16 best carpet cleaners, tried and tested by experts

Score: 93/100

Designed with simplicity in mind, our testers praised this Vax’s sturdy build, pops of colour, and handy clips that keep the cable tidy when in storage. As you push the cleaner forward, motion sense technology automatically releases detergent, before drying as it’s pulled backwards, leaving our carpets looking clean, restored and lifted.

Both tea and general dirt was removed effectively – even after being left for 24 hours. Initially we had to scrub to banish trod-in mud, but when our experts used the accompanying ‘SpinScrub Hand Tool’, the cleaner dealt with it easily. Its immediate stain removal performance was impressive, too – leaving great results and just mildly damp carpets.

Score: 89/100

This carpet cleaner uses the same base unit as our winning Vax MaxClean StainShot Pet Design Carpet Cleaner, but for a lower cost as you don’t get the SpinScrub tool and StainShot cleaning solution. It still has its excellent drying mode, which lets you cut down lengthy drying times.

Our testers were impressed with the cleaner’s performance on mud and tea stains, managing to remove them completely while refreshing the carpet pile nicely. It was only when tackling tougher coffee and wine stains that we missed those extras – scrubbing by hand was more difficult without the SpinScrub tool, and there was some discolouration we couldn’t budge.

This model shares the same easy-to-use – albeit slightly cumbersome – design as the StainShot, with intuitive controls and a comfy handle. While the extras on the winning StainShot do make a difference (and would be worth the additional cost if you often tackle tough stains), this is an excellent appliance for everyday dirt, at a reasonable price point.

Note: This model is available with the Pet Tool (Vax MaxClean Pet Carpet Cleaner) or without the Pet Tool (Vax MaxClean Home Carpet Cleaner). Both versions scored 89/100, but for pet mess, this rubbery, cleanable, scrub-and-suck attachment is great to have on hand.

Score: 88/100

It took this large carpet cleaner just two minutes to rid our test carpets of mud and tea stains when we tackled them immediately, and its performance after 24 hours wasn’t that different either. We used the same Pro Stain and Odour mixture on both tests, and it left the carpet strong and vibrant, with zero colour fade – our tester’s only complaint was that it was damper than they would have liked.

The upholstery and stair attachments were useful, too, although they required a bit more elbow grease. Our upholstery also took a while to dry but these niggles aside, it’s a reliable buy.

Score: 88/100

This made quick work of most cleaning tasks. It glides easily over carpet, distributing water and detergent evenly over the floor and lifting the pile well. On our immediate stain removal tests, it shifted mud, tea and dust with ease, and our carpet emerged damp rather than wet.

When sprucing up upholstery, we liked the power behind the three-in-one spot cleaner attachment, which lifted tea stains efficiently. It didn’t leave the surface as dry as we’d hoped, and the water tank leaked a little when the cleaner was upright. But it does come with a great selection of tools for getting jobs done.

Score: 88/100

Another hit from Vax, this carpet cleaner performed well across all our carpet tests. Using the deep clean mode and alternating between rinse and wash settings, you could visibly see the dirt being lifted from the carpet – something our testers loved.

This model shone when it came to the upholstery tests, too. With its designated tool, cleaning tea stains was a breeze, and its drying abilities were “quite remarkable”.

It wasn’t the quickest on hard floors though, and it's quite heavy. But it's a stand-out buy for refreshing carpets and interiors.

Score: 87/100

You won’t get fancy extras like an upholstery attachment, automatic detergent mixing or a spot-cleaning attachment with this inexpensive carpet cleaner, but it certainly keeps flooring fresh. It effortlessly lifted dirt, stains and odours from our carpets, leaving them pristine and only slightly damp. It aced the hard floor cleaning test too, achieving a perfect score and delivering clean, dry surfaces.

At 6 kilos, it's a relatively lightweight carpet cleaner, and our testers also found it simple to use with comprehensive instructions. It’s not the quietest model we’ve ever tested, but given you won’t be rolling it out too often, we wouldn’t let that put you off if you’re after a value buy.

Score: 87/100

This pet-focused carpet cleaner impressed us with its powerful stain-lifting spot cleaner, as well as an easy-empty water tank that separates water and hair. No more fishing around for soggy fur clumps! Everyday messes like muddy paw prints and spilled coffee were easily removed, and the cleaner’s ability to refresh flattened carpet pile gave rooms a brighter, fresher look.

It did tend to leave carpets damp, but an extra pass with the Dry Only mode helped – handy if you have guests coming over. The wide range of tools makes it versatile around the home, whether you’re tackling stairs, upholstery, sofa edges or even pet accidents. At 8.76 kg, it’s heavy to carry upstairs, and tough stains like red wine still need extra scrubbing, but overall, it’s a practical choice for busy households with pets.

Score: 86/100

If muddy paw prints or footprints are a constant battle in your home, let us introduce you to the Vax Platinum SmartWash. It shone when it came to removing mud stains, whisking them away in just one minute. Its upholstery attachment made eradicating tea stains fuss-free too.

Testers liked how smoothly it moved and it’s one of the lighter Vax cleaners we’ve tried (although it does still weigh over seven kilograms). It can’t be used on hard floors and there was no fill line on the water tank but otherwise, this is a strong cleaning companion.

Score: 85/100

Using steam to help banish dust and germs, this is another fantastic offering from Bissell. It removed mud effortlessly, without the need for excessive scrubbing, and it was a similar story with tea stains. Even after leaving the stains for 24 hours, the results were largely unchanged. Our testers were impressed with how the cleaner refreshed the carpet pile too. It looked sparkling – just how we like it.

It faltered a little when it came to upholstery cleaning, however. While our surface was mostly stain-free, there was slight discolouration, and it was damper than we’d have liked. But if you stick to flooring (which is its main purpose, after all), then this carpet steam cleaner is a sturdy appliance with a great selection of tools.

Score: 85/100

For an effortless deep clean, you can’t do much better than this Vax. The size and depth of its brush head allowed it to reach a large area in one swoop, and we were impressed with its cleaning power. Scrubbing wasn’t required for immediate stain removal, but after 24 hours, the tea stain took extra elbow grease. In the end, all traces of dirt were removed from both carpet and upholstery on test.

Its large tank capacity allows for longer use without the need for emptying, but its bulky design means some may struggle taking it up stairs. Overall, though, it was easy to assemble and while our surfaces were left slightly damp after use, the cleaning fluid didn’t affect the colour of our carpets. We found it smelt pleasant too; granted, that’s not an essential requirement, but it’s a definite bonus.

Score: 83/100

If you want to clean a lot of carpet in one go – or you’re a sucker for an appliance with a face – George could be your man. With an unparalleled 15-litre capacity, he can spruce up plenty of flooring before needing a water change.

It's not the cheapest carpet shampooer on this list, but its versatility provides great value; it’s a carpet cleaner and a wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner, all in one. Thanks to the flexible nozzle, it can tackle carpet, hard floors, upholstery and even the car with ease. It also performed well in our wet cleaning tests (though like many models, struggled on wine stains), and excelled as a dry vacuum.

The downside to George’s big water tank is the weight – so if you’re going up and down the stairs a lot, you may struggle. Plus, there isn’t a window into the tank or a refill indicator, which makes it hard to know when you need a top up. But these are unlikely to put off Henry fans, who are sure to find him an excellent addition to the family.

Score: 82/100

Providing a scrub-free deep clean thanks to its extra-large brush bar, this is a great buy for dealing with mud. Even after the dirt was left for 24 hours, a quick vacuum, followed by a few sweeps of the cleaner, left our carpets as good as new. Set-in tea stains, however, proved a trickier job for our testers, who struggled to fully remove them after too much time had passed.

Both water tanks were easy to fill, and our testers appreciated the clear markings to show how much water is needed for a quick or deep carpet clean. The only thing missing was some information on the proportion of solution to water needed but, otherwise, this was a reliable buy across all floor types.

Score: 81/100

Equipped with large water tanks and plenty of handy attachments, testers thought this Vax would be great for a whole-home deep clean. The machine eliminated odours from our lab carpets, leaving no discolouration in its wake.

The head’s ‘SpinScrub’ technology (complete with five rotating brushes to penetrate carpets from all angles) broke up dirt impressively, lifting both immediate and set-in stains like mud and milky tea with ease.

It has a spot cleaning attachment too, but it didn't rival Vax’s dedicated spot cleaners – the SpinScrub Hand Tool seemed to spread red wine and coffee stains slightly. Upholstery cleaning was a different story though – the Wash Tool was easy to manoeuvre, lifted stains, and left the surface practically dry. Whether it will suit really comes down to what your home needs.

Score: 78/100

This carpet cleaner did a solid job on lighter carpet stains in our tests, lifting mud with ease and leaving the pile refreshed. The spot-clean function worked well on coffee marks, and it also removed tea, and mud from upholstery without fuss. We liked the simple controls, handy foot pedals and quick-release tanks, along with the choice of wide or narrow tools for different jobs.

However, its fixed rear wheels make it a little resistant to steering, and some force is needed to insert the nozzles into the hose. Carpets are left damp, so drying time is needed – but if you can work around these niggles, it offers strong cleaning performance and straightforward controls for tackling everyday messes.