The Best Carpet Cleaners Erase Even the Most Stubborn Stains Like Magic

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SPY.com may receive an affiliate commission.

If you live with pets, kids or a partner prone to spills, you may already be familiar with the benefits of a professional-standard carpet cleaner. These devices can restore that like-new look to your carpets while also extending their lifetime. However, expensive rental fees can be a strong deterrent. Thankfully, we’re here to tell you that for less than the cost of a four-day rental or a single, professional carpet cleaning service, you can now own one of the best carpet cleaners for yourself.

Understandably, a lot of people are intimidated by the process of buying a carpet cleaner. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that these machines only came in professional-grade sizes. But companies like BISSELL and Hoover are now producing consumer-grade carpet cleaners that can clean most home carpets as well as a professional cleaning service or rental device.

Adding one of the best carpet cleaners to your floor-cleaning arsenal is a smart idea. You likely already own a vacuum cleaner for everyday cleaning and a wet-dry vacuum for your hard floors. A carpet cleaner allows you to clean deeper and more effectively, resulting in carpets that do look like new once again. If that like-new look is something that appeals, we would also suggest investing in one of the best carpet rakes.

What to Consider When Buying a Carpet Cleaner

When it comes to picking out the best carpet cleaner for you, there are several factors to be aware of. The biggest thing to understand is that there are several different types of carpet cleaners on the market. These include:

  • Upright Carpet Cleaners: These look like bulkier vacuums, but they have built-in systems that use carpet cleaning solutions and the best carpet shampoos to effectively clean, scrub and remove stains and odors.
  • Carpet Spot Cleaners: These are portable machines that you carry to the area you want to clean. These are usually more budget-friendly than upright carpet cleaners and are ideal for accident-prone households that frequently need to clean small areas of fabric or carpeting.
  • Steam Cleaners: Rather than using a carpet cleaning solution, steam carpet cleaners rely solely on the power of hot water to clean and sanitize carpets. These machines are the most multifunctional, as they can be used to clean more than just carpets.
  • Professional Carpet Cleaners: If you own a business or frequently need to clean a lot of carpets, you may want to invest in a professional-standard carpet cleaner. These are usually bigger and heavier than other types of carpet cleaners, but they are more powerful and built for covering larger areas.

So if you’re ready to stop renting carpet cleaners and invest in a carpet cleaning device for your home, read on to find the right one for you.

Read More: Get Grime Out With the Best Portable Carpet Cleaners

  

1. Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Machine

BEST OVERALL

For years, Hoover and BISSELL have been duking it out to take the top spot in the carpet cleaner category. While both produce admirable machines, we’re giving the award to Hoover and their Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Machine. This powerful machine will take care of all your carpet cleaning needs and then some. The patented Spinscrub brush system works wonders in picking up the toughest dirt thanks to the 360-degree brushes included. Plus, the heated cleaning system allows for faster drying, giving you clean carpets that you can walk on quicker than most other carpet cleaning systems. Finally, the 8-inch hose provides you with the power to clean hard-to-reach areas, like stairs and upholstery. 

hoover power scrub deluxe carpet cleaner machine

Buy: Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Machine $149.00 (orig. $229.99) 35% OFF

  

2. BISSELL Little Green Spot and Stain Cleaner

MOST POPULAR

With its large water capacity and compact yet portable design, the BISSELL Little Green Spot and Stain Cleaner is well worth your consideration. It comes with more than 2,500 five-star ratings from Walmart customers and offers users an effective way to remove all kinds of messes from carpets, upholstery and car interiors. The ultra-portable cleaner is also supplied with a ​​Tough Stain Tool and a trial-size Spot & Stain formula. Its 48-oz. tank also gives you more cleaning time between refills. Check out our full, in-depth review here.

Full Review: I Tried The TikTok-Famous Bissell Little Green Machine

best carpet cleaners bissell little green portable

Buy: BISSELL Little Green Spot and Stain Cleaner $134.58

Buy: BISSELL Little Green Spot and Stain Cleaner $123.59

  

3. Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner

CONTENDER

If you’re looking for a professional-standard device to clean your carpets, the Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner is the way to go. This standout device comes with positive ratings from over 95% of Amazon users, including more than 11,000 five-star ratings. The XL DirtLifter PowerBrush features eight rows of bristles to penetrate deep into carpets and remove low-sitting dirt. You’ll also have a long-reach hose with a 6-inch Tough Stain Tool for more precise spot cleaning. The cleaner’s two-tank system ensures clean water never meets dirty water. Furthermore, the adjustable handle provides a comfortable experience for users of any height.

best carpet cleaners bissell big green

Buy: Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner $411.99

  

4. Hoover PowerDash GO Portable Spot Cleaner

BEST SPOT CLEANER

This lightweight and portable carpet cleaner is ideal for spot cleaning and includes both the Spot & Stain Pet Tool and Rubber Nub Pet Tool. These interchangeable heads are great for lifting away stubborn stains and digging deep into your carpets and upholstery. In addition, this spot cleaner relies on a dual-tank system, which keeps the clean water and solution separate from the dirty water, allowing for easier clean-up when everything is said and done.

hoover powerdash go portable spot cleaner

Buy: Hoover PowerDash GO Portable Spot Cleaner $86.07 (orig. $96.07) 10% OFF

  

5. Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Portable Carpet Cleaner

BEST CORDLESS

The Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Portable Carpet Cleaner is another device well suited to dealing with pet messes. Whether it’s unpleasant odors or pet hair, this compact, cordless device is great for spot cleaning as it lets you remove pet stains from anywhere through its spraying, scrubbing and sucking action. After a full four-hour charge, this cleaner gives you 15 minutes to remove pet stains instantly and permanently from carpet, upholstery, stairs, area rugs and auto interiors. Plus, the device is supplied with two trial-size, ready-to-use cleaning shampoos so you’re ready to go out of the box. This truly is one of the most impressive portable carpet cleaners.

best carpet cleaners bissell pet stain eraser

Buy: Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Portable Carpet Cleaner $96.00

  

6. Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner Machine

BEST LIGHTWEIGHT

The Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner Machine would be Goldilocks’ favorite carpet cleaner. It’s not too small (like a spot cleaner) and it’s not too heavy (like a traditional upright cleaner). Instead, this vacuum-style cleaner weighs just 12 pounds and boasts a compact upright design. Thanks to these specs, this cleaner is capable of cleaning smaller areas but still boasts a rotating, antimicrobial brush and Heatforce technology for faster drying. As Hoover says, getting cleaner carpets is “no big deal” with the PowerDash.

hoover powerdash pet compact carpet cleaner

Buy: Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner Machine $87.99 (orig. $119.99) 27% OFF

  

7. BISSELL Pet Stain Eraser PowerBrush

BEST HANDHELD

The BISSELL Pet Stain Eraser PowerBrush is handheld and cordless, yet still features a rotating DirtLifter Powerbrush for instant stain removal. Plus, any ready-to-use carpet cleaning solution can be stored directly in the machine, so it’s ready to grab and go at a moment’s notice. You’ll be prepared for any unexpected stains with this in the closet.

bissell pet stain eraser powerbrush

Buy: BISSELL Pet Stain Eraser PowerBrush $133.89

  

8. Hoover CleanSlate Plus Carpet & Upholstery Spot Cleaner

MOST VERSATILE

The Hoover CleanSlate Plus Carpet & Upholstery Spot Cleaner is an award-winning device that offers an impressive amount of cleaning versatility. The cleaner comes with multiple tool attachments, including a Small Area Tool, a Tight Spot Tool and a Pet Tool. Its compact, corded design provides plenty of flexibility to clean a range of stains and odor-causing issues, such as wine, mud and pet messes. Furthermore, the cleaner comes with an accompanying accessory bag for convenient storage and a 6-ounce bottle of Oxy Concentrate.

best carpet cleaners hoover cleanslate plus

Buy: Hoover CleanSlate Plus Carpet & Upholstery Spot Cleaner $141.98 (orig. $151.98) 7% OFF

  

9. BISSELL Turboclean Powerbrush Carpet Cleaner Machine

ALSO CONSIDER

The BISSELL Turboclean Powerbrush Carpet Cleaner Machine has plenty to offer. Not only is this machine easy to use, compact and quick to set up, but it also boasts incredible suction power and a patented rotating Dirtlifter Powerbrush. Furthermore, the Edge Sweep bristles help to ensure you can clean all the carpets in your house, from wall to wall. This carpet cleaner also features a collapsible handle and weighs just 12 pounds, making it one of the lighter upright options available.

bissell turboclean powerbrush pet upright

Buy: BISSELL Turboclean Powerbrush Carpet Cleaner Machine $76.00 (orig. $99.99) 24% OFF

  

10. BISSELL Spot Clean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner

COMPACT PICK

The BISSELL Spot Clean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner differs from upright versions in that you’ll have to carry it from room to room, but that makes it great for small jobs (and easier to store). This particular cleaner boasts amazing suction and scrubbing action. It comes with both a 6-inch stair tool and a 3-inch tough stain tool as well as a sample of BISSELL’s Pro Max cleaning solution.

bissell spot clean professional portable carpet cleaner

Buy: BISSELL Spot Clean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner $150.99 (orig. $164.79) 8% OFF

  

11. Hoover Pro Clean Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner

BEST FOR PET HOUSEHOLDS

If you have one or more pets in your home, you may want to opt for the Hoover Pro Clean Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner. Designed with pet messes in mind, this device is ideal for getting rid of pet stains and pet odors and removing pet hair from your carpets. The cleaner features several specialized features including DualSpin Power Brushes to get deeper into the carpets, HeatForce technology for faster drying and CleanBoost Control for adding extra cleaning solution on particularly stubborn stains. In addition, the cleaner comes supplied with an 8-foot cleaning hose, an upholstery attachment and sample bottles of Paws & Claws cleaning solution.

hoover pro clean pet upright carpet cleaner

Buy: Hoover Pro Clean Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner $174.99

  

12. McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner

BEST STEAMER

Where most carpet cleaners use a combination of water and carpet cleaning solutions or the best carpet shampoo to deliver like-new carpets, many people are turning to steam cleaners for sprucing up their homes. That’s because these devices can do much more than just clean carpets. They can also shine up appliances, outdoor furniture and countertops. For carpet cleaning, we recommend the McCulloch Mc1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner. As a bonus, this cleaner doesn’t rely on harsh chemicals, using the sanitizing power of steam instead.

best carpet cleaners mcculloch mc1275 heavy duty steam cleaner

Buy: McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner $149.99 (orig. $199.99) 25% OFF

  

13. BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Carpet Cleaner

BEST FOR DEEP CLEANING

With more than 14,000 five-star ratings from Amazon users, the BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Carpet Cleaner is a device you can have full confidence in. The Dual DirtLifter PowerBrushes features 12 rows of bristles to remove embedded dirt. It can also be used on a range of surfaces, including carpet, upholstery and area rugs. Other notable features are the cleaner’s 1-gallon water tank, built-in HeatWave Technology, 22-inch cord length and a MAX Clean Mode for fighting the very toughest of stains.

bissell proheat 2x revolution upright cleaner

Buy: BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Carpet Cleaner $231.59

  

14. Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner Machine

BEST VACUUM-STYLE

The Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner Machine includes all the best carpet cleaning technologies in one lean machine. This carpet cleaner gets the “automatic” designation because it transitions from washing to drying instantly when you switch from pushing to pulling. When washing, the cleaner relies on FlexForce Pet Brushes to pull away stains, and when drying, the cleaner uses HeatForce to ensure you can walk on your carpets without causing further stains. Perhaps our favorite accessory, however, is the Spot Chaser Pretreat Wand, which allows you to spray stubborn stains before cleaning them.

best carpet cleaners hoover smartwash automatic

Buy: Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner Machine $196.66 (orig. $319.99) 39% OFF

  

15. Tineco CARPET ONE Smart Carpet Cleaner Machine

BEST SMART CLEANER

The Tineco CARPET ONE Smart Carpet Cleaner Machine is filled with advanced technology to deliver professional-level cleaning. It uses a 1300-watt motor and 104-degree Fahrenheit water to uproot deep-sitting dirt and remove stains from your carpets. Users will find a clear, LED display that shows the real-time cleaning status, including how dry the carpet is. The device’s PowerDry technology also dries floors in as few as five passes. The extra hose and stain-remover tool allow for precision spot cleaning, making it possible to cover stairs, car interiors and other hard-to-reach areas. In addition, the accompanying app lets you adjust device settings.

tineco carpet one smart carpet cleaner

Buy: Tineco CARPET ONE Smart Carpet Cleaner Machine $499.00

  

16. Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Commercial Carpet Cleaner

BEST PROFESSIONAL-GRADE

The Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Commercial Carpet Cleaner boasts a triple action system, which sprays, scrubs and extracts all in one pass. In addition, this carpet cleaner is CRI Gold Rated by the Carpet & Rug Institute for water and soil removal. However, this power comes at a cost; the cleaner weighs 39 pounds. On the other hand, Rug Doctor does provide a two-year consumer warranty should anything malfunction.

best carpet cleaners rug doctor mighty pro

Buy: Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Commercial Carpet Cleaner $527.77 (orig. $599.99) 12% OFF

  

The 10 Best Robot Mops to Help Keep Your Floors Squeaky Clean