An LED display shows cleaning progress and the carpet’s dryness level—a useful feature that the competitors lack. This model cleans nearly as well as our top pick, and it costs less.

There are so many carpet cleaning machines on the market ... to-use controls on the handle and a light-emitting diode (LED) display that lets you know what mode you’re cleaning in.

All this to say: If I want to have any chance at keeping my floors clean, I need a seriously powerful carpet cleaner. In my never-ending quest to keep my home clean(ish), I’ve tried several ...