The Edit — Home & Garden
Portable Carpet Cleaners Compared: Little Green and Rivals
6 portable carpet cleaners from Bissell, Shark and Hoover, all rated 4.5 or higher. The original Little Green has 94,744 ratings; the newest Shark rates highest on far fewer. Suction is the recurring argument.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick. How we choose
The 6 portable carpet cleaners here are ranked by rating, then by how many owners rated them, read on 10 October 2026, as How we choose describes. Each is read against its listing and what owners consistently report. Nothing here was handled or tested.
Shark StainStriker Portable Spot and Stain Cleaner, 2 Tools, PX221BRN
Good fit A buyer who wants the newest design
Not for A buyer who wants a long track record, as some report leaks
BISSELL Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet Cleaner, 1400B
Good fit Spot stains and pet accidents
Not for A buyer who wants strong suction, as it splits owners
BISSELL Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner, 4075
Good fit A small flat with a cupboard to store it in
Not for Deep, set-in stains, as suction splits owners
Shark StainStriker Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner, 4 Tools, PX202BRN
Good fit Car seats and upholstery as well as carpet
Not for A buyer who wants a sure long life, as durability splits owners
BISSELL Little Green Max Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner, 3860
Good fit A home with a dog and a light carpet
Not for A buyer expecting every stain gone in 1 pass
Hoover CleanSlate XL Deep Cleaning Carpet and Upholstery Spot Cleaner
Good fit Stairs and upholstery that need scrubbing
Not for Heavy use, as owners report the hose tearing
The original Little Green is the safe buy
The Bissell Little Green 1400B carries 94,744 ratings at 4.5, more than the other 5 here combined. Owners rate it on spot cleaning and pet stains and find it easy to set up. Suction and value split them, and some are disappointed by the build quality.
BISSELL Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet Cleaner, 1400B
94,744 ratings at 4.5, the portable cleaner owners use for spot and pet stains.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Model | 1400B |
|---|
94,744 ratings at 4.5. Owners say it cleans spots and pet stains well and is easy to use. Suction and value for money split them, and some owners report quality problems.
Buy it if
- Spot stains and pet accidents
Don't buy it if
- A buyer who wants strong suction, as it splits owners
The Little Green Mini rinses its own hose
The Little Green Mini 4075 was 7th in Amazon’s Home & Kitchen Best Sellers on 10 October 2026, and rates 4.5 across 11,270 ratings. The listing names HydroRinse, a self-cleaning hose, which deals with the job owners of older models dislike. Owners like that it stores in a cabinet; suction splits them.
BISSELL Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner, 4075
11,270 ratings at 4.5, a smaller Little Green with HydroRinse self-cleaning, 7th in Amazon's Home & Kitchen Best Sellers on 10 October 2026.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Model | 4075 |
|---|---|
| Hose | HydroRinse self-cleaning, per the listing |
11,270 ratings at 4.5. Owners say it lifts dirt and pet messes, carries easily and fits in a cabinet. Suction splits them.
Buy it if
- A small flat with a cupboard to store it in
Don't buy it if
- Deep, set-in stains, as suction splits owners
For a dog-heavy home, the Little Green Max Pet rates 4.5 across 3,908 ratings. Owners single out coffee stains and dog sick, and say the tanks keep clean and dirty water apart. How completely it cleans splits them.
BISSELL Little Green Max Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner, 3860
3,908 ratings at 4.5, a Little Green owners say pulls up coffee and pet messes.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Model | 3860 |
|---|
3,908 ratings at 4.5. Owners say it is easy to assemble, with strong suction on coffee and pet stains, and call it worth the money. Cleaning results are mixed.
Buy it if
- A home with a dog and a light carpet
Don't buy it if
- A buyer expecting every stain gone in 1 pass
Shark StainStriker rates highest, on a newer listing
The Shark StainStriker PX221 rates 4.6, the highest here, on 841 ratings. Owners praise its self-cleaning, its suction and its light weight. Some report leaks, and several mention missing attachments.
Shark StainStriker Portable Spot and Stain Cleaner, 2 Tools, PX221BRN
841 ratings at 4.6, a newer, lighter Shark owners praise for suction and self-cleaning.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Tools | 2 |
|---|
841 ratings at 4.6, a newer listing with fewer reviews yet. Owners like the self-cleaning, the suction and the weight, and call it good value for pet owners. Leaks and missing attachments are the complaints.
Buy it if
- A buyer who wants the newest design
Don't buy it if
- A buyer who wants a long track record, as some report leaks
The older PX202 carries 4 tools and rates 4.5 across 5,721 ratings. Owners like the tanks that lift out and rinse, the size that fits under a kitchen table, and its suction in a car. Durability splits them.
Shark StainStriker Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner, 4 Tools, PX202BRN
5,721 ratings at 4.5, a compact Shark with 4 tools that owners also use in the car.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Model | PX202BRN |
|---|---|
| Tools | 4 |
5,721 ratings at 4.5. Owners find it easy to use and empty, compact, and strong enough for car interiors. One says it paid for itself in 1 use. Durability is mixed.
Buy it if
- Car seats and upholstery as well as carpet
Don't buy it if
- A buyer who wants a sure long life, as durability splits owners
Hoover CleanSlate XL scrubs; its hose is the weak point
The Hoover CleanSlate XL rates 4.5 across 895 ratings. It comes with a brush and a rubber spiked scrubbing tool, and owners call it a strong machine that stores in a closet. The complaint is the hose, which some owners say tore after a few uses.
Hoover CleanSlate XL Deep Cleaning Carpet and Upholstery Spot Cleaner
895 ratings at 4.5, a Hoover with a brush and a rubber scrubbing tool.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Tools | Brush and rubber scrubbing tool |
|---|
895 ratings at 4.5. Owners like the suction, the scrubbing attachments and the closet-friendly size. Hose durability is the recurring complaint.
Buy it if
- Stairs and upholstery that need scrubbing
Don't buy it if
- Heavy use, as owners report the hose tearing
For the 2 head to head on pet stains, Little Green or Hoover CleanSlate compares them in detail.
Vacmaster missed the cut on leaks
The Vacmaster 400 rates 4.4 across 2,921 ratings, below every cleaner on this page. Owners like it on sofas and odours, but report water leaking, which is the one thing a carpet cleaner cannot do.
If the stain is a pet accident, dog urine in carpet covers the smell as well as the mark.