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Best carpet cleaners.
Spills happen. Stains don't have to stay.

Our own research across 26 expert tests, retailer ratings, owners' communities, video reviews and safety records (651 ratings and reports in all), cross-checked for long-term reliability. No sponsors, no paid placements. Updated October 2026.

Best for pets →Best portable →

The leaderboard ↓Comparisons ↓How we score

The leaderboard

Loupe's facesHappyUnsureWorried

01
Shark StainStriker
A handy, capable stain fighter for spots, not whole rooms
EXPOWNREL81
02
Bissell Revolution HydroSteam
A powerful stain-lifting carpet cleaner that's heavy, loud, and sometimes slow to dry
EXPOWNREL72
03
Bissell Little Green 1400B
A handy, affordable stain fighter for couches, carpets, and car seats
EXPOWNREL71
04
Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro
Strong pet-stain cleaner for carpets, but durability is a real question
EXPOWNREL67
05
Hoover SmartWash
Cleans carpets well when it works, but durability is a gamble
EXPOWNREL44

Category champions

Highest score

Shark StainStriker81 overallMost reliableOwners' favoriteBest for petsBest portable

If you only read one thing

For most homes, the Shark StainStriker is the one to beat: it suits you if you have pets and deal with regular accidents on carpet or furniture.

We researched 26 expert reviews, analyzed 651 owner ratings and comments across 17 sources for 5 carpet cleaners, and cross-checked them into one verdict, so you don't have to.