Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've spot-cleaned my carpets, but never even considered really cleaning them other than vacuuming. Probably this is because I dislike carpeting in general, and my intent is to replace it all with a mixture of hardwoods and tile in the future. However. I have them for now, and they need to perform the best that they can while they are around. I decided to give this little guy a try, and I'm glad I did. It is very easy to use, is lightweight, and the handle collapses in case you can store it someplace short. Mine will likely take up residence in the garage when I'm done having fun with it, and the lower weight helps with that. I should add that while it is very low weight when empty, filling it with cleaning fluid does make it a little heavier - probably a few pounds. I followed the instructions and used the included cleaning solution. I was surprised how little solution it called for, with the rest being water. That is good because it means the little bottle will last longer than you might expect. It specified warm water, and not super hot. Normal residential hot water is around 120 degrees, which is below the limit they specified, so you will likely be okay using hot water from the tap. If you aren't sure, check with a thermometer. If it is a lot higher than 120, you need to turn your hot water heater down anyway because that could scald people. The water from an instant hot, however, is over 180 degrees, which is too hot. Don't use that or you'll deform the plastic and cause all kinds of damage to the unit. I was disappointed that it didn't heat up the water, as heated water becomes a very effective solvent, even without cleaning solution. The more expensive ones have this, but they are also heavier so there is a tradeoff. The suction power of this thing is fantastic. Basically, you run it over the area while holding the trigger to deposit fluid forward and back, then release the trigger and do the same thing to suck up the water. It will still be damp afterward (it isn't magic), but not soaked. I was initially somewhat disappointed with the results but came back later when the area had fully dried and I was very impressed. There are several cleaning solutions Bissell offers, so I ordered a few of them along with the Boost products that are intended to be added to existing solutions to make them better for specific tasks. They are very concentrated which makes the price more reasonable than it might appear at first, and the reviews are generally very high so I'm looking forward to doing larger areas with them. One thing I hadn't considered was how nice the right carpet cleaning solution can make the room smell. I enjoy scents, so this is very appealing to me. They do make unscented solutions for people who don't like that. Emptying the dirty water tank, which is in the head of the machine, was very easy and it clips on securely when fastened. This entire machine has clearly been thought out and refined to be as easy to use as possible, and they have succeeded in this. Other than having the water heated, the only other thing I would want is a retractable cord instead of having to wind it onto the provided posts. I had a vacuum with this several years ago and it was great. Not the vacuum, unfortunately, just the retractable cord. ;-) Overall, this is a really great way to get into the carpet cleaning business. Sean Logue, 2017