When comparing Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner vs Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner, the Slant community recommends Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner for most people. In the question“What are the best carpet cleaners around $200?” Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner is ranked 1st while Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner is:
Rug doctor provides a two year warranty for this unit.
Specs
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Pros
Pro 2 year warranty
Rug doctor provides a two year warranty for this unit.
Pro Detachable hose panel
The Rug Doctor’s hose attaches to a panel on the back of the cleaner so it won’t get in your way when you don’t need it.
Pro Power cord won’t get in the way
The built-in holder is useful for keeping the extra-long extension cord in check.
Pro Can clean the edges of the carpet
This cleaner has bristles on the side of the unit so you can clean the edges of the carpet as well.
Pro Easy to store thanks to collapsible handle
Despite its size, it’s still relatively easy to store thanks to the collapsible handle.
Pro No need to constantly switch power outlets
The 28-foot long extension cord gives a lot of space for you to work without having to switch power outlets.
Pro Easily pushes through even thick carpets
The large wheels lets you push the carpet cleaner easily through very thick carpets.
Pro Great build quality
The Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner is an extremely well-built and sturdy machine that feels like a commercial-grade product. It’s a more massive and more rigid unit than ordinary consumer-grade carpet cleaners. The plastic parts and the connection joints are very solid and durable.
Pro Dries carpets quickly
With its powerful motor and 12-inch suction nozzle, it can dry the carpet in no time at all.
Pro Can spray extra detergent on heavy stains
For very tough stains, you can use the Super Boost feature to spray an extra spurt of detergent on an area with a very tough stain.
Pro Very effective at removing deep stains
The machine features a rotating and vibrating brush system powered by a powerful motor that’s very successful in getting rid of very deep stains that smaller and less powerful models fail to clean.
Pro Requires little prep work
This cleaner is easy to assemble and use. You just have to fasten the handle into the top of the cleaner, attach the pad, attach the cleaning solution bottle and go to work. There’s no need to fill water tanks or mix detergents.
Pro Great versatility
The cleaner comes with a variety of pads and cleaning solutions each with their unique purpose. Certain pads and solutions can be used for carpets or for hardwood floors. There’s also a pad for deep stain removal from carpets, but you’ll need to pretreat the stain with the included activating solution. There’s also a hard wood polish and a polishing pad. All of this with the combination of great maneuverability allows the unit to be used throughout the house to keep your floors fresh and clean no matter the flooring type.
Cons
Con Doesn’t hold much water
The 1 gallon tank will need refilling often if you need to cover a large area.
Con Has only one extension
The unit comes with only an upholstery tool. There is no crevice tool for cleaning narrow spaces.
Con Doesn’t heat up water
The unit doesn’t heat up water in the tank, so you have to remember to fill it up with hot water to get the best results.
Con Tricky to empty both tanks at the same time
The clean water tank and the dirty water tank don’t sync up very well, so you have to check the levels and add extra clean water before the dirty tank is full if you want to empty and fill the tanks simultaneously.
Con Has a learning curve to overcome
Unlike most consumer-grade carpet cleaners, where you push forward and pull backward to clean, this one requires you to clean only by pulling backwards. After each backward pass, you will need to tilt the machine and push it back to the front. This takes some time to get used to. On the other hand, if you have used professional-grade machines before, then this method is very similar and you will learn it quickly.
Con Not very portable
Weighing 25 pounds, the unit is heavier than other household-grade carpet cleaners, so it’s not easy to carry or move around.
Con Unsuitable for fighting tough stains
The main purpose of this cleaner is to freshen up carpets and polish hardwood floor. It doesn’t have a vacuum for cleaning loose dirt or removing excess cleaning solution.
Con Manual can feel insufficient
The manual is very basic and doesn’t cover much about operating the machine properly.
Con Cleaning pads need to be replaced every once in a while
The included cleaning pads can be washed approximately 20 times before needing to buy new ones, but they are relatively cheap.