Small extractor with heat or bigger extractor without?

**nrosdal** · 09-14-2017, 01:40 AM

I have seen lots of mixed reviews about the Mytee Lite and am wondering what your thoughts are on how important the heater is. I have my extractor choices pretty well narrowed down to either a small portable with heat (mytee lite) or a bigger better machine but without heat (like a ninja 1200). I have been using steam and a small non heated extractor thus far and get great results but really need to move up in size just to speed up my production. Seeing as i have not used a heated extractor i am hoping to get opinions on if you could choose again would you stay with a smaller heated unit or if you could trade if for a larger non heated unit would you?

Thanks in advance.

**Anthony O.** · 09-14-2017, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by nrosdal

I have seen lots of mixed reviews about the Mytee Lite and am wondering what your thoughts are on how important the heater is. I have my extractor choices pretty well narrowed down to either a small portable with heat (mytee lite) or a bigger better machine but without heat (like a ninja 1200). I have been using steam and a small non heated extractor thus far and get great results but really need to move up in size just to speed up my production. Seeing as i have not used a heated extractor i am hoping to get opinions on if you could choose again would you stay with a smaller heated unit or if you could trade if for a larger non heated unit would you?

Thanks in advance.

If you have a good steamer then a non-heated extractor will work fine. Your main thing to look for with an extractor is the pump/heater and a warranty on said extractor. We use a 2 stage heated unit. It runs with 2 separate 15amp lines and works like a beast.

I use steam to emulsify dirt and crud and only use clean filtered water in extractor, no rinse or cleaning agents in extractor. So steam over carpet then extract. There should be no real reason for cleaning agents unless dealing with such things as coffee, red dyes or biohazards like vomit, urine etc.

Now a heated professional extractor will speed up production for sure because in many cases a steamer step is not needed on seats and carpets. I never extract headliners, steamer or by hand only depending on age and condition.

Hope this helps,
Anthony

**Accumulator** · 09-14-2017, 11:30 AM

We have a number of extractors, both heated and not. I sorta suspect that Anthony and I might have the same 2 Stage one, and FWIW I too only run water through mine (though I might start using a Rinse Agent instead) and never extract headliners. Anyhow...

nrosdal- How are you expecting a larger extractor to "speed up production"? Unless you`re spending a lot of time refilling/dumping your current extractor, I dunno if a larger one will really speed things up or not and I`d give that some thought. Another Q...what`s your expectation regarding a bigger one being bettter? Note that without messing around with a home-rolled adapter setup and various nozzles, my biggest/most powerful extractor doesn`t actually *extract* all that much better than my smaller ones despite its impressive specs (with the different nozzle setup it *does* work well, but it`s kinda awkward). Its potent injection system *does* get the rinse water down in there though, much better than my lesser models.

If all of my extractors needed replaced tomorrow, and I could only have one, I`d probably get the smaller one with heat, and I`d buy the best of those on the market.

**nrosdal** · 09-15-2017, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

We have a number of extractors, both heated and not. I sorta suspect that Anthony and I might have the same 2 Stage one, and FWIW I too only run water through mine (though I might start using a Rinse Agent instead) and never extract headliners. Anyhow...

nrosdal- How are you expecting a larger extractor to "speed up production"? Unless you`re spending a lot of time refilling/dumping your current extractor, I dunno if a larger one will really speed things up or not and I`d give that some thought. Another Q...what`s your expectation regarding a bigger one being bettter? Note that without messing around with a home-rolled adapter setup and various nozzles, my biggest/most powerful extractor doesn`t actually *extract* all that much better than my smaller ones despite its impressive specs (with the different nozzle setup it *does* work well, but it`s kinda awkward). Its potent injection system *does* get the rinse water down in there though, much better than my lesser models.

If all of my extractors needed replaced tomorrow, and I could only have one, I`d probably get the smaller one with heat, and I`d buy the best of those on the market.

the one i currently use is very small like i have to dump it 5-6 times per job sometimes more. I also usually spray most things with a pump sprayer instead of the built in sprayer since it sucks and sprays in an annoying direction. I know the bigger unit will save time by me being able to use the hand tool to spray also not having to empty or fill unit during the job would be very nice (not to mention that my hose is only 3ft long so moving the little machine around alot to reach things is always a pain).

My thoughts on the bigger non heated unit is that it has much higher psi for injection and much higher water lift which i would hope would combine to get more loosened up and sucked out and maybe even shorten drying time if more water is pulled out by better suction. But being that i havent used a heated unit i may not need the higher injection specs to get out what hot water sprayed will. Which is why i am asking for someone that has used both. I am also unsure on the Mytee brand even though most detailers use them (i have just seem lots of problems and unhappy people). While on carpet cleaning forums mytee comes up a bit but ninja seems to be the more popular of the 2 which has me leaning towards the ninja (one other benefit of the ninja is that there is a local shop to maintain and fix it in my town) unless you guys think the hot water is that valuable.

**nrosdal** · 09-15-2017, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Anthony O.

If you have a good steamer then a non-heated extractor will work fine. Your main thing to look for with an extractor is the pump/heater and a warranty on said extractor. We use a 2 stage heated unit. It runs with 2 separate 15amp lines and works like a beast.

I use steam to emulsify dirt and crud and only use clean filtered water in extractor, no rinse or cleaning agents in extractor. So steam over carpet then extract. There should be no real reason for cleaning agents unless dealing with such things as coffee, red dyes or biohazards like vomit, urine etc.

Now a heated professional extractor will speed up production for sure because in many cases a steamer step is not needed on seats and carpets. I never extract headliners, steamer or by hand only depending on age and condition.

Hope this helps,
Anthony

Thanks for the reply. That is very similar to what i do currently just with a non-heated extractor. But i really dont want to save a bit now to regret not having heat later if it is that helpful. I am just looking that both units are $1200 ish with the mytee lite being new and the ninja being barely used but not heated.

Thanks again for any assistance.

**Accumulator** · 09-15-2017, 12:37 PM

nrosdal- FWIW, my big/heated one is a Ninja. And yeah, my local vacuum repair place can service it, nice when it`s something I can`t DIY (although it`s pretty simple inside, easy to work on).

Can`t overemphasize how disappointed I was with the suction/extraction until I DIYed that new nozzle setup though...like "gee, I spend *how much* for this thing and it leaves the carpets *that* wet?!?"

Eh, easy for me to spend your money for ya, but I`d get something with heat even if you have to delay the purchase while you save up. The need for two 15A circuits *is* a big PIA though, despite my attempts to overkill such stuff when I built the shop.

**nrosdal** · 09-15-2017, 03:06 PM

Thanks for the input. Do you think the Mytee Lite is a good option ? or should i just buck up and get a new Ninja 150 or 200 with heat? local dealer has a good promo on for them but they are still more than double what the Mytee lite is if i go new on either one.

**Accumulator** · 09-16-2017, 11:47 AM

nrosdal- I`m just not qualified to discuss the Mytee Lite so I don`t want to say anything about it, and if the small size/limited amp draw are important then maybe that oughta factor in big-time. The need for multiple decent separate circuits for the Ninja is sure worthy of consideration.

That said, I sure don`t regret buying the Ninja (all those years ago) even though I`m not a Pro and don`t use it much. I consider it one of those Lifetime Purchases..."got my good extractor now, won`t ever need another one".