Bissell is one of the leading carpet cleaner brands on the market with a hard-earned reputation. Although some newer models from the brand seem to be somewhat lesser quality than older models, the Bissell Big Green Deep Cleaning Machine still shines as one of the best (if not the very best) carpet cleaning machine available today.
This mean green cleaning machine – as some of the users call it – offers all the features you would need to clean and remove the toughest of stains from your carpets, area rugs and upholstery, and does a better job than even the professional rental machines.
I generally keep my verdict to the end of the review, but I will say this now: if you have the budget for it, you should seriously consider going for Big Green since I sincerely doubt there is a better machine available anywhere.
Now, let us cut to the chase and answer the questions you may have about the machine.
How well can Big Green clean pet urine stains and odors?
It is called a deep cleaning machine for a reason. It can clean very tough stains (like old pet mishaps) with a few passes. Of course you need to use the right solution; what I recommend is to use double strength solutions (which basically means you need to use twice the amount of solution).
Now, please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that there is no stain that the cleaner cannot remove. If the stain is too old and cemented into the carpet, it will prove very, very difficult (if not altogether impossible) to remove. But that’s definitely not the cleaner’s fault as no other machine on the market will be able to clean such a stain. All I’m saying is that if the urine stain can be removed, Bissell Big Green will remove it.
You should also know that having a cat or dog will make a big difference. Cat urine tends to be absorbed much deeper than dog urine, meaning that in order to clean cat urine, you need to act much faster. If you wait for a long time, you may find it very difficult to clean. But again, this has very little to do with the carpet cleaner itself. If the stain can be removed, Big Green will remove it.
For the odor, you will most likely need an additional solution like Fabreze which will make short work of any lingering foul odors.
Do I need to vacuum first before using Bissell Big Green?
The short answer is yes, you should. If you don’t, the cleaner will catch a lot of fibers, hairs, etc. and will get clogged. Plus, if you vacuum first, you will have a much better result in terms of cleaning.
What about the power? How many motors does it have?
Bissell 86T3 is equipped with two separate motors. One powers up the vacuum for vacuuming and extracting the water from the carpet and the other powering and rotating the brushes. This is one of the most powerful models that you can get your hands on and definitely outperforms the other models we reviewed. It works on 12 amps, so a lot stronger than most commercial carpet cleaners.
How does it compare to other brands/models like Rug Doctor, Hoover SteamVac, etc.? Is it really worth the extra $200 I need to pay for it?
Truth be told, 86T3 Big Green is in a league of its own entirely. It provides superior power, better cleaning with less water and much less passes. The two-way movement is one of the most important factors that make such cleaning power possible.
Most of the other models on the market including Rug Doctor and Hoover SteamVac clean only while being pulled. So you need to position the cleaner first, and then pull it back to clean. Big Green cleans both ways; pushing and pulling, effectively doubling the cleaning power and providing better results in half the time you would have to spend with any other model.
Add to that the huge tanks that can hold more water and cleaning solution, and you will be able to clean whole carpets much faster. Thanks to the size, the tanks will need to be emptied and refilled much less frequently, again saving time and providing higher efficiency.
The powerful suction also dries the carpets faster. You would only need to wait for about 1.5 hours for a standard sized carpet to be completely dry.
It is also built to last and does not feel cheaply thrown-together like most of the plastic-heavy models currently offered. This is also one of the pros that justify the cost; if you know that you can use a model much longer than any alternatives, you would definitely look at the price under a different light. You will only appreciate how well it is built after you have used it for a few months. Especially if you have pets and need to clean your carpets more frequently than regular folks (say like 2 times a week), you will definitely want a machine that will last.
All in all, Big Green is bigger, more expensive and much, much better than all the other carpet cleaners on the market! There is no question about it.
Does it work on 220V?
Big Green has a regular 110V plug and normally won’t work on 220V. However, if you want, you can invest in a step down converter and then use the machine on 220V.
Do we add hot water or does the machine heat the water? In other words, is this a steam cleaner or a shampooer?
86T3 is not a steam cleaner and it does not heat the water. With that said, you should be aware that almost all of the commercial carpet cleaners on the market work the same. You just add hot tap water.
How long it takes for the carpets to be completely dry?
The cleaner has very powerful suction and it does a marvelous job drying the carpets. Under normal circumstances, your carpet should be dry within 1.5 to 2 hours. However, the time it would take to dry will also depend on the amount of water you used and the humidity in the air. But all in all, it dries a lot faster than other models.
Can I use other solutions than the Bissell cleaning product?
The answer to this question is two-fold. Yes, you can use other solutions (including home-made solutions like vinegar and water, etc.). However, using other cleaning solutions will void the warranty, so I’d recommend sticking to the solutions recommended by the manufacturer. You will end up protecting your investment and obtain slightly better results in terms of cleaning performance since the cleaning products offered by Bissell are tailored for their own machines.
Are the brushes easy to remove/clean?
One of the few problems with Bissell 86T3 is the fact that you can’t easily remove the brushes. This can be a problem, especially if you have pets as the brushes will tend to pick up a lot of hair.
In such a case, there are two solutions: first, you can (and in fact, you should for a better overall cleaning performance) vacuum the carpets/upholstery before shampooing it with Bissell. This will eliminate a good amount of hair that would otherwise be caught up in the brushes.
Secondly, you can remove the brushes if you don’t mind to unscrew the three screws that hold them in place. In that case, you can easily clean them and put them back. It’s not much of a hassle, and if you don’t have multiple pets, you will most likely not need to do it anyway.
How does it perform on different types of carpets like Berber, Plush and/or Silk?
First of all, you should not use it on silk rugs. 86T3 performs very well on plush carpets, and fairly well on Berber carpets with no fuzz up. If the stains on the Berber are deep, you will need a few uses to clean them, but that is also the case with any other model.
Are furniture/upholstery accessories included? How well can it clean furniture and vehicle interiors?
Bissell Big Green comes with a 9 ft. furniture hose and attachment. And it will make short work of any furniture. With that said, you should also know that certain fabrics used in chairs, cushions, etc. are not suitable for cleaning with deep cleaning machines, and you need to check the label under the furniture to make sure that they can indeed be cleaned with such a machine.
The rotating brushes do not apply any excess pressure on the furniture surface, so as long as you do your due diligence, you should not be worried with damaging the upholstery or car seats.
Can it be used on tiles and hardwood floors?
86T3 is a carpet cleaning machine, but it can also be used on tiles. The only problem is that it can leave a little too much water on the tiles (as they won’t absorb any water like a carpet does), so the floor can stay slippery until it’s completely dried and be hazardous especially if you have kids or elderly people in the house.
I do not recommend it for hardwood floors, but I wouldn’t recommend using any other carpet cleaner to clean hardwood floors for that matter. You would run the risk of scratching the floors and too much water could damage the wood.
How does it perform on edges/corners?
Bissell 86T3 Deep Cleaner comes with a powerful edging tool that can be used to clean the edges/corners of your carpets. As I’m sure you already know, the edges of wall-to-wall carpets tend to accumulate a lot of dirt, and Bissell does a very good job dealing with them. I recommend starting the cleaning from the edges and the doing the rest of the space. If the soil on the edges is saturated, you may need to make more than one pass but in the end, the edges will be as good as new.
How heavy is it? Will I have problems maneuvering or carrying it around?
Bissell Big Green is a big machine! And it’s definitely on the heavier side but it’s also very well designed and built, meaning you won’t have any difficulties maneuvering it around during the cleaning sessions.
With that said, if you need to haul the cleaner up the stairs, it may prove difficult depending on your physical status. Thankfully, the water and solution tanks can be removed and carried separately, thus greatly reducing the weight. So, to provide a shorter answer, it will be pretty easy to maneuver but a bit harder to lift and carry when full.
Is the handle length adjustable?
The handle length in its original state is most adequate for people up to 6’ 1″. You can release the handle to make it shorter, so it’s not a problem say if you’re 5’ 6″. However, if you are taller, you may need to bend a little bit since the handle will not be extended above 6’ 1″.
Is it suitable for big rooms? How long is the cord? How to use it on stairs?
The cord is 25’ long which is more than enough for more rooms. Plus, the machine itself adds another foot to that, making the reach even better.
You’ll need to use the upholstery attachment for carpeted stairs. If you have more than a few steps on the stairs, you may need to move the carpet cleaner once (you may start at the bottom or the top of the stairs, clean half the steps, and then move it to the middle to do the remaining half).
Features
- Rotating DirtLifter Power Brushes
- Flow indicator that monitors water and cleaning solution levels
- Large capacity, removable tanks
- 9-foot upholstery hose and 6 inch stair tool
- 24 oz BISSELL 2X Professional Deep Cleaning Formula included
Very powerful machine
Easy to assembly and use
Nice and quality build
Very fast cleaning and drying
Large tanks
Big tanks make storage a bit harder
Lifting the machine can be hard for some
Bissell 86T3 Big Green Deep Cleaning Machine is one of the best commercial carpet cleaners you can buy. It’s powerful, easy to use and durable and definitely worth the price. If you have the budget for it and/or simply want the best, go for it!
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