Bissell Big Green Professional
A practical carpet cleaner (upright washer) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home.
Carpet Cleaner Buying Guide: How to Choose (UK 2026)
Carpet cleaners look similar but vary in the things that matter: the type (upright or spot), tank size, brushes and tools, heated cleaning and pet features. This guide walks through each so you can match one to your home.
Upright washer vs spot cleaner
This is the first and biggest decision. A full-size upright washer is built to deep-clean whole rooms of carpet - bigger tanks, wide cleaning path, powered brushes - and is what you want for an all-over refresh. A portable spot cleaner is compact and grab-and-go, made for treating spills, stains, stairs, upholstery and pet accidents the moment they happen. They're not interchangeable: an upright is overkill for a single spill, and a spot cleaner can't realistically do a whole lounge. Many homes are happiest owning both, or an upright with a good hand tool.
Tanks, brushes and heated cleaning
Carpet cleaners use two tanks - clean water (with solution) and dirty water. A bigger clean-water tank means fewer refills on large jobs, while spot cleaners have small tanks because the jobs are small. Powered or rotating brushes agitate the carpet to release ground-in dirt, which makes a real difference versus suction alone. Many machines add heated cleaning, using warm air or water to help lift stubborn stains and speed drying - a genuinely useful feature, though carpets still need time to dry.
Pet features, tools and weight
If you have animals, look for a pet tool (for hair and stains) and pair it with an enzyme-based pet solution for odours. A flexible hose and stair/upholstery tool extend an upright to sofas, stairs and car seats. Consider weight and storage too: full-size uprights are heavy and bulky, while spot cleaners tuck away easily. The cleaning solution is an ongoing consumable cost, so factor that in.
What to expect
A carpet cleaner genuinely lifts dirt, stains and odours a vacuum can't, leaving carpets noticeably fresher - but it's a wet deep-clean, not a quick everyday job. Carpets need a few hours to dry afterwards (good airflow helps), and you'll still vacuum day to day. Used periodically, a carpet cleaner keeps carpets in far better shape and works out much cheaper than hiring a machine or a professional each time.
Our top picks
#1
#2 
Bissell SpotClean Pro
A practical carpet cleaner (spot/portable, 750W) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home.
#3 
Vax Rapid Power Refresh CDCW-RPXR
A practical carpet cleaner (spot/portable, 1200W) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home.
#4 
Vax Rapid Power Revive
A practical carpet cleaner (spot/portable, 1200W) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home.
#5 
Vax SpotWash CDCW-CSXS
A practical carpet cleaner (spot/portable) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home.
#6 
Vax Compact Power
A practical carpet cleaner (spot/portable, 800W) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home.
Frequently asked questions
What's the most important thing to consider?
Whether you need a full-size upright (for whole rooms) or a portable spot cleaner (for spills and stairs) - that decides the right machine. Then tank size, brushes, pet tools and heated cleaning refine the choice.
Do I still need a vacuum if I have a carpet cleaner?
Yes - a carpet cleaner is for periodic wet deep-cleaning, while a vacuum handles everyday dry dirt. They do different jobs, so you need both; in fact you should vacuum before deep-cleaning.
Bottom line
Our top pick is the Bissell Big Green Professional (our score 9.6/10) - A practical carpet cleaner (upright washer) for a deeper, fresher carpet clean at home..