I put this steam-powered spot cleaner to work on carpets, sofas and even the kids' mucky trainers — my busy family home has never been so clean

As a mum of three, I'm always on the lookout for cleaning tools that actually make my life easier, especially ones which don't rely on harsh chemicals. So, when I got my hands on the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam, which promises to tackle tough, deep-set stains across multiple surfaces, I couldn't wait to put it to the test.

From carpets and sofas, to the kids' trainers and my baby's pushchair, it's fair to say I put the machine through its paces in almost every room in the house. And if you're wondering if it deserves a place among the best carpet cleaners and spot cleaners, let's just say it didn't disappoint. In fact, I'd say it's just as good as the best steam cleaners, too.

In a nutshell

I tested the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam for three weeks in my family home, using it on every type of surface I could. Its built-in steam function really gives it the edge, lifting stubborn stains with ease and delivering visibly better results.

When I tell you I was mortified by the dirt lifted on areas I thought were clean (especially my carpets) – I'm not exaggerating.

It's easy to use and compact enough to store between uses. The downsides? It's pretty noisy and the hose could be a bit longer, but it's got a long power cord, wheels and carry handle which makes it easy to move about.

I'm genuinely impressed with the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam – there's not much it can't work its magic on. For busy households looking to keep on top of everyday spills and stubborn stains, I'd say it's well worth the investment.

Specifications

• Model number: 3689E
• Dimensions: D 25cm x W 36cm x H 35.6cm
• Cable length: 4.5m
• Hose length: 1.5m
• Number of settings: 3
• Water tank capacity (clean): 1.9 L
• Water tank capacity (dirty): 1.5 L
• Cleaning power: 1000 W
• Weight: 5.9kg
• Accessories: 1 x 7cm tough stain brush tool, 1 x 12cm tough stain brush tool, 1 x multi-surface tool, 1 x HydroRinse tool
• RRP: £299.99

How I tested

Rebecca Lawton

As a busy mum, I'm constantly cleaning up after my little ones. My home is a testing ground for any cleaning tool, especially anything that will save me time and effort. I tested the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam around my home, on everything from my carpets, sofas and hardwood floors, to my baby's buggy and car seat and the kids' dirty trainers.

While Bissell kindly sent the product for me to test, I followed our dedicated testing process, to provide an honest, impartial review.

Unboxing the product, assembly and first impressions

The Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam arrived in a branded cardboard box, wrapped in an outer layer of clear, plastic packaging so there was no guessing what had turned up at my door. The box was compact enough for me to lift on my own (although granted not the most lightweight) and carrying between rooms was definitely manageable.

Inside I found a layer of moulded cardboard packaging (the type that resembles an egg box) which held everything securely in place. It's both recyclable and compostable, which is always a plus.

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The accessories and instruction manual were slotted in between the grooves, wrapped individually in plastic packaging. The main unit itself sits on another layer of the moulded cardboard, and was also wrapped in plastic.

Overall, it felt well packaged and secure – although if I'm nitpicking, I'd say the amount of packaging could be reduced a little. But everything arrived in pristine condition and there was little risk of it getting damaged.

When I first lifted the unit out of the box, it felt a little heavier than I was expecting. However, with detachable wheels and a handle, it's easy to move without much effort.

I then laid out all of the parts which included the spot clean unit, four detachable wheels, a bottle of cleaning solution, three different tool attachments, a cleaning nozzle and a manual. I was initially impressed with the look and feel of the unit, as it felt robust and high-quality and gave the impression that it's built to last.

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Assembling the product was really straightforward. There are two removable tanks on either side of the unit – one for clean water and one to collect dirty water. I took these out first before tilting the machine on its side to attach the wheels to the base. They slotted into place easily and securely.

Next I filled the clean water tank. There are two fill lines marked on the tank – one for smaller jobs and another for larger areas, so you can measure based on how much surface you need to cover .

After filling it with water, I added the solution to the indicated fill line on the tank, closed the cap and clicked the tank back into the machine. The whole process of assembling the unit only took a couple of minutes.

What's it like to use?

The Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam is refreshingly simple to use. For someone who doesn't have much patience with manuals, I was pleasantly surprised to see it didn't require much in the way of setting up or figuring out.

To get started, you select the tool to attach based on the job (the manual recommends which tools to use depending on the surface you're cleaning). The tools click really easily onto the end of the hose, and once that's done you need to select one of the three cleaning modes.

If using one of the steam modes, the unit takes 30 seconds to heat up, at which point the indicator light turns amber. One thing that did catch me off guard was the noise – it was much louder than I expected but not unbearable, and I'm sure it's no louder than similar spot cleaners.

Then you simply press the trigger to release the steam and the solution. It's worth noting the manual recommends doing this over a sink – I didn't, though, and sprayed a fair amount of water on my carpet until I got the hang of it.

It did take about four or five presses for the steam to kick in. Once the trigger is released, the idea is to move the tool head back and forth, and the bristles do the work of loosening and lifting the stains.

Cleaning carpets and rugs

The floors in my living room and most of the floors upstairs are all carpeted and with three little ones (including a crawling baby - IYKYK), keeping them clean is a constant challenge. I rely on professional cleans twice a year, so if there's an at-home remedy that can save me money and delivers results, then I'm here for it.

The first place I tested Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam was on my living room carpets – and let me tell you, they were in desperate need of some TLC. Thanks to baby milk stains and general wear and tear, it's fair to say the carpets were looking dull and worn.

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I set the machine to it's max steam mode (HydroSteam), which combines steam and cleaning formula to tackle deep-set, tough stains quickly and effectively.

To lift the stain fully, you make a few dry passes, pulling the tool slowly towards you with a firm downward pressure until there is no water visible inside the nozzle.

The tank lasted about 15 minutes before the water ran out, which was enough to treat my living room carpets and some stubborn sofa stains. The colour of the water was embarrassing!

In terms of cleaning time, as I used the HydroSteam setting (which is the most powerful), it took a couple of hours to dry completely – although after an hour it was only slightly damp. The key is to make sure you repeatedly go over the cleaned area several times to extract as much moisture as possible.

I also put the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam to the test on our bedroom carpet. There were a few stubborn makeup marks I'd been unable to get rid of and dreaded Calpol stains, so I was keen to see if the unit could shift it.

I used the largest tool attachment on the HydroSteam setting, and after refilling the water tank I added the cleaning solution to the indicated line. I went in with a generous amount of steam, which did mean I needed to give it some elbow grease and it did take quite a few passes until the stain started lifting.

For full transparency, the stains had been there a while so I suspect if I'd tackled them straight away, they would have lifted more easily. That said, it did manage to completely remove the stains and I'm not kidding when I say they looked like brand new carpets!

The wash mode setting is also recommended for carpets and area rugs, so I gave it a go on the rug in my conservatory – which didn't have any tough stains to tackle. It still refreshed the rug, but I definitely noticed the difference having used the steam mode first on my carpets.

Cleaning sofas

My fabric sofas in both my living room and conservatory are a magnet for spills and mystery marks from my three little ones, so I'm constantly battling to keep them clean.

I decided to use the smaller, three inch tool attachment on my sofas. As there were a few stubborn stains I was struggling to shift, I tackled it with the HydroSteam setting for extra power.

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Once the unit had heated up and I started brushing, I was impressed to see it only took a couple of passes and the stain lifted leaving my sofa looking visibly cleaner and fresher.

It's worth noting that it still requires a bit of elbow grease, especially if you're working with large surface areas. One of my sofas is a lighter fabric and I had to go over it a few times to make sure I'd removed all of the moisture – the last thing you want to be left with is noticeable water marks on bright upholstery after spot treating.

Cleaning tiles and grout

Using the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam to clean tiles and grout wasn't something I'd considered until I spotted it in the manual. I would usually reach for my handheld steam cleaner for this kind of job, but I was intrigued to see how it would perform.

I used the multi-surface tool on the steam mode to tackle the tiles in my kitchen. While it did lift some of the grime, it was quite awkward using it on walls.

Even though the hose is 1.5m long, I needed to elevate the unit by popping it onto a chair, as it didn't have enough flexibility to reach from the floor. The walls did look cleaner after using it, but I don't think it was as effective (or convenient) as my handheld steamer.

I also tried it on my laminate floors which are prone to daily food spills. The stains did lift but I didn't find it as effortless or effective as using a traditional mop.

Cleaning baby and kids' gear

Any parent will know a baby's pushchair is a magnet for mess – crumbs, spills, sticky patches (don't even get me started on the car seat, I'll get to that!) so I couldn't wait to put the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam to the test on it.

I decided to use the steam only setting to see how effective it was without any cleaning solution as I wanted to avoid chemicals and I paired it with the multi-surface tool.

I was genuinely impressed, the marks lifted with minimal effort and the pushchair lining looked noticeably cleaner and fresher. So, it's also a big win for quick, chemical-free refreshes too.

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My baby's car seat was overdue a good clean as it's one of the things that tends to get overlooked. I used the steam-only setting as I wanted to avoid chemicals, and I paired it with the multi-surface tool.

Like with the carpets, there were a few stubborn dried food marks required a bit of extra pressure, but it only took a few passes for the stains to lift. And because I stuck to the steam-only setting, the car seat was completely dry within 30 minutes.

There were a couple of suncream marks which I struggled to remove, so for deeper-set stains like these, I'd recommend using the HydroSteam mode for extra cleaning power.

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But I didn't stop there. And while I'll be honest, I wouldn't have thought about cleaning my kids' trainers with a spot cleaner .But after reading the manual, I was excited to give it a go!

So, used the HydroSteam setting and the multi surface tool on a pair of once-white trainers that had seen better days.

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I attached to the hose and generously sprayed both the fabric and rubber soles. And let me tell you, the satisfaction I got as I started scrubbing and could see the dirt lifting was borderline pathetic.

Don't get me wrong, it took some elbow grease but I was really impressed at how clean they came up and I would definitely use it again when the next pair of trainers in my house need a clean - which, to be honest, probably won't be very long a wait.

Cleaning, storage and maintenance

The Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam is fairly compact and the hose wraps neatly around the unit for easy storage. While there's no dedicated space for the tools, you can keep the different nozzles in the water tank if you're short on storage space.

Alternatively, it might be worth keeping hold of the original box to store that way.

The dirty water is easy to remove and empty. Once the water reaches the 'max' line, just lift the tank from the unit, rotate the handle backwards to unlock and remove the lid, then pour out the dirty water. It's a good idea to do this after every use. Rinse the tank thoroughly to remove any debris, before reattaching the lid and clicking it back into place.

Cleaning the unit itself is also really straightforward. Alongside emptying and rinsing the tank, Bissell includes a HydroRinse Self-Cleaning Hose Tool, which attaches like any other nozzle and flushes the hose clean after use. Simply switch the machine onto the HydroSteam setting and hold the trigger down for 30 seconds to clean.

How does it rate online?

At the time of reviewing, the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam has a total of 32 reviews and a 4.7 star rating on the Bissell website. Most positive comments are from customers who were impressed with how easy it is to use and much dirt the unit managed to collect.

On Amazon, the product had more than 3,000 reviews and a 4.2 star rating. Of these 68% of customers awarded it 5 stars and the positive comments were around its ease of use, effectiveness at lifting stains and unseen dirt and being compact.

And on the Argos website, it has a rating of 4.3 stars with 21 reviews – with comments similar to the other positive reviews, praising its effectiveness at removing stains on carpets and upholstery.

There were some mixed reviews on the effectiveness of the steam function, and value for money received mixed opinions.

How does it compare to similar models and its predecessors?

The most noticeable upgrade of the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam compared to earlier models is that it uses steam to remove stains, whereas previous units rely solely on warm water and detergent.

At £299.99 the SpotClean HydroSteam is on the pricier side of the brand's spot cleaner range. In comparison the Little Green portable spot cleaner retails at £99.99 and the SpotClean Pro is £149.99. Both are effective at tackling spills and messes, but they don't offer the steam functionality that gives the SpotClean HydroSteam it's edge.

While the tank isn't the largest in Bissell's range, it holds enough water to comfortably tackle small to medium sized cleaning jobs without constantly refilling. It's also slightly heavier than the Little Green and Spot Clean Pro, but the detachable wheels and carry handle help to make it easier to move from room to room.

The Revolution Hydrosteam is another Bissell model that features steam technology, but as a larger, upright carpet cleaner it's more suited to full room deep-cleaning, as opposed to quick spot jobs and everyday spills.

It's also worth comparing to the Vax Spotwash Home Cordless which is one of the most popular spot cleaners on the market, and it has an advantage of being cordless so offers more flexibility and convenience. That said, it lacks the steam-cleaning function of the Bissell model, and you'll need to recharge it between cleans.

Verdict: Should you buy the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam?

If you're looking to expand your cleaning toolkit the Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam is a strong contender for deep-cleaning carpets, upholstery and more. It's compact enough to be able to pull out when you need to tackle quick spills and messes, and effective enough to work on deep-set stains. It does require a fair amount of elbow grease and it's better suited to small areas so if you need to clean entire floors, a full-sized carpet cleaner would be a better investment.

For busy households though that are prone to everyday messes and spills, I think it's well worth considering. Although it's not the cheapest model on the market, the steam function really sets it apart and it goes beyond a traditional spot cleaner, allowing you to clean multiple surfaces beyond carpets and sofas. The only thing I'd say it's less suited to is hard floors and tiles.