Best Carpet Cleaners

Hoover SteamVac Agility F6215-900 (Around $170)

Best carpet cleaner.We read over 300 positive owner reviews for the Hoover SteamVac Agility. This upright carpet cleaner succeeds with simplicity, according to reviews. It is easy to fill, empty, push and maneuver. The upright SteamVac Agility cleans carpets and rugs; its powered hand tool lets you clean stairs and upholstery. The tank uses a heated mix of hot water and cleaning solution to clean carpets with five agitating brushes. Best of all, the Hoover SteamVac Agility is one of the rare carpet cleaners that doesn't receive major complaints from owners for leakage.


Bissell QuickSteamer PowerBrush 2080 (Around $90)

Budget carpet cleaner.For light duty or tighter budgets, reviews say the Bissell QuickSteamer PowerBrush is the best carpet cleaner for the money. It isn't as powerful as the Hoover SteamVac Agility, so it will likely leave your carpets damper after cleaning, requiring more drying time. Owners posting comments to Amazon.com and Target.com say the QuickSteamer does a nice job on area rugs and carpets. Since its tank is small, however, it's best for small areas of about 8' x 8'.


Bissell SpotBot (Around $130)

Best spot cleaner.The Bissell SpotBot gets great reviews for a canister carpet cleaner -- much better than the Bissell Cordless SpotLifter. 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 canister carpet cleaner, with a five-foot hose and small suction nozzle, but reviews say it's best as a spot cleaner. Experts also praise this model for leaving little residue behind.


Bissell Little Green Pro 14005 (Around $70)

Portable carpet cleaner.Small portable carpet cleaners often get mixed to poor reviews from owners, who say they aren't very durable. The Bissell Little Green Pro 14005 performs better than others in reviews and it's significantly less expensive than the SpotBot. The Little Green Pro is marketed primarily as an upholstery cleaner, but reviewers say it's also handy for cleaning cars and stairs. If you only need to remove specific spots, however, the SpotBot appears to be better-suited to that purpose.