Years ago, I bought a large Hoover carpet cleaner which does a great job, but it heavy and hard to carry as I have gotten older. So, I needed a lightweight carpet cleaner to clean up after small messes from our two long-haired kitties. The Clean Slate is PERFECT! I am so glad that I bought it; it is very effective, cleaning well, and has excellent suction. I highly recommend it for small cleaning jobs. Wish I had bought it earlier!