Quick Answer: The Hoover SmartWash+ (FH52000) is a $289.99 upright carpet cleaner (verified 2026-08-19, no active discount) with Automatic Cleaning Technology — push forward and it auto-dispenses solution, pull back and it auto-switches to suction, no trigger required. It carries a 4.48-out-of-5-star rating from 6,425 reviews on Target.com and includes a HeatForce warm-air dry boost, but it now costs about $52 more than the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Plus rather than undercutting it. The main knock: a recurring, documented complaint about the solution dispenser leaking or sticking open after extended use.
Last updated: August 19, 2026 — price re-verified against Hoover.com and Target.com; the earlier $219.99 discount has ended.
Hoover’s SmartWash line built its reputation on removing the one thing every other upright carpet cleaner still asks you to do manually: hold a trigger. Here’s what the auto-dispensing mechanism actually buys you, and where it falls short, based on Hoover’s own published specs and Target’s aggregated customer review data.
SmartWash+, by the numbers
- 4.48 out of 5 stars — the customer rating from 6,425 reviews on Target.com (verified 2026-08-19), one of the largest review samples of any machine covered on this site.
- $289.99 — the current price on both Hoover.com and Target.com (verified 2026-08-19), with no active sale — a change from the $219.99 discounted price this site verified on 2026-08-08.
- 22-ft cord — longer than the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro’s 25-ft cord is close but the SmartWash+‘s reach is still enough to clear most living rooms without an outlet swap.
- 5-year motor warranty — beating the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Plus’s 5-year warranty on equal footing, and well ahead of most portable spot cleaners’ 3-year terms.
What’s good
| Strength | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Automatic Cleaning Technology | No trigger to squeeze — solution dispenses on the forward push, suction kicks in on the pull-back, so you can focus on coverage instead of hand fatigue |
| AutoMix Technology | Pre-measures the solution-to-water ratio automatically, removing the guesswork (and over-diluting) that comes with manual-mix machines |
| HeatForce warm-air dry | Channels heated exhaust air across the carpet to speed evaporation, cutting down on the wait before furniture goes back |
| 4.48/5 stars, 6,425 reviews | One of the largest, most consistent satisfaction samples of any machine on this site |
| 2-in-1 pet tool + 8-ft hose | Converts the upright into a spot/upholstery cleaner without buying a separate portable unit |
What’s not
- Dispenser leaks are a documented complaint. Hoover’s own troubleshooting content and repair forums describe a recurring issue where the solution valve sticks open or the reservoir cap cracks after months of use — not universal, but common enough to check the warranty terms before buying.
- Small trial-size solution in the box. The included bottle is only enough for a couple of uses; budget for refills of Hoover-brand solution right away.
- 1-gallon combined tank capacity. Fine for a living room or two bedrooms, but multiple rooms in one session means refill trips more often than a pro-grade machine like the Big Green.
- HeatForce dries air, not the tank. It’s a warm-air-assisted dry boost, not a solution heater — don’t expect the water itself to come out hot.
Full specs
| Spec | Hoover SmartWash+ (FH52000) |
|---|---|
| Price (verified 2026-08-19) | $289.99 (Hoover.com), no active discount |
| Tank capacity | 1 gallon total (clean/dirty split) |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs |
| Power cord | 22 ft, corded |
| Cleaning path | 12 in. |
| Included accessories | 2-in-1 pet tool, 8-ft hose, storage bag, trial-size solution |
| Warranty | 5-year motor warranty |
| Customer rating | 4.48/5 (6,425 reviews, Target.com) |
Hoover SmartWash+ Automatic Carpet Cleaner (FH52000)
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Who should buy it
Buy the SmartWash+ if you want an upright cleaner that removes the manual trigger-squeezing most machines in this price range still require — the Automatic Cleaning Technology and AutoMix dispensing are the real differentiators, and the 4.48-star rating across 6,425 reviews backs up that it holds up in daily use. It’s no longer the cheaper option, though: at $289.99 it now costs about $52 more than the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Plus’s $237.99, so the case for it rests on the no-trigger convenience, not price.
Skip it if you’ve read enough dispenser-leak complaints to want a simpler, all-manual mechanism with fewer moving parts — a trigger-operated machine like the Bissell CrossWave or a portable spot cleaner like the Little Green Max Pet has less to go wrong. Households needing pet-specific pretreatment should also look at the SmartWash Pet Complete (FH53000) instead, which adds a dedicated Oxy Formula pretreat wand this base model doesn’t include.
The bottom line
The Hoover SmartWash+ earns its place as one of the best-reviewed machines on this site — a 4.48-star rating across 6,425 reviews and genuinely useful auto-dispensing tech justify the $289.99 price on convenience alone, even though it’s no longer the value pick against the ProHeat 2X Revolution. Just go in aware of the recurring dispenser-leak complaints documented in Hoover’s own support content, and budget for solution refills beyond the small trial bottle in the box. See our best carpet cleaner roundup for how it stacks up against the rest of the field, or our best Hoover carpet cleaner guide for how it compares within the brand. If your SmartWash+ stops picking up water or won’t power on, our Hoover carpet cleaner troubleshooting guide has the fix sequence.