On Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:02:09 +0000, tinnews wrote:
Alternatively would
we do better (or as well) if we bought a Bissell or Vax carpet cleaner
(probably going for one of the Which recommended ones)?

We had/have a Bissell. It's complete and utter ****. Let's see:

1) The plastic-fantastic "faceplate" at the front of the machine cracked
and broke, reducing the already-meagre suction (it's pretty thin plastic
for something that has to withstand being bumped into walls etc.).

2) The waste-water tank seal always leaked a little, so there was always a
mess in the bottom of the machine to clean up afterwards.

3) The waste-water tank design has some pathways that can never be
fully cleaned out because they can't be reached.

4) The seal for the cleaning fluid tank always leaked a little.

5) Once in a while it'd throw the brush belt - it wouldn't break, it'd
just come off the pulley, but it was a pain to put back on.

6) A range of attatchments on the hose part may have been a good idea -
except that after a while they seem to get stuck on there and are almost
impossible to remove (I'm not sure if that's bad latch design, or just
that sliding plastic-on-plastic joints in a slightly abrasive environment
was never a very clever idea)

7) It clogs up with dirt every so often, requiring a strip-down, clean and
rebuild. By "every so often" I mean after every four uses or so.

I actually can't think of a single product I've seen in my whole life
that's such poor value for money. It's a whole level worse than, say,
Microsoft products, or store-bought coffee machines. I'm just thankful
that we're in a house that's nearly all hardwood floors these days, and
the %^#*ing Bissell is dumped in a closet that we otherwise never use. I
should really pull the motor out of it (as it might come in handy for
something one day) and smash the living crap out of the rest with a big
sledge hammer.

OK, I feel better now. Rent a Rug Doctor. They work. :-)

cheers

Jules