The design is simpler than you might find on more expensive models, however. The dirty water tank, for example, is held in place by two clips, one on either side of the machine, which requires some fiddling to release, where more expensive models tend to release both tanks with a smoother, single-handed operation. It’s a straightforward set-up: the carpet cleaner mode turns on when you select one of two cleaning modes. The Rug Doctor has scooped a Gold Seal of Approval from the Carpet and Rug Institute, and let me tell you, those boys don't p*ss about. Also receiving near-unanimous praise from its legion of satisfied users, this weighty beast uses its heft to ensure the revolving brushes are reaching deep down into the pile. It may be more difficult to manoeuvre but you’re likely to see better results. The HydroWave has separate clean and dirty tanks so it's easy to empty out the machine Credit: Bissell

BISSELL HydroWave | How to use BISSELL HydroWave | How to use

My favourite discovery was a clever and handy bit of design. At first it’s a simple plastic tray that you can store the washer on – it has a built in slot for the cleaning tool so you don’t lose it. That’s a great idea. It’s like those phones that have a slot for their little stylus pen. If you have a particularly stubborn stain you can use Bissell’s CleanShot technology. This blasts a jet of detergent onto a particular spot. Simply press the ‘spray’ button on the handle to activate it. It comes with a special tool for cleaning gunk out of the front of the machine. Perfect for those stubborn pet hairs that get twisted up in there. It had no impact on old, dried-in stains, but easily dealt with a new spill of red wine after just three passes. Aside from one mishap when the water lid’s catch inadvertently popped off and spilled slightly, this top-tier cleaner performed with aplomb.In terms of downsides, even though the device is compact, it's quite heavy when the tanks are full.

Bissell HydroWave Carpet Cleaner Review | The Sun UK | The Sun

It’s an effective carpet cleaner, however. Switching the machine on will set its rotating brushes and suction off, while a trigger on the handle releases a 2% mix of Bissell’s cleaning fluid (of which 236ml is supplied) and warm water. Squirt a bit of that into the carpet, then let the brush do its work. It wasn’t as hard-working in our tests as more expensive models, but it does an excellent job for the price. Right now we can’t think of a better carpet cleaner for design, intuitive function and performance, so if you have the readies to hand we suggest you buy one. Like pronto. There are a number of reasons why we think this is the best carpet cleaner money can buy and you'll be able to read more about it in our forthcoming comprehensive review of the Tineco Carpet One Pro. But for the record, here’s what it does in a nutshell. With no testing lab, the only option open to us is real-world testing. We also happen to think that is the best kind of testing, so that's all good. We test carpet cleaners in real homes, on different types and depths of carpet and rug. Our reviewers are pet owners, so the struggle is real. In our tests, the HydroWave lifted a significant amount of dirt out of our test cleaning area, even after we would been over it with a top-rated vacuum cleaner. It left the carpet looking and feeling significantly cleaner and fluffier.

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We searched for all of the Surface Cleaners that we could find at Currys. In total we found 39 different products available.

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If you would prefer to use less water and get your carpets dry sooner, there’s an Express Clean option that’s not quite as thorough but leaves carpets dry within 30 minutes. There’s even a spot wash option that squirts an extra dose of cleaning fluid from the front so you can efficiently target a stain before you set it washing. Most carpet cleaners require hot water to work efficiently but this model is able to keep the water at optimum temperature using its Heated Cleaning technology.It also features two levels of cleaning power: Deep Clean and Express Clean.

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This model’s not especially easy to stow for those who are tight on storage space, but it’s an exemplary performer nonetheless, even if it doesn’t come with a hose for detailed spot cleaning. Like most upright carpet cleaners, this award-winning scrubber has two water reservoirs, one for clean hot water (3.5 litres), the other below for collecting the dirty stuff (2.9 litres). Unless you have swathes of carpet throughout the home that requires constant attention, your best bet is a spot cleaner like this easy-to-store cordless model from Vax. The 6m long power cable is just long enough to let you cover a room at a time, and it winds around the handle when you’re done. The retaining clip at the top spins round to make it easier to release the power cable, although you can’t move this clip far enough if the water tank is inserted. The two water tanks (one for clean water, the other for dirty) are clearly visible and easy to handle, although filling the main water tank is a bit fiddly since it requires careful measurements of both water and the detergent solution.