factor in furniture can be far too short.

Carpet Cleaner Power and Suction

The power of a device is usually one of those things where you would think that more is better, and while that is true for cleaners, more powerful devices are also more expensive.

The power of the device should depend on how much suction you will need. With shag carpeting and deep carpets, you will need very heavy suction, while for very shallow rugs you don’t.

Although most machines won’t have a direct indicator of their suction power, you can use the power capacity of the cleaner as a signal. As you might imagine, a device at 500W is unlikely to be as powerful as one that is 1200W.

Generally, the more powerful the cleaner, the better because this will provide excellent suction to draw dirt out from the deepest levels of the carpet where it is ingrained and can cause permanent damage over time.

Functionality and Accessories

Many of these cleaning machines will come in packages with a variety of different crevice tools and brushes which you’ll need if you want to clean upholstery or along the line of the carpet and your wall.

But it’s not only the tools that can make a difference, but it’s also the built-in settings of the device.

Some cleaners will have features such as automatic shut-off when the tank is too low, as well as a built-in water heater which many cheaper devices do not include.

Similarly, some will come with settings for the strength and suction power, which can be useful if you’re worried about a delicate carpet which you fear may pull or rip under a strong suction.

Operating a Carpet Cleaner

Typically, the smaller and more portable devices can be operated more simply because they have fewer mechanisms and are designed to be used on smaller jobs rather than the whole home. However, that’s not to say that all large commercial cleaning machines are complicated, only that some require a little more attention than portable cleaning devices.

Price

The price of good carpet shampooer  usually start at around $150, and can range up to around $500 for the larger and most effective units. 

The cheaper units usually have: smaller tanks, less power and less accessories.

If you need to clean a larger area, you will need to spend a bit more to get a larger unit with a large tank, but if you have a small carpet or only need spot cleaning you can get away with getting a cheap but still good carpet shampooer at around $150-$200.

Pet owners might want to spend a bit more to get the specific pet features, such as a pet hair collector, stain removing technology and odor remover.

10 Best Carpet Cleaners 2022 – USA Reviews

We’ve compiled reviews of the top ten carpet cleaners on the market, all of which I think are very good value, and has excellent cleaning capabilities.

Best Overall 2022 – Bissell Big Green Carpet Cleaner Machine

For many Bissell is considered the pinnacle of professional carpet cleaning brands. Bissell pride themselves on quality and the Big Green Carpet Cleaner Machine is arguably their number one product.

The Big Green is the optimal choice for any homeowner who wants to deep clean larger areas of carpet.

It also has plenty of tank capacity to ensure that you do not have to fill it up too regularly and is extremely capable of cleaning up tough stains or stains from pets.

With  two separate tanks and over a 1-gallon capacity,  it should give you more than enough water to clean multiple rooms without needing to stop and empty the tanks and refill them.

The  spot cleaning hose has plenty of lengths, 9 feet,  in fact, giving you the reach that you’ll need to get those frustrating spots quickly or to clean along the skirting boards.

The package also comes equipped with a  6” Tough Stain Tool  which you shouldn’t need to use on most carpets because the Big Green is incredibly powerful, but it can help remove very stubborn stains quickly.

Big Green is suitable for heavy-duty deep cleans and in tests has outperformed commercial rental equipment.

Rather than paying a lot of money on paying for a steam cleaner to come in or renting the equipment, I recommend investing in a quality machine that will pay dividends for years.

Notably, the Big Green has a  25 feet long cord,  far longer than many of its competitors which makes cleaning that much more convenient.

Plus, if you’re worried about the damage, the Big Green comes with a  5-year warranty  so that you don’t need to worry about it breaking on you.

The Good

• Incredible powerful suction
• Professional quality results
• Long cord and hose length
• Large tank capacity
• Great pet capabilities

The Bad

• Not a cheap machine
• Heavier than many alternatives

Best Cheap Carpet Cleaner 2022 – Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Washer

Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe is one of the most popular cleaning machines in the industry because of its  perfect combination of quality and price .

Available at less than half of the cost of the Bissell Big Green, it’s also much lighter, more portable and still packs a punch.

This machine looks more like a vacuum than a home carpet cleaner which is fantastic because it’s intuitive and simple to use, allowing you to get the job done fast.

With multiple packages available you can choose either the basic model or to include the Portable Spot Cleaner which can allow you to clean small marks and stains quickly.

For those with animals, there is the PetPlus 32oz container which is a specific formulation designed to remove animal hair, dirt and other nasty marks from your carpets.

At  less than 19 pounds  it’s plenty small enough to carry up and down the stairs without any effort. For convenience, they’ve also included an  8-feet long cleaning hose and upholstery tool  which gives you the freedom to quickly freshen your carpets and do spot cleaning.

This Hoover cleaner uses their innovative SpinScrub Technology which combines counter-rotating brushes that spin rather than roll, ensuring constant carpet contact for an efficient clean.

The brushing mechanism is critical to drag the dirt out of the carpet fibers to ensure a deep clean rather than a superficial improvement. Plus, it uses forced heated air on the carpet to reduce the drying time drastically, making it ideal for areas with heavy foot traffic!

The Good

• Excellent value for money
• Innovative and powerful scrubbing technology
• Lightweight for maximum convenience
• Effective suction and cleaning performance

The Bad

• Shorter cable than the Bissell Big Green
• 2-year warranty could be better

Hoover Carpet Cleaner SteamVac

Hoover has a variety of other carpet cleaning machines, each of which has a unique twist.

One of these is the Hoover Carpet Cleaner SteamVac. The SteamVac has a similar shape, size, and weight but has a few more settings including  multiple brush speed controls  that can allow you to clean both strong and weak carpets effectively.

This cleaner uses the same quality SpinScrub Technology, ensuring that even the most ingrained dirt is easily lifted up from the carpet via the  powerful 12-amp motor.  With such a large motor and brush mechanism, this cleaner is good for large homes and spaces where you need to cover a large surface area in an efficient manner.

The Good

• Powerful 12-amp motor
• Three-speed brush control
• Great cleaning performance
• Pretty large tank

The Bad

• Doesn’t come with many tools

Best Portable Choice – Bissell SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner

The Bissell SpotClean is portable and completely different from the previous three machines that we’ve mentioned, this is in our opinion the best portable carpet cleaner 2022, great for apartments and cleaning your stairs or small stains.

It can be carried around with very little effort because of its size, but it has a reasonable tank capacity still.

With a  long reach 22-foot power cord that fuels its 5.7 amp motor,  it’s not as strong as the larger devices that you can get, but for a portable machine, it’s plenty strong enough.

The Good

• Incredibly portable and convenient
• Powerful 5.7 amp motor
• Includes multiple cleaning tools

The Bad

• Two years limited warranty could be better
• Not as powerful as non-portable cleaners

See our full review of the Bissell SpotClean Pro for more info.

Best Robot Carpet Cleaner – Bissell SpotBot Pet Cleaner

If you’re sick and tired of having to clean your carpets, the Bissell SpotBot Cleaner is the perfect device for you.

It works automatically, needing no assistance or control. You simply pick the  cleaning cycle and walk away while the machine gets to work doing a deep clean on your carpets.

If you have pets, this is a good choice because it’s specifically designed to clean up after your animals.

With the Deep Reach Technology from Bissell, the SpotBot is capable of cleaning your carpets down to the very deepest level where dirt can often get trapped and do serious damage to the fibers. The  unique spiral brush movement completes 400 cleaning revolutions per minute,  scrubbing your carpets clean in a delicate but powerful manner.

Plus, with the  Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection,  the built-in components of the SpotBot Pet fights the growth of any odor-causing bacteria, mold or mildew in your carpets.

The Good

• Automatic and effortless
• Pretty powerful motor and brushing technology
• Easy to use
• Shipped in frustration free packaging
• Perfect for cleaning up after your animals

The Bad

• Not as effective as some larger manual machines
• Not cordless

Bissell PowerLifter PowerBrush Carpet Cleaner

If you’re in the market for a powerful carpet shampooer, but you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars, the Bissell PowerLifter is a great choice.

Usually priced around 100 bucks, it’s a bargain product that packs a premium punch.

Although not quite as powerful as the more expensive Bissell products, it’s still great for homeowners who don’t have very large carpets but for whom a regular cleaning is necessary.

This full-sized carpet cleaner comes  built-in with 4-row dual rotating brushes  that can scrub and lift the dirt away. Plus, it has a  2-in-1 water tank  that allows for super easy filling and emptying for efficient cleaning performance.

It’s also worth noting that it comes complete with a 1-year warranty.

The Good

• Powerful 4-brush system
• 2-in-1 filling system
• Great value for money

The Bad

• Doesn’t have the performance of more expensive models

Hoover Max Extract 60 Pressure Pro Cleaner

For homeowners who are still searching for the incredible look that your carpets have after a professional clean, it’s worth looking at the Hoover Max Extract 60 Pressure Pro Cleaner. It’s possible of giving you the spotless and brand-new look that your carpets get after a heavy steam clean, but at a fraction of the cost.

Using a powerful wall of pressurized water, it’s capable of removing even the most stubborn stains.

Plus, with edge-to-edge cleaning, you’re getting a very efficient cleaning.

Despite the amount of water that it uses to clean the carpet, with a heated air system it can dry it as you go, making it a great option for houses that get plenty of foot traffic.

The Good

• Good value
• Edge-to-edge cleaning
• A heated cleaning system for quick drying carpets

The Bad

• Rather heavy

Hoover All Terrain Hardwood and Carpet Dual V Machine

Plenty of people have homes that use both hardwood and carpet.

Rather than having two separate cleaning machines, why not combine them into one?

The Hoover All Terrain is the perfect combination, with a  20-foot cord length,  SpinScrub Technology,  dual tanks  for easy cleaning and a  strong 12-amp motor. .

The Good

• Strong motor and suction
• Clean multiple surface types
• SpinScrub Technology for efficient dirt removal

The Bad

• Cord could be longer
• Heavy

Bissell Little Green ProHeat Portable Cleaner

If you’re looking for the quality of the Bissell Big Green, but you want a portable version, the Little Green is the ideal solution. It is a compact multi-purpose wet vacuum that delivers excellent performance through its spray and suction cleaning method.

With a  built-in water heater,  it can get the water to a high temperature, allowing it to clean more efficiently and remove more dirt than many other devices. At only  13 pounds  it’s the perfect choice for spot cleaning or cleaning smaller areas of carpet.

The Good

• Very lightweight
• Built-in water heater for maximum dirt removal
• Pretty strong and powerful suction

The Bad

• Doesn’t pack the punch of a much larger cleaner
• Not automatic like the PetBot

Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaning Machine

If neither Bissell or Hoover tickled your fancy, there is always the Rug Doctor.

Although perhaps less famous than the previous two brands, Rug Doctor creates premium quality products which have been used by commercial and residential cleaners alike.

This machine is truly a professional grade machine that  combined dual cross brush action with strong suction and water cleansing. 

The Rug Doctors has very powerful suction and large tanks, which allows it to draw more of the dirt and water off the carpet, leaving them cleaner and drier for immediate results.

The Good

• Excellent suction power
• Strong and durable device
• Professional grade cleaning mechanism
• Rated Gold by the Carpet and Rug Institute

The Bad

• Relatively large device
• Heavy at 37 pounds

Home Carpet Cleaners – Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a stand-up machine?

It’s easy to see why portable machines would be appealing, but they are unable to pack the same punch as larger stand-up machines because they lack the strong motors. If you’re looking for a professional grade clean you will need a stand-up machine.

How long does it take for the carpets to dry?

The drying time will depend heavily on the machine that you use. Some claim to leave dry carpets in less than 90 minutes, while others take multiple hours.

You’ll also want to consider how much foot traffic the space that you’re cleaning gets. This matters for a variety of reasons including practicality after the clean. For at least an hour after the clean but possible a few hours, the floor will still be damp, and therefore it’s not wise to walk on the carpet.

But if the area is the main passage through the house, it can be a bit of a challenge. Therefore, you’ll want to ask yourself how much foot traffic the area gets so that you can adjust your expectations. Some machines use more water than others, with some leaving the floor very wet and others only slightly damp.

What machine is best for cleaning carpets with pet hair?

Removing pet hair requires a combination of strong brushes, a powerful motor and effective suction and water pressure. The PetBot is specifically designed to remove pet hair and dirt, but larger stand-up machines like the Bissell Big Green are the most effective.

For a more detailed look at this subject see our recent post about the best carpet cleaner for pets.

Do I need to read the instructions?

Not all home carpet cleaners are designed to be used in the same way, which is why it’s so important to check the instructions before you start using it. It’s not unusual for them to have unique startup processes or to require a more complicated filling method. If you’re looking for simplicity, you should pay attention to the operation of the machine to ensure that it’s the right choice for you and your family.

Buying a Carpet Cleaner 2022 – Final Words

We regularly update our reviews of the best carpet cleaning machines as new options come onto the market. The big brands like Bissell, Rug Doctor and Hoover still dominate the market, and for good reason. The provide great products for the price.

Not seeing your favorite carpet shampooer on this list? Let us know in the comments.