It’s hard to find one trustworthy site that will give you advice and reviews on different carpet cleaning machines.  One trusted source, Consumer Reports, hasn’t done a review on carpet cleaning machines for over 4 years.  You can visit numerous consumer buying sites such as Amazon, Sears.com, Target.com, etc to get consumer reviews.  Here are the top rated carpet cleaners we’ve found from these sites:

Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge approx $160.  This particular cleaner had the fewest complaints. Other Hoover models received mixed reviews, so be careful when purchasing.  With a 12 amp motor and five spinning brushes, Amazon consumers gave this model the best reviews.  This model is also good on bare floors and upholstery.  This model holds hot tap water in one of two tanks…dirty water goes into the other tank.  Also included is an 8 ft hose, spinning hand tool, hose and upholstery tool.  A touch of the Clean Surge button will dispense extra cleaning agent onto the area you’re cleaning.   This machine also removes a lot of the moisture leaving carpets drier than other carpet cleaning machines.

Another Hoover model, Hoover SteamVac All Terrain 12 amp Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner (approx $280) had mixed reviews.  The overall rating has been above average, but many users comment on the machine’s plastic parts are cheap and easily broken.  They also complain of the tank leaking.

Hoover’s SteamVac Dual V  (approx $250) has had many mixed reviews.  Some consumers love this carpet cleaner and others give it only one star—the lowest rating available. Reports about the tank cracking and leaking are some of the complaints.   The Hoover StamVac Spot Cleaner also has had poor reviews.

Another upright that has had good reviews is the Bissel ProHeat 2x Select Upright Deep Carpet Cleaner (approx $250).  12 rows of brushes and the onboard heating of the water are two of the benefits of the Bissel carpet cleaner.  Complaints include parts breaking and the suction on bare floors is inadequate.

The Dirt Devil Platinum Force Carpet Extractor (approx $150) gets positive reviews.  Consumers love the 3 tank system which allows for separate storage of cleaning solutions, clean water and dirty water.  The weight of the Dirt Devil when filled with water is one complaint.  This model comes with a 2 year warranty.

The Bissel QuickSteamer PowerBrush (approx $90) is a less expensive option that got good reviews. Weighing only 18 pounds, this model has two tanks that holds ½ gallon of water and cleaning solution in one tank and collects dirty water in the other tank.  It has a strong brush, but many say the suction isn’t all that great leaving their carpet wet longer.  Because of the smaller tank, you will need to dump and refill the tank more often.  This model seems to work best in smaller areas where light cleaning is needed.

And lastly, the Dirt Devil Vision Easy Steamer (approx $100) is recommended on a couple sites, but there weren’t a lot of consumer reviews. The hood on this machine needs to have routine cleaning so it won’t get clogged and lose suction.   Again, this machine has been recommended for small areas.

Keep in mind that even the carpet cleaners that scored the highest in consumer reviews still are prone to problems.  Leaking seems to be the most common problem followed by poor cleaning and insufficient suction leaving carpets too damp.  Durability of tools was another common complaint about carpet cleaning machines.  Before you buy one of these machines, be sure to do your homework.  Check out customer reviews about models you’re considering purchasing.  Rental of a carpet cleaning machine may be a good option before purchasing one.