The Best Portable Vacuum Cleaners

UPDATED: Jan 05, 2020.

What is the best portable carpet steam cleaner? The answer to this question will be provided in this review. Portable vacuum cleaners, also called handheld vacuums are often used for small cleanups. Most people use a portable vacuum cleaner to clean their car, or small hard to reach areas and they can be carried easily from one location to the next. 

At a Glance: Our Recommendations for Best Portable Vacuum Cleaners:

• Koblenz RM-1715 Industrial Floor Machine (Top Pick)
• BISSELL BigGreen Portable Two Brush Floor (Top Rated)
• Pulman Holt Floor Scrubber/Polish 200752 (Editor Choice)
• Hoover Carpet Cleaner w/Accessory Pack & Clean
• Viper Cleaning Equipment Venom Series Low Speed Buffer
• Powr-Flite NM 2000 Millennium Edition Electric Burnisher
• Corded Floor Machine, 17” Cleaning Width
• Powr-Flite Classic Metal Electric Burnisher
• Viper Cleaning Equipment Venom Low Speed Buffer
• Mercury Floor Machines PRO 150020 Burnisher
• Ryobi ONE + DEVOUR Debris Sweeper
• Viper Cleaning Equipment Walk Behind Automatic Scrubber 
• Viper Cleaning Equipment Venom High Speed Floor Burnisher
• Mercury Floor Machines PRO21 Floor Machine
• Tornado 99410 BR 13/1 Electric Floor Scrubber

Review of the Best Portable Vacuum Cleaners

The following review roundup is about the best 15 portable vacuum cleaners available on the market in 2020. 

1. Koblenz RM-1715 Industrial Floor Machine 

The brand name of Koblenz has been manufacturing the highest quality of floor cleaners for more than forty years. This is an industrial type floor cleaner that has a 1.5 hp motor that is vibration free. To allow for a wider cleaning area, this vacuum has a 17 inch burnishing pad. 

Pros 

• Provides wide area of cleaning with a 17” burnishing pad
• Motor and parts have 3-year warranty 
• Brush speed is 175 RPM 

Cons

• A little too much power 
• Requires a learning curve to use

2. BISSELL BigGreen BGFS5000 Portable Two Brush Floor Scrubber & Polisher, Polypropylene, 13″ Large x 7″ W x 44″ H, White & Green 

This small scrubbing unit is ideal for cleaning all types of flooring. This includes concrete, brick, carpet, hardwood, ceramic, cork, laminate, marble, linoleum, polished tile, marble, slate, vinyl, terrazzo, and rubber. It is also very compact and capable of getting in the tiniest places. 

Pros 

• Gets in tight areas and scrubs
• So compact and lightweight 
• Durable housing is all metal 

Cons  

• Screw was stripped out 
• There was rust on the screws 

3. Pulman Holt Floor Scrubber/Polish 200752, PH-200752

This unit buffs and polishes, to provide additional safeguards for your vinyl, hardwood, laminate, concrete, and tile flooring. It is meant to aid you in keeping the floors in your home beautiful. The unit is lightweight, and even a young child can use it. 

Pros

• Keeps floors clean & sparkling 
• Has sturdy wheels for easy movability 
• Light in weight/ only 7 pounds 

Cons 

• It is actually too lightweight 
• Doesn’t have enough power 

4. Hoover Dual Power Pro Carpet Cleaner w/Accessory Pack & Clean Plus 2x Solution 

Hoover has been a trusted name in carpet cleaning for several years.This Pro Carpet Cleaner gives you the dual action needed for heavy cleaning. It also allows you to clean in the hardest to reach areas. 

Pros

• Has dual action, heavy duty cleaning ability 
• Gives you the power to clean hard to reach areas 
• 360-degree patented rotating counter

Cons 

• Machine makes a lot of squeaking sounds 
• Smoked and vibrated excessively before quit working 

5. Viper Cleaning Equipment VN1715 Venom Series Low Speed Buffer, 17” Deck Size, 175 RPM, 50’ Power Cable, 110V, 1.5 hp, 16” Pad Driver

This machine is one of the best Venom floor units available. It comes with CSA-approval, and is accessible in the 17” and 20” prototypes. The brand Viper makes carpet cleaning easier with fingertip controls. There is also a planetary triple gear box that is constructed of steel included. 

Pros

• Has fingertips controls that are simple to use 
• 1.5 hp, 66-frame engine 
• Planetary triple gear box that is all-steel 

Cons

• Not as good working as claimed 
• Buffer was damaged 

6. Powr-Flite NM 2000 Millennium Edition Electric Burnisher with Power Cord, 2000 RPM, 20”, 49” Height, 19” Length

The Powr-Flite NM 2000 Millennium cleaning unit has an electric burnisher with power cord. The burnisher runs at 2000 RPM for results that are excellent. Boasting a housing design that is patented along with a precise distribution of weight to provide the utmost competence. 

Pros

• 20” pad driver that is flexible is included 
• Burnishers are 2000 RPM for excellent results 
• Safety interlocking switch is thumb-activated 

Cons 

• User requires training before operating 
• Only authorized personnel can do maintenance/repairs 

7. Corded Floor Machine, 17” Cleaning Width, Lot of 1 

This cleaning machine is made by Global Industrial. With 1.5 HP and an all steel gearbox, triple planetary, with a dependable service for a longer life. It also includes a power safety cord that is fifty feet long. 

Pros 

• Includes a 50’ long power safety cord 
• Constructed of steel/stainless steel 
• 110V motor 

Cons

• No technical support 
• Poor customer service 

8. Powr-Flite C1600-3 Classic Metal Electric Burnisher with Power Cord, 1600 RPM, 20” 

This classic designed cleaner made by Powr-Flite comes with a burnisher that has all metal housing. It has a motor that is of advance technology for years of anguish-free cleaning. With 1600 RPM of power, you are certain to get a superior finish to your floors. 

Pros

• 1600 RPM gives a superior finish to all floor types 
• 20” pad drive that is flexible 
• Bumpers are non-marking

Cons

• Can’t run anything else on a 15-amp circuit when in use 
• Too powerful for stairs,  stripping floors/ will create a mess 

9. Viper Cleaning Equipment VN 2015 Venom Series Low Speed Buffer, 20” Deck Size, 175 RPM, 50’ Power Cable, 110V, 1.5 hp, 19” Pad Driver 

This is an easy to use, low speed buffer. It has finger controls, a safety switch for lock out and a universal clutch pad.This Viper cleaner also has a Triple planetary, all steel gearbox.  

Pros

• Finger-tip control
• Triple planetary, all steel gearbox
• 2-year warranty on labor

Cons 

• Lock mechanism on handle pushes the wheels out 
• Cord isn’t very durable

10. Mercury Floor Machines PRO 150020 PRO 1500 20 Ultra High Speed Burnisher, 1 HP

This cleaner as the convenience of an interlocking control switch. This allows both hands the capability of being in control.Additionally, it has a DC rectifier which prevents blowouts. Also, a polished aluminum chassis.   

Pros

• DC rectified motor prevents brownouts 
• Brush speed has 175 RPM 
• Chassis is polished aluminum 

Cons

• 40” height might be a bit short
• Seems a little heavy for a portable vacuum at 94 pounds 

11. Ryobi ONE + DEVOUR 18-Volt Cordless Debris Sweeper, Transparent 4.5 Gal Tub Capacity with LED Headlights Rear Wheel Adjustment Height, 21” Wide Cleaning Swath (TOOL ONLY) 

This cleaning produce has dual brushes that powerfully clean up debris, large or small. It picks up even the tiniest of screws, nails, tiny pieces of wood, and trash. It has brushes built in which rotate to clean the walls and edges. 

Pros 

• Brushes rotate to clean edges and walls 
• Tub is clear, illustrates how much debris has been picked up 
• Pivoting, adjustable handle 

Cons

• Has no vacuum functions 
• Little more than an electric broom 

12. Viper Cleaning Equipment 56384810 AS5160 Walk Behind Automatic Scrubber, 20” Brush, 16gal, Pad-Assist Drive, 31” Squeegee, 105 A/H Wet Batteries, 10 Amp Charger 

This vacuum has the capacity to clean a 20-inch path width. It also has a control panel that instinctively displays the hourly meter and battery volume. This cleaner has a sixteen gallon tank. It also has an onboard charger for wet or AGM batteries. 

Pros 

• 16-gallon tank
• Cleaning path is 20” for maximum productivity 
• Wet or AGM batteries available/onboard charger 

Cons

• Height may be a little tall 
• Length could make it hard to maneuver in small areas

13. Viper Cleaning Equipment VN 1500 Venom Series High Speed Floor Burnisher, 20” Deck Size, 1500 RPM Brush Speed, 110V, 50’ Power Cable, 1.5 hp, 2-5” Non-Marking Wheels 

The Viper Cleaning Equipment VN 1500 is an excellent cleaning device. It has fingertip controls which enable a more simple usage. This burnisher is simple to maneuver and use. It gives your floors a remarkable gleam to the way they appear. With fingertip controls to make easier and more convenient to use. Also, it has large wheels to make moving it room to room simple.  

Pros 

• Fingertip controls are simple to use 
• Wheels are large for ease of transport
• Motor is DC rectified 

Cons 

• Handle breaks easily 
• 48” tall could be cumbersome for a portable

14. Mercury Floor Machines PRO21 PRO-175-21 Floor Machine, 1.5 HP, 175 RPM, 20” Brush Diameter

This machine made by Mercury is a super durable floor unit that has a motor with 1.5 horsepower speed. It has 175 RPM of brush speed which permits the power to strip, scrub, and polish floors. It also covers floor width of 21 inches in diameter. 

Pros

• Bumper is non-marking/ guards baseboards and walls 
• Handle is 48” and adjusts to various heights 
• Non-conductive dual handle triggers protect against shock 

Cons 

• Drive was not included
• No brush came with buffer 

15. Tornado 99410 BR 13/1 Electric Floor Scrubber

This floor scrubber is made by Tornado. It works great on hard floors such as tile, vinyl, brick, mosaic, slate, marble, and granite. This cleaner also works great for grout and tile in your home.  It is also excellent on commercial-grade entrance and carpet matting. 

Pros

• Brushes can be used for regular maintenance or intense cleaning 
• Great for cleaning grout and tile 
• Has a corded BR 13/1 MW unit 

Cons 

• 66 pounds seems heavy for a portable cleaner 
• A 15 inch cleaning with might be too small 

Value

All of the portable vacuum cleaners in this review have excellent qualities. A portable vacuum cleaner is great for cleaning stairs, for furniture,, for pets, and getting into small, tight areas like corners and wallboards. They are also invaluable for car vacuum jobs.

Cleaning Pet Hair/dust

Additionally, a portable vacuum cleaner works well cleaning pet hair off of furniture. Allowing the vacuuming of fine dust particles that form on the grout and tile in your bathroom or laundry room. 

What size carpet cleaner are you looking for?

If you only want to do small jobs, then a portable hand-held device will work just fine. They are not as powerful as the larger ones, but work quickly and efficiently on small messes. If you have a lot of bigger areas to clean, then you will want a canister or mop-style cleaner. 

How a steam cleaner works

Carpet steam cleaners are also referred to as vapor cleaners. These cleaners utilize the dry vapors to sanitize or disinfect. They also clean and eliminate any dirt, grime, and stains that have accumulated on furniture and flooring. 

The way to use a carpet steam cleaner

When you bring your new carpet steam cleaner home you must take a few steps to prepare it for use. The first thing to do is clear the furniture away so you can make room to clean the area. Next put water and detergent in the water container and begin to do the steam cleaning. 

What you need to look for in an efficient carpet cleaner 

If you are in the market for a carpet cleaner there are several features you want to ensure exist. You want to make sure the boiler does what it is supposed to do. The boiler is what keeps the water hot to create steam and pressure. You will know a high-quality boiler because it is constructed of durable stainless steel. 

What type of refill tank do you get?

There are different types of refill tanks which make up an efficient carpet cleaner. Some refill tanks have a tank that is not pressurized. These tanks permit the user to add water while the unit is still operating. If there is no refill tank, the operator must depressurize the unit. 

What to look for in a carpet cleaner?

The carpet cleaner you purchase should make cleaning the carpet or hard-material flooring in your home as effortless as possible. When you purchase a cleaning system, it should come complete with technological advances. This will make your floors look as beautiful and spotlessly clean as if you had them cleaned professionally.  

The advantages to using an advanced carpet cleaner

One advantage to using an advanced carpet cleaning system is it assures you a much cleaner result than standard machines do. There are many powerful cleaners available on the market to assist in ridding carpet of dirt, grime, and stubborn stains. These sophisticated cleaning devices aid you in such a way, it eliminates the need to scrub and clean for hours. 

Conclusion 

In concluding this review round up, all of the carpet cleaners reviewed have excellent features about them. There are much more pros and very few, if any negative customer reviews. This is a review of the top 15 carpet cleaners. It was devised to aid the consumer in making an informed assessment of the best floor cleaning units.