Best Carpet-Cleaning Machines
We spent more than $3 billion in just one year on professional carpet and upholstery cleaning. But you can save a lot of money if you want to tackle the task on your own.
Just in time for spring cleaning, Consumer Reports tested eight carpet-cleaning machines from Bissell and Hoover. Prices ranged from $80 to $400. Testers also evaluated a rental machine. And for comparison, they hired a professional service, too.
Testing carpet-cleaning machines is a dirty job. First, testers evenly spread a measured amount of topsoil over the carpet. Next, they spray it with water, and then use a heavy roller to press in the dirt, much like foot traffic does. Testers then vacuum the dried dirt and use a device called a colorimeter to measure the amount left on each rug.
Afterwards it's time to put the carpet-cleaning machines to work. Each one passes over the soiled area 20 times. Last step, the colorimeter measures the difference.
No home machines or rented ones did as good a job cleaning as the professional service. You can really see the difference when comparing the professional cleaning to the lowest scoring carpet cleaner, the $80 Bissell QuickSteamer 1770.
Nevertheless, Consumer Reports did find a carpet cleaner that delivered very good results. It's the Hoover Dual Steam Vac All Terrain with spin scrub brushes, model F7452-900. It costs $270. That's just a fraction of what you'd pay for professional cleaning jobs.
Consumer Reports also tested cleaning solutions and spot cleaners. For carpet-cleaning machines, if a cleaning solution is not specified, try the top-rated Fresh Solutions Allergen Complete cleaner. It costs about $17.
And if you're just looking to do some spot cleaning, testers recommend the Bissell OxyPro Carpet Spot and Stain Remover that costs about $5.
Best Electric Toothbrushes
Consumer Reports tested 10 electric toothbrushes, brushing almost 2,000 times to find the best. The brushes ranged in price from $15 to $140.
One convenience of many electric toothbrushes is that they have built-in timers that signal after 2 minutes. Some also alert you when 30 seconds are up. That's when it's time to move to the next quadrant of your mouth.
Panelists used each toothbrush for an entire week, and at the end of the week they refrained from brushing for 24 hours to build up plaque. Then a dentist used a dye to determine how much plaque was left after brushing.
One of the top-rated toothbrushes, the $140 Philips Sonicare FlexCare, removed more than 75 percent of plaque. It has three cleaning modes: clean, sensitive, and massage. But some panelists found the Philips Sonicare uncomfortable.
Most panelists preferred a less expensive Oral-B toothbrush. Consumer Reports says a good one to try is the Oral-B Professional Care 1000 for $70. The Oral-B Professional Care 1000 is also sold under the name Oral-B Professional Care 7400.
