Best Carpet Cleaner 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

Using SpinScrub technology to get deep down into even the highest pile carpets, using this Vax cleaner will make a noticeable difference to the condition of your flooring.

The rotating brush bars work in every angle, so even if you just pull the machine backwards and forwards, it still approaches the fibres from all sides to get a thorough clean.

It can also clean hard floors if you like to make the kitchen and bathroom sparkle without the elbow grease. There are some good attachments included which will help you out with more targeted cleaning, or getting into the corners.

A dedicated upholstery fitting will help you out if you happen to spill a glass of wine over the arm of the sofa, or if the muddy paws of Fido have made a mess that you otherwise wouldn’t get out. The long stretch hose will also make cleaning the stairs or car seats a doddle, without having to lift and trail the Power Max behind you.

An extra large water tank means that you can carry on for longer without having to pause, and the carpets can be dry in as little as an hour so you can carry on with your day-to-day comings and goings.

We won’t lie – the Mighty Pro X3 is a rather scary looking device. It doesn’t resemble a carpet or vacuum cleaner in the slightest, but there is no denying it is one of the best on this list.

One pass cleaning means that in just one movement, your carpets can look pretty much as clean as they were when they were first fitted. This means less going over the same spot again and again, and less aggravation for your arms.

Triple row brush agitation cleans all sides of the pile, so you don’t have to manoeuvre it in all angles and directions in order to get a full clean. The handle is specially designed for your comfort so that it can be pushed and pulled with ease. You also have the pleasure of a quick release catch to free the water tank, so it can be refilled easier.

If you are still not convinced, then mentioning that it has been awarded the Carpet & Rug Institute’s Platinum Seal of Approval should do the trick. This basically means it cares for your carpets as well as cleaning them, so if you’re worried about the floor looking a little bedraggled after you clean it, the Pro X3 is gentle and removes the friction between dirt and carpet fibres that can wear your carpet down.

It is an industrial level carpet cleaner, but don’t be put off if you want it for home – the ease of use and great job will leave you feeling the price was worth it.

If you are looking for a carpet cleaner for under £200, the Vax Rapide Power Revive is one you can’t go wrong with. It is hugely popular and has received a host of top reviews – for good reason.

Firstly, it has a feature which we love. Heating function means Heat Blast technology removes bacteria for a thorough clean, so it won’t only look brand new but will be incredibly sanitised too. This is ideal if you have kids who love to play on the floor.

You also have the option to pick Quick Dry mode if you need to get the carpet clean in less than 45 minutes. Perfect for guests coming round, or if everyone’s going to be rushing in after work and you want it to be dry before they make a mess.

AutoMix technology does all of the shampoo mixing for you. It dilutes the solution in the perfect ratio, so you don’t have to worry about measuring out everything by the millimetre to get the best results.

Capacity is huge, which is great if you will be doing entire rooms in one go as opposed to targeted cleaning. You get a wash tool and crevice tool, which helps if you need to get into corners or around the edge of your room.

It is heavy when filled up to capacity, which is understandable, so you may find it easier to only fill around half. The hose is also not the longest, so you may have to do the stairs in two stages. But having said this, it is a great price and you get many of the best features, they are little niggles which are barely recognised.

Rug Doctor’s have long been seen as the best at the job. They are industrial in terms of cleaning power, and could previously only be rented for those harder tasks.

But some models are now available to buy, which could be a lot more cost-effective for anyone who found themselves renting one often enough for the costs to be mounting up. With 1300W of power, there is plenty of extraction force to get the dirty water back up, leaving the carpets drier than its rivals.

Cross action brush bristles spin to get every fibre cleaned, and they go down deeper than your vacuum can, which will make a huge impact on the look of your floor. There is a Super Boost function for any more difficult areas, such as your living room or hallway which get a lot of feet passing through.

It is rated IPX4 splash proof for outdoor use, so can safely be taken outside to clean the car or caravan. The upholstery attachment will help in this situation, and can also be used on sofas, stairs or even mattresses for more targeted results.

Unlike some others which can also clean hard floors, it will only tackle carpets. But the water tanks feature a nice wide opening for easy filling and removal, and the handle folds down if this makes storage easier. You get a two-year guarantee should you face any issues.

If you have to tackle a few really stubborn stains on your carpet as well as giving the overall floor a freshen up, then a heated cleaning machine is the best option for the job.

They use heat to really tackle the difficult marks, similar to your washing machine. You also get a Tough Stain Tool if you need more targeted results, from mucky paw prints to wine which was spilt the night before.

You also get the standard intelligent rotating brush bar which works deep into fibres, to budge deep-down stains when used as an upright. When you need to tackle your seating area or curtains, an upholstery tool can be used which will do the job without agitating the fibres too much. This also works on the stairs for that everyday dirt which you can’t avoid.

With just one use, it makes a notable difference in the condition of the flooring. It is nice and easy to set up too, so even if you just have to bring it out to tackle a spillage emergency, you aren’t going to spend hours fitting it all together.

You may have seen that the word ‘Pet’ is in the title. Not only can it remove the mess which animals often make on our floors (muddy paws, damp fur smells and toilet accidents), but when pet hair is inevitably lifted, the brush bar can be removed for easy cleaning. No matter how great your vacuum is, there will likely be hairs captured on your carpet cleaner brush. This can often be hard to get rid of, but the Bissell makes it a simple procedure. The heated cleaning also works to tackle the germs which will be residing in these areas.

Henry’s cylinder vacuum cleaner is a best-seller, so we were really happy to see that their Wash version lives up to the hype too.

While it isn’t the most ‘upright’ on the list, it is still much easier to move around than most traditional uprights. There is a handle on the top for easy carrying, and wheels at the base to make it easy to pull behind you. Perfect if you want something in-between this and a portable handheld.

It gives good results on both carpet and hard flooring, so whether it be the hallway or the kitchen, the floor can be like new again. The brush bar rotates to lift out the deepest dirt, and thanks to a high power level, it can all be sucked up and taken away.

Easy store functionality means it can be popped away even if you are low on space. It is still very easy to build up again though, which is great for those spills which need to be caught almost immediately. There is a great range of tools supplied, which will help with cleaning furniture or the car, and you also get the floor head for larger areas.

With a huge cleaning reach of 26m, it is going to get your whole room and home done without any fuss or difficulty – which is something which will appeal to everyone no doubt.

With a cleaning width of 27cm and operating radius of 10m, you will be able to clean your rooms in no time with this Bissell.

There are four rotating DirtLifter brushes, which all help to loosen the dirt. The shampoo then gets down into the fibres and the suction power lifts it all up for a thorough clean. EdgeSweep helps you to get right to the edges of the floor around the skirting boards, reducing the need for you to use the handheld attachments.

When you do need to switch to the handheld accessories however, the change is easy. The built-in hose is long enough to reach areas which are usually a bit too difficult to get to, and the nozzle gives perfect targeted action.

You also get an upholstery tool, which makes an impact on any soft furniture you have. Whether it be worn from excess use, or from not usually getting a frequent clean, it will not only look a lot nicer but also be more hygienic.

Carpets can be dry within the hour, which is good going, and shows that even though the power levels may not be the highest on paper, they still make a huge impact.

Six rows of rotating DirtLifter Power Brushes, Heatwave technology for tougher stain removal and easy sweep brushes for a deeper clean by baseboards and near furniture all make this a worthy addition to any home.

It is one of the most popular cleaners in Bissell’s range, so we had high expectations on its power. We were really pleased with the results too. Surround suction removes a lot of the excess water from the carpet, which is great to boost drying times and leave it all looking very clean.

This also gives it a larger coverage possibility, so your room can be cleaned a lot quicker. You can still take care of the stairs or upholstery however, thanks to the attachments and hose fitting. Just turn the dial to switch between upright and handheld, and it is ready for the task at hand.

The brush bar and cover can easily be removed for better cleaning, which will keep it working well and also help it perform at its best. The Stain Pro 6 also uses a 2-in-1 tank system, so this is the only fitting you need to deal with when filling and emptying the machine.

If you use the dedicated Wash and Remove Pro Total carpet shampoo, which contains Febreze and Oxy Action, the carpet will not only look nice but will smell lush too.

Able to clean both carpets and hard floors, which makes it an ideal floor cleaner for the whole home, this Bissell has a lot of appealing qualities.

The 2.8L capacity is huge for a product of this type, which will keep you cleaning for longer without needing to stop and refill. When the time does come, the tank is easy to remove and fill under the tap.

It features heated cleaning, so tough stains will be no more. Whether it be spaghetti Bolognese sauce on the sofa or muddy dog paw prints on the nice new rug in the living room, dirt will be lifted and carried away to leave not a single sign behind.

There is a dedicated Tough Stain Tool as well, which gets deep into fibres. It pulls a surprising amount of water back out of the carpet, which leaves it pretty dry. This also makes it perfect for use on the stairs, in the car, on mattresses and upholstery.

It was the handheld which best matched up to the power of uprights in our reviews, so great if you will need something which is tough but still very user-friendly.

Using a handheld motorised brush to work deep into the materials, this small portable Rug Doctor almost gives you the power of the larger upright versions, but on a much more transportable scale.

It has a retractable handle and wheels which are carpet-friendly, so can be transported around the home with ease. An IPX4 splash-proof rating makes it ideal for using outdoors to clean the car or caravan.

The tanks are easy to remove, and the lids open wide enough to make them simple to refill or empty out the dirty water. There is a dedicated storage area for the hose at the front of the machine, so it won’t become a pain to pop away in between uses.

The hose isn’t massively long, so it isn’t for those jobs which require a reach, but still gives great results and is sturdy enough to get the job done. One of the best for spot cleaning as the name suggests.