Updated on Feb. 26, 2025
Who wins in the Hoover vs. Bissell carpet cleaner debate for cleaning pet messes? Here is what the experts, reviewers and our own testers say.
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A powerful carpet-cleaning machine is a must-have accessory for pet owners. Investing a little bit of cash into one of the best pet cleaning gadgets can save you even more money and heartache by removing pet stains—including urine, vomit and feces—from your carpet and upholstered surfaces and restoring them to their pre-pet-mess perfection.
“Tackling pet messes as fast as possible is the key to getting clean carpets,” says Andrew Halton, director of customer success at Rugs.com. When spot cleaning and vacuuming aren’t enough to clean a pet mess, opt for a carpet cleaning machine that’s easy to use. “If you have a pet, a mess is bound to happen. Be sure to invest in a top carpet cleaner because having it on hand when you need it most is one of the keys to having clean carpets,” he continues.
When it comes to purchasing pet cleaners, the Hoover vs. Bissell carpet cleaner debate usually comes up. Both brands are known to make some of the most effective and high-quality carpet cleaners on the market.
When it comes to the Hoover vs. Bissell carpet cleaner debate, know that both brands make carpet cleaners specifically for pet owners. According to Halton, Hoover carpet cleaners are generally known for their advanced cleaning technologies, which help to remove tough stains and odors. “They also offer a variety of models at different price points, making it easier to find a model that fits your budget,” he says.
Bissell carpet cleaners are known for their durability and reliability. “They offer a range of models with advanced features that help to remove tough stains and dirt,” Halton adds.
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The Hoover Clean Slate is a portable carpet, rug and upholstery spot cleaner that removes stains. Like traditional carpet cleaners, it uses a combination of cleaning solution, scrubbing and suction to remove messes. It has the added benefit of being lightweight and able to be taken from room to room or even in the car.
In our Hoover Clean Slate review, we tested the model with three attachments—your traditional scrubber, a seven-inch WidePath tool for larger spills and a TightSpot attachment for corners and hard-to-reach areas. Depending on their size and severity, the 40-ounce tank is large enough to clean multiple stains, and you’ll get a small bottle of Oxy carpet solution.
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The Hoover Power Scrub “features a brush system that spins and gently scrubs carpets and includes a heat feature to help speed the drying process so that more dirt doesn’t become trapped in the carpet fibers,” Halton says. Since it shampoos your carpet, it’ll also tackle smells left behind from pet messes. For serious pet messes, including getting urine out of carpet, there is a deep-clean option. Plus, it’s relatively lightweight, easy to use and easy to assemble.
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The Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam Plus is a wet/dry vacuum that lets you vacuum, wash and steam floors at the same time. It’s made for use with a specialized cleaning formula that steams and sanitizes hardwood, tile and other flat floors, as well as low-pile area rugs and carpets.
For our Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam review, product tester Allison Robicelli used it in her house with three dogs and six cats. While it did an outstanding job of cleaning up the accidents of a potty-training puppy, what really wowed me was how it performed in the areas around cat litter boxes.
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Bissell makes a variety of popular full-size and portable carpet cleaners for removing pet stains. While they are all highly rated, it’s their portable spot-cleaning machines with which the brand really excels. The Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner is our top pick for their best portable cleaner.
We can personally attest to its efficiency after Leah’s 100-pound German Shorthaired Pointer suffered explosive diarrhea over an expensive Persian rug. With strong suction and superior scrubbing power, it literally erased several spots—and the beyond-putrid smell that went along with them—in just moments.
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For a larger model that tackles complete rooms, the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam is an ultra-powerful upright carpet cleaner that uses proprietary HydroSteam technology to break up tough, set-in stains and messes that are difficult to clean, such as spills of oily or sticky substances. It offers three cleaning modes to handle jobs of all sizes, and the “Quick Dry” mode helps get carpets dry within 30 minutes. In addition to cleaning the floors using its upright design, this best Bissell carpet cleaner has an attached hose for cleaning upholstery, stairs and messes in hard-to-reach places.
“If you’re looking to invest in one of the best pet carpet cleaning machine brands on the market, I cannot recommend this product highly enough,” says Allison in her Bissell Revolution HydroSteam review.
The main difference between Hoover and Bissell is that Bissell seriously excels when it comes to products designed specifically for pet owners. Additionally, as far as carpet cleaners go, Bissell has a long history of providing great-value, budget-friendly options.
A few of Bissell’s most highly rated carpet cleaners for pets include:
For more details, check out all of our expert-tested, best Bissell carpet cleaners for pets.
While Hoover offers many great carpet cleaners in addition to vacuums, you’ll want to read the fine print and choose the right Hoover carpet cleaner for your needs, especially if you’re tackling pet stains, as they can be challenging.
However, Hoover makes a variety of carpet cleaners for pet owners, including larger, stand-up models, including:
The brand also makes portable carpet cleaners for pet owners, such as these models:
Hoover is well-known in the cleaning industry and has long been synonymous with vacuum cleaners. The famous brand has recently expanded into spot cleaners with its Clean Slate product line, which includes several models and bundles. Similarly, Bissell is famous for making high-quality and top-of-the-line vacuum cleaners, steam mops and carpet cleaners.
Both Hoover and Bissell are known for their reliability and durability, and both brands offer a range of carpet cleaners with advanced cleaning technologies and a wide array of features.
According to the brand’s website, products purchased from Hoover may be returned within 30 days from the date of purchase for credit. Warranty terms vary by product.
Generally, Bissell also offers 30-day returns for carpet cleaners purchased on its website. However, some models have an extended 60-day return policy. Check the website for more details. As for warranty, the length of time varies by product. For example, the same ProHeat model is under a five-year limited warranty, while the Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner only has a two-year warranty.
Former maintenance worker and product tester Anthony O’Reilly used the Hoover CleanSlate Portable Carpet Cleaner to clean up messes from his partner’s seven-year-old messy dog. After replacing most of their carpet in favor of laminate flooring, Anthony and his partner thought they had pet messes curbed. They soon realized that having a couch, bed and rugs (plus two rooms where the new floor hasn’t been put in yet) doesn’t take well to dirty fur and paws.
Just before writing the Hoover review, Anthony’s white rug was soiled by a relative’s dog. Anthony left the stain for two days before treating it. “After spraying the entire area, I got to scrubbing it before scrubbing/suctioning. This took about six seconds of work before I saw stains disappear,” Anthony says.
“I also conducted another test in one of the rooms that’s still carpeted—spilling coffee,” Anthony adds. “For what it’s worth, this was a very strong and dark coffee that was intentionally spilled on the carpet and allowed to rest for four days. I did nothing to the stain and even avoided stepping on it when I walked into the room. This took less effort than the dog stains.”
Allison Robicelli, owner of multiple cats and dogs, has tested several Bissell carpet cleaners for Family Handyman, including the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam and the Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam. The Bissell Revolution HydroSteam was tested on a heavily soiled carpet. “It felt like bringing a flamethrower to a fistfight. It demolished almost every carpet mess I threw at it with only one pass, and for the extra stubborn stains, a second pass got them out for good,” Allison says.
“In addition to doing a stupendous job of cleaning carpets, the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam is very user-friendly, with easy-to-adjust settings and clear markings,” Allison adds.
To test the Bissell CrossWave HydrosSeam Plus, Allison used it in a house with a variety of surfaces to clean, and a wide variety of pet messes. “Many carpet cleaning machines can leave something to be desired in the suction department, but the Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam Plus quickly picks up clay cat litter without leaving a trace behind,” Allison says.
So, who wins in the battle of Hoover vs. Bissel carpet cleaner debate? Both brands are well-known and respected in the carpet cleaner industry, offering a range of high-quality carpet cleaner models. Ultimately, your decision should depend on a variety of factors.
As Halton mentioned, Hoover carpet cleaners are generally known for their advanced cleaning technologies and for offering a wide range of models at different price points. Bissell carpet cleaners are known for their durability and reliability, equipping their machines with advanced features that help remove tough stains and dirt.
Instead of making a Hoover vs. Bissell carpet cleaner decision, base your choice on the model. “When choosing between the two, it’s essential to consider your specific cleaning needs, budget and preferences,” he says.
Overall, if you’re looking for a portable carpet cleaner, Bissell is the obvious choice, as its smaller models are often regarded as the best in the business. However, for a stand-up carpet cleaner, both Hoover and Bissell make smart options.
Hoover is considered one of the best carpet cleaner brands, especially for pet messes, says Halton.
When messes are too tough to tackle personally, or if you have a rug with special cleaning instructions, Halton recommends calling a professional carpet cleaner. “Not only are they knowledgeable, but professional carpet cleaners have seen it all and will have a plan to help get your carpets as clean as possible,” says Halton. Professional cleaners don’t use carpet cleaners you can buy in stores. “They have special, high-powered equipment that will tackle even the worst stains. Professional carpet cleaners often use heavy-duty steam cleaners, typically more powerful than consumer-grade carpet cleaners, to deep clean carpets and remove dirt, stains and odors more effectively,” he adds.
We launched our Bissell carpet cleaner review series in response to reader interest in the brand and have tested some of the top Bissell models in real-world conditions. Additionally, we’ve had our in-house product testers try out Hoover cleaners on real-life messes. Along with our testing, we also conduct extensive research on all the products we choose to review, which includes reading reviews from real customers so we know exactly what, if any, problems to look out for when trying these machines ourselves.
Two of our Hoover vs. Bissell testers are Allison Robicelli and Anthony O’Reilly. Allison is an award-winning writer and product tester with over 20 years of experience specializing in home goods, kitchen equipment, and pet supplies. Anthony is an award-winning journalist and former maintenance worker who changed career paths in 2019 to become an expert product tester and reviewer.
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