Best Spot Cleaner Reviews 2018

Getting rid of spills and stains from your upholstery and carpet sounds miserable – unless you have a spot cleaner handy! The best part is that you don’t need to spend a fortune for this convenience. We reviewed five of the best spot cleaner brands so that you know what to look for when looking for a bargain. We feature one product from each brand, but remember, though, that these brands have other spot cleaners not included in this review. You can check them out if our picks don’t do it for you.

Overview

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Type

Capacity

Size/Weight

Technology

Attachments

Our Top Choice

Bissell SpotClean Pro Cleaner

Bissell has great experience in home cleaning and has been making products with superior quality and exciting innovation to make cleaning easier and less tedious.

It has a powerful vacuum suction, brushing action, and cleans carpet, upholstery, stairs, and hard to reach areas. It has a carrier handle and is lightweight.

It is a bit loud.

Corded

3/4 gallon

17.2lbs

Brush-clean technology

5 flex hose, 6" and 3" brush tools

Best Value

Hoover Spotless Portable Cleaner

For over a century, Hoover has been designing and making powerful and high-performance carpet cleaners for keeping your home squeaky clean from inside-out.

Deep-cleans your carpets and upholstery with powerful suction. Long hose allows you to reach into corners. Its compact design makes it easy to use and store.

Cannot hold much water.

Corded

51 oz

13.5 × 15 × 8 inches; 9lbs

Self-clean technology

Antimicrobial multipurpose tool

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner

Rug Doctor is known to make well-engineered and high-performance carpet cleaners that give you the type of “clean” you only get from professionals.

The motorized brush scrubs into the surface to remove tough spots, and it retracts to help you reach into corners. Its small footprint makes it convenient to use with easy storage.

It is quite loud, but using ear plugs easily alleviates this issue.

Corded and handheld

64oz

15lbs

Handheld, oscillating & motorized

Retractable handheld brush

Steamfast Canister Steam Cleaner

Since 1999, Steamfast has been helping its users stay away from chemical cleaning by providing them with easy-to-use spot cleaners that use pressurized steam.

Hot water naturally deep-cleans and neutralizes odors, and since it’s just water, you can use this cleaner to clean practically anything. The wheels make it easy to move around.

It is very loud when used in an enclosed area.

Steam cleaner

48oz

12.99×17.32 ×11.1 inches;10.06lbs

Pressurized-steam technology

Steam mop attachment

Dirt Devil Bagged Handheld Vacuum

Dirt Devil is known for making innovative, long-lasting, and easy-to-use hand-held vacuum cleaners that help you get rid of dirt.

Its motorized brush with 2-speed keeps moving to dislodge dirt and then vacuums it. It has a long power cord that allows you clean large areas without unplugging it.

The suction is not strong.

Ultra corded handheld

Info not provided

4.45lbs

Microfresh filtration technology

Crevice and stretch host tools

(Updated August 2, 2017)

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Watch Our Spot Cleaner Review

How Do I Choose the Best Spot Cleaner?

Every day, Sandra returns home to her apartment to find that her new kitten has yet to learn to use her litter box. The kitty has left urine all over the expensive Persian rug, and the accompanying odors give Sandra headaches. Washing the whole rug is quite expensive, but Sandra needs to eliminate the odors and unsightly stains. What should she do?

In the next apartment, Benjamin had friends over last night to watch a big game and toss back a couple of drinks. After the game, his wife discovers that they spilled beer all over her beautiful upholstery – and it’s not the first time this has happened. Once again, she gets upset and reminds Benjamin what a hassle cleaning his friends’ drink stains off the sofa is. Benjamin tries to let her know that boys would always be boys and that in the course of the game, anything could happen. But his wife has put her foot down, it is either get rid of the stains or they stop coming. What should he do?

Next door, Taylor has three kids that neighbors sometimes refer to as daredevils. Why? They can turn the whole apartment upside down in a matter of minutes. They get food everywhere, draw all over the wall and leave blobs of paint in the worst places. The exhaustion of getting rid of every stain leaves Taylor depressed. “They will grow out of it soon,” Taylor’s therapist says. “In the mean time, just find an easier way to clean up.” What easier way?

Do you face any of the same questions that plague Sandra, Benjamin and Taylor? Well the answer is simple – just two words: spot cleaner. You can easily remove accidental spills, spots and stains from your upholstery, carpets and other materials with spot cleaners. What sets these small machines apart from vacuum cleaners and other bulky appliances is how convenient it is to move them to the scene of the crime and use them. They can also be used as furniture cleaners to remove small stains and spills.

Now that you know when you can use a spot cleaner, keep reading to learn about the features of a good product. Please keep in mind that a spot cleaner would not efficiently clean a whole house. If that’s what you are after, you can check out our review on the best carpet cleaners and vacuum cleaners available.

Price

When it comes to spot cleaners, the type and the featured technology would affect the price. From the research we've carefully carried out, anything between $100 and $300 should get you an efficient spot cleaner. Since there are a lot of spot cleaners within this price range that claim to be the best, we’ve narrowed down your search to five brands who all offer great value and long-lasting products.

In the course of our research, we came across a lot of cheap spot cleaners that we decided not to feature. What is the point of getting a spot cleaner that wouldn’t work well or last long? To make the right purchase for your budget, look at our price range, consider your budget and pick the spot cleaner that suits your needs. But remember, if you need one with more technology, you will need to pay more.

Features

There many spot cleaners out there and you could easily be overwhelmed by all the available features – some of which you might never use. Before purchasing a spot cleaner, you should know that they come in different types and sizes. The type of technology, tank capacity, cord type and attachments also vary. To help you choose correctly and avoid confusion, we shall discuss these very important features to help you determine your ideal spot cleaner.

Construction and Design

A typical spot cleaner usually has two tanks -- one for clean water, an oxygen booster and an anti-stain solution and the other for the resulting dirty water. Spot cleaners can be corded or cordless and handheld or hands-free. Cordless spot cleaners run on batteries, either rechargeable or replaceable. Handheld models are usually portable as they come with a carrier handle for easy maneuverability, while hands-free designs typically lack handles since they move themselves along the surface being cleaned.

The type of technology featured on a spot cleaner usually depends on the brand; spot cleaners can include deep-reach technology, odor-removing technology, self-cleaning technology, powerful suction, consistent water temperature and other features. A spot cleaner with deep-reach technology can clean difficult locations an ordinary spot cleaner can’t access, ideal for a home with many tight spaces. Odor-removing spot cleaners are suitable for rendering smelly stains odor-free. A self-cleaning spot cleaner can flush its own system out for a fresh clean every time.

If you are a pet owner and you want to eliminate stains made by your furry friend, a spot cleaner with powerful suction and deep cleaning brushes would get the job done. Brushes with a large number of revolutions per minute (RPM) would easily get rid of the surface of stains made by pets, while the powerful suction would ensure that even the root of the stain is removed. For tougher stains that can only be eliminated with particularly hot water, a spot cleaner with the consistent water temperature technology would ensure that the temperature needed to remove that stain is maintained until the cleaning cycle is complete.

Performance and Ease of Use

The size of a spot cleaner is important, especially because you will move it from place to place while cleaning. Most residential spot cleaners are small and lightweight. These portable products usually weigh less than 14 pounds and can be easily carried and set up by one person. Some of these small spot cleaners have carrier handles for added portability. Other spot cleaners come with wheels, making it convenient to move them from room to room and back into storage. Another option if you’ll be cleaning in many different rooms is to choose a cordless spot cleaner, although you may need to charge the machine frequently. For cleaning upholstery, a spot cleaner with a long self-cleaning hose would suffice.

The tank capacity of your spot cleaner determines how many stains you would be able to clean at a time. If you frequently tackle many large stains at once, we recommend that you choose a spot cleaner that comes with a large tank. The ability to hold a lot of cleaning solution would allow you to keep cleaning without stopping to refill the tank. Some spot cleaners come with their cleaning solutions like detergents and pre-treat gels, which means you won’t have to buy those separately.

What is the Best Spot Cleaner?

We know that your unique cleaning needs influence which spot cleaner is ideal for you. But no matter what you’ll need your cleaner for, if you’ve read this buying guide, selecting the right product that means your needs without costing an arm and a leg will be a breeze. So you can confidently go through our review of different brands of spot cleaners to see which one suits you the most.

Our Top Choice

The SpotClean Carpet Cleaner has a carrier handle and weighs just 13.2 lbs to make moving around more convenient. It also comes with a 3-inch tough stain and 6-inch stair tools. If you prefer a hands-free cleaner with deep cleaning, you should go for the Bissell Spotbot Cleaner with Deep Reach Technology.

Bissell SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner – Also Available as a Bundle

Bissell Spot Cleaner 3624

Features

With 140 years of experience providing cleaning solutions, you can be rest-assured that Bissell knows just about everything when it comes to keeping your home spic and span. Bissell aims to help you make cleaning your home a lot easier and less time consuming than it used to be. Its products, from vacuums to carpet cleaners and even cleaning solutions, don’t just clean on the surface, but deep into the materials.

The SpotClean Portable Carpet Cleaner (Suggested Retail Price: $129.99) has a powerful suction and brushing action to quickly remove dirt and stains. Cleaning solutions are also available to make stain removal way easier. It has a carrier handle and weighs just 13.2 lbs to make moving around more convenient. This little juggernaut can clean your carpets, upholstery, stairs, etc.

Following are some of its other features:

Large tank capacity
The 22ft power cord which helps cover more ground
Long hose which allows you to clean hard to reach areas
3” tough stain tool
Comes with a trial-size professional deep-cleaning formula
6” stair tool
Two-year limited warranty

If you like the look of this spot cleaner and want to pick up a cleaning solution too, you're in luck! This nifty cleaner comes in 3 bundles. Choose from the Cleaning Boost Bundle, Cleaning Pet Boost Bundle or the Professional Deep Cleaning Bundle!

If this featured product does not meet your needs, Bissell has other spot cleaners you should check out.

Best Value

The Hoover Portable Carpet Cleaner has a self-cleaning technology that flushes dirt and bacteria out of the hose, coupled with its antimicrobial tools which help prevent odors and molds. If you prefer a more powerful cleaner with more features and the same great quality, you should try out the Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner

Hoover Spotless Portable Carpet & Upholstery Spot Cleaner

Hoover Spot Cleaner FH11300PC

Features

Out of necessity, a janitor invented a contraption that sucked dust, preventing it from filling the air like sweeping would. The Hoover brand was born when the patent was sold to W.H. Hoover. For over a century, this brand has been manufacturing premium-performance and very easy-to-use devices for cleaning your homes top to bottom without residues that contaminate the air in your space.

The Hoover Portable Carpet Cleaner (Suggested Retail Price: $99.99) deep-cleans your carpets and upholstery using a high-performance formula to loosen and easily remove stains from the inside out. This self-cleaning technology flushes dirt and bacteria out of the hose. Its compact design makes it easy to use and to store. Below are some other features of this cleaner:

Its light weight makes it conveniently mobile
The antimicrobial tools help prevent odors and molds
Powerful suction to loosen and remove dirt
Dual-removable tanks
Long cord allows for mobility
The 5 ft hose lets you reach into corners
Comes with cleaning gel and solution
Two-year limited warranty

If you are not impressed with this particular one, you can consider other carpet cleaners from Hoover.

The Rug Doctor Portable Cleaner easily removes those unsightly stains on your carpet or upholstery with its extra-powerful suction. It has a motorized brush that deep-cleans to remove tough spots. If you prefer a bigger and more effective cleaner with the same great value, you should go for the Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner which will help you cover more ground.

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner Machine – Also Available with Cleaning Solutions

Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner Portable – Red, Corded

Features

After several years in the carpet cleaner rental business, Rug Doctor decided to make its own portable carpet cleaner. And since then, it has been consistently manufacturing well-engineered machines that don’t only perform to expectation but are long-lasting. It prides itself in bringing professional-quality cleaning into every home that uses its products.

The Portable Spot Cleaner (Suggested Retail Price: $ 129.99) easily removes those unsightly stains on your carpet or upholstery with its extra-powerful suction. The hand-held motorized brush scrubs into the surface to remove tough spots. It is lightweight and easy to carry with its handle.

The wheels make this cleaner convenient to move around without fear for your carpet. The retractable hose allows you clean corners and other hard-to-reach areas. Its small footprint makes storage easy and the removable tank makes filling and emptying super convenient.

Although you can buy this spot cleaner on its own, you can also get this Rug Doctor in a bundle with cleaning solution. You can choose to purchase it with:

Red and Oxy Pro Carpet Cleaner
Red and Pet Pro Carpet Cleaner
Red and Upholstery Cleaner
Red and Urine Eliminator Spray

So just pick which cleaning solution you need and save a few bucks!

If this featured product does not satisfy you, there are other Rug Doctor cleaners you can check out.

The Canister Cleaner uses pressurized steam to clean. Its large water tank gives you 45 minutes of steaming before you need to refill. Furthermore, it comes with lots of versatile accessories. But if you rather prefer a similarly powerful but multipurpose cleaner from the same brand, consider the Steamfast Multipurpose Steam Cleaner.

Steamfast 1500 Watt Canister Steam Cleaner

Steamfast Spot Cleaner SF-275

Features

Steamfast adopts an ingenuous approach to cleaning without using chemicals. Instead, it makes products that are easy to use and give the kind of cleaning you’ve always wanted, all with the power of steam. Its cleaners use steam to scrub, wash, and purify your living area without putting you through the harsh realities of cleaning chemicals.

The SF-275 Steam Cleaner (Suggested Retail Price: $ 129.99) has a 1500-watt engine that uses pressurized steam to rid your surfaces of dirt and stains. Hot water naturally deep-cleans and neutralizes odors. It has a large water tank and can provide up to 45 minutes of steam time. Since it uses just water, you can use this cleaner to clean practically anything that needs to be cleaned in your home, from door handles to children’s toys. Some other features are as follow:

A large collection of versatile attachments for almost any cleaning task
Long flexible steam hose
Steam on demand trigger with locking switch
It has wheels for convenient movement
It is lightweight
Comes with a 1-year warranty

The ideal cleaner for those sensitive to chemicals

If this featured product is not exactly what you want, kindly check out other steam cleaners from this same brand.

The Dirt Devil Handheld Vacuum has Micro-Fresh filtration technology that traps most dirt and dust, preventing them from getting inhaled. You can also use it to clean your cars. If you prefer to stand while vacuuming, the Dirt Devil Simpli-Stik Stick Vacuum is a good choice. It is bagless and lightweight.

Dirt Devil Ultra Corded Bagged Handheld Vacuum

Dirt Devil Spot Cleaner M08230RED

Features

Dirt Devil is committed to cleaning dirt and stains wherever they might be. It strives to identify people’s cleaning issues and moves to provide solutions by creating top-quality, long-lasting, and easy-to-use products to help its customers clean their homes more effectively and efficiently. Its various cleaning devices are designed to provide superior value without putting a hole in your purse.

The Handheld Vacuum Cleaner (Suggested Retail Price: $49.99) is very lightweight and portable, easy to carry around, and makes cleaning all the easier. The Micro-Fresh filtration technology traps most dirt and dust, preventing them from getting inhaled. Its motorized brush with 2-speed keeps moving to dislodge dirt and then vacuums it.

It has a long power cord that allows you clean entire areas without having to change plug sockets. It has a stretch hose with a tool that allows you clean crevices and hard-to-reach spaces. It can be used to clean carpets and upholstery. The replacement vacuum bag is readily available in stores. This hand held vacuum is great for cleaning your car interior.

If this cleaner isn’t the one for you, check out other cleaners by Dirt Devil.

Get the Best Spot Cleaner of 2018!

Did you find a brand or product that meets your cleaning needs? We hope our review has given you what you need to confidently make a well-informed purchase.

Our Top Choice

Bissell SpotClean Pro Cleaner

Best Value

Hoover Spotless Portable Cleaner

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner

Steamfast Canister Steam Cleaner

Dirt Devil Bagged Handheld Vacuum