Customer Reviews

Rainbow Vacuum E-2 Type 12 2-Speed

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

My main problem with the Rainbow is how it it sold. You have to let the salesperson into your home and they have that darn referral program. But with all that it can do, you really need a presentation. We bought our Rainbow on the spot and have never regretted that decision. We have 2 big, shedding dogs. I have bought the most privey Hoovers and Bissels but none would get rid of that dog smell or fur. The Rainbow purifies the air (also deodorises) as it vacuums. Powerful suction allows you to clean fans, blinds etc. effortlessly. We also have the carpet and floor cleaner. Although more cumbersome than an upright, it does a better job than others that I have tried - even the commercial Rug Doctors. This machine is not for people looking for ease of use. But if you want deep down cleaning, nothing else compares. Tip: when emptying out the canister, sift it so that only the dirty water goes into the toilet. Dump the rest of the clumped dirt and hair into a trash can. We bought our whole system for $1800 and it is still doing a wonderful job. You can also use the Rainbow to blow inflatable pools up and as a small wetvac.

There are things about this vacuum that I LOVE and HATE! It is heavy but luckily I have a single story home so no upstairs. The suction is GREAT! You are going to read other reviews about this vacuum not filtering well. To me, that's the best thing about this vacuum. The filtration is excellent if you use the machine properly! I read others saying that you have a mess to dump out at the end and have to go outside or dump it down the toilet with a strainer etc. I don't have any of these problems because I change the water FREQUENTLY and just dump it down the sink when it looks like dirty mop water.

When I first got the Rainbow, I had to change it about 5 times vacuuming my 1400 sq ft house with wall to wall carpet, now I can vacuum the whole house on one fill of water without having to change the water so often. If you continue vacuuming with a basin full of "MUD", this is when you are going to run into problems like water has to be taken outside and dumped because it's too thick to dump down the sink or in toilet, the dirt that you're vacuuming up will bounce right off the mud, go into the hepa filter or back out into the air (if your model doesn't have a hepa). It is an added inconvenience to stop and dump the water down the sink every 10 min's or so, but hey, you can dump it down the sink and don't have this pot of mud to deal with, put fresh clean water in and continue vacuuming. I know there is controversy regarding water capturing dirt. I say water does capture the dirt and very well! If it didn't, I would have a NASTY hepa filter after three years and the thing is still snow white on BOTH sides. I've never seen any other vacuum cleaner's hepa filter stay clean that long. No, you can't vacuum non wettable dirt like talc powder or fireplace ashes or drywall dust (those materials are not wettable) and will go straight onto the hepa, but most household dirt doesn't contain these materials. Drywall dust is TERRIBLE for ANY VACUUM!!

The machine still smells fantastic! I've taken care of it though. It also works as a blower. I cleaned the refridge coils and the design of the coils were such that they couldn't be reached even with the smallest attachment. So I turned the hose around to the blow and placed the Rainbow so that when I blew the dust out, the Rainbow intake would capture it. It worked! It also has an air cleaner though I'm not completely sold on the low speed air cleaning feature. It doesn't seem to move much air. I also am not crazy about the power nozzle. It looks nice but something about the way it's designed seems to choke off some of the airflow. I think there are a couple of better power nozzles on the market that will fit the Rainbow that are much better, though this one still works decently, just not overly impressed by it. There is an optional 14 foot wet/dry hose you can purchase and this thing is WONDERFUL. I have high ceilings and I can get on a step ladder in my house and get way up on the kitchen cabinets, ceiling fans, and any other high areas that collect dust while the rainbow sits on the floor. You can't do this with the standard six foot wet/dry hose that comes with it. The wands are stainless steel and will not rust inside. You can buy essential oil scented and put a couple of drops in it and it smells AWESOME while cleaning. Even though you're changing the water often these bottles of scented oil last FOREVER it seems. You can also put these drops of oil in a regular vacuum bag but it just doesn't smell as good to me. Something about the dust in the bag mixing with the smell of the oil isn't the greatest.


Conclusion: Would I pay 1700 dollars for this vacuum brand new? NO! Do I recommend this vacuum? YES!!! If you think you are the type of person that can deal with the extra maintenance, then I say get on refurbished from a REPUTABLE vacuum shop ONLINE or LOCALLY for much less money! I wouldn't buy one from someone "just selling" their Rainbow because if that's the case, it hasn't been cleaned and refurbished. There are even vacuum shops on the internet that recondition Rainbows with original Rexair parts. Other vacuums may work good and are more convenient, but there's no other clean like using this machine if used properly.

The only way you can truly judge the effectiveness of any vacuum is to use it in your own home.

I've owned a Rainbow E Series vacuum for the last 12 years. Vacuumed dirt gets trapped in the water basin and it's true there is no dust of any kind that comes out of the exhaust. I've always felt suction was ok because it would pick up anything off hard floors and there would always be carpet filth after vacuuming the carpet.

A friend of mine recently bought a Dyson DC07 Absolute so I borrowed it to compare to my Rainbow.

NO COMPARISON!

The Dyson suction was so tremendous I had to empty the canister 9 times just from vacuuming the carpet! I couldn't believe the amount of filth the Dyson pulled out and the Rainbow was leaving behind.

I will say the Dyson suction may be a little too powerful. If you have older carpet, like I do, it tends to rip out carpet that may have been hanging on by a thread.

The Rainbow is easier to clean up. I pour the canister contents down the storm drain and hose out the inside. The Dyson has fine dust clinging to the inside of the canister. This had to be dusted off over the trash can. I'm very allergic to dust so I had to make sure not to kick up any dust when cleaning. I found using a Swiffer Duster did the job well.

The Dyson as constructed can not reach under furniture less than 9 inches above the floor without using hose attachments. The Rainbow's reach was about 4 inches.

I paid $1200 new for my Rainbow and the Dyson sells around $600. Overall I think the Dyson is a much better value and would replace my Rainbow for a Dyson.

I did not plan to spend so much money on a vacuum. The most I had ever spent before this purchase was $500 for a Miele upright. It lasted five years, but the plastic that held the hose broke and the vacuum was not performing well. It would stink my house up every time I ran it, even with a brand new bag. Yuck.

I went ahead with the rainbow demonstration because I would get a free two day hotel stay for just listening. After the presentation both me and my husband (usually prudent with his purchases) HAD to have the vacuum. It was amazing to see how well this vacuum picked up dust.

After the decision was made and the check was signed I felt almost an immediate sticker shock. What had I done? So I set about using it. Because my Miele was getting so nasty to use I had not used it except for traffic areas. With two indoor pets, both heavy shedders, and a dirt driveway we have a LOT of dust in our home. So much it almost feels like a futile effort to dust. So I decided to completely vacuum and dust my whole bedroom (severely neglected) with the rainbow as a first test. I put some deodorizer into the water and started to work. I vacuumed the whole room, I vacuumed the blinds, windows, dressers walls, ceiling fan and floorboards using the duster tool. There was so much dust in some areas I was really embarrassed. But as I vacuumed I could feel the air get cleaner. When I was almost through with the room the sun beamed in the window and my jaw dropped. In that sunbeam there was not ONE spec of dust. And the room smelled WONDERFUL. When I dumped the water (which to me is very easy and worth the effort) I was amazed at what the Rainbow picked up. Oh my lord! It was unreal. My husband came in and he was amazed as well. The air *looked* cleaner.

The Rainbow came with a bag that I can use to suck the air out of my cushions, then reverse the air flow and fluff them back up. I did that to my whole couch and then completely vacuumed all pillows and cushions. The dirt it pulled from my couch was amazing! And my cushions looked as fluffy as when I first bought them. My area rug gets a little lighter every time I vacuum. Very amazing.

I also am amazed at how dust free my house now feels. The dust doesn't just collect again an hour after I dust, it stays gone for days!

For me the biggest bonus of this vacuum is the smell removal. I've never walked into my ultra sealed house and not thought, "It smells funky in here." It always did...until now. Now I walk in and it smells fantastic. I love that I can put scents in the water basin, run the vacuum, and have the house smell like I just baked an apple pie or sprayed a great air freshener.

I've read complaints about how heavy this is. I live on a single level house and it's very easy for me to just pull this thing along. Hardly any effort required. I am able to dust my high ceilings and fans easily. I also love that it will basically lay flat and get right under my couches, beds, and coffee tables with no moving them. Awesome!

If this vacuum lasts I would gladly give it five stars. The four is for the cost, which is very high and the fact that I found there was play room in the cost by reading online AFTER the salesman left. I feel like I paid more because I didn't realize I was supposed to "haggle" the cost down. Oh well. My salesman was courteous and friendly and I think he'll make good on service problems if they arise.

All in all I am in love with this vacuum. Dumping a water canister after vacuuming is a small price to pay for a dust free and clean smelling environment. If you have a friend with one ask them to borrow it and have them help you use it before you buy.

Pros:
-When you use a conventional vacuum cleaner, you see dust blown all over especially if you look with the sun rays streaming through your window. You see a much big difference using this vac. One of our sons have bad allergies and this helps a lot.
-You not only see the difference, you also feel that you are breathing much cleaner air.
-No expensive bags to buy

Cons:
-It is heavy as a bulldozer. Imagine hauling it up and down the stairs. This is the reason we use this vac not as often as our regular vac. My wife has to call me to help tugging it along.
-Price - too much! We got it half price, but probably we still paid too much.
-Maneuverability. Annoying and it really needs some muscle to work with it.
-You also need to clean the vacuum every single time you use it. No, you cannot wait until the bag is full - there is no bag. It has a canister that you fill halfway with water and if you do not clean after each use, it grows bacteria and smells like a dead skunk. Believe me, we have done that.
-It is a hassle to use. Need assembly every time you use it.
-So loud

OK, my Rainbow was purchased in 1985 - when we just got married & our neighbor across the road was selling them. We were living in a ranch house with wall-to-wall carpet on 10 acres & our dogs & cats had free passage in & out. The Rainbow saved those carpets! We have lugged it across the country & back again (with various indoor/outdoor double-coated shedding critters) - it has outlived 3 or 4 other inside vacuums & 2 shop vacs in that time. 1 repair - a belt came off the carpet beater when I ran over a fringe on one of the Karastan rugs about 12 years ago - DH fixed it no problem. Ultra reliable workhorse for us. The water receptacle has gotten scratched & dingy over the years & is kind of yuck to clean out when hair gets stuck but the house is clean! Using it mainly at the beach now - she still works like a champ on hardwood, tile & rugs. No, I don't sell them & I hope I have mine for life! I don't super love toting it up & down stairs but that has more to do with a knee that is slowly going out than the vacuum. Love it, love it, love it!

I bought my vac on a payment program when I was 19 and now I'm 48 and the darn thing still works as advertised all these years.. I just fill it with water, add a few drops of essential oil of my choice, clean the house and dump the gunk down the toilet..

I also have a DYSON for animals and it works good but you have to empty the dust cup outside and it's usually very dusty forcing you to tap it in the trash can.. The Rainbow, you just turn the basin over in the toilet, dump it out, and rinse.

Best of all, you can disassemble it with a screwdriver and about 4 screws and clean the guts of the machine yourself once a year. Have the large and the samall basin so I could use the steam vac attachment and the only thing I've ever had to replace in 30 years was the small basin after I accidentaly dropped and shattered it on a concrete floor. MY BAD..

Sure the DYSON is cheaper.. but you can't inflate an air mattress with it, you can't hook a steam cleaner attachment to it, and you can't use it to suck up leaky puddles in your basement after a yucky rain storm..

In my opinion, there is not better vacuum in the world than the Rainbow and you truly get what you pay for.. Best of all, with Amazon, you don't have to go through all the salesperson junk and just order it online.

I had seen a Rainbow demonstration many years ago and was very impressed but unfortunately I was not able to afford one. Over the years I used Just about every kind of vacuum cleaner there was. None of them could clean like the Rainbow!!

After my parents passed away, I "inherited" their Rainbow which was about 20 years old. I loved the way it would still clean after all those years.

My husband bought a new Kirby in 2001 because he had always heard they were superior vacuum cleaners. I HATED that Kirby!! It was heavy and hard to use and the bag caused it to stink up the house every time I turned it on.

Then, my dream came true when I was able to purchase a new Rainbow E2! I used my mother's older Rainbow as a trad-in for the new one. The older Rainbow had been a faithful machine for well over 25 years and had only had one minor repair in all that time.

The Rainbow cleans better than any other vacuum I've ever used, especially that HEAVY Kirby monster! I find it easy to use. It rolls along very well on carpet or hard floors. It has so many other uses besides just regular vacuuming. It cleans and scents the air. It will act as a vaporizer/humidifier and the eucalyptus fragrance in wonderful for cold and flu season. I use it to clean my vinyl floor in the kitchen and the floor is just a little damp when I'm finished. Those cleaning features are just a few as others have mentioned.

Yes, I have to empty dirty water when I'm finished cleaning. But, it is no where as messy as emptying a filthy vacuum cleaner bag or a nasty dirt cup and spewing all that stinky dust right back on surfaces and in the air I breathe!

I will never use any other vacuum in my house unless it's a newer Rainbow. Maybe in another 20 years or so I will need to get a newer one. Then I'm sure I will pass the one I have now on to one of my grandchildren because it will most likely be in as good a condition as Mother's Rainbow was after more than 25 years of use!

P.S. I knew someone who found one of the old silver Rainbow vacuum cleaners in the basement of an apartment building where it had been left for many years. He cleaned it up and tried it out and it worked perfectly! It was over 35 years old!!

Allergies: I bought a new Rainbow in 1985 (a D4C, I believe) because I developed a dust allergy after quitting smoking that made it impossible to use a regular vacuum (I would be extremely nauseous and have a wicked headache for 2-4 hours afterwards if I tried). At first, I hired someone to clean and left the house for several hours to avoid breathing the fine dust particles that were inevitably airborne from the regular vacuum cleaner's exhaust). When I heard about the Rainbow, I thought it was worth a try.

Suction: The suction demonstration was impressive - I had just vacuumed, but a surprising amount of dirt was removed from my carpet. In the years since, my oriental rugs and (earlier) carpets were all cleaned well, as were my hardwood floors, and cat hairs are gone. If it isn't cleaning well, something is wrong. Some have mentioned other vacuums with more suction power - this one has plenty, and doesn't tear up your carpets.

Oriental rugs: The tassels can get caught in the power nozzle (carpet attachment), which will stall the attachment and require you to open the bottom (screws hold it), then put the rubber ring back on the "carpet beater", because it invariably flips off when it gets stalled - tedious process. Eventually, you get used to going over tassles quickly or avoiding them with the power brush altogether (just using the floor contraption).

Air: The air in the house is noticeably cleaner visually and smells fresh instead of dusty. In addition, the fact that it has lasted 25 years (and I'm hard on such things), with only a cracked water basin, makes this ultimately more affordable. Fragrances can be just a few drops of essential oils of your choice.

Steamer: I also bought the carpet steamer, which attaches to the kitchen sink faucet. I haven't used this much - it's not as deep of a cleaning as the heavy machines that can be rented, but it's much easier and lighter to use.

HEPA filters vs. waterl: The best thing abut Rainbows is that they are the only vacuums that I can use without feeling sick. I've tried vacuums with HEPA filters, but they still release dust into the air (mine is an older Rainbow that doesn't have a HEPA filter, but it's not really needed - the water precipitates the dust).

Some issues that others have raised:
It's heavy - true; this didn't bother me much for a long time, but I'm now in my late 60's with lots of arthritis, and I don't take it upstairs often because of this (I would if it were a little lighter). Swiffers help keep this area clean. However, the complaints about it being heavy to carry around on one story puzzle me - if you have it on the dolly (an essential accessory), you just roll it around, only lifting if you have noticeably different heights from room to room. The water basin itself isn't heavy with water in it - it's only about one quart full.

It's cumbersome to store - true - I converted the bottom of a tall cabinet into a storage place. It wouldn't be as cumbersome if you didn't have the carpet beater, but if you have carpets or rugs, you will want this. You can and should get an attachment caddy, which holds four attachments. The water basin sits on top of the vacuum.

It's messy to clean out the basin - in some respects, it is gratifying and/or horrifying to see all of the dirt and hair in the basin - it gives you a pretty clear idea of how clean your place was! I always scoop out the scoopable stuff (mats of cat hair, for example), and put it in the garbage, then toss the dirty water either outside or in the toilet, rinsing it a time or two. The flower pot solution was a good one, though. Of course you can't leave this dirty water sitting in the basin, unless you want to grow something ugly in your spare time (you can't leave coffee or tea, either without it getting moldy). It IS a little cumbersome to clean, but so is changing a vacuum bag or cleaning out a bagless vacuum, and both of these typically get dust in your face.

It's expensive - yes, it is - however, I can't recall what I spent, but if it was $1500, this amounts to only $60/year over the 25 years I have owned this (I don't sell Rainbows, either). Used ones are much more reasonable.

Overall, it has been well worth it, but try using it to see if any of these objections are strong ones for you - for me, the lack of dust in the air makes it worth the $$$.

I am a mother and step-mother of 7 and I have owned this vacuum for over a year now and we love it. Everytime I vacuum I get so much dirt and hair that it just amazes me still. The water idea to collect the dirt and dust is magnificent, it works! I use it to purify the air after the kids leave for school, and in the winter, I used it to keep the air from getting too dry. I believe that products should be "multi-taskers" and this one does so much...It vacuums, can clean the air, can inflate, use it to blow the dirt off your sidewalk or porch, you can even use it for light carpet cleaning. Sure it is kind of a pain to fill it with water and then empty it out when you are done, but it is well worth it, you gotta take the good with the bad. Also, there are lots of parts that don't have a good storage.