Mobile setup tool
Car detailing extractors, compared
Eleven carpet and upholstery extractors from the specs of their six makers: watts, heater, pump pressure, suction, tanks, and hose. Then check one with your vacuum on an outlet or generator.
Will it run with your vacuum?
Pick an extractor and, if they run at the same time, a vacuum or steam cleaner. Add the amps of any other tool, then choose where the power comes from.
Choose an extractor to see its load.
What to check in an extractor for car detailing
- Power: the eleven models draw 420 W to 2,458 W at 120 volts. A 15 amp circuit gives 1,800 W and a 20 amp circuit 2,400 W. The Mytee HP90 Stingray heated extractor and Mytee HP120 Grand Prix heated extractor list 20 amps, the whole of a 20 amp circuit. The Sandia Indy 6 gallon with heat motor and heater figures add up to 2,458 W, more than a 20 amp circuit. Sandia does not say whether both run at full draw together.
- Heat: six are heated, with 600 to 1,200 watt heaters. The heater watts are part of each heated machine's figure in the table.
- Spray and suction: the Mytee and Sandia machines list pump pressure from 55 to 120 psi and water lift from 76 to 130 inches. Kärcher lists 14.5 psi in its brochure and 12.5 on its product page. Bissell, Hoover, and Rug Doctor state no pump or suction figures for these models.
- Tanks and weight: solution tanks run from 51 ounces (Hoover) to 10 gallons (Mytee HP120). The 10 gallon HP120 weighs 109 lb, and the 4 gallon Mytee Lite 45 lb. Count the full tank in your van or trailer load with the water tank planner: water is about 8.34 lb a gallon.
- Hose and cord: hoses run from 5 ft (Bissell SpotClean Pro, Hoover) to 15 ft (Mytee Lite, HP90, HP120, and both Sandia machines), and cords from 14 ft to 25 ft. Rug Doctor states neither.
Cleaning out a smell or a stain? The car smell finder puts extraction in order with the other steps. The extractor buying guide covers how to choose one for your services.
Carpet and upholstery extractors compared
| Model | Type | Planner watts | Heater | Pump psi | Water lift | Airflow (CFM) | Tanks (solution / recovery) | Hose | Cord | Weight | Power notes | Car use (maker) | Maker price | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mytee S-300H Tempo heated spotterproduct page | Heated spotter | 1,440 W, about 12 A12 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Mytee S-300H Tempo heated spotter | Yes, 600 W | 55 | 85 in | 97 | 1 gal / 1 gal | 8 ft solution and vacuum combo | 25 ft, 16/3 | 28 lb (the page text also says 26 lb) | Single cord. | Maker: "Perfect for auto detailing, carpet, and upholstery spotting" | $1,074.00 | Search Amazon for the Mytee S-300H Tempo heated spotter |
| Mytee Lite 8070 heated extractorproduct page, manual | Heated portable extractor | 2,280 W, about 19 A19 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Mytee Lite 8070 heated extractor | Yes, 1,000 W | 120 | 130 in | 100 | 4 gal / 4 gal | 15 ft × 1-1/4 in | 25 ft, 12/3 | 45 lb (the manual says 48 lb) | Single cord. Mytee's manual says to plug it into "a grounded 20 amp outlet" and "DO NOT use extension cords." | Maker: "our best-selling automotive detailing extractor and upholstery machine" | $1,639.00 | Search Amazon for the Mytee Lite 8070 heated extractor |
| Mytee HP90 Stingray heated extractorproduct page | Heated portable extractor | 2,400 W, about 20 A20 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Mytee HP90 Stingray heated extractor | Yes, 1,200 W | 120 | 130 in | 100 | 5 gal / 5 gal | 15 ft × 1-1/4 in | 25 ft, 12/3 | 65 lb | Single cord. | Maker: "Your Ultimate Performance Package for Mobile Detailing" | $2,300.00 | Search Amazon for the Mytee HP90 Stingray heated extractor |
| Mytee HP120 Grand Prix heated extractorproduct page | Heated portable extractor | 2,400 W, about 20 A20 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Mytee HP120 Grand Prix heated extractor | Yes, 1,200 W | 120 | 130 in | 100 | 10 gal / 10 gal | 15 ft × 1-1/4 in | 25 ft, 12/3 | 109 lb | Single cord. | Maker: "The Workhorse for Car Washes and Detail Bays" | $2,509.00 | Search Amazon for the Mytee HP120 Grand Prix heated extractor |
| Sandia Spotter 3 gallon with heater (50-4000)spot extractor page, sell sheet | Heated spotter | 1,404 W, about 11.7 A804 W motor + 600 W heater. The motor figure is on Sandia's spot extractor page, which names no model; we matched it to the 50-4000 by tank, heater, airflow, and suction. Amps not stated. Add to power planner: Sandia Spotter 3 gallon with heater (50-4000) | Yes, 600 W inline | 55 (Sandia also offers a 100 psi pump) | 76 in | 100 | 3 gal | 15 ft × 1-1/4 in | 20 ft | 30 lb | Not stated. | Maker: "perfectly sized for vehicle interiors" | Not shown | Search Amazon for the Sandia Spotter 3 gallon with heater (50-4000) |
| Sandia Indy 6 gallon with heat (86-4000-H)product page, automotive line | Heated portable extractor | 2,458 W, about 20.5 A1,258 W motor + 1,200 W heater, added together. Amps not stated. Add to power planner: Sandia Indy 6 gallon with heat (86-4000-H) | Yes, 1,200 W inline | 100 | 117 in | 99 | 6 gal / 6 gal | 15 ft | 25 ft, 16/3 | 82 lb | Single cord. Sandia: "The heated unit works off only one power cord." | Maker: "Ideal for any detailing job" | Not shown | Search Amazon for the Sandia Indy 6 gallon with heat (86-4000-H) |
| Kärcher Puzzi 10/1 (1.100-133.0)product page, product sheet, brochure, safety instructions | Spray extractor | 1,290 W, about 10.8 A1,250 W turbine + 40 W pump. Amps not stated. Add to power planner: Kärcher Puzzi 10/1 (1.100-133.0) | Not stated | 14.5 (brochure; the product page says 12.5) | 88 in | 114 | 2.6 gal / 2.3 gal | 8 ft (2.5 m) | 25 ft (brochure) | 23.6 lb | Kärcher's safety instructions: use a socket with a fault current protection switch (maximum 30 mA) when working with liquids. | Its crevice nozzle is listed for "vehicle interiors and seats" | $1,825 (in the page's product data) | Search Amazon for the Kärcher Puzzi 10/1 (1.100-133.0) |
| Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner (93390)product page, manual | Home spot cleaner | 1,200 W, about 10 A10 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner (93390) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0.5 gal clean tank | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Rug Doctor's manual: "DO NOT overload circuit" and "The use of an extension cord is not recommended." | Maker: use it "all over your home and vehicle" | $189.99 (in the page's product data) | Search Amazon for the Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner (93390) |
| Bissell Commercial Little Green Pro (BGSS1481)product page, spec sheet | Commercial spot cleaner | 684 W, about 5.7 A5.7 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Bissell Commercial Little Green Pro (BGSS1481) | No | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0.75 gal tank | Not stated | 20 ft (a 30 ft cord is sold apart) | Not stated | Not stated. | Maker surface types include "auto" | $189.95 | Search Amazon for the Bissell Commercial Little Green Pro (BGSS1481) |
| Bissell SpotClean Pro (3624)product page | Home spot cleaner | 684 W, about 5.7 A5.7 A stated, × 120 V. Add to power planner: Bissell SpotClean Pro (3624) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0.75 gal clean tank | 5 ft | 22 ft (the page headline says 20 ft) | 13.25 lb (the page headline says 13 lb) | Not stated. | Maker surface types include "Auto" | Not shown | Search Amazon for the Bissell SpotClean Pro (3624) |
| Hoover Spotless (FH11300)product page | Home spot cleaner | 420 W, about 3.5 A420 W and 3.5 A stated. Add to power planner: Hoover Spotless (FH11300) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 51 oz / 36 oz | 5 ft | 14 ft | Not stated | Not stated. | Not stated. Sold as a carpet and upholstery cleaner. | $99.99 sale ($129.99 regular) | Search Amazon for the Hoover Spotless (FH11300) |
Planner watts are the higher of the maker's stated watts and 120 volts × its stated amps. Where a maker gives the motor and heater apart, we add them. Volts × amps is at or above the true watts, so the figure errs high, which is the safe side for sizing. The type column is our grouping, not the maker's. "Add to power planner" opens the power planner with that extractor as a tool, so you can add a vacuum, steam cleaner, or pressure washer and size a generator for the whole job.
Questions
How many amps does a car detailing extractor use?
From the maker figures, the eleven extractors here come to 420 W to 2,458 W, or about 3.5 to 20.5 amps at 120 volts. The top figure is Sandia's motor and heater watts added together. Sandia does not say whether both run at full draw at once. Four need more than a 15 amp circuit on their own: the Mytee Lite 8070 heated extractor, Mytee HP90 Stingray heated extractor, Mytee HP120 Grand Prix heated extractor, and Sandia Indy 6 gallon with heat. All four are heated.
Can I run an extractor and a shop vac on one outlet?
On a 15 amp circuit (1,800 W), 9 of the 110 pairs of an extractor here and a vacuum from our vacuum table stay under the limit. On a 20 amp circuit (2,400 W), 32 do. The smallest vacuum in our vacuum table uses 660 W. Run the two at different times, use separate circuits, or size a generator for both in the power planner.
Which extractors here are heated?
Six: the Mytee S-300H Tempo heated spotter, Mytee Lite 8070 heated extractor, Mytee HP90 Stingray heated extractor, Mytee HP120 Grand Prix heated extractor, Sandia Spotter 3 gallon with heater, and Sandia Indy 6 gallon with heat. Their heaters are 600 to 1,200 watts, from the maker figures. Bissell says the Little Green Pro has no heater. The Kärcher, Rug Doctor, Hoover, and Bissell SpotClean Pro pages do not mention a heater.
Can I use an extension cord with an extractor?
Check your own manual. The Mytee Lite manual says "DO NOT use extension cords" and to plug into "a grounded 20 amp outlet." Rug Doctor says "The use of an extension cord is not recommended." Kärcher says to use a socket with a fault current protection switch (maximum 30 mA) when you work with liquids.
What do pump psi and water lift mean on an extractor?
Pump psi is the pressure of the cleaning spray. Water lift is how hard the vacuum pulls, measured in inches of water, and CFM is how much air it moves. Bissell, Hoover, and Rug Doctor state none of the three for these models.
Sources and limits
Each model's maker pages, linked in the table, read November 2, 2026. Prices are from each maker's own page on that date; Sandia and the Bissell SpotClean Pro page show none. Left out: Mytee's two-cord Speedster carpet machines, the Sandia Sniper (its page gives only heater watts), the Hoover CleanSlate (no amps or watts stated), and models whose maker pages we could not load. We use no retailer figures. Nobody tested these machines for this page. The check adds the numbers you choose. It does not approve an outlet, cord, or generator. Read your own unit's label, then plan the whole job in the power planner. For vacuum and steamer figures, see the vacuum comparison and the steam cleaner comparison. For a fuel generator, follow the outdoor rules on the power planner page.
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