I plan to re-open my vacuum shop & need to know which shampooers to buy.  Since I hear that Hoover Steam Vac SpinScrub (NOT the Dirt Devil Easy Steamer style) is better than its competitors, I'm not sure whether to get the Classic or Platinum?  I know the Bissell ProHeat & Royal/Dirt Devil are junk & the Rug Doctor doesn't scrub the carpet good enough like the XXX & Hoover do.

Extractor type

1. Hoover Steam Vac SpinScrub w/Clean Surge
2. Hoover Platinum or XXX R/C Steam Vac
3. XXX Duo Power (Hoover Dual V)

Scrubber/polisher type

1. Aerus/Lux Floor Pro
2. Koblenz Cleaning Machine
3. Hoover FloorMAX (or Floor-A-Matic)
4. Oreck Orbiter

The 3 brush Lux polishers/shampooers were fine for their times.  Simple, lightweight, quiet, all metal.  Fold down handle for easy storage and transport.  Easy to clean after use: Remove the polisher/shampoo brushes and brush plate and rinse in warm water and let dry.  Tank is on the small side.  Biggest problem is finding the right shampoo and solution mix for all different carpets w/o creating alot of suds.  A chemist worth his/her salt can assist with the right one for most/each carpet type.  Most users also have a tendency to oversoak the rugs with solution with these 3 brush models.  They last for ever.

Carmine D.

Severus wrote:

Hello SEVERUS:

To my knowledge at least 2 retailers carry and sell this brand now with a model ideal for home use: Kohl's and COSTCO.  Usually retails for $400-$600 and always a sale on them.  Impressive machine.  Competes with a pervasive number of authorized retailers who rent these by the day along with selling all the different solutions.  Rental users tend to return these in terrible shape and the retailers put out for rent w/o always scoping out/servicing properly after return.  More reason to buy/own your own.

oh well if you think the $200 is expensive, turn a blind eye to Sebo's new Disco polisher head for their cylinders or Felix/Dart uprights.

hooverman wrote:

Considering the price of a new one, $200 is realtively reasonable as long as shipping fees are low or non-existent.  Rug shampooers are not used daily but a few times at most during the year except by those who want to polish floors as well.  Nonetheless, I'd say the war and tear factor is substantially less with reasonable use and care. 

It's a new world.  $200 now stands as no money and there are few new good electrical devices, other than small appliances, that you can buy with it.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:

If I recall correctly, the last time I bought one of these new lux 3 brush machines in the mid 80's, they were selling for $300-$400.

Carmine D.

The Floor Pro from Aerus is an excellent unit. The cost new is $899 with a five year warranty. The three brush design has been around since 1924 since the first unit came out. It does excellent cleaning and can be used commercially. This unit can not be bought new  for vac shops. They can only be bought new through an Aerus Representative or office. These units are durable and used ones  when you can get them last a very long time. I personally used one in commercial carpet cleaning for 10 years and had no problems. Very easy to demo and sell. It is the proper weight for doing waxing and cleaning  . 20 pounds. Very easy to manuever due to the three brush design.  If you buy for your store go with B-9 onward . All that had changed was name and color to go with the current unit.  for more info PM me.

procare wrote:

Hello Procare:

I had one of these.  It was made in Sweden by Lux for export.  I gifted it away several years ago before moving.  It was still working as good as new!

Carmine D.

Here's an interesting relatively low priced floor polisher/cleaner.

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/75775?promo=Home-Care&catid=42

This vendor HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WWW1
HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER • 147 E. 57th ST • NEW YORK, NY • 10022 • 1-800-321-1484 has a unique unconditional life time guarantee. 

The Home Floor Scrubber / Polisher.

This home floor cleaner scrubs and polishes any hard surface floor or carpet with a commercial machine's vigor, yet is easily controlled with one hand. The dual, counter-rotating nylon brushes spin at 470 rpm to remove deeply imbedded stains from carpets and buff a brilliant sheen into hardwood floors, tile, or marble. The 1/3-horsepower machine can be used with any home cleaning solution or stain remover and is as easy to operate as a vacuum cleaner; the brushes engage with a tap of the foot pedal, its lightweight, slim design and wheels allow you to quickly navigate around furniture and along walls, and the 18'-long cord provides enough slack to clean large areas. Three sets of pads--felt (wood floors), microfiber (tile) and terry cloth (carpet)--accommodate different surfaces, or you can leave the brushes uncovered to scrub concrete in a garage or basement. The rugged ABS housing and 18-gauge steel handle ensure years of reliable use. Plugs into AC. 40" H x 11 1/2" W x 8 1/2" D. (6 lbs.)

Item 75775

 $149.95

The smart tyrant writes his own story to ensure that it is favorable.  The lazy will repeat lines from the book without fact checking. 

Severus wrote:

Venson wrote:

Severus and Venson:

I have a 2 brush HOOVER 5130 from the late 50's/early 60's.  I still use it.  Works well.  All still original.  Certainly easily usable with one hand as the ad says about the new model posted that copies it.  In fairness to the double handle Lux 3 brush, it is easily usable with one hand too.  I like both machines and would probably sell both if I had a store and there was a demand by customers for waxers/polishers and shampooers.  While I carried and sold the HOOVER 2 brushes for many years, when customers wanted a 3 brush I would refer to a Lux rep for sale.  Not that big a demand, especially for home use at the price.

Carmine D.