Okay, so I decided to finally bite the bullet and get one of those carpet cleaner and vacuum all-in-one machines. My place isn't huge, but keeping track of a vacuum AND a separate clunky carpet washer was getting old. Plus, storage space, you know? Always seems like there's never enough.

Got the box home, wrestled it open. First impression? It's kinda bulky, not gonna lie. Heavier than my old vacuum, for sure. Putting it together wasn't too bad, clicked a few things into place, figured out where the water tanks went. Seemed simple enough.

Trying the Vacuum Part First

So, the first thing I did was just try it as a regular vacuum. Turned it on. Loud. Louder than my old vacuum, definitely. But okay, does it suck up stuff? Yeah, it did a decent job on the hard floors, picked up crumbs and dust bunnies without much fuss. Moved onto the rug in the living room. It pulled up the surface dirt alright. It felt a bit heavier to push around than a dedicated vacuum, probably because of all the extra bits for the washing part.

• Picked up surface dirt well.
• Felt heavier than a standard vacuum.
• Definitely louder.

It wasn't amazing, wasn't terrible. Just... okay as a vacuum. I wouldn't buy it just for vacuuming, let's put it that way.

Switching to Cleaner Mode

Alright, the main event. Time to wash the hallway carpet. It always gets the worst of it. Switching over involved filling the clean water tank – had to add the cleaning solution they give you too. Then I had to flick a switch or turn a dial, can't remember exactly, but it wasn't rocket science. The instructions were okay-ish.

Started pushing it across the carpet, holding down the trigger thingy to spray the water and soap mix. Then you're supposed to go back over the same spot slowly to suck the dirty water back up. This part is slow work. You really have to take your time if you want it to suck up most of the water.

Did it clean? Yeah, I could see the dirty water filling up the other tank. And let me tell you, that water was nasty. Black. Kinda satisfying and gross all at once. It definitely pulled up dirt that the vacuum alone wouldn't touch. The carpet looked brighter afterwards, and it felt cleaner underfoot once it dried.

The Cleanup Afterward

This is the part nobody loves. Emptying that dirty water tank is disgusting. You gotta rinse it out thoroughly, otherwise, it stinks. Then there are filters and nozzle parts that get clogged with hair and gunk. You absolutely have to clean the machine itself right after using it for washing. If you leave it, it'll get nasty fast. It's more work than just emptying a vacuum bag or canister, for sure.

• Emptying dirty tank is gross but necessary.
• Need to rinse tanks well.
• Have to clean filters and brushes too.
• More maintenance than a vacuum alone.

So, Was It Worth It?

Look, it does kinda do both jobs. It vacuums okay-ish and it washes carpets reasonably well for a home machine. Is it as good as having a top-tier vacuum AND a separate, powerful carpet washer? Probably not. The vacuuming isn't as powerful or maybe as easy to handle as my old dedicated one, and the washing is good for spills and general freshening up, but maybe not for super deep, set-in stains without multiple passes.

But, the convenience is the selling point, right? One machine to store. Pull it out, vacuum quickly. If there's a spill or the carpet needs a refresh, fill the tank and go. For me, living in a smaller space, and not needing professional-level deep cleaning every month, it kinda works. It forces me to actually wash the carpets more often than I would if I had to drag out a separate machine.

It's a compromise, like most all-in-one things. Doesn't excel at either task, but does both well enough to be useful. If you hate clutter and are okay with 'good enough' on both fronts, it might be for you. If you need the absolute best vacuuming or deep cleaning, stick to separate machines. That's my take after using this thing for a while now.