Bissell Little Green cordless cleaner review: For quick cleans

Price upon review

$199.99

Best Prices Today: Bissell Little Green Cordless Carpet Cleaner

Spot cleaners can be useful around the house, but can also be heavy and bulky. If you’re looking for a device that’s easy to carry, then this cleaner from Bissell might be for you. In the US it’s called the Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner, in the UK it’s the SpotClean Cordless. The difference between the two models lies in the attachments: in addition to the Tough Stain attachment and the HydroRinse attachment (for self-cleaning), the British model also comes with a two-in-one sliding crevice tool.

Not only is this Bissell’s lightest model, but it’s also cordless, so it can be used to clean the interior of your car, and it’s small enough to store under a sink or in a utility cupboard. This, plus two modes – Turbo and Eco – and versatile tools, mean you can clean multiple soft surfaces in your home, from carpet and rugs to upholstery, without having to lug around a larger cleaner.

Design and construction

• Dimensions in inches: 13.46 x 13.31 x 9.09
• Dimensions in cm: 28 x 30 x 20
• Spacious clean and dirty water tanks

For those short on space, Bissell’s Little Green/SpotClean Cordless will appeal. It is not only light (3.4 kg), but also compact. The overall design puts functionality above all else, with a practical black and gray plastic exterior, a detachable 1.7 meter hose (which snaps into place at the back when stored) and a sturdy top handle.

On one side is a removable 900ml clean water/solution tank, while opposite is a larger recovery tank, allowing for both liquid and cleaning fluid pickup.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Operation is pleasantly simple, with one button for on/off, one button to switch between Eco and Turbo modes and a battery indicator with three illuminated sections.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

However, it’s worth noting that the battery size (25.9V) might limit your cleaning ambitions: it takes three to four hours to charge from empty, but turbo mode only works for a maximum of 20 minutes. For longer sessions you should stick with Eco, which gives a maximum of 35 minutes.

Performance and features

• Two cleaning heads (plus crevice tool in UK)
• Dirt can get into the bristles
• Turbo mode better for spills

While the cordless cleaner doesn’t come with a ton of equipment, it does come with a balance between flexible and practical. There’s a 4-inch Tough Stain tool with bristles, which has been updated in design from previous stain cleaner models.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

There is also a 2-in-1 crevice tool with optional bristles for cleaning hard-to-reach places, such as stairs. Please note that you don’t get this second tool in the US bundle.

We used the cordless device to clean two soft surfaces: a velvet couch and a mid-height rug, using cat food as the pet mess and brown sauce as the spill. These were left on for about 15 minutes and all solid dirt was removed before the rest was cleaned up with the Tough Stain tool.

The cleaning solution trigger is located on the hose itself and is easy to reach with a thumb. This means you can douse the mess with solution while scrubbing with the bristles on the tool, if applicable. However, vacuuming up solution and liquid debris proved more difficult.

We found that we had to press firmly to thoroughly suck up the liquid, as just relying on the suction of the hose caused both the couch and carpet to become saturated. A small amount of dirty water remained in the tool itself, while the solution spray tended to drip slightly during cleaning. Additionally, the scrubbing left some small dirt particles on the bristles, which meant we had to be careful not to drag them across the cleaned surface, re-soiling it.

We had to use Turbo mode for both messes, as Eco wasn’t as effective at removing liquid from the soft surfaces. We felt that Eco would be better for daily cleaning than for spills. Overall it cleaned well and didn’t leave a mess, but it required more effort than we expected. It was also noisier – although it was billed as a quieter spot cleaner with 65dB of sound in Eco mode, while Turbo mode is louder – we couldn’t carry on a conversation while using it.

What we did like was the self-cleaning HydroRinse tool – ideal for those who find washing appliances a chore after use. This clamps onto the end of the hose to rinse away any dirt with a cleaning solution – ideal for ensuring your spot cleaner is free of odors or bacteria. We found this especially useful for removing any leftover hair stuck in the hose after cleaning. All other removable parts can be easily rinsed under running tap, making maintenance a breeze.

Price and availability

In the US, the Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner is available from the Bissell website or from Amazon. The usual price is $199.99, but at the time of writing you can buy it for $175.44 from Amazon.

In the UK it costs £269.99, and you can buy it from Bissell or Argos. This makes it more of an investment, but if you need to deep clean your car, carpets or couch on a regular basis, it’s worth it.

For more purchasing options, check out our overview of the best wet and dry vacuums and the best vacuums we’ve tested overall.

Should You Buy the Bissell Little Green Cordless/SpotClean Cordless Cleaner?

There are many positives to the Bissell cordless cleaner. It is easy to set up, store and maintain, and with some pressure it can do a good job of clearing the mess. While it is more convenient than corded Bissell stain cleaners, it is more expensive than most, making it a more considered purchase.

Turbo’s limited runtime can also be a problem: because it’s light and cordless, it’s suitable for cleaning the interior of a car or caravan, but you only have 20 minutes if you need to use the higher energy mode. Aside from the battery power, this low-maintenance compact cleaner is a handy addition if you have a busy household, messy pets or a family.