Which Carpet Cleaner Is The Best To Buy
The best carpet cleaner to buy for most people right now is the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam Pet Carpet Cleaner, while the Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner is the best pick if you want the strongest deep-cleaning performance and don’t mind a larger machine.
What “best” means
The right carpet cleaner depends on what matters most: stain removal, drying time, ease of use, portability, or price. Recent testing consistently puts Bissell, Shark, and Hoover near the top, but they win in different categories.
Best overall choices
Bissell Revolution HydroSteam Pet Carpet Cleaner: best overall for many homes, especially if you deal with pet messes and want a strong all-around machine. It was singled out for effective pet urine and odor removal, and reviewers also praised its stain performance.
Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner: best premium deep cleaner, especially for larger areas and the toughest jobs. Testing described it as having exceptional suction, strong stain removal, and better drying than many rivals, though it is big and heavy.
Shark CarpetXpert EX304 / EX151: a strong alternative if you want high stain-removal performance and a newer design. Vacuum Wars ranked the EX304 as the strongest Shark model, while the EX151 was highlighted for balancing performance, weight, and usability.
Best by use case
How to choose
If you clean an entire house regularly, go with a full-size upright machine like the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam, Shark CarpetXpert, or Hoover SmartWash. If you mainly want to tackle occasional spills, stairs, or car seats, a portable cleaner like the Bissell Little Green makes more sense.
If you want the most serious home machine and have the space for it, the Bissell Big Green stands out because it consistently ranks as a top deep cleaner and is described as exceptionally effective on stubborn stains.
Buying advice
Choose a bigger upright if you have pets, kids, or wall-to-wall carpet.
Choose a portable if your main pain points are spot stains and upholstery.
Prioritize drying performance if you want to reduce the chance of damp carpets lingering after cleaning.
Prioritize automation if you want the easiest user experience, since some Hoover models are designed to reduce guesswork.
Final recommendation
For most buyers, I’d recommend the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam Pet as the best balance of cleaning power, pet-stain handling, and overall value. If your priority is pure performance and you can handle the size, the Bissell Big Green Professional is the one to buy.