Consumer Reports rates Carpet Cleaning Machines

[samotronic]

Consumer Reports has rated carpet deep cleaners in the March 2010 edition which is already available on line to subscribers. I wish I had this report before I bought a pricey Hoover Platinum cleaner (which btw is not functional and in the shop after only 3 uses).

I have included the link to the ratings and it works in the preview, but I hope it works for others that don't already subscribe to this. Let me know if it doesn't and we'll find a way.

Chris

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...-ratings/carpet-cleaning-machines-ratings.htm

 

[samotronic]

Uh Oh

I thought that was too good to be true when I previewed it. Guess the site was still in my cache. Anyhow, here is a summary from highest to lowest

1. Hoover Dual V Spin Scrub All Terrain. Overall Score: 75
2. Hoover Steam Vac w/ Spin Scub. Score: 62
3. Hoover Platinum. Score 62
4. Bissell Pro Heat 2X. Scored 60
5. Hoover Steam Vac w Power Brush Score 57

Only machines 1 and 2 scored excellent in dryness. Items 1, 2 and 4 scored very good in cleaning. #3 only Good in that category.

BTW, they compared these to Rug Doctor which scored over all at only 49. Scored Very good for cleaning, but only Fair for Dryness and Convenience.

I can share more if there are other questions. Chris.

 

[suckolux]

as the owner of two dual v's I would really have to agree! The new one has more power and width than the 4 year old one, but it is still going fine!

 

[kenmore81]

I have both CR online and the magazine, I just read the other day that the Rug Dr. scored poor in the dryness catagory. I have both the Dual-V and the Rug Dr. and they seem pretty equal to me. If I clean more than one carpet by the time Im done with the second one the first one is barely damp to the touch with either machine.
I always Steam-vaced my carpets every month or so, then in the spring I would rent a Rug Dr as it seemed to get a bit deeper. Now that I own the RD, I use it more than the Hoover. I also clean carpets as side work for extra money, and I have not yet had any complaints. Everyone has been quite happy with my work so far. May will be 3 years =)
Just my 13amps lol. BTW, I usualy go over the carpet with 2-3 "dry" strokes to get as much water as I can.
Kenny

 

[samotronic]

I agree

I agree Kenny. I like Consumer Reports, but they are a bench mark and not the absolute. It would be so cool for the VCCC to get a tour and see their testing process and exchange how we as "power" users evaluate vacs. I doubt that many of their subscribers have as much hands-on testing experience as we do. And I do know that vacuums are one of their biggest draws, prompting them to review them "continually" and publish the results more often.

Chris

 

[kenmore81]

I agree Chris. We should see if we could get a tour of the CR "works". And we do a better evaluation job im sure.Its the first thing we do when a new vac pops up.Or an old one for that matter lol