observing a spot on mattress under magnifying glass

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean Pro – The Pint-Sized Bad Boys!

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In the arena of portable spot cleaners, two titans step into the spotlight – the Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean Pro.

These stain-busting titans promise to elevate your cleaning game, but which one is the ultimate champion for your home? Let’s go through their features, functionalities, and cleaning prowess to uncover the best fit for your spot-cleaning needs.

Pick your fighter! Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean Pro

Let’s get real here. Purchasing a carpet cleaner is not as ideal as most carpet cleaner companies would make you believe. Never fall into that marketing bull… err… trap!

For one, if you only clean carpets once or twice a year, your poor machine would only be spending most of its days inside its box.

And where does your return on investment stand at this point? There, lying in your storage room collecting dirt and cobwebs.

Then there are these portable machines to tackle the usual small stains that your carpet faces regularly. Perhaps, these two are the most recognizable brands under this category: Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean. Pick your fighter!

This article will pit them against each other to discover all the pros and cons and help you decide which one to get.

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean Pro Comparison Table

SpecificationsRug DoctorBissell
Weight7.45kg13.25 lbs
Dimension16.14 x 11.02 x 15.74 in.10 x 14 x 14 inches
Air Watts1100750 
Amps rating11 amps5.7 amps
Clean water tank capacity1.9 liters¾ gallon
Dirty water Tank capacity1.9 liters3.5 liters
Main usesStairs, Carpet, AutoStairs, Carpet, Auto
Power cord length4.6m22 ft
Hose length1.7m5 ft
Warranty period2 years2 years
What’s includedMachine with upholstery tool kit, 2 x 500ml Spot Cleaning Solution6″ Stair Tool to make cleaning stairs easy, a 3″ Tough Stain Tool and a trial-size bottle of PRO MAX Clean + Protect formula.

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean Pro 3624: Overview

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner

It never hurts to try this machine if you have been looking for an inexpensive portable cleaner to tackle the little accidents on your carpets and upholstery.

Among the machines in the Rug Doctor carpet cleaner line, Spot Portable is at the forefront in terms of suction capability. In fact, it is considered the ONLY machine with a combination of 11 amps rating motor and a motorized brush to address deep-seated stains down to the carpet’s foundation.

Because it has twice the suction capability compared to some other spot cleaners in the market today, expect that the drying process would be a fraction of what most spot cleaners are capable of.

With its slim and compact design, carrying and storing it won’t be an issue. It is so slim that it can even fit a single step on your stairs and won’t take up too much space inside your car.

Bissell SpotClean Pro 3624

If Rug Doctor has Spot Cleaner, Bissell has SpotClean Pro 3624, which is their strongest spot cleaner to date. In fact, it is currently Bissell’s highest-rated spot cleaner.

It is armed with a 5.7 amps rating and a 0.75-gallon large water tank, so you won’t have to refill often, and an equally wider cleaning path at 15 inches.

Despite being smaller than its Rug Doctor counterpart, it doesn’t lack in accessories that make it a formidable machine.

It has a detachable but very effective stain tool that you use against a variety of stains that normal carpet cleaners can’t resolve. Another is the stair tool, which is perfect for vacuuming on, uhm, stairs!

It uses superior suction and scrubbing action to blast off stubborn food spillage, pet stains, and just about anything.

Cleanable Surfaces

Heavy foot traffic, especially where children and pets are involved, is arguably the worst enemy of carpets. Food and pet stains are the usual suspects.

However, these are not the only surfaces that Rug Doctor Spot Portable and Bissell Spotclean Pro 3624 are good at. Both brands also provide quality stain-removing capabilities in upholstery, stairs, bed, car interior, and different fabrics.

Rug Doctor’s edge lies in its motorized brush, which is powerful enough to remove embedded stains. Bissell Spotclean Pro, on the other hand, would still need a pre-treatment solution to lift stains prior to machine cleaning since it doesn’t have that feature.

Another thing is that Rug Doctor also has bristles on its sides. How do you like your carpet’s edges to be cleaned as well with no extra effort? Just Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner being awesome!

If you don’t trust me on this, just take a look at that yucky water in the waste water tank. Honestly, I never thought my carpets were THAT dirty.

Durability

ABS or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic. Rings no bells?

If you’re a driver, you’ll see it on your car’s dashboard. Iti’s also the primary material of Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner. And that’s exactly what makes it resistant to blows and falls, but also chemical agents.

IPX4 rating means, it’s flexible and adaptable to almost any weather condition, making it ideal for outdoor cleaning.

Bissell Spotclean Pro is pretty solid too, with materials primarily made from durable plastic, except for a tiny flaw: the hose of the handheld brush. When you attach it to the machine for storage, it is bent and kinks at the spot next to the plastic tool.

Over time, it will develop cracks and will eventually wear out as it goes through the same ordeal over and over. What Bissell could improve on, if I may suggest, is the inclusion of a holder to avoid this kink in the first place.

For your part, avoid attaching the hose to the machine when not in use or create a makeshift holder to prevent damage to the hose.

Ease of Use and Portability

A lot of machines out there claim ease of use and portability, but only a few take it to another level. 

Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner is very portable indeed, bringing in wheels and a retractable handle. These make it easier to move from one spot to another because, man, this bad boy can be pretty heavy at 16.5 lbs. On an EMPTY tank!

You can just pull it with ease anywhere. The downside is that you have to do some lifting when climbing up the stairs, unless, of course, you use a ramp.

The motorized brush is definitely heaven-sent! No more manual scrubbing and no need to pre-treat the carpet. The brush moves 1200 times every minute, allowing the strains to break without you breaking a sweat!

Bissell Spotclean Pro boasts of the fact that it is specifically ergonomically designed to provide so much comfort and ease to users. Fact-of-the matter is the inclusion of the 3-inch stain tool and the 6-inch stair tool to target stains of any kind on basically any type of surface.

Add to the equation the 22-feet power cord length and 5-feet hose so you can move more freely while cleaning.

Compared to Rug Doctor, Bissell Spotclean Pro weighs “just” 13.25 lbs. which makes it lighter to carry around on an empty tank. It’s an entirely different story when its water tank is full, more so if you need to bring it upstairs. It can also be a challenge for elderlies since it has no wheels.

Maintenance and Warranty

Both brands provide a 2-year warranty on the unit if and when you encounter a machine breakdown or any compromised essential parts.

As for Bissell, it offers a 2-year limited warranty, meaning they’ll repair and replace any malfunctioning or defective parts for free. You should keep in mind, though, that the warranty does not cover those considered as routine maintenance parts or components. These include brushes, filters, belts, and bags.

Also, the warranty only covers units used for personal use. Purchased machines for commercial and rental purposes and those with damages arising from negligence and abuse are not covered.

Rug Doctor has very similar warranty conditions, except that it doesn’t mention not covering routine maintenance components. However, it highlights that it won’t be covering damages to the unit if there has been an alteration or repair, whether attempted or successful, by anyone not authorized by the company. 

In other words, you can’t tinker and get away with it!

One thing you would probably love about Rug Doctor when you purchase a unit from them is that they have this 30-day money-back guarantee if their product fails to live up to your expectations. You are free to return the machine anytime within this period. No questions asked!

Spot Cleaner

Bottom Line: Which Spot Cleaner Is Better?

I know you’ve come this far still without a hint of who the real winner is. However, Rug Doctor has the edge over its Bissell counterpart.

A few deal breakers for me for Bissell Spotclean Pro would be the following:

  1. The fill line of the detergent tank is not clear, so it can really be confusing.
  2. The hose is very prone to cracks.
  3. While it is more compact than Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner, it doesn’t have wheels and a retractable handle.
  4. The stain tool and the stair tool that comes with it are almost identical except for the size, which is a bit of a let-down for its price.

On the other hand, I could only come up with one negative reason to downvote Rug Doctor. And that is the power cord and hose that could have been longer so you could clean farther away from the machine without having to lift it.

As we navigate the landscape of spot cleaning, it’s essential to choose the champion that aligns with your specific needs, budget, and lifestyle.

While the Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner receives a gentle nudge towards the spotlight, remember that the best choice for your household can vary. Consider your preferences and requirements – whether it’s the sleek design of Rug Doctor or the convenient carry handle of Bissell SpotClean Pro – and let that guide you in transforming your home, one spot at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions for Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner vs Bissell SpotClean Pro

Can You Use Bissell Spot Cleaner on Carpet?

There’s a reason this machine is made so compact, so obviously, this isn’t supposed to be used to clean full-sized carpets. First, its capacity is limited to treating small spots or patches of the fabric, and prolonged use of the machine might break it. 

If what you have at hand is a stain on the carpet that has been uncleaned for months, I suggest that you use a full-on carpet cleaner instead of the spot cleaner. 

This is because deciding on the latter will only create a funny, clean patch in a sea of filthy carpets. It can be so distracting that you wish you didn’t touch it soon that you feel obliged to finish the whole thing when you don’t have spare time on your hands.

Which Model of Rug Doctor Is the Best?

In terms of commercial use carpet cleaners, the Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 gets the top prize in its roster. For household use, the Rug Doctor Spot Portable topped the list as the best carpet cleaner for stairs. And if you have pets and need to deal with hairs, slobber and pee, the Pet Portable Spot Cleaner should be your go-to Rug Doctor.

But if you need more detailed guidance, check out this guide to Rug Doctor cleaners!

Can these spot cleaners handle pet stains?

Absolutely! Both the Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner and Bissell SpotClean Pro are equipped to handle those unexpected pet-related stains, keeping your home fresh and clean.

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