Kärcher SE 4001
£179.99

www.kaercher.com

I currently live with two other adults, a cat, a dog and a bird, and we’re trying to sell the house. As you can imagine, that all adds up into really needing a good vacuum, not to mention a good carpet cleaner. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Kärcher SE 4001, so I got a very pleasant surprise when I discovered that it was both! This model is a proper, multi-functional carpet cleaner, capable of wet cleans as well as dry to wash through your carpets and really get down to all the muck (and save you a ton of storage by not needing two machines!)

Thankfully, the SE 4001 is aware of the trouble caused by pets – not just their fur, but all the mud and other icky stuff they work into the floors. Using a process called spray extraction, it gets right down into those surfaces, be they carpet or textiles on your furniture, wets and loosens up the dirt, cleans it via the cleaning solution it its water, and sucks up the rest. This does wonders for battling allergens caught in your furnishings, not to mention all the rest!

I’ve owned carpet cleaners in the past, but never one that integrates with a traditional vacuum. The water tank slots on to the side, meaning you don’t need to take the whole machine apart or disrupt the dust bag every time you need to pour away dirty water for clean (which, with carpets that get as dirty as mine, is often!). This keeps the water function and the regular vacuum function separate, allowing you to switch between a wet and dry clean without trouble and saving plenty of time mid-clean.

The changeable nozzles also really open up this cleaner’s versatility, allowing you to switch easily between the carpet, a rug, the sofa etc. There are also nozzles appropriate for wet or dry cleans, hard floors etc – basically, everything you could need. I often misplace or neglect to use some of the attachment heads that come with my vacuums, but in this case, they all have an important function and are worth holding on to.

A fantastic difference between the SE 4001 and the carpet cleaner I own is that the floor dries much faster with the SE. This is apparently all thanks to the nozzle design, and it’s a huge bonus – I would clean my carpets far more often, but it’s a real pain having them damp for over a day! No longer a problem.

This is a really handy machine, and for a very reasonable price. The company recommends its Kärcher Carpet Cleaner RM 519 as the solution to mix into the water, but you can use any of the carpet cleaner shampoos and detergents you find at your local store.

4.5/5

Pros:
Dry and wet cleans
Easy to empty water tank
3-in-1 handle makes it easy to carry and open
A nozzle for every occasion
Carpets dry quickly

Cons:
You’d better like bright yellow!