Tineco iCarpet Spot Test: Small carpet vacuum cleaner with cable constraint

In recent years, Tineco has made a name for itself with its powerful and smart cordless vacuum cleaners and mops. However, the company also offers exciting carpet cleaners in its Carpet series. In December, Tineco then launched the iCarpet Spot. This is a compact carpet cleaner that, unlike the cordless Carpet One Spot, does not rely on a rechargeable battery but on mains operation. Does the corded nature interfere in practice? Find out in the Tineco iCarpet Spot test.

Technical data

Scope of delivery

Tineco iCarpet Spot Test: Design and workmanship

Tineco divides its range of carpet cleaners into two different types. The “normal” Carpet model comes in a large format and was designed for cleaning complete carpets. The Tineco Carpet One already proved in our review that these work excellently. However, it can be cumbersome in everyday life to get the rather heavy household appliance out even for smaller stains.

Tineco has created the Carpet One Spot (€ 239.00 *) especially for this purpose. Thanks to its handpiece, it is particularly suitable for small stains on the carpet. The iCarpet Spot is very similar to the Carpet Spot. The key difference, however, is the power cable. You don’t get a rechargeable battery here. We’ll find out later whether this compromises ease of use.

The fact that this is a Tineco product can be recognized by the typical combination of black and white. The carpet cleaner rests on a black base. The two-part main unit is located above this. The suction motor is located in the white part of the housing. The transparent container is a 2-in-1 water tank. The fresh water tank, which has a maximum capacity of 800 ml, is located on the outside.

The 600 ml waste water tank is reliably separated from the fresh water by means of a partition. The equipment is rounded off with the suction unit. The handpiece has a pleasingly wide suction hatch at the front. This is connected to the carpet vacuum cleaner via a hose. There are smart features on the front and rear of the household helper, which are particularly helpful when storing and transporting the iCarpet Spot.

On the one hand, Tineco has placed a holder for the handpiece. On the other hand, there is a cable management system on which the 4.5 m long power cable can be conveniently threaded. There is also a practical carrying handle on the top. This makes it easy to carry the 3.7 kg household appliance from A to B. The build quality of the household helper is excellent. As is typical for Tineco gadgets, it doesn’t crack or creak at any point.

Tineco iCarpet Spot test: ease of use

Household cleaning is a real satisfaction for very few of us. But it is necessary. This makes it all the more important that the cleaning routine runs as smoothly as possible. This is where ease of use comes into play. With its low weight of just 3.7 kg and the practical handle, the Tineco iCarpet One can be maneuvered to the desired location quickly and without much effort.

The only important thing is that you have a suitable power socket nearby. After all, you don’t get a rechargeable battery here, but have to rely on mains operation. Fortunately, the power cable is quite long at 4.5 m. So you should be able to get the power supply you need in most indoor areas. If this is not the case, you will have to rely on an extension cable for better or worse. But did this bother me in practice?

To be honest: not really. This is mainly due to the fact that the Tineco iCarpet Spot was not designed for larger cleaning areas anyway. Rather, the household helper should be used when a stain on the carpet, hard floor or armchair needs to be removed as quickly as possible. Accordingly, the nickname “Spot” is very well chosen. Unlike when cleaning the house with a corded vacuum cleaner, you won’t have to run from socket to socket.

On top of this, the constant power connection means that the Tineco can run indefinitely. This means you can clean the whole couch if necessary, which can take up a lot of time, especially with large models. But let’s not kid ourselves. Of course, there are also scenarios in which a rechargeable battery would definitely be an advantage. This is particularly the case when used outside the home. Cleaning car seats is a particularly good example of this.

After all, very few vehicle models have a classic Schuko socket. If you don’t have an external socket on the wall of your home, you will unfortunately have to do without this really helpful cleaning option. According to Tineco, the operating volume of the carpet cleaner is 82 dB. This is a solid value, but anything but whisper-quiet. For comparison: TÜV recommends a volume of between 70 and 75 dB.

Another thing you should keep in mind when it comes to ease of use is the working position. With the iCarpet Spot, you hold the cleaning unit in your hand. There is no extension pole. This means that you will inevitably have to bend your knees if you want to clean your floors. Of course, this is not the case with upholstered furniture or other higher objects. However, if you have problems with your knees, you should keep this in mind.

Tineco iCarpet Spot test: Differences to the Carpet One Spot

As mentioned at the beginning, the iCarpet Spot is by no means the first carpet cleaner from Tineco. The Carpet series also includes three other models. The exception is the large Carpet One, which is suitable for cleaning complete carpets.

For smaller stains, Tineco launched the Spot series. Carpet One Spot and Carpet One Spot Essential (€ 179.99 *) differ from the iCarpet Spot in one respect in particular: they rely on cordless battery operation. But what other differences are there?

• Two-chamber system
  Both the Carpet One Spot and Carpet One Spot Essential use a dual-chamber system. The dirty water tank and fresh water tank are not located in one container, but in two separate containers. This has no real impact on hygiene. After all, the two chambers in the iCarpet Spot are clearly separated from each other. However, by separating the chambers, they also offer more capacity.
• iLoop dirt sensor
  Carpet One Spot and Carpet One Spot Essential also offer the tried-and-tested iLoop dirt sensor from Tineco. This recognizes the degree of soiling on the floor and automatically adjusts the suction power. With the iCarpet Spot, on the other hand, you have to use your own judgment. However, this should not be a problem, especially with noticeable stains.
• Displays
  The two other handy carpet cleaners come with practical displays. There are small screens on both the handpiece and the main unit of the cleaner. The results of the iLoop dirt sensor can be read on the handpiece. Instructions for the cleaning process can be read on the handle. The iCarpet Spot does not have a display.
• Spot mode
  The iCarpet Spot also has no spot mode. This was designed for cleaning particularly stubborn stains. Here you place the cleaning brush on the relevant stain and the carpet cleaner works on its own. The display shows whether the stain has been removed or not.
• Self-cleaning
  Carpet One Spot and Carpet One Spot Essentials also offer self-cleaning. For this purpose, there is a separate tray on the main unit into which the cleaning head is inserted. After pressing the self-cleaning button, the head is rinsed again. With the iCarpet Spot, you have to do this yourself by hand in the sink.

Tineco iCarpet Spot test: Cleaning performance

The differences to the other two Spot models are therefore quite significant. But how do the compromises in terms of features make themselves felt in practice? First of all, it should be noted that the iCarpet Spot is significantly more compact and almost 1.5 kg lighter than its siblings. On top of that, it is also cheaper. But does it clean well? We tried it out and used the helper on various surfaces. Because one thing is clear – the iCarpet Spot is a real jack-of-all-trades.

Although Tineco describes the household helper as a carpet cleaner, the practical household helper can also be used to clean hard floors, upholstered furniture and even windows and tiles thanks to the matching attachments. For the test, I started with carpets. This is where the iCarpet Spot flexed the muscles of its 300 watt motor. This enabled me to remove the dried mud stain that my dog had left on my hall carpet a few days earlier.

The short-pile hall carpet was followed by the long-pile carpet from my study. Given the long fibers, these are usually more challenging for vacuum cleaners. But here too, the iCarpet Spot won me over. I was surprised when I took a look in the dirty water tank after cleaning the first two carpets. It’s amazing what the little carpet cleaner gets out of the carpets.

When everything was dry, I enjoyed the pleasant scent of the cleaning solution that is added to the fresh water tank. For stubborn stains, it is also advisable to use the pre-treatment solution included in the scope of delivery, which is sprayed onto the stains beforehand. I then took care of the smooth surfaces. I was able to clean my vinyl and tiled floors with ease using the Tineco. I also used the carpet cleaner to clean my glass wall.

A special attachment is used to clean smooth surfaces. This has a gentle rubber coating. This means that not only floors and windows, but also furniture such as tables or sideboards can be cleaned without leaving any damage behind. All in all, the iCarpet Spot performed well during cleaning. However, there is a noticeable difference in performance compared to the large Carpet One. Smaller stubborn stains can also be removed with the iCarpet Spot.

More household helpers from Tineco in the test

• Tineco Pure One Station 5
• Tineco Pure One A50S (Plus)
• Tineco Pure One A30S (Plus)
• Tineco Floor One Stretch S6
• Tineco Floor One S6 Flashdry PET

Conclusion

The Tineco iCarpet Spot is a compact and versatile carpet cleaner that has been specially developed for smaller cleaning tasks. Its light weight of 3.7 kg and the well thought-out design with practical carrying handle and cable management make it a handy household helper. Despite being corded, the 4.5 meter power cord is not a limitation in most application situations, but provides unlimited runtime – ideal for longer cleaning sessions. The cleaning performance of the iCarpet Spot is impressive. With its 300-watt motor, it reliably removes even stubborn stains from carpets, upholstered furniture and hard floors. Thanks to the different attachments, even glass surfaces and furniture can be cleaned gently.

The 2-in-1 water tank ensures a clean separation of fresh and dirty water, which makes handling easier. Compared to its cordless siblings Carpet One Spot and Carpet One Spot Essential, however, the iCarpet Spot has to do without some convenient functions such as the iLoop dirt sensor, self-cleaning and spot mode. Many people will certainly miss features such as spot cleaning, iLoop dirt sensor and, above all, self-cleaning. However, the Tineco iCarpet Spot is still a good choice for users looking for a compact, powerful and attractively priced carpet cleaner for indoor use. However, anyone looking for maximum mobility or additional convenience functions should consider the battery-powered alternatives.