Your carpets require regular care, but is renting an expensive machine several times a year worth it? Usually, the answer is no. That’s why you should make it your mission to find the best carpet shampooers for your home. It’s a substantial investment, but it’s worth saving money in the long term.
To make things easier for you, we’ve reviewed our five top picks. Our team picked various carpet shampooers based on their performance, benefits, drawbacks, and essential features. We also listed the best overall and best budget products; all you need to do is continue reading.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Hoover Smartwash FH52000 Automatic Carpet Cleaner
- Best for Allergies: Bissell Proheat Essential Carpet Cleaner and Carpet Shampooer 1887
- Best Portable: Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet Cleaner 1400B
- Best Budget: Bissell Turboclean Powerbrush Pet 2085
- Best for Pets: Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Machine FH50150
Carpet Shampooer Buying Advice
Best Overall: Hoover Smartwash FH52000 Carpet Cleaner
Key Features:
- Weight: 18.49 lbs.
- Water tank capacity: 1 gallon
- Power cord length: 22 ft.
Pros:
- The machine comes with a specialized antimicrobial pet tool for carpets and an accessory storage bag
- You don’t have to mix the water and cleaning solution; the machine will do that automatically
- This is a shampooer that will also dry your carpets instantly
Cons:
- It’s a costly purchase, but it’s worth your money because it deep cleans and dries carpets efficiently
The Hoover Smartwash FH52000 Automatic Carpet Cleaner Machine will do exactly what the name suggests. It has a range of automatic features to make your job easier and the cleaning more enjoyable.
We rated it as the best overall shampooer because it can clean and dry carpets. Additionally, it’s efficient on stains, odors, discolorations, and very easy to use.
This automatic cleaner and shampooer will do all the deep cleaning jobs in your home without much effort. When you push the cleaner forward, it cleans, and when you pull it backward, it dries the carpets.
The Hoover Smartwash Automatic Machine is built with HeatForce technology that delivers a powerful extraction of dirt while also drying carpets very quickly.
It has a strong suction power of 10 amps and will easily get rid of all the dirt, dust, remove unpleasant smells, and old stains from your carpets.
If you need a shampooer that is extremely easy to use and will clean, dry, remove odors, and stains from carpets, this one is the best that we’ve tested so far.
Best for Allergies: Bissell Proheat Essential Carpet Shampooer 1887
Key Features:
- Weight: 20 lbs. empty, 28 lbs. full
- Water tank capacity: 10 lbs.
- Power cord length: 22 ft.
Pros:
- The 6-Row DirtLifter PowerBrush removes stains, dirt, and allergens with ease
- Has a spraying crevice tool for cleaning hard-to-reach stains in crevices and corners
- The heatwave technology keeps the water tank warm, making cleaning more efficient
- Comes with a free bottle of PRO MAX Clean + Protect formula
- Two-year warranty
Cons:
- May be too heavy and bulky for some users
The Bissell Proheat Essential Carpet Cleaner and Shampooer is the perfect machine for families with members who are prone to allergies. It has a special heating technology that targets even the deepest fibers and gets rid of bacteria.
Although this shampooer has only one water tank, that doesn’t prevent it from lifting heavy stains and cleaning the carpets well. Remember to fill the tank with warm water, and the heatwave technology will keep it warm.
This shampooer comes with crevice tools ideal for cleaning hard-to-reach spots and treating upholstery.
Although this is a pretty heavy machine, it has a strong suction power to help you clean large areas around the home with ease. We recommend this shampooer for families that suffer from allergies and have pets.
Best Portable: Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet Cleaner 1400B
Key Features:
- Weight: 9.6 lbs.
- Water tank capacity: 48 oz.
- Power cord length: 15 ft.
Pros:
- Very easy to move around and store because of its portability
- Targets difficult stains, odors, and discoloration on carpets and upholstery
- The machine has a 3” tough stain tool so you can access hard-to-reach areas
- Tanks are removable and easy to clean
- Comes with a one-year limited warranty
- The brand donates a portion of the proceeds from each purchase to homeless animals
Cons:
- Not as powerful as full-sized cleaners
- Has a smaller water tank capacity
- Somewhat costly, considering it’s not a full-sized shampooer
If you’re looking for a smaller, portable shampooer that you’ll use frequently and is easy to store, the Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner is the best choice.
This portable Bissell cleaner is perfect for homes that need a small machine that won’t take too much space. It’s a surprisingly easy-to-use shampooer because it comes with removable water tanks and a hydro rinse tool attachment you can use to clean the hose.
This is a handy machine that works amazingly well on carpets and upholstery. If you have kids and pets that tend to make messes around the house, this is one of the devices we highly recommend. However, since it’s not a full-sized cleaner, it’s not the most suitable option for large areas covered with carpets.
Thanks to the 3” tough stain tool, you can remove even the most stubborn stains and get to hard-to-reach spots. Don’t hesitate to use it on your area rugs, furniture, auto interior, and more. We tried it on tough, old stains, and we’re still stunned by how easily it removed them.
When you need a portable shampooer, this is the one we love the most. It’s great to use on upholstery and furniture as well.
Best Budget: Bissell Turboclean Powerbrush Pet 2085
Key Features:
- Weight: 12 lbs.
- Water tank capacity: 0.5 gallon
- Power cord length: 20 ft.
- Four-row rotating DirtLifter PowerBrush
Pros:
- Comes with a retractable handle to make storage much easier
- Lightweight machine you can move around the home easily
- Affordable purchase that also does a great job
- Has a one-year limited warranty
- Bissell donates a percentage of every purchase to homeless animals
Cons:
- Needs to be cleaned thoroughly before you use it again, which can be a time-consuming task
The most affordable find on our list, the Bissell Turboclean PowerBrush, is ideal for busy households with kids and pets who need to clean their carpets frequently.
The Bissell Turboclean Powerbrush carpet shampooer is one of our favorites not only because it’s affordable but because it does a great job cleaning carpets for the price. It’s the perfect addition for homeowners with pets who need to act fast when an accident happens.
The brand’s Powerful Oxy formula targets stains and urine efficiently, so you won’t have to get your carpet professionally cleaned. We had a problem with an unpleasant pet odor in one of our rooms, and this device took care of it with ease.
Since this shampooer has a lightweight design, you’ll find it easy to move around the house. It also has a collapsible handle that saves storage space. Aside from the four rows of brushes, the cleaner features side brushes to clean particularly hard-to-reach spots.
Anyone who needs an affordable, lightweight machine that cleans carpets well and is easy to store should check out this shampooer.
Best for Pets: Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner FH50150
Key Features:
- Weight: 18.5 lbs.
- Water tank capacity: 1 gallon
- Power cord length: 20 ft.
Pros:
- Comes with a one-year warranty
- The SpinScrub brush system rotates 360 degrees to deep clean carpets
- The dual V nozzle cleans all carpet surfaces evenly and provides excellent suction
- Has a heat force feature that dries carpets
- Has a storage bag for accessories
- Has an upholstery tool, stair tool, and crevice tool
- Comes with a free sample bottle of carpet cleaner
Cons:
- You may need to vacuum slowly to get a deep clean
The Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Machine FH50150 is another great find. We were looking for a cleaner that could target stains and also dry carpets after cleaning, and this exceeded our expectations.
This is a shampooer that can be used on both carpets and upholstery, but it’s especially great for cleaning carpets. The unique SpinScrub system rotates 360 degrees and can reach all the corners and hard-to-reach areas in your home.
It also comes with a heat feature to dry your carpets after you’re done cleaning. We found it to be perfect for pet hair and pet messes.
If you need a great shampooer that can clean pet messes right away, our best choice is the Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe. It’s an excellent machine for anyone who doesn’t want to pay too much or rent an expensive machine every few months.
Side by Side Comparison
| Product | Our Rating | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
 Hoover Smartwash FH52000 Carpet Cleaner View on Amazon –> View on Walmart –> | Best Overall Overall: 4.8 | Weight: 18.49 lbs. Water tank capacity: 1 gallon Power cord length: 22 ft. |
Bissell Proheat Essential Carpet Shampooer 1887 View on Bissell –> View on Amazon –> | Best for Allergies Overall: 4.7 | Weight: 20 lbs. empty, 28 lbs. full Water tank capacity: 10 lbs. Power cord length: 22 ft. |
 Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable 1400B View on Bissell –> View on Amazon –> | Best Portable Overall: 4.7 | Weight: 9.6 lbs. Water tank capacity: 48 oz. Power cord length: 15 ft. |
Bissell Turboclean Powerbrush Pet 2085 View on Amazon –> View on Walmart –> | Best Budget Overall: 4.5 | Weight: 12 lbs. Water tank capacity: 0.5 gallon Power cord length: 20 ft. Four-row rotating DirtLifter PowerBrush |
Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe FH50150 View on Amazon –> View on Walmart –> | Best for Pets Overall: 4.6 | Weight: 18.5 lbs. Water tank capacity: 1 gallon Power cord length: 20 ft. |
The Complete Carpet Shampooer Buyer’s Guide
Size & Weight
Carpet shampooers are available in various sizes and weights. If you want a machine that will be easy to move around the house, you should opt for a small, portable machine.
In general, larger shampooers have more suction power and are similar to professional cleaning machines. However, although they are more powerful, these bulky machines can be quite difficult for some people to move around the house.
Features
The types of brushes a shampooer comes with is one of its most important features. You should carefully review each shampooer’s features before making a decision. Make sure to choose a shampooer with powerful brushes to target old stains, odors, and discolorations.
Another quite useful feature is the quick drying capability many shampooers have. For example, some machines will only shampoo and clean your carpet but leave it wet, while others can both clean and dry your carpet within minutes.
When reading the shampooer’s specifications, check if it comes with attachments such as a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, and more.
Price
The price of these machines can vary, up to several hundreds of dollars. Even if you opt for a more inexpensive design, it will still be a substantial investment.
Renting a shampooer from a professional service or hiring a service to come to clean your carpets is costly. Instead of paying several times a year, you can purchase your own machine and use it whenever you want to.
Also, the professional shampooers available for rent are typically heavily used devices that have seen numerous carpets and homes before yours.
FAQs
Yes, there is a difference between these two types of cleaners. Shampooers use warm water with soap to clean carpets.
These machines apply a cleaning solution to your carpet and then use their brushes to work the soapy water into the fibers. That’s how they target dust, dirt, and debris. These devices also suction the solution afterward, leaving the carpets cleaner than before.
Carpet steamers use steam to deep clean the carpets, destroy bacteria, and remove dirt, dust, debris. Steamers release hot steam that penetrates the fibers, lifts off the dirt and kills bacteria from the deepest parts of the carpet.
Unlike shampooers, steamers don’t use a cleaning solution; they just use steam. These machines can also be used for cleaning other types of floors, including hardwood and softwood flooring. Since they can target the deepest layers of fibers, they can eliminate unpleasant smells, stubborn stains, discoloration, bacteria, mites, and more.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know more about carpet shampooers, are you ready to purchase one? Carpet shampooers are an excellent investment for all households because they effectively remove dirt and dust even from the deepest layers of your carpet. Plus, it removes unpleasant smells.
Before you choose a shampooer, you should think about the necessary features for your household, the size of the device, and how much money you’re willing to spend.
The Hoover Smartwash FH52000 Automatic Carpet Cleaner Machine is our top pick because it turned out to be an exceptionally efficient machine that cleans and dries carpets, targets stubborn stains and odors, and is very easy to use because of the automated features.
If you have any comments or first-hand experiences with shampooers, please post them below or share your pictures via our social media.
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