Bissell powerforce powerbrush upright carpet cleaner reviews

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

This compact machine is easy to use, but it lacks the cleaning power of more sophisticated machines.

Pros

• +

  The cord is surprisingly long for such a small machine.

Cons

• -

  The water extraction was pretty weak, so you will have to wait for carpets to dry.

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The Bissell PowerForce PowerBrush had one of the weakest performances in our tests. It was not without merit, though. It did clean our test stains and leave our carpet fresh and clean, like all the others. And it was also the least expensive.

The PowerBrush has less cleaning power and a small cleaning path. It takes more passes to clean each stretch, and you will have to make more passes in order to cover the same amount of carpeting as bigger machines.

This machine also struggled to extract water. Soggy carpets could lead to mold, especially in humid climates, but this is not likely. It is mostly just annoying to have wet carpet for long periods of time.

There are plenty of advantages to small machines like this, too. This was the very lightest one we tested so it is easy to get up and down stairs or to other areas of the home. It is also easy to maneuver around furniture and other obstacles. This was so nice in comparison to the bulkier machines. The smaller units like this are also much easier to store because they take so little room. It's easy to get them out just for a quick clean-up here and there. This one even has a collapsible handle to make it more compact. 

Smaller machines are less noisy, too. There were a couple of machines that were quieter than the PowerBrush, but this was among the quieter machines.  

One nice surprise was how long the cord was. Other compact machines we compared had short cords. This one has 20 feet – as much as many of the full-sized machines. The tank is only 2 ounces, so you will have to empty it often.

A contracted writer for TTR, Angie has been reviewing vacuum cleaners, countertop appliances and other home goods for more than eight years. Her spare time often goes to planning improvements for her quirky 103-year-old home or hiking in the gorgeous Utah mountains. In her past role, she was a newspaper journalist and she has a bachelor's degree in Technical Writing.