I Tried the New Mini Version of the Bissell “Little Green Machine,” and It Refreshed My Home in 20 Minutes

I love a cleaning video where you get to see a total transformation, like those rug cleaning videos on #cleantok. There’s just something so viscerally satisfying about seeing the gross stuff get extracted. Take, for instance, every clip of someone using the viral Little Green Machine to clean up stains and messes in their upholstery, rugs, and even cars. 

I’ve always wanted to try it out for myself, but have never had quite enough room to justify storing another single-use cleaning appliance, even if it is little. So when the launch of Bissell’s new Little Green Mini — an even smaller version! — came across my desk, I knew I had to try it. 

Bissell Little Green Mini is a portable carpet cleaner that looks almost exactly like its very well-known predecessor, the Bissell Little Green, except it’s compact! The classic Little Green machine has a 48-ounce volume and weighs close to 10 pounds while the new mini version weighs just 7 pounds. 

The Little Green Mini does come with one fewer special attachment, though (it has a 4-inch tough stain tool, but no spraying crevice tool, like the original). With the smaller size comes a lower price, too. This mini version costs $95, which is almost $30 cheaper than the original one. 

I live in an apartment with a lot of wood and brick, so I don’t spend a ton of time thinking about rugs and upholstery. But all told, I have several fabric surfaces that need more attention. I put my new mini machine to the test by refreshing a few select items: a velvet armchair that my cat loves to lay on and cover with fur; a small handwoven rug I recently thrifted and hadn’t found a good way to clean; and a fabric-covered ottoman I bought secondhand years ago with the intent to reupholster because it always looked a little dull. 

In the end, I have fallen for this little green gem and have a feeling I’ll be spending a lot more time cleaning the soft surfaces around my home just for fun. Here’s what I like about it. 

I was wary when I unboxed the Little Green Mini and saw the instruction booklet, but it couldn’t have been simpler to set up. I just filled up one of the receptacles with warm water and the cleaning solution it came with up to the fill line, plugged the machine in, and got to work passing the nozzle over my rug. It functions by spraying, scrubbing (with the tough stain tool) and vacuuming all at once, so as I used it I could see the dirt getting sucked up out of the woven fabric and into the machine. (As a side note, I was also pleased with how gentle it was on my vintage rug, cleaning it without pulling any threads loose.)

I didn’t time exactly how long the whole process for this rug took, but I would guess five minutes max. By the time I was done using the Little Green Mini on two rugs, the ottoman, and the armchair, only 20 minutes had elapsed — and that was including a few breaks to take photos of the progress. 

This was a perk I did not expect. I pride myself on having an apartment that always smells nice and not like a cat, despite the fact that a cat very much lives here. But for the past week, I’ve been feeling like something is a little off — I’ve taken the trash out, cleaned out my fridge, vacuumed, wiped everything down, and lit a few candles, but there’s just an underlying mustiness I can’t quite put my finger on. 

I’d gone away for the weekend and left my cat home (my lovely friend checked in on her), so maybe she had done something somewhere? As mentioned, I also have a couple of thrifted fabric pieces, so maybe those were carrying some stale smells. Whatever the cause, after I used the Little Green Mini on them, I noticed that they instantly looked cleaner and brighter (that visual ASMR I love so much). I expected that to some extent, but I was pleasantly surprised by the difference. Even though I wasn’t trying to lift any specific stains, I watched in awe and horror as it pulled dark brown water out of my things, removing spots I didn’t even realize existed. 

What really struck me, though, was sitting in my living room after using the cleaner on my armchair, ottoman, and rug — something just smelled fresher. It was like a 20-minute start-of-spring refresh, and my apartment is back to smelling as good as ever. 

I have one closet in my apartment, and it’s mostly filled with clothes — there’s no room for clunky cleaning supplies. Luckily, the Bissell Little Green Mini is exactly small enough to fit just under my bed (with no risers). If only my vacuum could do the same! 

It is worth noting that due to the nature of the mini size, the machine also has a more limited cleaning capacity — but that’s fine for me, as I’m mostly going to be using it for spot cleaning or on small area rugs. Because the mini version’s volume is only 16 ounces, though, I ran out of cleaning solution at one point during the process and had to refill it, which wouldn’t have happened with the larger version. 

I wasn’t bothered because it only took a minute or so to reset, and I’d prefer to have a smaller appliance to store, but for someone with a lot of upholstery to clean or a consistent supply of tough stains, the classic Little Green may be a better fit.

Buy: Bissell Little Green Mini, $94.99