Just as the name suggests, the Hoover SteamVac Duo Spot Cleaner F5505 is designed for dual use. It can be used to clean an isolated spot or an entire room of carpeting. In addition, it has an onboard attachment for upholstery, spot or stair cleaning. Plus, its convenient tank design allows it to fit on stair steps while cleaning, ending the balancing act that sometimes occurs with larger models. If you need a machine to frequently clean stairs without much hassle, this is it.

Although the SteamVac Duo is lightweight and portable, it also has an attached hose with a 5-foot length so the machine can remain stationary while using the hose to clean upholstery or stairs, as well as carpet spots.

The view-through cherry-red tank gives the Hoover a chic appeal, and we like the ability to adjust the handle to varying heights. Better yet, the handle folds so the Hoover SteamVac Duo Spot Cleaner becomes compact for storage. The mechanism that heats the cleaning solution before injecting it into the area to be cleaned seems to work well, and in testing, seemed to maximize the SteamVac Duo's cleaning power. The clean water tank has a capacity of 0.45 gallon, and the dirty water tank has a capacity of 0.35 gallon. The side-by-side dual tank design also lets one see when the "dirty" solution needs emptied. Removing each tank isn't difficult.

The Hoover SteamVac Duo Spot Cleaner has a lot going for it, but not enough to earn our highest marks. Hoover boasts about its end of hose power, however, we were disappointed in the SteamVac Duo's overall suction strength. The hose -- and the SteamVac when used in full-size upright mode -- both lacked the suction power of some other models we've tested. The hose and attachment did an adequate cleaning job, and did seem to pull most of the liquid out of the carpet. However, when the SteamVac Duo is used in full-size upright mode, it left carpets surprisingly damp, which led us to wonder if we'd done more harm than good to the stained area. While there are many things we appreciate about the Hoover SteamVac Duo design, it simply doesn't pull enough of the cleaning solution out of carpets to earn a recommendation.


Pros: Chic design, portable, tank body fits easily on stair steps
Cons: Leaves too much liquid in carpet

Warranty
1 year