Riccar SupraLite

Make:	Riccar	Model:	Supralite 1A
Upright:	x	Canister:
Weight:	8 lbs.	Cord length:	30’

Available at:

Danny’s Vacuum Shop

1 Padre Pkwy.

Rohnert Park Ca. 94928

707-584-0225

 Uses:

 Residential: yes   Commercial: yes   Heavy Duty:no

 

 Summary:

Anyone who hates lugging a heavy vacuum cleaner out of the closet and then fighting to push it across the carpet might want to take a good look at the Riccar, SupraLite models. At only eight pounds these machines are very easy to carry and push, but boy do they pack a punch.

When it comes to lightweight vacuum cleaners there are many makes and models to choose from in today’s market. The SupraLite 1A is the most basic model in the series and works great for basic carpet vacuuming. The 5.5 amp motor gives plenty of power to pick up every type of household debris that you may throw in its way.  I’ve used almost every vacuum you can imagine and the amount of air this machine moves and the suction power it has is really impressive. Sand, pet hair, dust, etc. were no problem, and even though it does not have an edge brush I got the dust right up to the wall with no problem. Now that said, if you are vacuuming behind a dresser or bed where the dust is really built up along the wall, you will have to hook up a vacuum with an edge tool.

Being the most basic model the 1A does not have all the fancy features of the more expensive models, but I found nothing that took away the machines performance. The rubber handle grip was comfortable and easy to hold and the 30’ cord allowed me a pretty good cleaning radius. It laid all the way down flat so going under furniture was easy, and the bag is one of the biggest vacuum bags on the market. I found the big bag to be important because with the power of this cleaner a normal size bag would be constantly filling up. There is no HEPA or other fancy filters on this machine, but if you use the genuine Riccar bags it should give you all the filtration you need. The power switch is on the base so you have to turn it on with your foot rather than flipping a switch on the handle (I didn’t find this at all inconvenient). There is a headlight that worked fine but I didn’t notice it to be anything out of the ordinary.

Like most lightweight vacuums the SupraLite1A does not come with attachments. Riccar does make a small (about the size of a shoe box) machine though, that is the perfect compliment for uses where attachments are needed.

One warning though before you buy this machine. Most of the carpet I used it on it worked just fine. There are some carpet styles though that it was all but impossible to push it over. The suction is so good that the carpet gets sucked up into the brush bar and you can’t push it. So if you have one, bring a piece of your carpet to the store, or make sure they have a return policy.  The only other real drawback of the 1A was that it is pretty loud. You won’t be able to talk over it or hear the telephone or doorbell. Depending how sensitive you are you may even want to consider ear plugs.

All in all I’m a huge fan of this American made machine for all your residential or commercial needs. I actually own one and have cleaned tens of thousands of square feet with it and it has never let me down yet.

 

Golden  Gate Carpet Cleaning

643 Martin Ave.

Rohnert Park Ca. 94928

707-588-8779

 

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Vacuum Review: Riccar Radiance

Make:	Riccar	Model:	Radiance
Upright:	X	Canister:
Weight:	23lbs	Cord length:	34’

Available at:

The Sewing &Vacuum Place

1250 Mendocino Ave

Santa Rosa,CA95401

707-575-5259

 Uses:

Residential: x     Commercial:x     Heavy Duty:x    

 Summary:

Riccar’s top of the line machine has everything you could want in a vacuum; from its looks, suction power, filtration, and durability it is top notch. I used it on every type of carpet available soiled with pet hair and outdoor debris, and there’s no doubt that this machine does a better job of removing soil from carpet than any other machine I’ve used in my 25 years of cleaning. It has a two motor system that drives the machine allowing for the superior performance.

The HEPA filtration will remove 99.97% of dust particles down to .3 microns in size, so allergy sufferers have a real friend here. There is a whole list of other noteworthy features that I won’t bore you with (they can be found on Riccar’s website) but there are a couple I’d like to mention. Radiance has a ribbed belt that will last many years and it uses a lot of metal parts instead of plastic which again lead to long lasting durability. Breaking a cheap plastic part while changing the belt will not be an issue here.

When not vacuuming carpet the power switch allows the user to turn the beater bar off and use suction only on hard surface floors. Another feature I really liked occurs when the handle is in the upright position and the beater bar automatically shuts off. I found this useful when I would stop to move a piece of furniture and consequently did not have to worry about the brush running in one place (could cause the carpet to fuzz up). On board tools and a telescoping wand make it handy for vacuuming corners and upholstery but as always I still recommend getting a 10’ – 12’ hose made up for attachment use.

All the quality and durability does come at a price though. This is a heavy machine and comes with a retail price of about $900. I read other reviews where people raved about how easy the machine was to push, but I must say that I really disagree. It’s a fairly heavy machine and I found it a bit cumbersome to push and maneuver, not to mention the chore of carrying it up and down stairs.

If you are fairly strong, don’t mind the extra effort to push it around, and want the best vacuum cleaning power out there, then this American made beauty is for you.

 

Golden Gate Carpet Cleaning

 643 Martin Ave. #3 – Rohnert Park, Ca. 94928 – 707-588-8879