The best carpet cleaning machines will deep clean your carpets and upholstery for a professional finish without the cost. We've found the very best carpet cleaning machines to make your floors look good as new, and they can tackle even tricky stains and deep-rooted pet hairs. Whether it comes to lightweight and portable carpet cleaning machines or upright carpet cleaning machines, there's an option for you. Check out the roundup below for my favorites when it comes to the best carpet cleaning machines.
Hoover PowerDash pet compact carpet cleaner
Lightweight but powerful
This compact model will deal with spills and stains and is perfect for homes with pets.
Pros:
- Easy to store
- Quick drying abilities
- Pet brush roll
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
Cons:
- Best for smaller homes
This carpet cleaning machine is a truly useful home appliance. It’ll remove the grime from carpets even if it’s well embedded, and it’s light at less than 13 pounds, plus compact when it comes to storage. The dual tank keeps clean and dirty water separate, and it’s easy to fill, empty, and rinse under the faucet. The included pet roll brush delivers cleaning and microbial protection to clean up whatever your four-legged friends have brought onto your carpet. It dries cleaned carpets quickly too, so you can let kids and pets back into your rooms more quickly.
Hoover Smartwash automatic carpet cleaner FH52000
Auto features make this cleaner super simple to use
This trigger-less model automatically transitions from washing to drying, and deep cleans gently.
Pros:
- 22-foot cord
- 1-gallon clean water tank
- Low-profile foot
- Comes with pet tool
- Auto-cleaning and auto-drying
Cons:
- Manual rinse
This carpet cleaning machine makes carpet cleaning a straightforward job as it cleans on the forward motion and dries on the reverse. It also features an auto-mix function that mixes and dispenses the right amount of cleaning solution. It also has an auto-dry mechanism to improve drying time. A low profile foot allows you to reach under furniture to clean, and there’s a pet tool that lets you tackle stains and mess on upholstery and other tricky spots. It has a 22-foot power cord to allow you to cover the whole room, and the clean water tank has a 1-gallon capacity.
BISSELL SpotClean ProHeat carpet cleaner
A convenient portable design
This one is portable but comes with a large 37-ounce tank capacity.
Pros:
- 37-ounce tank capacity
- Tough stain tool
- Self-cleaning tool
- Perfect for cars and upholstery
- Easy to store
Cons:
- Corded
- Not the longest nozzle
This machine is a great carpet cleaner for use on cars and other hard-to-reach spots thanks to its portable design and powerful suction. This carpet cleaner is corded, and it has three attachments for tough stains and deep cleaning. It also has a self-clean attachment that rinses out the hose after use to remove any buildup of pet hair, dirt, and lingering odor. This carpet cleaning machine only has a 15-foot cord length, which isn't the longest, but at only nine pounds it's one of the lightest carpet cleaning machines you can buy.
Bissell Big Green professional carpet cleaner machine
Professional grade for top results
Tackle large areas in less time. This machine has a 10.5-inch cleaning path and a 1.75-gallon tank.
Pros:
- Separate clean and dirty water tanks
- Deep scrubbing action
- Tough stain tool and 9-foot hose
- Robust design
- Effective clean-up of pet mess
Cons:
- Bulky design
- Heavy
This carpet cleaning machine has two separate water tanks, making it a brilliant option for washing large carpeted areas and dealing with the stains and marks pets leave behind. It has a 25-foot power cord that lets you move across a large floor without restriction, and there’s a 9-foot hose that allows you to clean up the stairs as well as tackle upholstery and more. It cleans a path 10.5 inches wide – and on both the forward and backward pass for quicker results. Its heavy-duty suction speeds up drying too.
Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution pet full-size upright carpet cleaner
Has an express clean mode
This one has an express clean mode that tackles dirt and stains on carpets, stairs, upholstery, and more.
Pros:
- Express mode
- 7-foot hose and pet spot cleaning tools
- Low profile foot
- Deep cleaning brushes
- 22-foot cord
Cons:
- No pre-treatment option
- Requires good storage space
If you’re looking for a carpet cleaner that can deliver rapid results, this one is a great choice. It has an express clean mode that dries in around 30 minutes. To tackle embedded stains and dirt, you can pick the max clean mode that promises to lift these and remove allergens from your carpets, too. The carpet cleaner comes with a 7-foot hose and other tools that allow you to spot-clean pet beds, upholstery, and stairs. The low profile foot makes it easy to maneuver around furniture for easier carpet cleaning.
Rug Doctor Pet portable spot cleaner
Accidents aren't a problem
Compact and lightweight design with dual action pet tool to clean up accidents from carpets.
Pros:
- Easy to store
- Lightweight
- Dual tank system
- Carpet-friendly wheels
Cons:
- For spot cleaning rather than the whole carpet
If you’re looking for a model to deal with pet accidents on the carpet—or stains and mess caused by anyone else in the family, this carpet cleaning machine is a terrific choice. This model is not made to clean the whole area of the carpet but instead to allow you to effectively remove any stains and odors where you need to. It's a spot-cleaning magician. It has carpet-friendly wheels to make moving it into position easy. It also has a retractable handle, rubberized bristles, and a pet tool to make extracting dirt, stains, and hair easy.
Our verdict
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The best carpet cleaning machine is the Hoover PowerDash pet compact carpet cleaner. It's somewhat small and compact for an upright model and gives a deep-clean finish even in homes plagued by pet fur.
If space is a concern or you want something to clean the carpets or upholstery on your car, check out the BISSELL SpotClean ProHeat carpet cleaner. This carpet cleaning machine is designed to tackle those hard-to-reach places. It has powerful suction and three deep cleaning attachments to make washing your carpet easy.
Why trust us?
At Real Homes, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.