The Best Upright Carpet Cleaners

Life can get messy sometimes, especially if you have children or pets. Carpets and couches are never safe from dirt and stains, and removing them can be challenging without a good carpet cleaner.

However, renting a carpet cleaner can be a hassle and adds up quickly if your household is particularly prone to spills and messes, but buying one is also a significant investment. There are so many options out there that deciding which one best fits what you need can be difficult. So, we’ve taken the time to figure out which cleaners are right for your situation.

What Is Important to Look for in a Carpet Cleaner?

Before you can decide which carpet cleaner you want to purchase, you need to know what you’re looking for in a machine. With so many cleaners on the market, they can all start to look the same after a while. So, you want to make sure the cleaner you buy works for you.

Here are a few things to consider when making your decision:

• Stain removal: The critical thing a carpet cleaner needs to be good at is removing stains from carpets. That’s simply what the machine is designed to do. Luckily for you, all the cleaners on our list are highly rated for their cleaning ability.
• Hair cleanup: If you own a pet, your carpet cleaner must be equipped to deal with lots of hair and fur. Not all cleaners are designed for heavy amounts of hair, so they won’t be able to clean your carpets sufficiently.
• Tank size: The bigger the tank on your cleaner, the less time you have to waste refilling it when it runs out. If you have large areas of carpet, a larger tank is a necessity. However, the trade-off is in the cleaner’s weight because a larger tank also means a heavier machine.
• Weight and mobility: The weight and size of the cleaner is also an essential factor to consider. You’ll have to push this cleaner around the house to use it, and if you have stairs, you have to carry it up those steps. A heavy machine can be too difficult for some people to carry.
• Hoses and attachments: Having a carpet cleaner with a hose and other attachments makes cleaning hard-to-reach areas like stairs incredibly easy. It also allows some cleaners to be used to clean furniture or even vehicle interiors.

After considering what’s important to you, you’re ready to pick out your new carpet cleaner.

The Best Overall: Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro

If you want to deep clean your carpet or get out some tough stains, you’ll need a powerful cleaner. The Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution uses HeatWave Technology and two sets of rotating brushes to give a more thorough clean than other brands. Plus, its one-gallon tank saves you many trips to the faucet.

The cleaner also comes with a 2-in-1 Pet Upholstery Tool that allows you to clean pet hair, stains, and odors from furniture in both wet and dry modes. This tool makes the cleaner perfect for any situation. Pets or kids, large area rugs or furniture, it doesn’t matter— the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution will leave it looking brand new. If you’re looking for a high-quality carpet cleaner to get the job done, this one is the best out there.

The Best Budget Carpet Cleaner: Bissell TurboClean PowerBrush Pet

If you’re on a budget but still want to purchase your own carpet cleaner, you still have options. The Bissell TurboClean PowerBrush Pet is a lightweight cleaner that is easy to handle and does a fantastic job.

However, the lower price point means giving up a hose attachment. Even without it, the cleaner is still well worth the money for its upright cleaning ability alone. This cleaner is ideal for people with smaller homes or apartments.

The Best Lightweight Carpet Cleaner: Hoover PowerDash Pet

Carpet cleaners can often be large, unwieldy machines and after being filled with water and cleaning solution, it only makes the problem worse. Luckily, if you want something smaller, lightweight cleaners are available, too, and we’ve found the best one for you. The Hoover PowerDash Pet is a compact workhorse that manages to weigh in at just under 13 pounds. Don’t let its size fool you, though, this machine is tough on stains and still leaves your carpet looking as good as new.

Although it’ll fit into lots of tight spaces, the compact design unfortunately also means giving up the hose attachment. However, if you need to carry your carpet cleaner up and down stairs often, the Hoover PowerDash Pet is a good fit for you.

The Best Cleaner for Pet Owners: Bissell DeepClean Lift-Off Deluxe

If you have pets or children, you’re going to experience a lot of accidents, and you’re going to want to be ready to deal with whatever the cat dragged in. The Bissell DeepClean Lift-Off Deluxe is the best cleaner for people with pets or children.

This model is also two machines in one. It works exceptionally well as a standard upright carpet cleaner, and it features a detachable, portable carpet cleaner that makes cleaning stairs, car interiors, and other hard-to-reach places easier. All you have to do is Lift-Off the portable cleaner and carry it to your cleaning destination, which makes this cleaner so great it was our runner-up for Best Overall. If your home doubles as a pet sanctuary or the neighbor’s kids seem to live at your house, this cleaner is for you.

The Premium Carpet Cleaner: Bissell Big Green

If you have a lot of carpets to clean and don’t want to waste time going back over spots you’ve already done, you need a heavy-duty machine. The Bissell Big Green is a monster when it comes to cleaning. With two massive water tanks that let you clean uninterrupted for long periods, the Big Green is also equipped with a large vacuum unit and extra-large brushes that will pull any dirt out of your carpets no matter how deep it is.

This machine is a powerhouse of engineering. If you’re looking for the strongest machine on the market, this is the ideal choice. Just watch out because the price tag is as large as the cleaner.