The 5 Best Portable Carpet Cleaners of 2024, According to Testing

The Bottom Line

Our pick for the best overall portable carpet cleaner is the Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner, 3353, because it’s lightweight, easy to handle, and doesn’t make a lot of noise. We also loved the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Plus for its low price and cordless portability.

Our Testing Process

To create our list of the best portable carpet cleaners, we put 21 different machines through their paces in our lab in Des Moines, Iowa. We spent an entire day using these machines on stained, light-colored carpet to see how effective and easy to use they were. For every test, we used the manufacturer's recommended detergent.

First, we timed how long it took to assemble the cleaner, noting what the assembly process was like and how many steps it took to get ready for cleaning. We read the instructions to make sure they were helpful and noted the difficulty of positioning the tank inside the machine.

Then we filled each tank with water to the recommended level, noting whether or not the machine fit comfortably beneath a sink faucet and if a spray hose made fill-up easier. 

We also tested the portable carpet cleaners’ effectiveness at removing stains by using the devices on stained carpet with potting soil, chocolate, red wine, and coffee.

We made note of how many passes it took to get the carpet clean, whether or not the stains were completely removed or still slightly visible, and if the cleaner was easy to handle as they worked.We also took note of how long the carpets took to dry after cleaning, checking every hour for dryness.

Finally, we kept important factors like portability, weight, noise level, and overall value for the price in mind as we made our list of the best portable carpet cleaners. Then, we took the top models home and tested them in daily life, recording our insights at two and six months.

What to Know About Portable Carpet Cleaners Before Shopping

Weight

Weight is a major consideration when shopping for the best portable carpet cleaners since you’ll need to be able to hold it with one hand while operating the hose with the other.

According to Leanne Stapf from The Cleaning Authority, you should also consider whether or not the device has a handle, since this can make it easier to hold as you work.

We made note of how much each portable carpet cleaner weighed and how heavy they actually felt when in use, which is worth keeping in mind as you shop.

Stain and Surface Types

When looking for the best portable carpet cleaners, make sure to consider what type of surfaces you’ll need cleaned, and the most common stains you anticipate dealing with.

All of our picks for the best portable carpet cleaners can remove stains from carpet and upholstery. However, we found during testing that not all carpet cleaners work equally well on different stain types.

We tested each machine in the lab on red wine, dirt, chocolate, and coffee stains that had been left to soak in for 12 hours.

At home, we used them in whatever way made sense in our day-to-day lives, from cleaning up pet messes to tracked-in dirt and mud to discoloration caused by age.

We took detailed notes on which devices worked well on different stain types, making it easier for shoppers to decide what portable carpet cleaner to purchase.

Cord Length

Another key factor to consider is the power cord length on your carpet cleaner. Several portable carpet cleaners on our list are cordless, but as you’re shopping, consider if you’re going to use it in the car or in spaces that don’t have an outlet close.

Also, keep in mind that battery-powered models tend to have less powerful suction than corded devices. If you’re dealing with particularly tricky messes, we recommend getting one with a cord. We’ve noted the cord length, when applicable, for each of our picks.

Tank Capacity

Tank capacity is an important factor to consider, especially if you plan on cleaning larger surfaces like an area rug or the upholstery in your car. The tank capacity determines how much dirt and gunk it can hold before needing to be refilled with clean water and solution.

If you’re using your portable carpet cleaner for quick spot cleaning, you may not need a huge tank capacity, and other features might take priority. However, if you’ll be far from a sink and a drain when cleaning, a larger tank is important.

Decibel Level

If you’ve ever used a loud vacuum or cleaning appliance, you know the struggle with finding the right machine that cleans well without disrupting the whole house.

For testing, we measured the noise level of each portable carpet cleaner to determine which ones were bothersome and which ones weren’t.

Other Portable Carpet Cleaners We Tested

Hoover Onepwr Spotless Go Cordless Carpet and Upholstery Spot Cleaner

While we liked how portable this cordless machine was, it functions without water and only uses a cleaning gel. This was not enough to remove most of the stains we tested it on, and we found that the device was “making fruitless passes at the stains.”

Additionally, the instructions were difficult to understand, causing us to exclude this device from our list of the best portable carpet cleaners.

Aqua Pro Vac Portable Carpet Cleaner Extractor Cleaning Vacuum Machine

This machine wasn’t effective enough to be worth purchasing, according to our testing. While it did get the stains out of our test carpet, it took many passes, and we found the hose awkward to use. This, paired with the high price, put this portable carpet cleaner towards the bottom of our list. 

Ecowell Portable Carpet Cleaner Machine 

We liked this little machine and found it did very well on wet stains. However, it struggled to remove dry chocolate and potting soil stains. It’s a reasonably good value for the price, but many others we tested were superior.

Your Questions, Answered

What is the best carpet cleaner for home?

While more heavy-duty carpet cleaners exist for at-home carpet maintenance, the best portable carpet cleaners can get you really far.

Our top pick, the Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner, 3353, is great for general use. We love that it can fit into cramped spaces easily and tackles all sorts of stains like coffee, dirt, and wine.

For pet owners, the Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro utilizes a special tool that scrubs and suctions away pet-specific messes like hair, dander, and waste. It also worked well on food stains, albeit with a few extra passes.

How can I clean my carpet at home like a professional?

Your carpets will need a deep cleaning at least once a year, according to Cohoon.

“Depending on the foot traffic in the room and 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,” Cohoon says.

“Be careful not to steam clean too often, as the excessive moisture or soap can damage carpet fibers.”

In between professional carpet cleaning, you can stay on top of accidental spills and stains on your carpet, upholstery, and in your car by using a portable carpet cleaner.

This can help you maintain the appearance of your upholstery and flooring while avoiding the damage that excess liquid can have.

Do I need a vacuum and a carpet cleaner?

While you might reach for a vacuum more often to pick up dust and debris, one machine is not a replacement for the other. In fact, according to Stapf, vacuuming damp carpet can actually be quite dangerous and result in permanent damage to your vacuum.

“Standard vacuums are not equipped to handle moisture,” Stapf says. “Dirty water entering the vacuum may cause the buildup of mold or even damage the motor. In more serious cases, vacuuming a damp or wet carpet can also end in electrocution.”

Instead of vacuuming wet stains off of your carpet, we recommend buying a portable carpet cleaner, or multi-purpose steam cleaner, which is equipped to deal with moisture while powerfully removing debris from your home.

Who We Are

Tanya Edwards is an award-winning writer and editor with bylines at Better Homes & Gardens and other publications. She’s passionate about keeping a clean house and loves to learn about the best products to do so.

For this story, Tanya used insights from our testing team in Des Moines, Iowa, and incorporated expertise from cleaning experts Kathy Cohoon of Two Maids and a Mop, and Leanne Stapf from The Cleaning Authority.

The article was updated by BHG contributor Kaitlyn McInnis.

What Is BHG Recommends?

Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.

Looking for more products that have earned our BHG Recommends seal of approval? Check out our picks for everything from picnic blankets to humidifiers.