Compare our selection
Others tested
Photograph: Simon Hill
Hoover HF4 Hydro £199: For UK residents living in apartments or small houses with carpet and hard floors, this cordless compact vacuum cleaner and mop from Hoover could be a smart choice. You get a standard cordless vacuum that lasts about half an hour on battery power, but you can switch the mop attachment. It's great for cleaning hard floors, has a shape that gets right into corners and two rotating pads for removing stains. But the water reservoir located inside the head is tiny, the lift vacuum is only moderately powerful, and battery life drops to 15 minutes in turbo mode.
Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner for $250.: It is bulky but has automatic cleaning and drying cycles: pushing forward releases the solution and pulling back begins the drying process. Once you've treated the entire area, you can turn on the dry-only setting for an extra pass if your carpet needs it. The handle extends with the touch of a button, and you can use a separate reservoir of cleaning solution for spot cleaning before vacuuming. A hose and separate pet antimicrobial tool can help clean stairs or other hard-to-reach areas that require extra lubrication. Some customer reviews say it worked well for a few months but then stopped working. We will continue to try to see if we encounter this problem. —Medea Giordano
Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner $79.: If you find yourself on the cleaning side Tik TokYou've probably seen people cleaning carpets and furniture using this Little Green machine. This opens up the world of cleaning upholstery, not just carpets. It worked well and is easier to store and carry around the house than our top pick. But use the included hose cleaning tool more often. These hoses can become a nuisance. —Brenda Stolyar
Cleaners We Like for Hard Floors
Photograph: Simon Hill
Dream H14 Pro for $380: The Dreame H14 Pro is quite large, but I find it easy to maneuver and can lay flat to get under furniture. The convenient LED headlight helps you see what you're cleaning clearly. A full charge was enough to clean all my hard floors twice and the result was very shiny. What I love about this vacuum is that it effectively picks up dry or wet messes, so whether you're cleaning up cat litter or a spilled bowl of cereal, it will get the job done. It's best for cleaning recent spills, but can remove stubborn stains with repeated passes on the Ultra setting. When you're done, you can return it to the charging cradle and turn on the self-cleaning mode to sterilize the soft roller and dry it (though this gets noisy and time-consuming). No one wants to install an app or create an account just to use the vacuum, but it allows you to choose modes and schedule self-cleaning, which can be handy if you want it to wait until you leave the house. —Simon Hill
Shark S5003D Genius Steam Mop for $100: This steam mop is great for cleaning hardwood, tile or laminate floors (not carpet). Simply fill the water tank, plug it in, and attach one of the mop attachments. It has three heat levels and you press down to release a blast of steam to remove stubborn stains. There is no need for detergent, it is lightweight, maneuverable and does not require much space. The pad's clever design allows it to be flipped over if one side is dirty, and the mechanism makes it easy to reattach dirty pads with a machine-washable button. (You get two pads in the box.) I regularly use this mop to clean laminate, composite, and tile floors, but be careful when using steam, especially on wood or vinyl floors. Before treating the entire floor, test it on the lowest temperature possible. There are no special attachments or add-ons and it is only suitable for use on hard floors. You will also need to drain the remaining water if you don't plan to use it for a while, otherwise the tank may deteriorate. —Simon Hill
Karcher SC 3 for $164.: If you're on a budget, this is a better option if you need attachments and the ability to steam clean hard-to-reach surfaces. And your hard floors. It is suitable for completely cleaning a kitchen or bathroom without the need for detergents or other products. It is also effective for cleaning glass and mirrors. Only one microfiber cover is included in the package and is not recommended for cleaning fabrics or carpets. —Simon Hill
Not recommended
Eufy E28 HydroJet Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Carpet Cleaner for $1,400: I generally like the attractive, smart, and feature-rich Eufy robot vacuums, and since I have two dogs and two kids, I expected to like a robot vacuum that can also clean hardwood floors and has a detachable carpet cleaner. Unfortunately, the water injection system is shaky. It has to be perfectly positioned to draw water from the portable carpet cleaning tank (I often had to push it back into place) and every time I mopped it kept leaking all over my kitchen floor. At least the carpet cleaner was effective. —Adrienne So
What to Consider When Purchasing a Carpet Cleaner
There's a lot to think about when purchasing or using a carpet cleaner, such as how much storage space you'll need and whether you should rent or buy. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Carpet cleaners are heavy and bulky.especially when it is filled with water. They can be more difficult to maneuver than regular upright vacuums. They will also require a lot of storage space.
Clean up spills that cause stains immediately.. Most households only need to wash their carpets once every six months or year, but stain cleaners are ideal for cleaning up immediate spills and are also easier to store and use.
You probably won't use a carpet cleaner often.so you may want to consider hiring professionals to do your entire home, especially if you have limited storage space. (It may also depend on how dirty and stained your carpets are.) Consider renting a machine from local businesses or retailers such as Home Depot. You can get the benefits of a commercial-grade cleaner without paying a fortune.
Clean your carpet before using a carpet cleaner.. It may seem counterintuitive, but you don't want dirt and hair to form wet clumps that block the cleaner. And if you haven't washed your carpets in a while (or ever), be prepared for the dirty water tank to fill with a staggering amount of hairy clogs.
It is very important to use carpet shampoo or detergent.. Manufacturers will often insist that you use their brand, and while other types may work fine, you may void the warranty (though I have no idea how they know that). Most carpet cleaning products contain detergent.
Try, try and try again. You may be disappointed if you run your carpet cleaner and find that it can't remove an old red wine stain or stubborn toothpaste. Don't lose heart. A few brushing sessions can sometimes remove stubborn stains and at least reduce them, if not remove them.
Drying carpets can take a long time.. Most carpet cleaners have different settings: they will suck up some of the water, but they will all leave the carpets a little damp. Deeper cleanings leave carpets damp, so consider how you can speed up drying time. Use fans, turn up the heating or clean carpets during the spring and summer months when you can leave windows open.
Protect your hearing. Of all the ways you can damage your hearing, carpet cleaning is probably the least fun, so take care of your ears. Some of them are very loud, so wear earplugs while you're working.
Enable unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that's too important to ignore. Subscribe today.
