Do you guys think that there is really any advantage of one machine over the other? Or are both high quality machines that produce the same top notch professional results expected with these machines? I think the Orbot looks more professional but as far as cleaning and toughness which is superior? Which machine has a longer life? Just curious as to anyones opinion........
Both are excellent machines, from my own hands-on experiences, as well as from my readings at various carpet and floor services online forums, blogs, BB's, etc. The line of machines produced by Orbitec (www.orbitecsolutions.com) is also comparable. I think it's more important to select a machine based on how its size and weight relates to the type or types of jobs you expect to be doing. I find the standard Challenger (15" cleaning path) to be ideal for doing both residential as well as small to medium commercial jobs. If I were doing mostly larger area commercial work, my choice might be either the multi-size HOS Orbot Sprayborg or the Orbitec CX-20, also with onboard tank/pump/sprayer system. As more of a "crossover" machine which should be able to serve you well in both situations, you might consider either the Challenger Titan and the Orbitec Defender 17. Both have 17" cleaning paths and moderate weight.
the Challenger is a little faster for me on resi jobs, in terms of bringing it in and out of the home.
the 2-3 times i have used it on commercial, i prefer the Orbot over Challenger in that arena.
but i MUCH prefer my Cimex over the Orbot for 99% of my commercial jobs. if i do a greasy job, i will prescrub with the Cimex, then extract with the Orbot. those are the circumstances where i use the Orbot on commercial accounts.
My wife & I were wondering the same thing,not in the business yet. We ran the Hos orbot & it was easy to control but seemed a bit clumsy. Is the Challenger as easy to control as the Hos orbot & is it kind of like an Oreck orbiter only on a bigger scale?
The standard size (15") Challenger is very easy to control on all but the lowest pile, commercial glue-down carpeting. For this type of job, I would recommend a machine with wheels which are on the floor while the work is being performed.
The Challenger Titan (17") is available with wheels either up or down. The same size Orbitec Defender comes with wheels on the floor. I cannot comment on the Orbot, as I do not own one.
