When you're looking for a carpet steam cleaner, you want to get one of the best for your budget. No one wants to get a problem machine. It's a waste of time and a source of frustration. so how do you find the top rated carpet steam cleaners?
There are two main brands most people will look at - Hoover and Bissell. These are the best names for the price range most of us will be considering when shopping for a carpet steamer. There are more expensive brands, such as Ladybug, EnviroMate and those big Rug Doctor carpet steamers you can rent at the store, but most people won't want to spend as much as those cost. They're wonderful if you particularly need that kind of power to clean carpets in your home, but for most families they're more powerful than is needed.
Hoover and Bissell both make good machines for reasonable prices. You can find basic models under 0, but the best ones are usually between 0-300. These have a fair balance between quality, durability and price.
Hoover is my personal favorite. I like the dual tanks they offer for clean and dirty water, as they're usually a bit bigger but not completely awkward to carry when they're full. They usually do a very good job of cleaning the carpet with their spinning, scrubbing brushes.
They take a bit of work to clean up after use, but that's true of any carpet steam cleaners that you want to keep in good condition. The brushes can pick up a lot of hair and carpet fibers, which can clog things up a bit. It's not too hard to pull off the worst of these from the brushes. Just make it a part of the routine. Running the Hoover with a tank of clean water as you rinse your carpets to finish the job will help to get all the excess carpet shampoo out of the system, as well as remove any excess shampoo from your carpeting.
This is not to say Bissells aren't as good. They make some excellent machines and like Hoover they have a lot of loyal customers. A Bissell will also do a good job of cleaning your carpet for you.
What will make a steam carpet cleaner top rated for you is the features it comes with. They should all have excellent suction, to pull the water, dirt and shampoo out of your carpeting. You really don't want any excess of those left behind. If you want to clean upholstery, blinds or drapes, you'll want to review which accessories are offered to clean in those areas as well.
Make sure to read customer reviews online before you buy. You can learn surprising things about models that sound good on paper, but for one reason or another aren't quite as good as your second or third choice. It's an easy way to make a more educated decision than to simply listen to a commissioned salesperson. Salespeople don't necessarily mean to give poor advice, but they often haven't had the opportunity to try every machine, especially over time. Someone who has already bought one knows exactly how it's doing for them.
