Walk-behind, Ride-on or Conventional Buffer?

Administrators of a Midwest school district were facing a dilemma. Should they purchase a walk-behind or ride-on floor machine or a more conventional buffer?

Discussing their situation with their jansan distributor, they realized the answer to the question all comes down to speed and cost. Does the school really need a more expensive high-speed machine that runs at about 1,500 revolutions per minute (rpm), or would a less-expensive, low-speed buffer that’s closer to 175 rpm do the job?

The administrators realized that several thousand dollars could be saved by purchasing a low-speed buffer. However, it could also cost them more in the long run because a low-speed machine is more labor intensive.

Their distributor said that about 60 percent of his clients, large and small, find that a low-speed machine does the job and satisfies their floorcare needs. It will not produce the glossy finish of a high-speed machine, and the custodial crew may have to put more time and effort into their floor work, but it will save the district a large sum of money, which can be used for educating the district’s growing student body.

After deciding to go with a low-speed buffer, the next decision to make was which one they should select. Several manufacturers market buffers to the professional cleaning industry. But the distributor pointed out that many of these machines have changed little in decades—except one: the “M” Series floor machines from Tornado.

What make the M Series special are its all-new features, many of which were developed listening to cleaning professionals and asking them what they would like to see in a floor machine. For instance, the M Series has a quick-grip pad holder—no more getting on your hands and knees, rotating and adjusting the pad to secure it to the machine.

In addition, the designers of the M Series realized not all cleaning professionals are the same size. This machine provides variable height adjustment, so it is easy for both tall and short workers to use it, making it more ergonomic.

And another ergonomic feature is the handle of the machine. It is designed to comfortably fit the user’s hands and is cushioned to not only add a touch of comfort to floorcare but help minimize operator fatigue as well.

The distributor also told the administrators that the M Series buffer can be used for much more than just floorcare. For quick carpet cleaning, it’s perfect for either shampooing or bonnet cleaning carpets, which helps keep carpets looking their best for longer periods of time, especially in an educational facility.

The district administrators selected the M Series and instead of looking at it as an expense, they saw it as an investment. These machines last for years, are durable, are quality constructed, and will more than pay for themselves in little time.