Bissell QuickSteamer® Model 1770 Multi-Surface Upright Cleaner — Review

© 2011 Peter Free

 

28 February 2011

 

Peter Free photo of Bissell QuickSteamer for his review of it.

QuickSteamer® is useless for mildly grimed light-colored construction grade carpet

 

My wife bought this a few years ago in hopes that it might do what it implies it does.  My review is aimed at alerting other consumers to Bissell’s deliberately duplicitous ride.

 

There are three related design problems with the QuickSteamer®, insofar as cleaning carpet goes:

 

It is not a steamer and should not have been named such.

 

It does not even warm the water it uses.

 

The brush is not motorized and does not rotate.  Instead, the operator’s forward and backward movements makes the brush pivot back and forth (due to friction against the carpet).  That design flaw further reduces the brush’s ability to clean because, by tilting, fewer of the bristles are in contact with the carpet.

 

As a result of these shortcomings, the QuickSteamer® doesn’t do much to remove slightly visible grime from light-colored construction grade carpets, no matter how tenacious the user is.

 

In regard to its ability to clean hard floors, one reviewer at Amazon.com said that the QuickSteamer® works well, except that its brush design pushes dirty water against the baseboards, where the machine’s suction is not powerful enough to suck it up.  He concluded that the machine was a loser.

 

 

Why do I think that the lack of hot water and brush rotation are the problems?

 

As an experiment, I borrowed a friend’s Bissell ProHeat Upright Carpet Cleaner and used it on the same carpet I had used the QuickSteamer on the day before.  The ProHeat got some of the dirt out.

 

The ProHeat uses hot tapwater and then allegedly warms it another 25 degrees Fahrenheit.  Its brush rotates.  The combination seems to make a noticeable difference in carpet cleaning, although results fall well short of those from a professional steam cleaner.

 

This is not, however, a recommendation for the ProHeat.  Reviewers at Amazon.com note that it has a tendency to clog its lines and stop working.  One reviewer noted that the machine’s valves were flimsy.  I had the same impression.

 

 

Is anything good about the QuickSteamer®?

 

It looks nice, wheels easily, feels relatively solid, and the detergent and water containers fit securely.

 

 

Not recommended

 

This is one of myriad modern products that look good, are deceptively advertised, and don’t do much worthwhile.