Record cleaning machine

I AGREE,I USE THE VPI 16.5 AND COULD NOT PLAY RECORDS WITHOUT IT. THIS MACHINE REALLY SUCKS!!BETTER THAN HOOVER.A MUST HAVE IF YOUR INTO VINYL!!!!

Thanks everyone. Your suggestions really help me in my decision making.

Lifihi.guy is right. The VPI 16.5 is great for cleaning volumes of records well and will last forever. Only reason to go up a VPI-17F would be if if you are cleaning thousands of records and trying to do 50+ an hour. Save the bucks and put those $ towards some favorate recordings

Agree with the above, but don't discount Nitty Gritty. Build is not as good as VPI but the design is better for removing the smallest particles of dirt and scrunge. The vacuum works with gravity rather than against it and parts are reasonable and available, plus its less expensive on the used market than VPI!

A late model VPI HW-16.5 can be had under $300.and is built like a tank.Any replacement parts are reasonable,easy to get and are easy to replace.I choose to wear ear protectors when engaging the vacuum motor.Much more rugged than the Nitty Gritty unit(which takes up less room and only supports the label area) as it appears simular to a turntable with a full sized platter and dust cover.Happy hunting.

I owned a Kieth Monks years ago. It broke all the time. I replaced it with a VPI in 1988 which I still own and use all the ime with used records.

The Keith Monks machine was good in its time but it's ancient, and the only one I klnew about was always broken. See Michael Fremer's discussion of record cleaning machines in the current Stereophile: he covers Nitty Gritty and VTI and doesn't leave much unsaid. That's where you should start.

I had a monks machine and I was completely satisified for years until the disc doctor cleaner. For about 65 dollars you can get records so clean that it will put any (and I mean any of the cleaning machines) to shame. I had over 1500 dollars worth of equipment for cleaning my records. I have since sold all of it. The disc doctor is that good. I would take the money you save into new records. When you hear what the disc doctor cleaner can do you will never go back. It is available through www.mediaacc.com .