Bissell Revolution HydroSteam Pet vs Shark CarpetXpert with Stainstriker (EX201)

Analysis

A thorough examination of the differences between the HydroSteam and the CarpetXpert in six different categories.

The Shark was measured to have significantly more suction than the HydroSteam at the base (near the vacuum motor), at the hose (where spot cleaning tools attach), and at the nozzle (where the bottom of the cleaner makes contact with carpet to extract liquid during/after washing).

Winner: CarpetXpert

Despite having less measured suction than the Shark, the HydroSteam performed significantly better in our upright stain test.

The table above lists the number of passes it took to clean each stain.

A score greater than 10 indicates the cleaner wasn’t able to clean the stain after 10 passes (we ended testing after 10 passes).

For example, the Shark scored a 12 for the peanut butter stain, which indicates that it left some staining after 10 passes. The HydroSteam completely cleaned the same stain in only 7 passes.

The HydroSteam outperformed the Shark cleaning several other stains as well. It left a lighter (11) tomota sauce stain than the Shark (12). And it cleaned the ice cream, juice, caramel syrup, and chocolate syrup stains faster than the Shark.

Winner: HydroSteam

After the stain test (described above) we measured the moisture level of the carpet that was cleaned (we placed a moisture meter into the same strip of carpet that was cleaned).

The reading for the Shark was lower than the reading for the Hydrosteam, meaning the Shark left carpet drier after cleaning than the HydroSteam.

Winner: CarpetXpert

When it comes to area of coverage, the biggest negative for the Shark is that it has very small tanks. The biggest negative for the HydroSteam is that it uses a lot of water to clean (1.2 oz per sq. ft. vs 0.6 oz per sq. ft. for the Shark).

Accounting for tank size and water use, the Shark has a larger area of coverage than the HydroSteam before you need to refill its clean water tank (with soap and water).

The HydroSteam has a larger area of coverage than the Shark, though, before you need to empty its dirty water tank (of dirty water).

Winner: Tie

The Shark’s dirty water tank has more components you have to clean – it has a hard plastic filter and a soft foam filter you have to clean. The HydroSteam’s tank doesn’t have these extra parts you have to clean.

It is easier to clean the Shark’s cleaner head though. You can pop open the plastic cover over the brushroll, and you can easily pull out the brushroll to clean it.

You can remove the HydroSteam’s nozzle to clean around its brushrolls but you have to use a screwdriver to remove the brushrolls themselves.

Winner: CarpetXpert

The Shark is a more versatile carpet cleaner.

Both models come with a hose and multiple spot cleaning tools, but the Shark actually stores the hose on itself. You store the hose for the HydroSteam separately in a bag.

Because it stores its hose on itself, it’s much easier to transition between upright cleaning and spot cleaning (and vice versa) with the Shark.

With the HydroSteam it’s much more of a process to spot clean – you have to remove the hose from the bag, install it on the cleaner, connect a spot cleaning tool, etc.

The Shark also performed much better than the HydroSteam in our spot cleaning test.

Winner: CarpetXpert

Other Notes and Features

The Hydrosteam really only has one unique feature - it uses steam in addition to soap and water to clean.

The Shark has two unique features:

1. It has a semi-permanently attached hose (as we discussed above) and
2. It automatically dispenses soap and water when you push it forward (you have to pull a trigger to do so with the HydroSteam)

Verdict

Our bottom line recommendations.

If you’re looking to buy a carpet cleaner for spot cleaning in addition to upright cleaning we recommend the Shark over the HydroSteam.

If you’re looking to buy a carpet cleaner primarily for upright cleaning we recommend the HydroSteam over the Shark.