Bissell 9500

Pros: Cleans effectively, good value, attractive, easy to use

Cons: Slightly heavier than a vacuum, large jobs require multiple refills

The Bottom Line: One of the best appliance purchases I have ever made. It cleans very well, and it is fairly easy to use.

Review: My husband and I batted around the idea of getting a steam cleaner for years. I'd read all kinds of horror stories about leakage and poor performance, and just wasn't sure it was worth the expense or hassle--that is, until we got a puppy. We were ...

Pros: Heated water, Great attachments, light, powerful

Cons: Small water tank, might take a couple tries on really dirty carpet.

The Bottom Line: A good deal on a pretty powerful machine for home use

Review: I just bought a new house, and along with it, a bunch of dirty carpet. Though it wasn't all that old, the carpet in the house was filthy. At first, I thought that perhaps I would need to replace it all, but decided to try to clean it first. So, I was ...

Pros: Sturdy, attractive, lots of controls, heated water and hot air drying

Cons: No real cons affecting performance and use.

The Bottom Line:

I recommend this machine strongly based on my weekend of (wildly successful) furniture and carpet cleaning in a household with 4 furry friends.

Review: I've recently been in carpet-cleaning hell, and this prompted a scathing review on the Atlantis carpet cleaner.   Not willing to be burned a third time, I read reviews all over the place and went with the top-of-the-line Bissell upright, with ...