Vax Rapide XL

There has never been a truer saying when one gets what they pay for. We used to own a basic Bissell and were delighted with that. However, having had that for many years and passing it on to a family member, we decided to purchase a newer machine.

I had read the reviews and all I found that had been publishd as negative was the weight of the machine and a couple of issues dealing with ease of use when first coming to terms with the operation of the said item.

We thought we must have done something wrong as the normal stains that would come out of our carpets before just seemed to look a very slight shade later despite repeated passovers. To get even close to the old Bissell was taking at least three repetitions more. We checked everything; the brushes were turning, the fluid was being dispensed and we even decided to mix the cleaning fluid directly in with the water just in case the automix was not doing its job. The results being the same.

The machine is working as it was intended but it is just a waste of money even though the special offer from VAX is just 129.99 My advice, either rent a machine or spend the extra and get a Bissell.

I would not buy this Vax Rapide XL again as it was not robust enough. Water pipe on the side is prone to splitting and leaking water all over the carpet, I have had to trim the split off several times and refit the pipe. The filter disintegrates quickly.

The machine in my opinion is excessively noisy. The AAA carpet cleaning product is good.

When comparing with other makes, remember to add the cost of replacement float chamber filters, which you will have to buy for the life of the machine. Vax customer services say they should last 3-6 months. My thought is that it's a bad design and a way for Vax to continue making money after the sale of the product.

The Vax Rapide XL is easy to operate, leaves a good finish to all carpets, the right price. Awkward to manoeuvre round corners. All in all the best carpet washer for the price.

The VAX Rapide Classic and VAX Rapide XL are both carpet cleaners to be proud of. They easily defeat the competition of VAX's competitor, Bissel, and are worth the money you pay for them (which ranges between £100 and £200 new in shops).

I don't have any carpets in my home, but just a lot of rugs and laminate flooring. I have a small number of materialised chairs and a set of leather sofas and other leather purchases.

We use the cleaner on our rugs, mainly.

To get started, just fill up the water tank, fit it into the cleaner, lug in, switch on and off you go! Unfortuneately, the cleaner is VERY noisey and so isn't the sort of thing you should use early in the morning when the kids or the neighbours are still in bed!

The brushbar makes all of the difference. It digs deep into the heart of your rugs and carpets to grab out all of the horrible bacteria, dead skin, pollen and dustmite feaces that are lurking around in grub city! The VAX AAA cleaning solution works a treat in harmony with the cleaner, doing all the things the cleaner is intending for it to do!

The immense suction power that comes form this wonder picks up almost every last bit of water that you put on your carpets as long as you don't rush it; just move is slowly forwards and backwards as the cleaner wets, cleans and then dries your carpets/rugs.

One problem with this cleaner is the system designed to keep water out of the powerful motor. If water is shaken about too much, it enters the float chamber and causes that to block to prevent water from entering the airflow, which is something that should only happen when the soiled water tank is very, very full. With this as a fact, a speedy and quite aggressive cleaner might have to find himself continuously stopping and starting the cleaner to allow the chamber to unlock/unblock itself again after being blocked by the float.

Another problem is the upholstery cleaner. The water seems to speed out of the piping, at first, in short bursts...this can be very aggitating to who ever is using the cleaner. But this soon passes.

Overall, the Vax Rapide XL is a very clever cleaner that can surely be prized by anyone wanting very clean carpets.