Which Bissell Carpet Cleaner to Buy: Portable Spot or Full-Sized Upright?

For many consumers, Bissell is the go to brand name when shopping for a new carpet cleaner. With more than a hundred years of experience producing quality carpet care equipment, many trust the machines offered this iconic American company.

When it comes to buying the right carpet cleaner for your needs, the two most popular Bissell carpet cleaning machines being purchased are its portable spot and full-sized upright models. Here’s a comparison on what they are, and tips on which could be a better fit for your fits.

What are Portable Spot Cleaners?

Portable models are known as spot carpet cleaner models. They are suitable for cleaning up stains and spots on carpets. The brush-head or cleaning path is approximately 3 inches to 6 inches in width. These units are small and lightweight; and therefore can stored under the sink and conveniently brought out for a quick clean-up anytime. They can also be used to clean upholstery, auto-interiors and stairs.

Bissell spot cleaners come with the similar water extraction deep carpet cleaning technology that regular upright cleaners have but have smaller water tanks and less motor power in comparison. For the most powerful Bissell spot cleaner, check out the Bissell SpotClean Pro 3624. It’s a best-seller. You can compare this to other top spot cleaners here.

What are Upright Carpet Cleaners?

Bissell upright cleaner models are full-sized deep cleaners meant for cleaning larger areas like entire rooms and homes. The brush-roll cleaning path width is approximately 10 to 12 inches, much wider than small brush-heads of portable spot cleaners (3 to 6 inches). Many Bissell upright carpet cleaners come with hose attachments for cleaning smaller spots, upholstery or auto-interiors as well.

Bissell upright carpet cleaners are recommended for households seeking an all purpose carpet cleaner that can be used for broad stroke area carpet cleaning, spots and upholstery. In comparison to Bissell Spot Cleaners, they are the more powerful, but they are heavier and more bulky to bring around and use. They also cost more than a small portable unit.

If you prefer an upright model, the most popular ones are the Big Green 86T3, Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution and Bissell DeepClean Pet Cleaner 17N4. The Big Green 86T3 is the Cadillac of Bissell upright cleaners. It is a professional-grade machine. The Bissell Proheat 2X Revolution features a new lightweight design, and two-tank water system. (Check out the detailed reviews for each of these machines via the links in this paragraph.)

Which to Buy: Portable or Upright?

Each type of carpet cleaner have its pros and cons. One is not a better or a more obvious choice than another. It all depends on what your goals of having a home carpet cleaning machine may be.

Do spots often develop at on your home carpets? Do you like the convenience of a small portable cleaner? If so, a spot cleaner would be something to seriously consider. More reviews

Are you looking for a machine that can clean up the entire home? If so, check out Bissell Upright Cleaners more carefully. More reviews

A lot of households with pets also have both units handy. One for that quick clean-up as stains develop, and one for more in-depth area clean-ups every few months.

Can’t Decide?

Lastly, if you can’t decide, there is always the Bissell Lift-Off Deep Cleaner. It’s got a cool hybrid design that works as both a portable and an upright cleaner.

Resources:

Portable Spot & Upright Home Carpet Cleaners Comparison _ Need more information? Check out this comparison chart.

Type of Home Carpet Cleaners – Learn more about the various types of carpet cleaning machines purchased by home users.

Bissell Carpet Cleaner Reviews – Check out more information on various Bissell Carpet Cleaners and read reviews for the ones that interests you most.

Clean Like a Pro With The Bissell Big Green 86T3/ 86T3Q – See a video of the Bissell Big Green 86T3 Pro grade machine in action.