Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic vs Bissell Little Green Portable
Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic (#4) vs Bissell Little Green Portable (#5, best budget): in our Carpet Cleaners & Extractors scoring the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic totals 8/10 and the Bissell Little Green Portable 7.2/10. At $249 versus $99, the Bissell Little Green Portable costs $150 less.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic | Bissell Little Green Portable | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | $99 |
| Tank | 1 gal clean | 48 oz |
| Operation | Automatic push/pull | — |
| Feature | Auto-sensing | — |
| Control | Minimal | — |
| Price | $190-250 | — |
| Weight | — | 9.65 lbs |
| Use | — | Spot cleaning |
| Best For | — | Stairs, cars, upholstery |
| Size | — | Ultra-portable |
How they differ in real use
Built from our carpet cleaners scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic and the Bissell Little Green Portable made our Top 5 Carpet Cleaners & Extractors, at #4 and #5 (best budget). Simplest operation—push forward to wash, pull back to dry. Automatic sensing prevents oversaturation. Ideal for anyone intimidated by carpet cleaner operation. Perfect niche at $100—powerful for tough stains, small enough for closet. Over 2 million sold. Indispensable for spot cleaning, stairs, cars, upholstery.
We score carpet cleaners & extractors on Stain Removal (35%), Tank Capacity (25%), Features (20%), Ease of Use (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic totals 8 out of 10 and the Bissell Little Green Portable 7.2. The widest gap is Tank Capacity, where the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic scores 8 against 5 for the Bissell Little Green Portable — water capacity. Features also separates them: 7 for the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic versus 6 for the Bissell Little Green Portable. The Bissell Little Green Portable claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Tank — 1 gal clean on the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic versus 48 oz on the Bissell Little Green Portable.
Pricing as of January 27, 2026: $249 for the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic and $99 for the Bissell Little Green Portable, a $150 difference in the Bissell Little Green Portable's favor. Owners praise the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic for automatic operation and no triggers or buttons; the most common complaint is less control. Owners praise the Bissell Little Green Portable for $100 price and 9.65 lbs portable; the most common complaint is 48 oz small tank.
Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic
- Automatic operation
- No triggers or buttons
- Prevents oversaturation
- 1 gal tank
- Less control
- Basic features
- Mid-range performance
Bissell Little Green Portable
- $100 price
- 9.65 lbs portable
- Powerful for size
- 2+ million sold
- 48 oz small tank
- Spot cleaning only
- Not whole-room
Which should you buy?
The Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic is the better fit for first-time users and simple operation preference — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Tank Capacity and Features. The Bissell Little Green Portable is the better fit for spot cleaning and stairs and cars, and the stronger choice if Value matters more to you than the overall score. If the $150 saving matters more than Tank Capacity, the Bissell Little Green Portable is the better value. The Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic is a poor fit for control enthusiasts; the Bissell Little Green Portable is a poor fit for whole-room cleaning.
Choose the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic if
- First-time users
- Simple operation preference
- Intimidated by cleaners
Skip it if
- Control enthusiasts
- Professional results
Choose the Bissell Little Green Portable if
- Spot cleaning
- Stairs and cars
- Upholstery
Skip it if
- Whole-room cleaning
- Large areas
Common questions
Is the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic better than the Bissell Little Green Portable?
In our Carpet Cleaners & Extractors ranking the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic scores higher overall, 8 to 7.2, with the biggest advantage in Tank Capacity. The Bissell Little Green Portable is stronger on Value, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic cost than the Bissell Little Green Portable?
$150 more as of January 27, 2026: $249 for the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic against $99 for the Bissell Little Green Portable. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Tank Capacity — 8 versus 5 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic and the Bissell Little Green Portable?
The headline spec difference is Tank: 1 gal clean on the Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic versus 48 oz on the Bissell Little Green Portable. In use, the gap that matters most is Tank Capacity (8 vs 5 in our scoring): water capacity.