Cleaning carpets is tough and you will need a steam cleaning machine to help you. You can find the best carpet cleaner machine by reading these reviews.
Want to find out what the best carpet cleaner for your specific needs is? Keep reading and soon your house will be as clean as a whistle!
Ah, dirt. No matter how hard you try, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get rid of it, at least not permanently.
We’re sure that Sisyphus himself would have a hard time choosing between getting that boulder up a hill or having to clean for all eternity.
It’s never a matter of if the dirt will come back, just when and how much of it.
You can’t kill the dirt, but you can at least keep it at bay with a cutting-edge carpet cleaner. In this guide we are bringing you carpet cleaner reviews that showcase just how much you can fight back. We’ll explore various models and their versatile features.
The guide is divided into two parts, one for high-end models, and one for more affordable yet viable devices. We’ll also take a look at some of the things you need to keep in mind before committing to a cleaner, like added features or storage requirements.
By the time you’ve finished reading you’ll have a better understanding of what’s on offer and will have ample info to make a good judgement call on which steam carpet cleaner to buy. Ready to get stuck in and show the filth who’s boss? Then continue on to the next section.
Comparison Table of our Top Picks
| Product | Price | Rating | Power | Operating Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bissell Cleanview Lift-Off 22K7E | £££ | 4.8 | 1500 Watts | 6.7 Metres |
| BISSELL 18Z7E Cleanview Deep Clean | ££££ | 4.8 | 1850 Watts | 9 Metres |
| Vax V-125A All Terrain | ££££ | 4.5 | 1350 Watts | 11.5 Metres |
| BISSELL Cleanview Proheat | ££ | 4.5 | 1400 Watts | 8 Metres |
| Numatic GVE370-2GREEN George | ££ | 4.1 | 1200 Watts | 26.8 Metres |
| Vax V-124A Dual V Upright | ££ | 4.4 | 1350 Watts | 11.5 Metres |
| Vax W90-RU-P Rapide Ultra 2 | ££ | 4.3 | 1000 Watts | 11 Metres |
| BISSELL 37Y8E Cleanview Reach | £ | 4.2 | 500 Watts | 7.5 Metres |
| Vax 6131T 3-in-1 Canister | £ | 4.0 | 1300 Watts | 10 Metres |
| Zanussi ZAN2011AZ AirSpeed Lite | £ | 3.8 | 1100 Watts | 2 Metres |
Top 5 Best Carpet Cleaner Machines
1. Bissell Cleanview Lift-Off 22K7E
(4.8 / 5)
Ever have trouble reaching those tight spots in your car or behind your bed and closet? If the answer is yes, and we know it is, the Cleanview lift-off from Bissell has got you covered.
It is both powerful enough to perform a complete house cleaning task while being portable and versatile enough at the same time to be ideal for individual spot cleaning of places you wouldn’t normally reach.
It is also delicate enough that you can use it in your car to clean dirty upholstery.
The Lift-Off comes with its own built-in water heater, allowing for more effective operation without the need of adding pre-heated water.
It can heat the water you put into it by up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and the maximum recommended temperature is 82 degrees Fahrenheit as to not endanger your safety.
Of course, the heater doesn’t need to always be on. If you are cleaning delicate surfaces you can turn it off and let the cold water do its thing.
The Lift-Off is also a very hygienic device – its heater features five filtration levels that make sure both the water being used in the cleaning process as well as the device’s interior component s remain free of bacteria and other harmful contaminants.
To ensure the removal of deep-seated dirt and grime, the cleaning brush has a twin row of powerful bristles that come in a set of ten at each side. They both loosen and remove accumulated dirt.
Not only that, but it removes foul odours in the process as well, making your old carpet seem almost new again while helping your house smell fresh and continue to with each new cleaning.
Another great thing about the lift-off is its five foot hose. It comes with two attachments – one for getting rid of the most stubborn stains, and the other, narrower one that can get into almost every nook and cranny you couldn’t reach yourself.
If the whole device seems clunky for some of those harder to reach places, simply lift off (hence the name) its detachable pod and watch it transform from a solid home cleaner to a handy portable one you can take with you to the garage or anywhere else you might need to take care of a quick spill or stubborn stain.
If you take all of these factors into account, the verdict is clear – Bissell’s Lift-Off might very well be the best carpet cleaner around.
Its versatility and innovative technology make it stand out among the crowd, and you can’t go wrong with a product that you can lug around when doing standard cleaning but which turns into a portable powerhouse when the main unit just can’t reach.
2. BISSELL 18Z7E Cleanview Deep Clean
(4.8 / 5)
Sometimes your regular carpet cleaning machine intended for home use just can’t cut through the layers of accumulated grime and filth.
It’s at times like these you probably wish you had a commercial-grade cleaner that could both fit in your home comfortably and do its job properly.
As it’s name suggests, the Deep-Clean is all about tearing into the stubborn dirt that has been lodged inside your carpet for God knows how long and reaching all the way down to the carpet’s base in order to do so.
Since allergens and causes of bad odour like to hang out there as well, deep cleaning will make your house both healthier and more pleasant to live in.
The secret to Deep-Clean’s success lies in its brush structure. Its cleaning head has two brush rollers, each with five rows of bristles.
Not only do these do a thorough job when cleaning, they also part the pile, allowing for the carpet shampoo you use to penetrate even deeper and do a more effective job.
An intriguing feature of this device is its Smartmix system. Basically, this nifty feature allows you to adjust the mixture of cleaning fluid and water being used and adapt it to your present needs.
Its settings range from ‘light cleaning’, which you can use to clean areas that aren’t tread upon often and are thus not as dirty, to “heavy traffic”, a setting used for the most exposed and dirtiest areas of your carpet.
If at any time you think you might have used too much shampoo, there’s an answer for that as well – the “Water Rinse only” feature stops using shampoo altogether and dilutes it in areas you already applied it to.
The Deep-Clean is also a time saver. Its water heater is separate from the cleaning motors, meaning that you can use the heat they produce to actively clean and dry your carpet at the same time!
As you can see, there’s no need for ingrained dirt to keep you down any longer. We believe that when it comes to tackling allergies the Deep-Clean is the best carpet cleaner on the market today. So check it out, your nose and your feet will thank you for it.
3. Vax V-125A All Terrain Upright Carpet Washer
(4.5 / 5)
Carpeted surfaces obviously aren’t the only ones that get filthy. Having a machine that can clean both carpets and sealed hard floors would be a big plus.
If you’ve always wanted a device that combines these two features, look no further than the V-125A by Vax.
Its spacious water tank holds approx. One gallon of water, while its dirty water capacity is somewhat smaller at .8 gallons.
Still, that amount of water should be more than enough for you to thoroughly go over a large surface area before you need a refill.
Unfortunately, the hose is a bit short at about 7 and a half feet, which should be enough for day-to-day cleaning in a normal-sized room, but which might prove inadequate if you are planning on reaching farther, less accessible places.
The V-125A carpet washer features an auto-rinse facility. This means that, depending on what motion you are currently doing, the cleaner will either wash when pushed forward or rinse when you push it back.
This intuitive approach saves both time and energy as you only need to go over the surface once to make it both clean and remove the fluid.
To add to the customisability, there’s also a built-in automix cleaning system which configures the amount of solution you need to use for each surface. Both this and the auto-rinse can be manually controlled via a simple to use button interface.
Don’t limit yourself to just carpeted areas though. Washing your flooring will be even more effective with the SpinScrub technology.
It consists of rotating brushes that take the fight to deeply-embedded dirt and get rid of it in no time. Also included is the SpinScrub tool that applies the same principle to smaller areas such as stairs or upholstery.
Included in the V-125A’s packaging are two 0.36 gallon tubs of cleaning solution, one for carpets and the other for hard surfaces. You’ll also get the hose, an assortment of brushes and a squeegee.
Add to that a 6 year warranty and you’ve got a deal that is hard to beat. Best Vax carpet cleaner? Probably. Best carpet washer on our list? Definitely!
4. BISSELL Cleanview Proheat
(4.5 / 5)
That carpet you just took care of might look clean on the outside, but how can you be sure that you’ve did an adequate job of getting rid of all the allergens that have been nestled in there even before you bought it? If you want to stop wondering and worrying, the Cleanview Proheat by Bissell is the best carpet cleaner for you.
OK, you’ve heard that this and this device will get rid of all of those pesky allergens a million times, but with the Proheat this is not an empty boast.
It has been independently tested and proven to reduce mould spores, pet dander and pollen among other things. It even has a seal of approval from the British Allergy Foundation, attesting to its effectiveness.
It has a built-in water heater with a thermostat system which ensures that the water it uses remains the same temperature throughout the cleaning process, making for surfaces that are cleaned evenly.
Its large, 1.2 ft. Cleaning width makes it less suitable for apartments or small homes, but it ensures that the Proheat will clean a medium to large household in a smaller amount of time.
You can use the Proheat for multiple types of cleaning. On one hand there’s your standard clean using its built-in shampooer head that has a spinning powerbrush with six rotating bristles.
As with other Bissell models, the bristles clean in a way that parts the pile and allows for the cleaning solution to be rubbed tightly into the carpet’s base.
On the other, when you need to clean tougher stains on upholstery or reach a tight space, you can make use of the tough stain brush or the crevice tool, both of which can be attached to the hose.
If you or your family are sick and tired of being sick and tired due to all of the allergens you didn’t even know still existed in your carpet, the Proheat is the best carpet cleaner for your needs.
5. Numatic GVE370-2GREEN George
(4.1 / 5)
George will perform all your cleaning needs with a smile on its face, literally.
The power behind the cleanliness comes from its Numatic TwinFlo which provides improved performance while being more quiet at the same time.
When functioning as a vacuum cleaner, George uses a 4 gallon tank along with HepaFlo dust bags that keep vacuumed dust particles and other contaminants tightly sealed until you dispose of them.
Its PowerFlo pump system makes sure that George will pick up all the dust and dirt its trunk encounters.
When washing various surfaces, it uses a smaller 2.4 gallon tank as well as a host of different attachments including a nozzle with an assortment of head attachments, a slide-on brush for cleaning upholstery and a larger scrub/wet dual pick-up nozzle that lets you siphon water as well as clean.
Weighing in at around 20 pounds, George is able to be transported without much hassle. It comes with a top handle to help you move it wherever it needs to be.
George washes and vacuums your carpets. It can scrub stains off of your furniture as well as off of hardwood floors. Most importantly, it looks adorable! What more can you possibly want?
Top 5 Affordable Carpet Cleaning Machine Reviews
1. Vax V-124A Dual V Upright
(4.4 / 5)
Do you have a lot of stairs to clean on a regular basis, but the carpet cleaning machine you are currently using has a short electrical cord? It might be time to consider switching over to the V-124A.
Sporting an eleven inch cleaning width as well as a 2 gallon tank, the V-124A is a bit smaller than its older brother, the V-125.
Even so, it has a 30 foot long power cord, meaning that you’ll be able to clean a large surface area before you have to refill, and more importantly, before you have to turn the device off and search for a more conveniently placed outlet.
SpinScrub technology is present in this model as well in form of five spinning brushes that dislodge deep-seated dirt, allowing it to be washed away easily without damaging your carpet.
Another special feature is the way in which this device handles drying of the carpet.
Unlike some other models where the water is heated, the V-124A heats up the carpet instead, causing for faster evaporation after the fact and therefore surfaces that are dry faster.
An attachment to the SpinScrub head can be used to clean upholstery. Making sure that the suction is tight while doing all of this is the exclusive Dual V air flow technology inside V-124A’s suction head.
A feature unique to this model is its separate cleaning solution tank. This means that you can manually adjust the amount of fluid you’re working with on the fly.
Or you can simply let the automix feature use up the existing solution depending on the surface being handled.
Some users have voiced concerns over this unit’s loud motor and heaviness.
The noise it makes attests to its cleaning capabilities while its heavy frame is offset somewhat by its big tank and long reach though. Another fault lies with the detachable cleaning solution tank.
Customers have reported that it can be hard to detach and reattach, causing wear and eventual leakage. Some people have also voiced displeasure with the unit’s off-sale price, so look out for a bargain when buying!
All in all the V-124A is a solid cleaner equipped with everything you need to make your home sparkle. The pros outweigh the cons by a wide margin, making this probably the best carpet cleaner in its category.
2. Vax W90-RU-P Rapide Ultra 2 Pre-Treatment Upright
(4.3 / 5)
Striking a balance between affordability and outstanding cleaning performance, the Rapide Ultra 2 is just the device you need for more modest cleaning projects which will nevertheless turn out fabulous.
Its 1000 watt motor is somewhat less powerful than those of previously discussed models, but still quite capable of providing adequate suction.
Customers that have bought this model unanimously praise its short carpet drying time.
Neither water nor carpet heating are present in this model, but it does have a previously un-encountered feature – jets drive the mixture of water and solution deep into the weave and its rotating brush bar makes for a swift and thorough clean-up.
Included in its packaging, along with a standard set of brushes and a hose, is an application wand and a pre-treatment solution designed for upholstery cleaning.
The Rapide Ultra 2 has 2 tanks – a 1.2 gallon clean water tank and a smaller 0.8 gallon one for dirty water. Both suffer from minor problems.
The clean water tank can’t be positioned to stay upright, which can be a hassle while adding solution. Speaking of which, it has no gauge either so you’ll have to assess the amount of solution you need to add yourself.
The tank for dirty water on the other hand has an issue with its design that causes dirt to build up along its V-ducts, so make sure you clean those extra carefully each time you use it.
In the end, if you need a cleaner that manages to impress while still being affordable, there is no reason not to get the Rapide Ultra 2.
3. BISSELL 37Y8E Cleanview Reach
(4.2 / 5)
Let’s face it, most of these steam carpet cleaners are heavy. This is no surprise nice powerful motors and spacious water tanks naturally weigh quite a lot.
If you only have a limited surface area to clean and thus don’t need that much power / coverage, or if you’re just tired of lugging around that old monstrosity of yours, the Cleanview reach by Bissell will impress you with the amount of cleaning it can do while also being lightweight.
Two rotating power brushes each equipped with two sets of bristles make for an easy and thorough job of cleaning your dirty surfaces.
The Reach in this unit’s name doesn’t simply mean that you’ll be able to scour every part of your home for filth, it also implies the conscientious way its brushes will deal with it once you do reach the nasty.
Not only will you be able to restore your carpets to most of their former glory, but the built-in Microban antibacterial protection helps protect against bacterial growth all throughout your home.
The reach comes equipped with a permanently attached hose and two hand tools that you can use to either clean up spilled liquids or tackle tougher stains.
It is easy to set up right out of the box, requiring not much more than a turn of the screw and a full tank to start working. Unfortunately, it does not come with a water heater.
If you are looking for a portable yet effective carpet cleaning machine, the Reach’s slim 13 pound weight and proven Bissell technologies might just be the features that will win you over.
4. Vax 6131T 3-in-1 Canister Vacuum Cleaner
(4.0 / 5)
Let’s forget about all the bells and whistles for a bit.
What if the only thing you need and care about is a carpet cleaner machine that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, but is just as good at tackling stains and dealing with spills as most of the more expensive models?
If you’ve been nodding along while reading, the 6131T 3-in-1 by Vax presents itself as a natural solution.
Its five caster wheels allow for unhindered movement, while the compact tub design ensures manoeuvrability. A 24.5 foot power cable coupled with its 8 foot hose make for a wide reach.
When functioning as a vacuum cleaner, the 6131T’s easily removable 2.6 gallon bag allows you to vacuum longer without having to empty out the dirt, and the bag’s design ensures that when it does need emptying no dust particles escape to the outside.
When using it as a wet cleaner, its roomy tank ensures you won’t need a refill for a long while.
A proprietary Fibreflow wash tool is used to make quick work out of stained surfaces while its powerful suction head helps carpets dry in a matter of hours.
All things considered, the 6131T is a powerful little machine that takes a no nonsense approach to its job and delivers every time.
Add a price tag that can’t be beat to the mix and the 6131T stands out as a product with outstanding value.
5. Zanussi ZAN2011AZ AirSpeed Lite
(3.8 / 5)
Dust accumulates all the time. It gets into everything and is a nuisance to get out of woven surfaces where the intertwined strands make it easy for the dust to lodge itself in and stay there. Luckily, the ZAN2011AZ AirSpeed Lite from Zanussi has no problems in sucking all of it up.
It sports a multi-cyclonic technology that separates dust to prevent suction loss.
The AirSpeed Lite also does a fantastic job of picking up embedded hair with its aptly named pet turbo nozzle, making it ideal for users who love pets but can’t stand the sight of hair everywhere, especially when the moult season comes along.
Its tank is easy to reach and to detach, while the three filters it comes equipped with make sure that the accumulated dirt doesn’t escape or damage the machine’s interior components. At just shy of 8 pounds, this is also the lightest cleaner in the guide.
Unfortunately, the ZAN2011AZ’s performance isn’t as stellar when having to clean edges, or when picking dust up off of hard floors.
Its small hose also has trouble reaching more than five stairs, so if you have more than that and another outlet isn’t handy at the top, cleaning them might prove troublesome.
Finally, there’s no reason to pass this model by if you mostly need clean carpets.
The AirSpeed Lite’s small weight makes it ideal for daily use, and its steal of a price only seals the deal.
Things to Consider Before Making a Purchase
Now that you’ve gone over our carpet cleaner reviews and know what to expect from the most current carpet cleaners out there, it is time to take a look at some of the factors you might need to take into account before deciding on a specific model.
Portability – the first thing you need to ask yourself is “Will this thing actually fit into my house?” And with good reason – some of the products showcased here are bulky, and they need to be in order to do their job properly without the constant need for water or cleaning solution refills.
Still, if you live in a small apartment you certainly don’t want a bulky steam carpet cleaner to take up valuable living space. It is therefore best to consider the dimensions of the device before buying.
Will simply cleaning be enough? – All of these products can obviously clean carpets, but is that the only thing you need? Do you already own a vacuum cleaner you are satisfied with? Do you have something you can use to clean hard surfaces or upholstered furniture? How about your car’s interior?
If you’ve answered any of these questions with a no, your best bet would be to get a product that has multiple features. The best carpet cleaners do more than their principal function, and you shouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of that. Speaking of features,
Features you need vs. the ones that just sound nice – there’s a lot of variety to the features most cleaners come with.
Some of them are of a cosmetic nature, but others are potential selling points or deal breakers.
Is having dry surfaces as fast as possible a must for you?
Then you need a product with a built-in heater.
Do you want a strong carpet cleaner machine which is also good at getting to far or hard to reach places?
Then maybe something like the Cleanview Lift-Off’s detachable pod is what you had in mind.
Some forms of cleaning are simply better than others – all this talk about fancy brushes and a multitude of bristle rows has its reasons.
A well-designed cleaning head will do a more thorough job, requiring you to clean less often, or with less vigour. Consider spending that extra dollar to save some time in the long run.
Ultimately though, if you just want a machine that cleans as advertised, there’s no reason not to get a more basic model if either your living conditions or budget do not allow for more.
Conclusion
Making sure that your house doesn’t only look clean on the surface, but is also germ- and allergen-free is no small task. As if constant maintenance weren’t a big enough challenge on its own, having children or pets that simply do not know better only exacerbates the issue.
We hope therefore that the carpet cleaner reviews showcased in this guide have given you enough info to go on to pick the device that is perfect both for your home’s size and for any potential conditions you or a member of your family might be suffering from.
Making sure your floors, upholstery and carpets are up to snuff is just one step in the cleaning process, but it is an important one in the right direction.
In the end, you aren’t buying a fancy doorstop that will only take up a corner of the room and, ironically, gather dust. You are buying the piece of mind that comes with taking a good hard look at a well cleaned, well maintained room and being able to say that this is home in the truest sense of the word.