Is it worth getting a rainbow?

The Rainbow E2 Black is the best Rainbow you can get out of any other.

There is a big difference between the E series and the E2. In addition to the motor being a dual speed it is also a cooler temperature running brushless motor. Very similar motor used in many air cleaners. There are no carbon brushes to burn out. That means longer life, cooler running and essentially no emissions. It was designed to never be put away in a closet and be able to run 24/7/365 as an air cleaner when it's not being used to clean carpet.

That being said, it's not a great air cleaner. The low speed moves very little air but it does work for a room. It does work very well as a Humidifier and Kitchen Exhaust fan for quickly eliminating odors.

I have only tried one SRX unit and don't remember it much, but specs and others say it's not as powerful as its predecessor the E2 Black. The SRX does have a lot more speeds which makes it more effective as an air cleaner as you can choose something more in between the extremes of High and Low in volume on performance over the E2.

A few things to keep in mind:
1. If you put it away, it has to be completely cleaned out and parts left out to dry to prevent mildew growth.
2. Add Sugar or scent oils to the water. They work as a thickening/ sticky agent to better retain dirt in the water. The dirt travels with the water more too which helps for more effective dumping.
3. COVER THE PEG!! You have to fill with enough water to fully cover the center peg of the basin and it's ok to go a little more. Rainbows have a very short intake which barely breaches the surface of the water when full. All incoming dirt no matter what speed the machine is set to has to be thoroughly drowned by the water! Any incoming dirt particles that just get a gentle mist will get sucked through the system and stick somewhere in the fan chamber and that adds up quick. You would be surprised how quickly the water can evaporate in just the first few minutes of running on High Speed while vacuuming.
4. How humid is the air in your home already? The Rainbow humidifies. If you live in a humid area or are susceptible for mold then you'll want to purchase a dehumidifier with purchase of your Rainbow.
5. Keep the water moving. It's not a bad idea to check the basin after a room or so, especially if you have heavy shedding pets to make sure the solution is still quite viscous and not a wet sandpit. Water has to be high enough and free flowing to capture more particles.
6. Hard water- you'll find out real quick if water in your home is hard, as the separator and basin will start turning white. Don't worry, take off the separator, soak it in the basin filled with hot water and vinegar over night.

Helpful uses:
With a Rainbow or other water filtration vac, you have more uses:
Wet food/ egg spillage on floors, you can use the Rainbow and save on paper towels
Snow on boots and pets on the floors-- not a problem
Wash the kitchen floor--- dump some water down and scrub it around with the bare floor brush
Cooking fish or other pungent foods- Turn on the Rainbow with a pleasant smell
Illness or germs in the home-- Put some FreshAir cleaner in the Rainbow and let it run to kill germs.
Also put Eucalyptus oil in the basin and let that run to help with sinuses
Humidifier-- Run the unit on low speed in air cleaner mode, top off water in tank about every 16 hours and completely change water and clean tank every few days.

Other competitors to look at:
While Rainbow is good, Hyla is a great one and Hylas also use brushless motors.
Ritello is another great one
Sirena is on the lower end of the scale but has a lot of air flow!


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Post# 464438 7/8/2023 at 19:10 (313 days old) by mieles5380leo (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes Hey everyone, I have been considering purchasing a rainbow for several years off and on. I work in a vacuum store and recently I had a customer donate a complete E2 gold single speed unit. It runs great and has the aquamate with it and everything. I haven’t had much experience with rainbows for repair or use as I’ve only had one come in for repair over the past 3 years or so and only one or two ever surrendered to us. I have an E2 gold two speed that won’t switch into high speed but low speed works and the customer surrendered it to us. Anyway, I have enjoyed using the E2 single speed over the past few days and I’m impressed with how black the water is even with cleaning a small area of the store that has been recently vacuumed. My only concerns are I know the water basin has to be stored separately and I notice when I pour the water out there’s still residual dirt in the basin that I feel compelled to rinse out. At home I’m not sure I will be really thrilled about having to do this every time I use it and put the basin somewhere else to dry. I’m not sure how any of you with rainbows care for them but if I get one I would welcome any tips or tricks you all may have to offer. If you have a rainbow do you like it? What are some pitfalls of a rainbow that you may not realize until you own one? I would like to get a E2 black and the SRX has grown on me but the SRX is going to stay astronomically expensive for the next several years so I’m not willing to spend that much. The cheapest one I’ve found was $899 and that was the SRX, the hose, wand, and power head, and none of the accessories. That’s a lot of money to be spending on a machine to get an incomplete used one that you don’t know the condition of. I’m looking more at the E2 blacks but upper $400’s seems to be the cheapest I can find decent ones with at least the powerhead, wands, and hose.

Post# 464444 , Reply# 1 7/8/2023 at 23:24 (313 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes *The* Black e series is awesome. The hose is wet and dry hose. The aquamarine is great and so is the shampooer price permitting. If you maintain your rainbow it will last long time.

Post# 464459 , Reply# 2 7/9/2023 at 17:12 (312 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes Honestly, I'd keep using your Rainbows that you have now and use them for a while to see if you still want to get another Rainbow or not. You definitely don't want to spend alot on something you'd use for a little bit and then later all the sudden you'd grow tired of it. I know I was excited at first when I got my E Series running after servicing it that I just wanted to play around and clean my house with it. Well, that fun ended after my third use. It's overall not a bad machine, there's just some things you'd need to take account with. It takes longer to set up and maintain, you need to empty the water out more often if you want your filter(s) to stay clean, the brushroll gets tangled up with hair very easily, and the pine scent I bought for it doesn't last for very long. I also grew tired of pulling the tank around as it was heavy. And the four independent axis wheels on the basin doesn't help if the tank accidently runs into things like walls or chairs. I know both of those apply to some other different canisters. One criticism I have with the machine which I'm not certain if it also applies to all the newer Rainbows is that the plug gets really hot very quickly. And speaking of newer Rainbows, I'd avoid the SRX if you can. I've used one before and was not impressed. I like the E2 Black model so much better, that's what I'd suggest if you want a newer Rainbow. But again, I'd keep using what you have now before considering the next step.

Post# 464464 , Reply# 3 7/9/2023 at 19:34 (312 days old) by mieles5380leo (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes *Panasonicvac~* Thank you you have definitely answered my question perfectly. I don’t currently own a rainbow but maybe I’ll see about taking the gold e series home that got donated to my shop and run it around a bit at home to see if I really do want to get a newer one. I’m definitely interested in the E2 black that has always peaked my interest so I’m glad you recommend that one. Also thank you for the insight on the SRX. It seems way more electronic than the previous models and I’m concerned on how those electronics will hold up long-term. They are also way out of my price range. I know my local rainbow store sells used E2’s for $1,400 which I feel is really high personally. Things like how often you have to empty the water to keep the filters clean and how it gets stuck on things and doesn’t roll very well are insights I was definitely looking for from other rainbow users as I didn’t know those were problems people encounter so I’m glad you told me. How often do you have to empty the water/how do you know when it’s time to change it during cleaning? I’ve never considered that fully. Aside from the logistics I think you hit the nail on the head when you said I don’t want to be spending money on something I’ll grow tired of quickly. I also don’t have a great storage space figured out for it yet and I’m not sure how I feel about storing the basin separately and where I’m going to rinse it out and let it dry. I’m also concerned about it tipping over during use and spilling water all inside of itself and on the floor.

Post# 464467 , Reply# 4 7/9/2023 at 20:49 (312 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)
Checkrate/Likes I've read that the SRX got recalled due to the board catching on fire. So I think long term wise, I don't think it'd last as long as the E2 Black. I don't think even close. The SRX also just recently went back to the E2 Black style power nozzle, I've read on here a while ago that the original ones had problems. I didn't think it was that impressive honestly performance wise, the E2 Black felt more powerful. And not a popular opinion here but the E2 Black just looks better honestly. Anyways that being said, I've changed my water out every 2-3 rooms depending on how dirty the water gets. I did notice that if I let the water get a little more dirtier, dust started to get inside the motor and into the filter compartment. I wouldn't be too concerned about the unit falling over and spilling the water out, I know Rexair designed and engineered seals where water shouldn't be leaking out on top of the basin. Actually you could even tilt the machine upside down while it's running and it won't damage the machine, though I wouldn't recommend doing that.

Post# 464468 , Reply# 5 7/9/2023 at 22:10 (312 days old) by mieles5380leo (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes That’s really good to know. I do prefer the looks of the E2 black of the SRX. I did notice there was a manual on rainbows website for a new style SRX power nozzle labeled “SRX 2023-“ and it looked just like the old E2 black powerhead.

Post# 464479 , Reply# 6 7/10/2023 at 11:08 (311 days old) by mark40511 (Lexington, KY)
Checkrate/Likes I do love mine... A gold 2 speed. I don't grow tired of using it because over the years I've just figured out easy ways that work for me to set up, tear down, store.. I don't always use it though... but I at least regularly use it. Since 2006, I don't think I've ever gone over 2 months without using it..And when I do use it, it's usually long duration use... Like I'm cleaning for 3 or 4 hours...then next day, a couple other rooms 2 or so hours...When I have it out, I clean EVERYTHING... but then in between, I do love using my HEPA bagged upright with an extension hose.. I use essential oil in my rainbow... usually lemon, orange or eucalyptus...and I swear to you, I can smell it for DAYS..The whole atmosphere of the house feels so clean.. It's crazy to think that all the years I've used it... all the dirt/dust that it's sucked up... I can put my nose up to it and the whole unit just has a fresh smell to it. I don't like the SRX...I think if rainbow offered me the SRX for free in exchange for my gold 2 speed I wouldn't take it..

Post# 464491 , Reply# 7 7/10/2023 at 23:14 (311 days old) by electro (Indiana)
Checkrate/Likes I have owned my Rainbow for over 12 years. It has proven to be dependable and it does what they claim. If used exclusively, you will notice almost no dusting. I like the shampoo unit. Never any odor in use. To me it is a little more trouble to use (same with any canister-you have assemble and have to pull the machine behind you). I like not "storing" the filth and you start with a clean machine every time. They seem to last a long time if given reasonable care. You have no expense to buy replacement bags and if you take care of the machine, your hepa filter will last a long time.

Post# 464492 , Reply# 8 7/10/2023 at 23:25 (311 days old) by cam2s (Nebraska)
Checkrate/Likes Rainbows are great machines I think you would be happy with it. There are a few extra steps to using one but if you do it everytime it will become second nature. Also the benefit to having to fill and drain the basin everytime is that you aren’t storing dirt and other smelly material in your closet, you have a fresh start everytime. As noted you can put oils in the water which really make your home smell nice. Do remember that you can’t vacuum up anything non wettable and you can’t let the water get to dirty while you are using it. If you don’t want to spend big bucks on a new unit an older model will suit you just fine. I have pictured here an E4 black, a single speed E Series and a D4 Special Edition. While there are differences between them at the end of the day they will all clean your home more than adequately. I don’t know how mechanical you are, if you do get a used unit, they are rebuildable with a little work. Taken care of a rebuilt unit will last many many years. View Full Size

Post# 464502 , Reply# 9 7/11/2023 at 15:38 (310 days old) by electro (Indiana)
Checkrate/Likes *what other cleaner looks this clean after 12 years?* Here is a thought. After 12 years of use my Rainbow, I had mine out today and you can see it is just as clean and sanitary as the first day it went into use. It does take a little longer to set up but when you think about it, we use water to bath ,wash our cloths, dishes and we sure don't save it in the closet till next week. With the Rainbow, the dirt and filth leave your home for good. So why save dirt from the house and store it in the closet. There is no dirt or dust anywhere on my machine after years and years of use. The Rainbow is NOT for everyone, so you might want to give some careful consideration before jumping in. View Full Size

Post# 464508 , Reply# 10 7/11/2023 at 19:46 (310 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA)
Checkrate/Likes The Rainbow E2 Black is the best Rainbow you can get out of any other. There is a big difference between the E series and the E2. In addition to the motor being a dual speed it is also a cooler temperature running brushless motor. Very similar motor used in many air cleaners. There are no carbon brushes to burn out. That means longer life, cooler running and essentially no emissions. It was designed to never be put away in a closet and be able to run 24/7/365 as an air cleaner when it's not being used to clean carpet. That being said, it's not a great air cleaner. The low speed moves very little air but it does work for a room. It does work very well as a Humidifier and Kitchen Exhaust fan for quickly eliminating odors. I have only tried one SRX unit and don't remember it much, but specs and others say it's not as powerful as its predecessor the E2 Black. The SRX does have a lot more speeds which makes it more effective as an air cleaner as you can choose something more in between the extremes of High and Low in volume on performance over the E2. A few things to keep in mind: 1. If you put it away, it has to be completely cleaned out and parts left out to dry to prevent mildew growth. 2. Add Sugar or scent oils to the water. They work as a thickening/ sticky agent to better retain dirt in the water. The dirt travels with the water more too which helps for more effective dumping. 3. COVER THE PEG!! You have to fill with enough water to fully cover the center peg of the basin and it's ok to go a little more. Rainbows have a very short intake which barely breaches the surface of the water when full. All incoming dirt no matter what speed the machine is set to has to be thoroughly drowned by the water! Any incoming dirt particles that just get a gentle mist will get sucked through the system and stick somewhere in the fan chamber and that adds up quick. You would be surprised how quickly the water can evaporate in just the first few minutes of running on High Speed while vacuuming. 4. How humid is the air in your home already? The Rainbow humidifies. If you live in a humid area or are susceptible for mold then you'll want to purchase a dehumidifier with purchase of your Rainbow. 5. Keep the water moving. It's not a bad idea to check the basin after a room or so, especially if you have heavy shedding pets to make sure the solution is still quite viscous and not a wet sandpit. Water has to be high enough and free flowing to capture more particles. 6. Hard water- you'll find out real quick if water in your home is hard, as the separator and basin will start turning white. Don't worry, take off the separator, soak it in the basin filled with hot water and vinegar over night. Helpful uses: With a Rainbow or other water filtration vac, you have more uses: Wet food/ egg spillage on floors, you can use the Rainbow and save on paper towels Snow on boots and pets on the floors-- not a problem Wash the kitchen floor--- dump some water down and scrub it around with the bare floor brush Cooking fish or other pungent foods- Turn on the Rainbow with a pleasant smell Illness or germs in the home-- Put some FreshAir cleaner in the Rainbow and let it run to kill germs. Also put Eucalyptus oil in the basin and let that run to help with sinuses Humidifier-- Run the unit on low speed in air cleaner mode, top off water in tank about every 16 hours and completely change water and clean tank every few days. Other competitors to look at: While Rainbow is good, Hyla is a great one and Hylas also use brushless motors. Ritello is another great one Sirena is on the lower end of the scale but has a lot of air flow!

Post# 464516 , Reply# 11 7/11/2023 at 22:25 (310 days old) by mark40511 (Lexington, KY)
Checkrate/Likes 1 YES.... Fill it above the dome with water maybe 1/2 inch... I've been doing this a long time...I always thought the essential oil in the water would help the water in addition to smelling good... When I've seen videos in the past of people using their rainbow I can tell watching it run they don't have enough water in it and it makes me cringe so hard... I think the separator helps push any dirt that doesn't get wet back into the water.. Just a guess...After having my rainbow for 12 years in 2018 and had to get the control board replaced, the guy at Rainbow called me in disbelief that a rainbow this old was that clean...I said, well I can see a little dust on the fans, can you take it apart and clean it... he said it does not need it... He said you should see some of the rainbows that come in here. Yours is spotless and the fans are fine...Now my rainbow is 17 years old

Post# 464540 , Reply# 12 7/12/2023 at 13:26 (309 days old) by mieles5380leo (Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes Thank you all for this information, it’s been quite helpful. When I use the single speed e series at the shop I didn’t fill the water much higher than the center peg because I was concerned I would be putting too much water in but good to know that I need to fill it past that. It stinks like dog and had a massive clog in the hose so I’m sure it’s yucky inside and the hepa filter is probably trashed. I found out the E2 gold 2 speed we have won’t switch into high speed because a transistor detached from the board so it needs a new circuit board. I think in the future I may get a rainbow and I already wanted the E2 black but what you all have said further confirms to me that it’s the right choice. I’m just concerned because all of those are used now (there’s like one new one on eBay for $2,500 but that’s way more than I’m willing to spend) and I don’t know if the previous owner took care of it right or filled the basin right and I have no way to tell if the hepa filter is good or not. I guess I can replace that and clean out the motor if I’m careful but it’s all just a gamble.

Post# 464562 , Reply# 13 7/12/2023 at 23:18 (309 days old) by mark40511 (Lexington, KY)
Checkrate/Likes Well you can actually put "too much" water...but you can use MORE water before reaching the "too much" threshold...and more water is much better than not enough.