Features

Carpet cleaners can be a bit unwieldy, so look for features that will make it easier to maneuver, especially if you have carpeted stairs. Here are the carpet cleaner features to consider.

Attachments

On upright models, they let you clean upholstery, stairs, bare floors, and tight spots between furniture.

Belt free

As with vacuum cleaners, many carpet cleaners have a belt that, over time, needs replacing—a DIY task for some owners. Belt-free units dispense with this part.

Moving brush(es)

A moving brush tends to give a more aggressive scrub than no brush or a fixed one that moves only as you push the machine, though having one or more does not guarantee good cleaning. The brushes of some units we've tested have even jammed on shag carpeting.

Large tank

The larger the cleaning-solution tank, the less often you'll need to refill it if you clean a lot of carpet at a time—though the more liquid, the tougher the cleaner can be to maneuver.

Long hose

The heavier the cleaner, the harder it is to maneuver. A long vacuum hose can reach, for example, up a flight of stairs.

Separate soap dispenser

This automatically dispenses the right amount of detergent with water, and shuts off to allow rinsing with fresh water.

Tank indicator lights

These lights alert you when the clean-solution tank needs refilling—or the dirty-solution tank needs emptying.

Tank shutoff

Some cleaners feature a sensor-operated cutoff that stops an extractor's suction when the tank storing dirty solution is full.

See also:

Wet/dry vacs

Air purifiers

Dehumidifiers

Humidifiers