A spot cleaner can be a real game changer when it comes to lounges, carpets and other areas of the house. But prices and quality can vary wildly, so I was keen to put three popular options to the test: the Bissell SpotClean, Kmart’s “dupe” Anko Spot Cleaner (also sold at Target), and the Shark StainStriker.
Let me start by divulging this vital information: I have a puppy and a husband. He’s a tradie (the latter, obviously) meaning he comes home in dust-ridden clothes and settles on our sofa in them, usually arriving before I’m there to tell him not to. Sometimes, he even rolls around on it with the aforementioned puppy, who is also guilty of bringing the odd goat horn, bully stick or leaf pile up there with him. Yes, all on our beautiful, fairly expensive, light greige sofa.
It recently came to my attention that after much puppy/husband activity, our sofa was not so beautiful, or even so light-greige anymore. Admittedly, I am guilty of the occasional Sunday night meal on the sofa in front of the TV – a forbidden pleasure never permitted to me as a child – so perhaps the two boys in my household are not solely to blame. Alas, I have been looking forlornly at our sofa and all of its dirt spots for many months now and wondering what can be done. Enter the carpet and upholstery spot cleaner; a magical tool that simultaneously soap-washes your fabrics while sucking up all the gross stuff.
What is the best spot cleaner?
In the Australian market, there are three front runners: the Bissell Spot Clean, Shark StainStriker, and the (viral) Anko — Kmart and Target — spot cleaner. In what was some form of divine intervention, I was lent all three to put to the test and, aside from getting a very clean sofa at the end, here’s my review of how it all went down (as well as a bit about each spot cleaner).
The Bissell SpotClean
Bissell SpotClean
$269 at Amazon
Bissell has long been making and perfecting their range of upholstery, carpet, and spot cleaners, with designs targeting pets, cars, and all-round jobs. For this review, we are referring to what is probably their most popular model: the Bissell SpotClean carpet cleaner.
It retails for $269 and comes with various tools, brushes, and sample-size formulas. It’s designed to be totally portable – enough to fit in and be manoeuvred around a car – and exactly the correct dimensions to sit on a (carpeted) stair tread.
Weight: 3.86kg
Size: 36.8cm H x 30cm W x 17cm D
Colour: Grapevine Purple
Key features:
- 4.5-metre cord
- 1.1L tank capacity
- Hydro-Rinse self-cleaning hose
- Heatwave Technology maintains a consistent water temperature
- 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
Also available at:
- $263, Appliances Online
- $242.99, Big W
- $249, Betta
Update: Since writing this review, Bissell has released a newer version of the SpotClean, which is selling for $349 at Amazon
The Anko Kmart spot cleaner
Anko spot cleaner
$99 at Target
A much cheaper alternative, Anko’s version retails for just $99, a feature that saw it go viral and quickly sell out when it was first released in Kmart and Target.
Like the Bissell model I reviewed, the Anko spot cleaner comes with the unit and various accessories and attachments, including a vertical nozzle, vacuum floor heads an attached scrub brush, and even dog brushes, so you can use it to wash your four-legged friend. Dimensions-wise it is very similar to the Bissell and comes in at much the same weight.
Weight: 3.4kg
Sizes: 30.7cm H x 29.2cm W x 15.2cm D
Key features:
- 3-metre power cord
- 1L tank capacity
- Approximately 450ml/min water jet flow
- Maximum water temperature 40 degrees
- 12-month manufacturer’s warranty
The Shark StainStriker
Shark StainStriker portable carpet and upholstery cleaner
$249.99 at Amazon
Cult cleaning brand Shark has also made an impression with their upholstery spot cleaner: the StainStriker. And with a name like that, how could I not try it out?
The Shark StainStriker spot cleaner comes with an integrated crevice tool (love that), as well as a stain tool, wide stain tool, pet tool (for cleaning up stains with…um…solids?), a bottle of Carpet Xpert Deep Clean Pro, and one of OxyMultiplier. The cord length sits in between Anko and Bissell at 3.6 metres, and boasts a nice and compact design that comes in at just a little above the others.
Weight: 3.943kg
Sizes: 30cm H x 30cm W x 26cm D
Colour: White
Key features:
- 3.6-metre cord
- Dual-activated stain removal
- Pet tool with chamber for solids
- Easy to assemble
- 2-year warranty
Also available at:
- $188 (usually $249), Bing Lee
- $195 (usually $249), The Good Guys
- $199.99 (usually $249.99), Shark
- $249.99, Myer
Bissell SpotClean vs Anko Spot Cleaner vs Shark StainStriker: which is better?
To be honest, on an operational level, the differences between the Bissell SpotClean, Anko spot cleaner, and Shark StainStriker are fairly minimal and come down to four things: the brush sizes, the cord length, the spray function, and the cost. However, there was one final factor that would later come into play: the product’s lifespan. But more on that below.
Brush size
While Anko’s model comes with more tools, Bissell’s ‘equivalent’ tool (i.e. the one with the scrubbing-brush-like head) is slightly larger in size. For a sofa, this didn’t bother me much, but if a carpet or even a rug were the husband-and-puppy victim, I would probably prefer Bissell’s larger attachment. I will also say that Anko’s accessories were difficult to swap out and I almost broke a nail several times. Neither issue was a concern at all with the Shark StainStriker, which comes with both a regular and wide brush, which may even prove enough to motivate me to tackle our bedroom carpet one day… Plus, I love Shark’s pet tool, which has a chamber to capture all the solid-ish yuck should an ‘accident’ occur.
Cord length
Again, a fairly minimal detail, but considering I live in a circa 1970s-ish apartment where power outlets are few and far between, this is a consideration I would be forced to make. Bissell’s cord was the longest at 4.5 metres, followed by Shark’s 3.6 metres, then Anko’s 3 metres. At first, I didn’t think this would be too much of a problem, despite having to create a hazard across our kitchen doorway with the cord, but I really noticed the difference. For me, Bissell wins out here: the more cord, the merrier. It also meant I had the extra wiggle (or spray) room needed without having to twist the machine at awkward angles or hold it while I worked (none of them are light).
The spray function
All three machines work by spraying soapy water onto your sofa/carpet/rug/car seat and sucking it back up as you scrub. This means that no matter which you use, you’ll end up with a slightly damp surface for a few hours. However, Anko’s spray function is noticeably strong and soaks through more, which could be a con for those who have poor ventilation (and therefore drying ability), or kids/pets who are unlikely to be able to keep off while the freshly washed item dries.
The cost
This is by far the biggest draw card for Anko — with an almost identical result it would be hard to say no to $150+ in savings.
The product’s lifespan
Last but most importantly, which of these products lasts the distance? It’s all well and good to clean up a cheeky pasta sauce spill here or a dirty dog pawprint there, but I need this thing to put in the hours without breaking a sweat…or just breaking. Which, unfortunately, the Anko model would eventually do. Twice.
Yes, it’s true. I cannot recommend an Anko Spot Cleaner. Many reviewers have had excellent experiences with theirs, but sadly my first one had a trigger malfunction, and its replacement suffered the same fate, at no fault of my own might I add.
If you’ve bought into the white boucle trend, you’re going to want to read on. (Photo: Kmart)
The verdict: is it worth getting a spot cleaner?
For me, it is a resounding yes. As annoying as they are, puppy and husband are not going anywhere and have proven they can only be tamed so much. So for my household, a spot cleaner is a literal miracle in small appliance form.
I can confidently say that both the Bissell SpotClean and the Shark StainStriker would be equally great choices. As mentioned, I was let down by Anko’s spot cleaner but I thoroughly enjoyed it up until then, and many have nothing but shining reviews for it – plus, the cost is hard to say no to!
What about other brands?
This review focuses on the three spot cleaners I got to test out from Bissell, Shark and Anko (Kmart or Target). But if you want to shop around more, here are some other spot cleaners on the market in Australia that have stood out to us.
Vax Platinum Spot Wash cleaner
$249.99 at Amazon
This spot cleaner combines powerful suction and deep cleaning to remove spills and stains on carpet, upholstery, car interiors and even hardwood floors. It has an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 320 reviews on The Good Guys website, where it’s also listed as a “Top Seller”.
“Honestly it exceeded my expectations. I purchased in preparation for a baby on the way [in a] carpeted house however, I have already used it on car seats, carpet spots, an armchair and more,” one customer shared in a detailed 5-star review, adding, “I suggest using only a drop of the soap provided because otherwise it’s a soapy mess and more work to try and remove. Sometimes I use it without soap too for fresh spills. Would recommend.”
Weight: 3.9kg
Sizes: 42.5cm H x 26.5cm W x 39.5cm D
Colour: Red
Key features:
- 4.5-metre cord
- 1.5-metre hose with self-cleaning function
- Multi-surface and hard-floor attachments
- 2-year warranty
Also available at:
- from $167, The Good Guys
Karcher SE 3-18 cordless spot cleaner
$369 at Amazon
Karcher is another brand that has garnered interest for its spot cleaners. It only had a handful of reviews on The Good Guys, but they were all 4- or 5-stars when we checked and it has a 4.7-star average from over 60 customer reviews on the Karcher website, where one customer even said it was “better than my old Bissell”.
As a further comparison to the Bissell spot cleaner we tested, this is a cordless model with a long 1.9m hose, and has a larger water tank capacity (1.7L fresh and 2.9L dirty). So you could weigh that up against the price.
Weight: 3.64kg
Sizes: 31.7cm H x 24cm W x 35cm D
Colour: Yellow
Key features:
- Cordless operation with 18V battery and a fast charger included
- 1.9-metre hose
- Includes upholstery spray extraction nozzle, and crevice nozzle
- 2-year warranty
Also available at:
- $369, The Good Guys
- $519.90), Karcher
Kogan StainClean Carpet and Upholstery Spot Cleaner
from $99.99 at Kogan
Kogan’s brand of spot cleaner has a 4.7-star rating from over 200 customer reviews, with value for money commonly mentioned as a positive feature and average suction power noted in some of the recent lower-rated reviews.
“Small compact and very efficient,” one customer shared in a 5-star review.
Weight: 4.5kg
Sizes: 31.7cm H x 24cm W x 35cm D
Colour: Purple
Key features:
- 3-metre power cord
- 1.2-metre hose
- Includes two brush heads (large, small)
- 12-month warranty
Note: This article was updated on June 23, 2025 to include some more relevant details, such as updated pricing and customer reviews for other spot cleaners.
