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Head-to-head · Best Carpet Cleaners

Hoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704 vs Shark CarpetXpert EX151

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Shark CarpetXpert EX151 comes out ahead by a clear margin (3.8 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Budget-conscious users seeking good suction and easy maintenance — read the strengths below before deciding.

Hoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704
Ranked #6 in Best Carpet Cleaners
Hoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704
3 sources2 derived$79.88as of Aug 1

The Hoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704 is a small, cheap carpet cleaner that does one job well and several jobs not at all. Suction at the nozzle is good for the money and the tanks are larger than the price suggests, so it covers more ground per fill than most machines near it. Against that: a 7.5-inch cleaning path, weak results in upright stain testing, and no hose or attachments for stairs and furniture. Buyers who want a light, low-maintenance machine for routine carpet upkeep are the fit; anyone who needs to lift set-in stains, or to clean anything that is not a floor, is not.

Strengths
  • — Very good suction at the nozzle for the price
  • — Able to cover a larger area than similarly priced models before you need to refill its clean tank or empty its dirty water tank
  • — Easier to clean and maintain than most similarly priced models
Watch-outs
  • — Has a very narrow cleaning path
  • — Didn't perform well in upright stain test
$79.88 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Shark CarpetXpert EX151
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Carpet Cleaners
Shark CarpetXpert EX151
2 sourcesall derived$199.99as of Aug 1

The Shark CarpetXpert EX151 pulls strong suction, particularly at the nozzle, and keeps maintenance simple with easy access to the brushroll and cleaning components. It does poorly on certain stains, peanut butter and tomato sauce among them. The small dirty water tank limits how much ground you cover, though the hose storage system and integrated spot cleaning tool give it more reach than competitors. Buyers who want a budget-friendly machine with good suction are the fit; anyone expecting heavy-duty stain removal is not.

Strengths
  • — Above average sealed suction at the hose and well above average unsealed suction at the nozzle
  • — Brushroll is highly accessible and easily removable for cleaning
  • — Hose stores on the carpet cleaner itself, which makes transitioning from upright cleaning to spot cleaning very easy
Watch-outs
  • — Below average performer cleaning tomato sauce, grape juice, and especially peanut butter in upright stain test
  • — Dirty water tank has exceptionally low capacity, which gives this cleaner a very small area of coverage before you need to empty this tank
$199.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Hoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704

The Hoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704 stands out for its lightweight design and ease of maintenance compared to the Bissell ProHeat 2x Revolution Pet Pro Plus 3588F and Bissell Big Green Pet Pro 3288, but it performs poorly in stain tests, especially upright stains, unlike the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam 4120 which uses steam for better results.

Shark CarpetXpert EX151

The Shark CarpetXpert EX151 offers better suction at the nozzle than the Bissell TurboClean Pet XL 3746 and has an integrated hose for easy spot cleaning, but it performs worse on tough stains like peanut butter compared to the Bissell Revolution HydroSteam 4120. It also has a smaller dirty water tank capacity than the Bissell Big Green Pet Pro 3288.

Specs side-by-side

SpecHoover PowerDash Pet+ Compact FH50704Shark CarpetXpert EX151
Tank Capacity78 oz clean water, 52 oz dirty water—
Cleaning Path Width7.5 in10 in
Suction1.93 kPa at nozzleWell above average at nozzle
Coverage130 sq ft per clean tank56 sq ft per dirty tank
Dimensions15.25"D x 10.12"W x 43.5"H13.2"D x 12"W x 43.5"H
Weight—15.9 lbs
Cord Length—25 ft
Hose Length—5 ft
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