Quick Answer: The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet (3605/3618) is a portable spot-extractor that adds an in-line steam heater to Bissell’s usual Little Green mechanics, priced at $249.99 on Target.com with a 3.98/5-star rating across 241 reviews (both verified 2026-08-31). Bissell’s own testing claims 50% better performance on tough, oily stains thanks to three selectable modes — SteamWash, Steam, and Wash — versus the non-heated Little Green Max Pet, which costs about $100 less. If your stains are fresh pet accidents rather than oily or set-in messes, the cheaper Max Pet does the same core job without the steam premium.
Bissell’s Little Green line has been a portable-cleaner staple for years — see our Little Green Max Pet review for the non-heated version most households buy. The HydroSteam Pet is the line’s steam-equipped variant, and it shows up constantly in our best upholstery cleaner guide as the pick for greasy, set-in stains. Here’s the full breakdown on its own.
HydroSteam Pet, by the numbers
- $249.99 on Target.com, verified 2026-08-31 — about $100 more than the Little Green Max Pet’s $149.99 for the same core portable-extractor mechanism plus a steam heater and bigger tanks.
- 3.98/5 stars across 242 reviews on Target.com (re-verified 2026-09-21), a step below the Max Pet’s 4.4/5 from 338 Bissell.com reviews.
- 50% better performance on tough, oily stains, per Bissell’s own HydroSteam Technology claim comparing it to a non-heated extractor — the specific benefit the steam upgrade is sold on.
- 64-oz clean tank and 51-oz dirty tank, roughly double the Max Pet’s matched 32-oz tanks, meaning fewer refill stops on bigger jobs like a full sectional or stairs.
What’s good
| Strength | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Three cleaning modes | SteamWash for oily messes, Steam for upholstery refresh and tile/grout, Wash for enzyme-based pet stains — one machine covers jobs that would otherwise need separate products |
| 50% claimed improvement on oily stains | Bissell's own tested benefit of adding steam heat over a room-temperature extractor pass |
| Bigger dual-tank system | 64-oz clean and 51-oz dirty tanks mean fewer mid-job refill stops than the Max Pet's matched 32-oz tanks |
| ~25-minute upholstery dry time | Fast enough to put cushion covers back on the same afternoon, per Bissell's own rating |
What’s not
- $100 premium over the Max Pet. At $249.99 you’re paying two-thirds more than the Little Green Max Pet’s $149.99 for steam and bigger tanks — real value only if oily or set-in stains are a recurring problem, not a one-off.
- Lower rating than the non-heated version. 3.98/5 across 241 Target reviews trails the Max Pet’s 4.4/5, suggesting the added modes and heater introduce more that can go wrong or confuse first-time buyers.
- Narrower 3-inch cleaning path. The included Tough Stain Tool is built for spot work, not wide carpet stretches — plan on more passes than a full-size upright for anything bigger than a couch or a set of stairs.
- Confusing shared branding. Bissell reuses “HydroSteam” across the Little Green line reviewed here and the hard-floor-only CrossWave HydroSteam — the two are not interchangeable, so confirm which machine a listing is actually describing.
Full specs
| Spec | Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet (3605/3618) |
|---|---|
| Price (verified 2026-08-31) | $249.99 (Target.com) |
| Weight | 13 lbs |
| Cord | 15 ft, corded |
| Clean / dirty tank | 64 oz / 51 oz |
| Cleaning path (Tough Stain Tool) | 3 inches |
| Cleaning modes | SteamWash, Steam, Wash |
| Included tools | 5-inch Tough Stain Tool, Multi-Surface Tool |
| Warranty | 3-year limited |
| Rating | 3.98/5 (242 reviews, Target.com, re-verified 2026-09-21) |
| Best for | Pet owners and households with recurring oily, set-in stains on carpet, upholstery, stairs, or car interiors |
Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet (3605/3618)
Who should buy it
Buy the Little Green HydroSteam Pet if oily, greasy, or long-set-in stains are a recurring issue on your carpet, upholstery, or car seats — the SteamWash mode’s claimed 50% improvement targets exactly that problem, and the bigger dual-tank system means you won’t be refilling mid-job on a sectional or a full flight of stairs.
Skip it if you mostly deal with fresh pet accidents or occasional spills: the Little Green Max Pet handles that job for $100 less and actually carries a higher customer rating. And if what you’re really trying to clean is a hard floor, not carpet or upholstery, the similarly-named CrossWave HydroSteam is a completely different machine — don’t let the shared branding confuse the two.
The bottom line
The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet delivers on its steam pitch — a claimed 50% improvement on oily, set-in stains, a bigger dual-tank system, and a solid 3.98/5 across 242 Target reviews (re-verified 2026-09-21). At $249.99 — unchanged since our original check — it’s a real $100 step up from the standard Little Green Max Pet, and that premium only pays off if oily or set-in messes are a genuine recurring problem rather than the occasional fresh accident the cheaper machine already handles well. For the full portable-cleaner picture, see our best upholstery cleaner guide or best portable carpet cleaner roundup.
Last updated September 21, 2026: Re-checked pricing and rating against Target.com — the $249.99 price hasn’t moved since our original 2026-08-31 check, and the rating held at 3.98/5 with the review count ticking up slightly to 242.