A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated on Aug. 30, 2024
Investing in the best portable carpet cleaner helps you clean up spills, stains and pet messes without having to call professional cleaners.
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A quality carpet cleaner makes all the difference between a clean home and a spotless one. Whether you’re tackling larger carpeted areas or spot-cleaning rugs, investing in the best portable carpet cleaner makes the most sense on cleaning day.
In addition to speaking to a cleaning expert, we tested 11 popular portable carpet cleaners. Our Product Testing Team got down and dirty in the testing lab, suctioning up red wine, mud and yellow-dyed ammonia stains in order to determine which is truly the best-performing machine on the market today. Here are our top picks for best portable carpet cleaner.
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Cord length: 16 feet | Hose length: 5.5 feet | Tank capacity: 50.7 ounces | Weight (filled): 12.3 pounds | Modes: On/Off | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: Yes
Founded in 1909, Eureka has pledged for over a decade to deliver cleaning machines that offer top quality, performance and value. The Eureka portable carpet and upholstery cleaner is no exception, receiving high praises from our Product Testing Team and the top spot as best overall portable carpet cleaner.
With an impressive 16-foot cord and 5.5-foot hose—the longest reach of all models tested—the Eureka makes tackling carpet, upholstery and hard-to-reach places a breeze. It boasts a 50.7-ounce water tank and a separate tank for dirty water collection, meaning you can achieve a deeper clean without recycling old water or needing to frequently stop to refill the tank.
Our testers noted that the Eureka was incredibly intuitive to set up and extremely comfortable to maneuver. They were immediately impressed with its spray and suction performance, as well as its ability to remove both new and set-in stains with just two passes (and in the case of the set-in ammonia stain, just one pass!).
The Eureka’s brilliant design makes it both portable and easy to store. The cord and hose fold up nicely and compactly onto the machine, and its top handle makes it easy to carry from room to room or to storage when not in use.
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Cord length: 14.75 feet | Hose length: 5 feet | Tank capacity: 19 ounces | Weight (filled): 9 pounds | Modes: On/Off | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: Yes
The Dirt Devil spot cleaner is the best portable carpet cleaner for anyone on a budget. Not only were our testers impressed with the price tag, but they were equally dazzled by its performance and powerful suction. Similar to the Eureka, it features the same benefits of a longer cord and hose but at a lighter weight, weighing in at just 9 pounds with a full tank.
It’s also the ideal carpet cleaner for anyone with pets, as it features a separate attachment for pet stains: a two-in-one pet tool that removes and deodorizes pet messes. During testing, our testers noticed that the Dirt Devil took an additional pass or two to eliminate all stains, but it did do so effectively. With a removable water tank for easy emptying, the Dirt Devil scored extra points with our testers due to its convenient built-in hose rinse, which effortlessly flushed the machine with water to remove left-behind dirt and debris.
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Cord length: Cordless | Hose length: 5 feet | Tank capacity: 33.8 ounces | Weight (filled): 9.9 pounds | Modes: Eco, Turbo | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: Yes
For those who prefer the convenience of cordless models, look no further than the Bissell Little Green cordless cleaner. Our testers were wowed by its performance (categorizing it as one of their top three favorites), as well as by its ease of use. Plus, its grab-and-go design makes it handy for extending cleaning beyond the home, such as vehicle interiors and patio furniture.
It features a powerful 165-watt motor and lithium-ion battery that our testers noted took roughly two and a half hours to fully charge. Once charged, select between two modes: Turbo mode for stronger suction or Eco mode for a quieter, longer runtime.
The Little Green features a 4-inch stain tool that impressed our testers with its ability to dispense solution with a wide spray, covering a lot of surface area. We appreciated that the water and solution tanks feature fill lines for both large and small areas, depending on the size of your mess.
Our team utilized the Turbo mode on both new and set-in stains and was impressed at the machine’s ability to clean up everything from red wine to mud in a matter of seconds! Once finished, we tested out the HydroRinse self-cleaning hose tool. While it effectively flushed out dirt and debris from the stains we had just tackled, we did note that some water spit out during this process. (But this is by no means a deal breaker!) Overall, the machine provided almost a half hour of runtime—ideal for spot cleaning!
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Cord length: Cordless | Hose length: N/A | Tank capacity: 8 ounces | Weight (filled): 3.7 pounds | Modes: Wet, Dry | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: Yes
This portable carpet cleaner, which slightly resembles an old-school Dustbuster and the standard Pet Stain Eraser, has an abundance of features. A few that stand out? The Pet Stain Eraser Duo is equipped with powerful suction to remove serious stains and a rechargeable battery, so you can move around the house easily. But here’s what truly differentiates this cleaner from other models: It doubles as a portable deep cleaner for carpets and a handheld vacuum for dirt and debris.
This cordless cleaning machine is the lightest of all the models we tested, weighing just 3.7 pounds when filled. But don’t let its size fool you; its multi-functionality and convenience earned it a spot as one of the top three favorites by our testing team. Plus, it comes with various attachments, including a dry vacuum, a deep carpet cleaner, a crevice tool, an upholstery tool and a removable scrub brush.
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Cord length: Cordless | Hose length: 4 feet| Tank capacity: 50.7 ounces | Weight (filled): 14.3 pounds | Modes: Spot, Auto, Suction, Upholstery | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: No
Tineco knows we want to clean smarter, not harder. That’s why they designed the Tineco Carpet One to deliver a new and innovative way of cleaning carpets. Not only is this machine cordless, but its set-and-go Spot mode offers a hands-off cleaning experience. Our testers noted that the Tineco almost had “a mind of its own,” as it worked independently to detect, scrub and remove tough stains while offering voice prompts along the way.
The iLoop Smart Sensor was another smart feature that impressed our testers. It detects messes and automatically adjusts roller speed and water flow to tackle messes, using the machine’s light-emitting diode (LED) screen to notify you when the stain has been both detected and cleared. At a quick press of a button, the Tineco Carpet One’s self-cleaning function activates to clean both the hose and brush in between uses. It also comes with a convenient charging dock for compact and easy storage.
With the longest run time of all the cordless models tested (up to 40 minutes!), the Tineco Carpet One also provided the quietest operation, thanks to its brushless motor. That being said, the team found it rather heavy and less easy to maneuver, and unlike the other machines tested, the Tineco doesn’t feature a button for manually dispensing cleaning solution. (But perhaps this was by design, as the smart technology seemed to know how much solution was needed to effectively remove stains without human interference!)
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Cord length: 15 feet | Hose length: 5 feet| Tank capacity: 64 ounces | Weight (filled): 16.5 pounds | Modes: SteamWash, Steam, Wash | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: Yes
The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam features steaming technology that promises to clean even the toughest of messes 50% better than its competitors. So, naturally, our Product Testing Team was eager to put it to the test.
Featuring three cleaning modes—SteamWash, Steam and Wash—the Little Green HydroSteam offers multi-surface versatility, tackling messes on everything from carpets and upholstery to curtains and tile. And at 64 ounces, the water tank capacity is the largest of all the models tested.
For testing, our team utilized the SteamWash mode to tackle red wine stains and the Wash mode for mud and dyed ammonia. Our testers were wowed by the suctioning power of the 5-inch stain tool in eliminating fresh stains. For set-in, smelly stains, we found it most effective to use the manual trigger to dispense solution, allowing it to set on the stain for a few minutes prior to cleaning.
Overall, our testers felt the added steam feature made for a high-performing product, making the HydroSteam one of their favorites for both performance and ease of use. Its 51-ounce dirty water tank was extremely easy to remove and empty, and although a self-cleaning tool was not included, the hose appeared pretty clean after use.
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Cord length: 12 feet | Hose length: 5 feet | Tank capacity: 40 ounces | Weight (filled): 11.45 pounds | Modes: On/Off | Separate dirty water tank: Yes | Trigger dispenser: Yes
As its name suggests, the Shark StainStriker is a tough stain eliminator, packaged up in an ultra-portable machine with multiple attachments for tackling any and all spills, dirt and pet stains. Featuring three convenient attachments—a reversible bristle tool, a pet tool and an integrated crevice tool—it comes packaged with dual-activated cleaning solutions for increased stain-fighting power and odor elimination.
Upon testing, our team immediately found the StainStriker extremely intuitive, quiet and the most visually appealing of the bunch. As for performance, it fared extremely well at eliminating all messes with the exception of mud, which our team noted required a few additional passes to lift it up from the carpet completely. (In doing so, our tester noticed the machine leaked a tiny bit of muddy water onto her hands, but otherwise, the machine performed very well.)
Overall, the team felt the machine provided great value, and its various cleaning attachments would be ideal for many households, including those with pets and children.
Portable carpet cleaners are a better option than full-size models in several situations, says Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at cleaning service Two Maids. “If you live in a small apartment or condo or have limited storage space, a portable carpet cleaner can be a practical choice,” Cohoon says. “They are typically compact and lightweight, making them easier to store and maneuver in tight spaces.” Whether you use them to spot clean spills, pet messes or quick touch-ups, they offer undeniable convenience, especially on stairs and upholstery.
There are a few types of portable carpet cleaners. Those with a hose generally have a larger base and water tank. Handheld models are more compact and lightweight, but hold less solution. Cordless cleaners have limited cleaning time and need to be recharged, but they don’t require a power outlet during use. Corded cleaners need to remain plugged into an outlet while used, but offer continuous cleaning.
Our editors, freelancers and Product Testing Team have years of experience testing and evaluating everything from the best vacuum mops on the market to the best vacuums for pet hair. Our product testing experts on the Product Testing Team spent around 40 hours conducting firsthand research in our Testing Lab. We strive to recommend the very best products using honest and fair testing practices, and never recommend a product we don’t love, regardless of how popular the brand or model.
In addition to testing the products for ourselves, we consulted with Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, to offer insight on important factors to consider when shopping for the best portable carpet cleaner for your needs and budget.
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Next, we comb through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test. Finally, we personally conduct side-by-side testing to see firsthand how they stand up against tough stains and each other.
For this piece, we tested 11 popular models, performing roughly 15 tests on each machine. To test each machine’s performance, we tested each machine’s cleaning power by recreating real-life scenarios of both new and set-in carpet stains caused by red wine, mud and yellow-dyed ammonia. We spent an estimated 40 hours and collected 360 data points while taking into account maneuverability, portability, ease of use, ease of cleaning and noise level, as well as testing out additional features and attachments unique to each machine.
Upon testing, only seven models made the final cut, and our team categorized them based on overall performance, budget and differentiating factors, such as smart technology or multi-functionality.
Cohoon explains that operating a carpet cleaner will ultimately depend on your exact model. “Generally, you will press the trigger to spray the solution and then put downward pressure on the spot and pull it towards yourself,” she says.
Depending on the room’s foot traffic and the presence of pets or kids in the home, carpets should be steam cleaned annually to keep grime from building up and elongate the life of your carpet, says Cohoon. “Be careful not to steam clean too often, as the excessive moisture or soap can damage carpet fibers,” she warns.
Upright machines hold more liquid than portable options and generally clean the best. However, portable models are often more convenient, especially when spot cleaning. Cohoon notes that while the best portable carpet cleaner offers convenience and versatility, it may not be as powerful as regular-size vacuum cleaner models. Still, “anyone who wants to ensure the cleanliness and longevity of their carpets can consider investing in a portable carpet cleaner,” she adds.
Yes, you should always clean a portable cleaner’s tank, says Cohoon. After each use, rinse the tanks and tools and let them air dry.
Additional reporting by Leah Groth.
