Aztec Heated Carpet Extractor review

wifehatescar

wifehatescar

My L5-S1 is killing me!
Well, alot of people have been looking for my review on this, I won't name names [scottabir!!!], so here it is.

The product:
http://www.aztecproducts.com/Products/hotspotter/specs.cfm

I was looking a very portable, heated extractor that was relatively affordable and this fit the bill. Basically, there are two models:

1. "Spotter" -comes with 15' cord, 10' hose and clear suction head
2. "Detailer" -comes with 50' cord, 16' hose and stainless steel head

The detailer is about $30 more than the spotter. I paid $600 for the spotter plus $17 shipping. The extra hose/cord I figured would be too much too carry and I like the clear head better to see what you are sucking up. Buying direct is cheapest and you cut out the middle man which I think results in the best customer service.

The machine does heat the tank water to over 200 deg, you can feel it starting to boil just as the heater turns off. You have to run the spray for about 15 seconds first thing to purge the unheated water from the hose. The 1.5 gal is good enough for most cars unless you maybe have to do the carpets and fabric seats in multiple passes.

The machine is loud, I recommend ear plugs. You are only using it for 20 minutes maybe for a car so not a big deal. Basically, the machine does what is says it does. It will not heat and suck at the same time (if it did you would blow fuses). You let it heat up then switch it to suction. It will fully heat room temp water in about 15 minutes, very cold water (like 40*F) in about 25 minutes.

Basically, if you have any questions on the specifics, send me a PM or talk to Aztec :D. I did not find any surprises though and am happy with the purchase. :dancin It's not the fanciest, most perfect machine ever or anything, but it does it's job cheaper than any other heated extractor I have found...

Dwayne-I tried to put this in the reviews section but there is no section that fits this product....
 
Thanks for write up. I did get the detailier version. I'm glad you liked the machine. The machine is a bit loud. Aztec has very good service. So far no problems with mine either. For the price I don't think you can beat it. It does look like several other machines with different names on them. Not to sure who really makes all those models. Aztec or someone else.
 
That is the Durrmaid machine. I am sure that it is the same manufacturer. Detail Plus also sells heated extractors as the "Tuffy" extractor, but I am almost sure that they are Mytees. They have exactly the same body components and performance specs.

At $600 that "Aztec" (Durrmaid) it is about the going retail price. I do not think you saved much by "buying direct". I paid about $540 for the Durrmaid, but I bought 2 of them that day.

Quite a few pieces of detailing equipment are sold by a company name with a different name for the product. Look at Snap-On's rotary polisher. Should look very similar to a commonly industry standard yellow buffer by most professionals.
 
The salesman at Aztec admitted to me one time that they were the manufacturer of the Durrmaid machine and in fact the only difference was the color and branding of each unit.

I was going to buy a Durrmaid from Classic Motoring but they stopped offering the Durrmaid machines because of too many warranty claims with the Durrmaid machines.

I hope that you have better long term success with your Aztec.
 
Yeah, I enquired about the whole Duramaid thing too (I had read the negative things on Autopia from a while back)...sounds like, at the least, the guy who designed it sold the rights to a couple companies. That's why customer service was very important to me in my buying decision. The machine may break, it may not...but having a rep to call and help me out is all I ask. They have been helpful so far, even after the sale. I hope the machine lasts a while as well, if it doesn't I'll be sure to warn others as well. One good thing is the machine is not complex...they can easily send me a $20 to fix it if need be.
 
Antonio Waxer said:
I was going to buy a Durrmaid from Classic Motoring but they stopped offering the Durrmaid machines because of too many warranty claims with the Durrmaid machines.
Click to expand...
Opinions vary, Irene at TOL *JUST* started carrying the Aztec, I'm sure she would not bring it on if she was aware it was junk. To summarize I found some good posts and some bad posts regarding the machine. I decided to give it a shot as no other heated extractor even fits in my car ( :hah Acura Integra):D
 
I too asked about who really makes this machine as I read many internet horror stories about a certain brand machine that looks very similar to the Aztec. Customer service for Aztec said they used to work with someone who helped desing or build these machines and that person left the company or some BS like that.

Bottom line is the machine is inexpensive (if one really needs an extractor for weekend work), it works well, and it will eventually break down.
 
I have used my Durrmaid about 10 times, and most recently in my house to clean up a red wine mishap. In my opinion its a quite a powerhouse for its size, and its performance to date has been outstanding.

I prefer the Mytee lite 8007, but it will not fit too easily into an Acura, and does not fit into the bed of my Ford Lightning. The Durrmaid was the best choice for this vehicle. I also have a Mytee Tempo which is also a nice machine, not no heat. I keep the Tempo around as a back-up machine and is a nice buy at under $400. I have heated water in the past, and ran it through the Mytee Tempo with excellent results.
 
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