What is your favorite Rainbow copy?

[eluxca]

It's time for a new toy to play with. I'm looking for something different,and as I don't have a water vacuum, one of those would be fun to have. We are pleased with our daily driver and don't need to spend a wad of money on a vacuum - my goal is $100-300. Rainbows tend to go $400-600 used on ebay, so they are out. Is there any experience with Rainbow knock off's like Delphin, Pro Aqua, Hyla? What is suction, noise level, ease of use? I appreciate all input -

John

 

[djtaylor]

The 'knock offs'

I have used a Hyla, it was ok. I was not really very impressed with it. I think it was one of the first models, over all quality was not that good. The dolly was cracked when it arrived. The power switch went out with in a week. Ok, it was used when I got it. It struck me as being like Dirt Devil and I hate Dirt Devil.
I want a Delphin or an Ocean Blue. They look better, higher quality. I don't know about performance of either. But, they look neat.
Justin

 

[bagintheback]

I've heard Thermax vacuums are pretty good. How you looked at those?

 

[eluxca]

The Thermax is a well built machine but bulky. I would prefer a vac with a separator, like Delphin, Rainbow, etc.
The local vac shop sells refurbished D4C's and SE's and they tell me those machines are better than the E series in every way. I don't know if I believe it, though.

 

[kirbyeureka95]

well, they dont have a hepa filter, the new motor, or the 2 speed switch

 

[2011hoover700]

I personally don't have a lot of expeariance with water filtrated vacs but I believe the one I've used is a d3 rainbow.
They work pretty good.
I don't know if this is true with all of them but one of the advantages of a rainbow and at least some others I noticed is you can clean up wet spills with them.

 

[tolivac]

the Thermax is made so you can fill a tank in the body with cleaning solution for carpets or furniture.The other tank on it holds the water for picking up the used solution or if you are using it as a vacuum cleaner.Like the Rainbow you paut a given amount of warter in the tank(has a fill mark on it)when you use the Thermax as a vacuum.You leave the body solution tank empty.You only use the solution tank for carpet or furniture cleaning.A wand and tool set is used with the machine for carpet or furniture cleaning-the Powernozzle wand is seaparate.

 

[countryguy]

Last night I watched a video of the Thermax AF2 and for everday vacuuming I think it would be a pain in the a** to empty and clean the recovery tank. There are too many pieces. I have a Rainbow D and just having one pan to clean is a lot easier IMHO.

Gary

 

[nick]

the worst

was one of the water filtration vacs sold some years ago on HSN or other shop at home shows, i think it was a shark brand. had a foam filter, and a plate that fit under it directing dirt into the water. the foam filter came apart at the glue line the second time it was used, it ran very hot, very loud, but it did have good suction. tools were generic low end,it had a turbo rug tool and a pain to clean out as the plate, suction tube and 2 filters had to be cleaned. give me a d3 or d4 any day

 

[ohio_tuec]

I have a green Shark CW 240 water filtration vacuum that I've used maybe a handful of times in the last 7 years. They were all over eBay for maybe a year or two and then vanished. It actually has very good suction. I just used the turbo tool on my Electrolux Epic. IMHO, it's more of pain to clean than a bagless, which is why I hardly ever use it.

- Karl

 

[vacuumboy1993]

Hi John!

I have an old Big Power BP08 which I'm quite satisfied whit, the suction is just awesome, and the power nozzle does a really good job. Like Karl said, I don't use it so much, just when I have the time because it's a mess cleaning the tank and all the baffles that are inside to separate the air from the water after each use, but there's a new model that uses a separator like the Rainbow so it'd be more easy to clean I think.
Mine is terribly loud and very heavy and a bit difficult to carry around because the weight of the canister. Attachments are very well built and so useful, but the plasti materials used for the machine and the dolly seems to be a bit weak.
So in my opinion there are better machines, but I relly love it, the performance is excellent and really cleans the air. I also has 6 variable speeds and the bin holds more water and dirt than other ones.
I never used the newest model, but saw it on the web and I seems quite appealing, they reduced the size and the noise of the machine and introduced a remote control, a digital motor, a UV light above the water basin to kill dust mites, and it uses a separator, so no filters and baffles there! I just hope that they used different matterials and not the cheap plastic that they used to use.
Well, here are my two cents, hope it could help you

Kevin.

 

[eluxca]

I spent the afternoon visiting a couple vacuum stores. The first was a real treat, the owner has been in the business 40 years and was hospitable. He showed me around his store and talked about the vintage machines that were given to him by people who hated to throw an old machine away. He also spoke highly of the Rainbow D4 and while not dismissing the E series, said it is not the same quality.

The second store provided a good lead on a vac. The woman in charge has a Rainbow that she has rarely used. Her family is moving and she wants rid of it, for $150, and she will have the service department go over it. Excellent! I'll go back next week to check it out and see what model it is.

The feedback has been helpful to me. There are many good choices out there. There is something about the Delphin that gives the impression of being a good machine. It looks like all aspects of the machine - dolly, basin and motor housing - were designed uniquely as a whole, rather than grabbing spare parts here and there and hobnobbing it together. They're nonexistent in this area.

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy

Good Morning John,
I wanted to add a couple of points about the Rainbow:
(1) When checking the vac stores have you noticed you don't see 20 year old rebuilt Hoover's,Eurekas. That tells me something about holding value. What I was finding (if any) were Kirby's,Filter Queen and Rainbow's
(2) Also noticed when checking out some web sites like Epinion.Com that a lot of the customers were talking about Rainbows they had owned for 10-25 years and still working.
(3)I enjoy that fact that Rainbow has their own unique tools and not just the generic tools you find on so many of the new machines today
(4)For me, I had to use the Rainbow ONLY for about 3 months before I really saw the difference. Being a vac ccllector I had a tendency to use my Rainbow and then switch off and a dust blower. I did not see the BIG difference in the dust level. What I really appreciated is NO oder ever. I was so tired of nasty vac bags,clouds of dust and filters to clean. You were always either smelling dust or messing with clouds of dust when I would try and empty the bins.
(5)The newer E2 series with the sound suppessor and the Hurricane motor is so much quieter than the early E series.
(6) The newer machines with the 2 speed switch are great for use as an air cleaner.
(7) the new Hurricane motors are warranted for 8 years.
(8) check out the Aqua-mate that works with the electric hose
(8) The Rainbow door storage rack is a MUST and makes the use of a Rainbow so much easier.
(9) I don't see any advantage to the hepa filter. If you don't use the Rainbow to vacuum up things that should not be picked up by ANY good vacuum,it stays clean.
(10)I have had my Rainbow SE for 18 years and the motor is just as clean as when I bought the machine. I DO dump the water after about 30 minutes use and I do not store the motor on the water pan. I store the water pan in the bathroom for easy fill and dump and the tools on the door rack.I clean the separator about once every 2-3 months and it stays clean.

What I see as the worthwhile features of the newer E2 machines are the digital motor,2 speed switch,locking dolly,stainless steel wands with locks,quieter motor,new Aqua-mate design and new wider floor brush.

Still don't have that Miele yet-but it is on the list!
Hope this information helps.
Rob

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy?

John,
I re-read your post and missed what you said about a Rainbow being out of the question. Sorry. It pays to read carefully!
I think the Delphin looks interesting. I don't think I have ever seen one or knew anyone that had the machine.
I do know Mike Hays told me he had an Ocean Blue and it was bigger and bulkier than a Rainbow.
Rob

 

[eluxca]

Rob, I always enjoy reading your take on a vacuum. I understand where you are coming from on emptying dusty bins. I grew to dislike using the Dyson because I would invariably get dust in my face cleaning it out (although it cleaned carpet very well).

I want a water vacuum as more of a novelty rather than a daily driver, but I want a good example of one. That's why I'm leaning toward a Rainbow, Delphin or Pro Aqua. Some others that use baffles instead of a separator are a chore to clean and they would end up being banished to the garage or sold asap.

I am used to sucking up stray dryer sheets, wads of paper, paper clips with the Miele. I don't think I could do the same with a Rainbow since it is emptied down the drain. Did you find that you had to change the way you vacuum, Rob? It would be cool to have the latest Rainbow with the Hurricane motor, but I don't want to pay that much. I'm looking at a SE or E-series at the latest.

I hope you get a Miele soon! I am just as pleased with the Aquarius today as I was 3 years ago when I bought it. The fleece bags work so well that there is not a speck of dust in the bag chamber. The only downside is when I vacuum our new Turkish rug - the wool fuzz fills the bag quickly and chokes off suction - but that should be over soon.

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy?

This has been an interesting thread!
Yes, John I did have to change the way I was sweeping and I HAD NOT been using my Rainbow to it's full advantage in the past.
I was WAY overcleaning the machine every time. I was washing and drying the water pan EVERY time. I was removing the separator and washing it EVERY time. I hated trying to put it all together and storing the equipment. I made a FEW easy changes in how I use the machine and what a difference!
(1) Get a plastic waste basket and keep it next to where you dump the basin. I flush and dump the basin,rinse it ONCE and dump the water and put it in the plastic busket. It takes less than 30 seconds an you are done. Keep the basin where you fill and dump the water.
(2) I don't clean the separator every time. Maybe I check it once a month or after I use the machine for real dirty work like cleaning the garage floor.
(3) I got a cheap plastic strainer and keep it in the bathroom. If I do clean the garage floor I just dump the water from the basin through the stainer and then dump the strainer's debris in the trash.
(4) The Rainbow storage rack is a MUST. It keeps the hoses and wands and tools all stored. You no longer have to bend down and pick up all the parts.
(5) In my application I don't use the dolly. I sit the machine in the middle of the room. I use the electric hose and also use the electric hose with the regular wands and fuller brush for the hardwood floors. Keep it simple
These few simple changes made using the Rainbow so much faster and easier.
I agree with you about the Dyson. I loved my Dyson canister BUT no matter how hard I try, I always had flying dust. I even tried to clean it out in the garage and the next day the car was covered with a layer of dust. I would still like to get the "ball". Jack Copp was great about explaining the Dyson machines.
Once I got into the use of the Rainbow, I don't think I will ever go back to the dust blowers with the smells. There is NEVER any smell with the Rainbow. I just figure if it takes me 30 seconds to dump the water and rinse the basin I don't have to buy hepa bags,filters or go to the store to buy them or pay shipping to have them shipped on the internet. You are using a machine with full airflow every time you clean. Like most things in life, sometimnes if just take a little more effort to get better results.
I will contact you again when I get the Miele.

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy

John,
Here is the Rainbow rack. It fits over the top of the door or it can be mounted on the wall. Keeps everything all organized and you don't have to bend down and hunt for hoses and tools.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

A vac shop once told me that delphin was one of the best and big power was one of the worst and everything else was in between. I still say thermax is awesome, rainbow is good too and hyla is okay but has one hell of a power nozzle.

 

[tolivac]

Hers another machine that works on the same idea as a Rainbow-or even a Thermax.I have a DVD demo video of this machine one of the dealers in my area was going to carry it-but changed their mind.

http://www.rothovac.com/

 

[eluxca]

The Rotho website is one of the best I've seen, especially for a water filtration vacuum as they tend to be cryptic. I like the ease of dirty water disposal and clean up of the filters. Thanks for sharing

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy?

John,
I think Tania and I were looking at that machine when she was down and we visited Cleary's. I was thinking it was around $1400.00.
I may have to go back and take a look. I don't think the machine I looked at had the power nozzle.
I do remember the filter worked more like the one on my H2o vac. I don't think it has a separator. They do have a nice web site. I am sure they gave us some material about the machine.
Rob

 

[vac_whisperer]

I saw an infomercial on TV for a cheap-looking rainbow -type vacuum. They also had a stand at our annual homeshow last year. It looked really cheap. (almost as cheap as a "garry". ) I think it was called a "hurricane" or something.

VW

 

[mark40511]

I have a Rainbow two speed bought brand new in 2006. I've used it quite a bit the first couple of years. I still use it SOME. The entire machine and the hepa filter still look brand new. Based on some folks saying that the dust just skips over the water and that they don't filter well always confused me......If that were the case, I would think as many times as I've used it the filter would be nasty, but it still white and even smells new.

I always wondered about the other water filter vacuums. Did they copy Rainbow?

I saw a Thermax once in a thrift store. It was HUGE.

 

[williamr1248]

What is your favorite Rainbow copy?

Mark,
I am with you. I don't understand why I keep hearing the same thing about the Rainbow. Check out the picture of my 18 year old machine on thread 11577. I have used mine to clean and scrub the porch and basement floors and the exhaust and the bottom are still clean as the day I bought the machine. We have a family friend who bought one of the first Rainbows with the hepa filter and it has had a lot of abuse and the hepa filter is still clean.
I think the secret is to remove and rinse out the basin after use and don't pick up certain types of things like plaster dust and fireplace ash (which I would not use ANY good vacuum to pick up. I do ALWAYS dump the water and replace after about 30-40 minutes use.
I just like never having a dust blower in the house and no nasty saving filth in the closet.
A friend of mine had a vacuum store and you would not believe what condition customers would bring Rainbow and other brands in for service. You had to see it to believe it!
Rob

 

[joshdonnell]

rainbow

rob, mark a lot of the dust does not get trapped in the water. thats why the have to relay one the hepa filter . just like any other vacuum

 

[mark40511]

Josh

Obviously we don't have to rely on the hepa filter since it's still clean and new looking after 4 years. Did you skip over what we both said?

Sorry......didn't mean to hijack this thread talking about Rainbow

 

[joshdonnell]

rainbow

yes i saw what said . doesn't matter if you have a hepa filter its not sealed

 

[mark40511]

The Rainbow exhaust comes STRAIGHT through the hepa filter hard.......If the dirt I was vacuuming was going out the back surely the hepa would have some dirt on it......NO?

 

[williamr1248]

what is your favorite Rainbow copy?

Josh,
I was noticing just the other day that while so many of my newer cleaners have lots of gaskets, my Rexair has 2 heavy pressure clamps to attach the motor unit to the basin and mine has no trace of any dust after 18 years of use. I cannot say about any of my other vacuums. Even my canisters that claim to be sealed will have traces of dust in the bag compartment and around the exhaust.
The main reason I have enjoyed the Rainbow is when I turn it on there is no smelly odor and when I dump and rinse the basin I am not saving dirt and filth in the closet and I don't have to buy replacement bags and filters.
The Rainbow is not for everyone. It takes a little more time to get out and put away compared to an upright but I enjoy not having the dust and smell every time I vacuum. Some of my newer vacuums even have charcoal filters to try and capture the odor for the bags. An upright will not work for my situation because I have carpet,wood floors,stairs and furniture that I need to clean under and around.
I got one of my newer machines out today that is a sealed hepa system and the first thing when you turn it on is a nasty dusty odor. Everybody likes something different and has different needs for their homes so you have to go with what works for you. No one best vacuum for everyone.
.