Designed for pet owners and active households, this hot-water vacuum cleans carpets after they've been dry-vacuumed and scrubs bare floors. The 1,440-watt vacuum applies hot tap water and cleaning solution (a 16-ounce bottle is included) into carpet fibers or onto bare floors with five rotating brushes at two speeds, and then it vacuums up the dirty water. No faucet hookup is required. Both the clean-water and dirty-water tanks detach for filling and emptying, and the vacuum shuts off automatically when the dirty-water tank is full. The vacuum cleans a 12-inch path going forward and backward and automatically adjusts for carpet heights and bare floors. In addition, the accompanying upholstery/stair tool (with an indicator light showing whether it's in floor or tools mode) has a finger trigger for applying cleaning mixture. The vacuum has a toe-operated on/off switch and comes with a 24-foot cord and an 8-foot hose. Assembly requires just two nuts and bolts and one screw (which are included), and the instruction booklet is easy to follow. The vacuum carries a one-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack