Need some help 360i/xl,rx/20 or zipper

[WillH]

I'm looking into buying a 360i/xl or a rx/20 maybe a zipper. I'm looking for a machine that will work on commercial and residential. Was wondering if you guys could give the good and bad of each. What machine would best suit my blazer xl. And what one does the best job. Is anyone getting rid of one or know anyone that is preferable a newer one or low hours. Thanks

 

[Papa John]

Sorry-- their isn't 1 perfect wand for All occasions.. that's why most of us on MB carry many different wands--
So join the club and buy all of them. .

 

[Cleanworks]

They are all different tools. The RX 20 will probably leave the carpet too wet with your Blazer unless you remove a couple of jets. Great tool for cgd because of the floating heads. I have the 13 inch Zipper and love it for commercial work. Much easier than a wand but we still scrub with a crb on heavy traffic areas. Ask Mikey what he thinks of the. Rotovac with brush head. Seems to be all he uses. Personally I think you need a Zipper and a rotovac. Zipper for speed and fast drying, rotovac with brush head for heavy scrubbing

 

[Papa John]

I like the rotovac 360i w brush head on Trashed carpet. Zipper for Speed.

 

[Mikey P]

For a Legend?

Get a 360i with a Brush Head


and a Sapphire Titanium 12" with a glide .Use the 360 on the filthy areas, and the wand on all the rest.

 

[JS41035]

I agree. The 360 is probably your best choice. The rx is a beast. I use it a ton. But unless it's a new HE it will soak stuff if your not careful.
If you've never had a rotary the rotovac will seem like magic on some jobs. The hoss is also a good choice. Lately I've seen them for sale at 1500 or less on FB in like new condition. I'll never own or use or even demo another RV product. But then I'm kinda petty.

 

[Mikey P]

I agree. The 360 is probably your best choice. The rx is a beast. I use it a ton. But unless it's a new HE it will soak stuff if your not careful.
If you've never had a rotary the rotovac will seem like magic on some jobs. The hoss is also a good choice. Lately I've seen them for sale at 1500 or less on FB in like new condition. I'll never own or use or even demo another RV product. But then I'm kinda petty.

Because of the Bonzer?

Lol..

Will you hold Mytee to the same moral rules?

 

[hogjowl]

Blah blah blah

 

[JS41035]

Geez. I am becoming like Dad.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

You don't have to soak stuff with the RX-20, just dial your pressure down. I have an RX I could let go.

 

[Brent Norman]

If you're doing mostly residential and some small commercial jobs, get the 360i with brush head. Once you get into some bigger commercial jobs like a few churches or conference rooms then get a Zipper Wand. But each tool you listed above has different uses and are better in different scenarios, that's why some guys have them all and use them all. But unless you are slammed with work you should find the 360i to meet most of your needs, or Hoss700, or TRex junior....pick your poison.

 

[Russ T.]

The 360i is an excellent choice. The product you will be delivering to your residential clients will far superior than a wand only.

Do you have a CRB?

 

[WillH]

Yes I own a 15 inch crb

 

[Mark Saiger]

Yes I own a 15 inch crb

With the CRB, you could use a Zipper also... and that would take care of both commercial and residential.

But there is still sometimes with our smaller TM's that a rotary can help out....if you are doing a good portion of commercial, the Zipper and CRB can be killer

Tough decision but I am lucky to have them all....

We probably use our CRB units and Zipper wands the most....

 

[Russ T.]

Do you run a 2 man crew?

I think a Zipper/CRB combo might be killer for you.

Are you alone?

There is no more valuable tool to the lone wolf residential carpet cleaner, than a good rotary extractor BECAUSE it is combining steps for you.

Sometimes I choose to use the CRB/wand but it takes about the same time to just rotary everything. This is only because I'm alone. If I had a helper, one could CRB while the other presprays. Wand or Zipper rinse and roll up the hoses.

Since I can only do one thing well at a time, the rotary really shines for me.

It really makes a statement to the residential customer. They will see the difference.

 

[Mikey P]

Zippering in a furnished home is a very acquired taste.



It's the ultimate CGD wand, just make sure you have plenty of commercial accounts that require HWE.
If most of those account are grease pits, get the Super Spinner.

 

[WillH]

I'm a one man crew.I just started my business and I got my first commercial account with multiple stores . I am doing both residential and commercial.

 

[WillH]

I plan on buy a them all eventually. Just don't know what to buy first.

 

[Nate The Great]

13"Zipper... It'll fit what your doing well... It'll get your Commercial Properties dry faster, and same with the residential... You already have a scrubbing source (crb) so unless your looking to only bring in 1 tool like the rv360i, I'd go for the Zipper... I do lover both my 13" OG Zipper and 15" SS Zipper....

 

[WillH]

Thanks for the input still not sure.

 

[Mikey P]

Will can you please describe your work load


residential vs commercial % wise?


and who/what is your average customer in both instances?

 

[Russ T.]

I bought the XL almost a year ago with the intention of testing and then selling the one that I didn't like as well. I had been using the i for about 3 years and wanted to see if the XL would speed me up a bit. It REALLY does on large, empty homes. I bet there are large homes where I save more than an hour by using the XL. I tend to see this kind of work (my favorite) in the Spring when the market gets flooded with homes for sale.

I found that in most furnished homes, the 360i is very adequate and probably preferred. Navigating in a home is just easier and less obtrusive with the diminutive 360i. I can clean the bedrooms down a narrow hall with ease. I clean my way in and dry my way out. When I reach the entry again, I PICK THE 360i UP over the hoses and move to the next room. The XL is most valuable when I have a large empty home. If I had to have only 1, I think the i would be the one I would choose.

But occupied residential dominates my workload.

These are all great tools. You're on the right track by considering them above others.

I will have the tough choice of Zipper or Devastator Wand coming up. One of those beauties will be my next purchase.

 

[rick imby]

@Russ T.

Do both your Rotovacs have the Brush head?

 

[Russ T.]

@Russ T.

Do both your Rotovacs have the Brush head?

Yes. I have new Teflon glides for both that I haven't tried yet. I think I remember Mike saying he favors the glides on the XL but metal swoop heads on the i. I can understand why this might work well.

I should get the XL heads swapped out to test next week to try the Teflon.

 

[WillH]

I'm just starting out I only have done a few residential jobs and I got four store cgd entrances

 

[Lint Basket]

Will, somebody stated you already have a CRB, is that true?

If you have a CRB already, then use that for agitation and wand extract residential afterwards.

Buy the zipper for commercial, it also can be used residential at times.

If you do not have a crb, get with Erik and buy both a crb and a zipper. Later you could add a rotary but most commercial I DO NOT USE A ROTARY!!!!

 

[WillH]

Yes I have a crb

 

[todg]

Go to your local cleaning store and ask to sample /rent equipment for the day and make your own choice...You'll get answers all over the place here...

 

[Mikey P]

I'm looking into buying a 360i/xl or a rx/20 maybe a zipper. I'm looking for a machine that will work on commercial and residential. Was wondering if you guys could give the good and bad of each. What machine would best suit my blazer xl. And what one does the best job. Is anyone getting rid of one or know anyone that is preferable a newer one or low hours. Thanks

Non of those listed will work well with your machine on both comm and res. The Blazer with it's small blower wont handle commercial past 200 feet and even that will be struggling with anything but a 12" vacuum port on any tool.

IMO get a 360i which is designed to work great with a smaller unit, even a portable. It will work on com that has cushioned carpet and again, under 200 ft

and get a Devastator wand which was designed to booted the performance of smaller units


Keep the CRB and get a Cimex for large commercial


and at some point pick up a 175 for following the Cimex with a bonnet, stone scrubbing/stripping and pre scrubbing real greasy carpet where the CRB fails at

 

[WillH]

I already bought a pmf mach 12 wand