A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated on Jan. 07, 2025
Even dried dog vomit stains disappeared with the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo. Here's our honest opinion after thorough review by multiple testers.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Learn more.
If you share your home with four-legged friends, then you’re already well-versed in the messes that accompany pet ownership. Odds are you’ve even amassed a collection of various pet stain removers and pet hair removers. But there’s one more thing you should add to your arsenal: the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo. This handheld, multi-use device is undoubtedly one of the best carpet cleaners for pets.
In addition to getting rid of pet odors and messes, our testers found that this handheld vacuum is perfect for food and wine stains on upholstery. During testing, it proved to be powerful yet lightweight, easy to maneuver and relatively quiet. And to see if it could handle real-life messes, as well as the messes in our testing lab, we sent it home with a long-term tester, too. We then compiled all of our findings into this full Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo review. Here’s everything you need to know before you buy.
READER'S DIGEST
This portable carpet cleaner is surprisingly powerful given its lightweight design and quiet operation.
The Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo is a portable carpet cleaner that closely resembles typical dust-busting cordless models but with the added efficiency of a cleaning fluid spray and high-powered suction. It weighs just 3.7 pounds with a full tank of cleaning solution and has a durable handle and an all-plastic body. The body features two reservoirs, one for the Bissell cleaning solution and the other for dirty water.
Our testers point out that the water tank is easy to pop off and empty. In fact, the whole machine is easy to clean. “The lids will never get lost thanks to big, colorful release buttons,” says product tester Dylan Fischer. “The front of the hand tool also pops off easily for thorough cleaning.”
This machine only takes Bissell cleaning solution and two trial-size bottles of Bissell Pet Pro Formula are included with your purchase. Unlike other machines, which call for water only or diluted solution, this one uses 100% solution. “Because the solution is not diluted with water, stains came out better,” says Fischer. “But is uses solution like crazy and runs out quickly. The reservoir is tiny.”
In addition to two trial-size bottles of cleaning solution, the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo comes with a dry upholstery tool, dry crevice tool, deep cleaner attachment, dry vacuum attachment, pet tool, charger and instruction manual.
Product testers Sheri Kaz and Dylan Fischer led the charge in our testing lab and were immediately impressed by the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo, calling out its portability and overall ease of use. In the lab, our team put this machine up against both set and new red wine stains, mud and yellow-dyed ammonia. Our testers found that it took two to three 30-second rounds of cleaning to remove all stains and odors.
They also tested the dry vacuum attachment by sucking breadcrumbs out of a shag carpet and off a tile floor. “The suction is great, and dry debris is kept in the dry attachment tank, so nothing gets tracked into the wet tank,” explains Fischer. “We even tried out the crevice tool that affixes to the dry attachment and it worked nicely. Overall, this is a great 2-in-1.”
After testing was complete, our team emptied and rinsed the water tanks before sending this unit home with tester Kelly Madison-Liebe to see how it fared against everyday messes.
Kelly instantly fell in love with this handy little machine after cleaning up dried dog vomit from her microfiber couch. “The stain was small, but it was dried onto the fabric,” she explains. “It was quick and easy to clean up the mess and much easier than pulling out a large carpet cleaner.” She goes on to add that it took 10 passes to completely remove the stain. When she was finished, the area was too damp to comfortably sit on but didn’t feel soaked.
Overall, our testers agree that the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo is a great value and easy for anyone to use. “This is a rock star,” raves Fischer. “And it could be good for someone who can’t sit on the ground to clean a stain since the angle is such that you could sit on a chair. Yay, accessibility!”
At Reader’s Digest, we know how important it is to find quality products that simplify your life. This especially applies to cleaning products, as our editors and testers all have spaces to keep clean. Many of us are also parents or pet owners who understand the challenges of managing constant messes. We have years of experience testing all sorts of high-quality vacuums, including the best vacuums for pet hair and vacuum mop combos. We’re even confident that we’ve settled the Shark vs. Dyson debate.
For our series on the best portable carpet cleaners, our product testing experts spent hours in our studio getting up close and personal with a dozen portable carpet cleaners. A handful of those hours were spent thoroughly examining and testing the Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Duo. After we finished conducting our tests in the lab, we sent this unit home with a tester for long-term use in order to see how it holds up to real-life messes. Our goal is to recommend only the very best products using honest and fair testing practices, and we’ll never recommend a product we don’t love, regardless of the brand’s popularity or price point.
READER'S DIGEST
This machine can suck up both wet and dry messes, making it a great 2-in-1.
Pick up this game-changing cleaning tool at a variety of retailers, including direct from Bissell, Amazon and Wayfair. This way to easier cleanup!
