I have had my Rainbow E2 vacuum cleaner for over 5 years. It is the best vacuum system in the world.
It is the only vacuum that is a certified air purifier and is designed to run 24/7 on a lower speed to purify the air in the home.
The unique difference is the water. All dirt and dust is trapped in a basin of water so that no debris can re-enter the home atmosphere.
The machine is expensive but well worth it. I figured I will save about $4,000 over a period of 15 year by using the Rainbow E2 vacuum over the Electrolux I was using. Buy it you will like it.
This vacuum is awful. It is bundlesome, hard to use, and quite frankly the dyson does as good or better a job.
I love it!!! The only thing better would be a Rainbow unit that stays in the basement and has hook-ups (wall vaccum-hose sockets) in every room.
That would be the ultimate best. But what I have is great too!
Buyers Beware – the Rainbow is fabulous but be cautious when purchasing. Rainbow has a 3 day only return policy – regardless of reasons for return. They get their money and don’t care about customers.
READ the fine print BEFORE purchasing. Beware of this company as they will sell an old model and claim it is the newest model – BUYER BEWARE!
I have the Rainbow E2 system and just love it! It really does a GREAT job cleaning my 20 year old home. It has brought the life right back into my carpeting. It is a great system and I would highly recommend it to people who want their homes CLEAN!! When you clean with a Rainbow it gets the job done to 100% satisfaction.
we have had a rainbow for 15 years, and wouldn’t own anything else. We have many others that don’t compare . The money you save on filters will pay for itself, over and over.
The Worst Vacuum: Not only does it not clean the floor well, it makes you DEAF in the process! It is so loud you even miss the dog bark. Turn it on and all your conversation stops. It is so cumbersome and HEAVY, I developed muscles I didn’t know I had. And finally for its price, I can get two Dysons and still have spare change. Don’t touch it with a 10 foot pole. Anyone wants a used E2?
Unhappy Customer: I had no idea about the 3 DAY RETURN POLICY. No one told me about that. This sucks and Im very upset.I called the Rainbow company and they said they would call me back, its been 4 days and i havent heard from them. Again its an okay product but not worth it.
I recently purchased my Rainbow and have nothing but praise for it! My family and I don’t sneeze or have asthma attacks when it is used in our home unlike with all other “vacuums” we have tired including Dyson and Kirby.
The only people that are negative about it must be salespeople for “vacuums”. There is no way they are being truthful about the Rainbow. They probably never even tried one much less ever owning one.
As for the price, if the health of you and your family isn’t worth a small investment, then buy a $40 “vacuum” as they will do exactly the same as the $3,0000 ones: NOTHING!
This vacuum works 20 times better than a kirby! I love it. It is great that it can purify all the air in your ENTIRE house in an hour. No more pet dander! I would reccommend thsi 100 times over!
I actually work for a Rainbow Distributor around here and must say I am thoroughly impressed. I am not into this type of stuff and when my wife wanted me to watch I was angry but after 40 minutes, I would have bought. I did buy one to keep me and my family healthy.
I can honestly say working for the company that there are no tricks. We do a very serious demo to show you the truth about our system. Some people may not like the price but we show you the breakdown of how much you will spend on cleaning supplies over 15 years compared to the investment of a Rainbow. And as far as the comparison to a Kirby or Dyson? I owned a Kirby. It was 10 times heavier and bulkier than the Rainbow. The rainbow is actually fairly light when you don’t have water in it, which is what I suggest when you are moving upstairs or however.
Also, the Rainbow is a little noisy on high, but comparing it to my Kirby, there was no difference in noise. It also sucks in air at 130 mph to bring in the dust, which does cause some noise. Comparing to a Dyson, which I have never owned, I can say that from what I have heard Dyson picks up more than most vacuums, but what you may not know is that Dyson eats your carpet. We use Dyson’s for training and it has literally ripped part of the carpet out. While researching it, we found that Dyson actually voids all warranties on your carpets as well. Simply put, the Rainbow is the best system out there and is a worthy investment.
When we originally set up the demonstration for this vacuum it was only to get the free rainmate air purifier. Well my husband has to have every toy out here so we actually bought this.
All I can say is WOW! I have suffered from allergies and severe asthma for years, to the point I could not even be in a room that was being vacuumed-even with a Miele (which we replaced with the Rainbow).
With the rainbow not only do I not have to leave the room but I can vacuum. After 2 days of using the Rainbow our grey carpet in our spare room actually looks like it has been professionally cleaned!
Our Miele was great and may be the best choice for some, but for us it is now the Rainbow!
The Rainbow E2 is absolutely amazing! I don’t know what I would do without it. I read on this website that it’s hard to find them online… Rexair the manufacturer prohibits unauthorized sales of new machines.
See their website I found them at rainbowsystem. -they directed me to an authorized distributor. I love to empty the polluted water after I have cleaned. That shows all of the pollution that my family isn’t living with. It’s really a no brainer… keep the filth or get a Rainbow. Waste time and keep the odors? Doesn’t make much sense to me.
While I’m cleaning the floors, furniture, my bed, my appliances, there is no recycling the filth back into my home… I’m cleaning my air! It’s a certified air purifier, not to mention a GREEN MACHINE! Seeing is FOR SURE believing! The couple that showed me were just excited to show it, they were working on getting there’s for free! Great people!
As far as the cost…my old methods of cleaning cost me more, and I got to keep the filth. Like I said it is a no brainer. My kids are even using the Rainbow! I will never use a vaccuum again! Smell yours… you won’t either!
I purchased a Rainbow E2 mainly because of its air-purification abilities. I have just recently been developing allergic reactions to various types of dust in my home and was introduced to the Rainbow E2. I now use mine 24/7. The unit has a 20 year warranty, but the motor is rated for 50 years continuous use.
My allergic reactions seem to be curtailing quite nicely since I began using the unit. The only time I have a “reaction” is when I disturb something in my home which I haven’t cleaned yet with the Rainbow. The noise this unit makes is actually minimal in “whisper” mode. Older units didn’t have “whisper” capability which would account for the complaints from some about it being noisy.
I only use “Hurricane” (or “Turbo”) mode when cleaning or when I leave the house… The extra noise it makes in “Turbo” mode is really no worse than a regular vacuum cleaner, and I don’t notice it at all when I’m gone from home. Why leave it in Turbo mode when I leave? Well, it picks up even greater amounts of air-bourne contaminants that way, and I come home to an even fresher/cleaner environment. Brain surgeons use these units in the operating rooms during surgery to reduce contaminants to as near ZERO as possible. That should say something as to their effectiveness.
As a cleaning unit, the Rainbow really shines. It picks up dust & dirt that conventional vacuums CAN’T. The exhaust from the unit always smells “rain-washed” clean, and it’s always cold. You can even add ice cubes to the water reservoir to provide a fresh, cooling breeze on a hot summer day. It’s true that some Rainbow sales reps can be “pushy”, but this is true of many other company reps as well. The fellow that sold me the Rainbow was firm, but not pushy or obnoxious. I even had him do a demo for my own mother… She really liked it, although she couldn’t buy a Rainbow at this time. The rep didn’t try to force a sale. The Rainbow sales itself.
If you can afford to buy it outright, do so. If you have to make managable payments, do so. You won’t be disappointed. If you’re really interested in a Rainbow, have a rep come to your home for a demo. You WILL be SHOCKED to see how much he/she can pull out of your carpet with one of these beauties. Even if you get out your OWN machine and vacuum a section of your carpet 50 times in a row, the Rainbow will pull out dirt from down below the foam padding… I kid you not! You WILL want to own one once you see the value in it. Your rep will bend over backwards to make it possible for you to have one if you can swing it.
As far as the weight of the unit, it really isn’t bad. The functionality of the Rainbow far “outweighs” any minor disadvantages you may encounter (it must be carried upstairs, etc.). I hope this review helps the reader to choose whether or not to get a Rainbow E2.
I originally had a Rainbow that was an older model that was given to me (yes..given!) because she had two. It was several years old when she gave it to me, and when my next door neighbor asked me to help him out by watching a demo, I said sure.
I told the salesman that because I knew how expensive they were, I could not afford a new one, and my current one did a fine job. Well, he showed me how my really older model was lacking, in certain ways, and how much better the newer model was..and O-my-gosh it really was. The really weird thing is that I love vacuuming and will go to other peoples houses and help them vacuum as long as I can bring my Rainbow.
I always do a thorough job on my house before my oldest son comes home because he is so highly allergic to our cat (so why do we still have it? We love him and he is old) which helps so much.
I would recommend the Rainbow over any other machine, and my twins who are 24 each want one..they love it..and my 22 year old son also wishes he could have one in his apartment. My kids were so mad at me when the sales rep said I had to “turn in” my old one when I bought the new one (that was part of the deal) and didn’t give it to them!
In retrospect, I should have been tougher about the negotiation of giving him my old vacuum. The Rainbow in my opinion is actually too much; I’m sure a large percentage of that price is the sales commission, but I absolutely love the product and would be lost without it. I have owned and used many other brands, Electrolux included, and NOTHING else compares. Get a Rainbow E2 but try to negotiate the price!
I have just had my first use with my Rainbow e2 vacuum cleaner. The salesman had just left about 4 hours ago and I cant stop using the vacuum. I am amazed at how much debris and dirt that is picked up even after multiple uses. I will not miss my old vacuum.
The salesman was polite and did not have to push the vacuum on me. The Rainbow sold itself after the repeated demonstrations.
I had just wrapped my Rainbow E2 up to put it away fro the night and had to check on other reviews and comments. I do have to agree with others, if you are looking for a simple do it quick and put it away vacuum then this is not for you.
If you are looking for a high quality vacuum that you know the end result will be a clean carpet free of dust and dander and don’t mind a few extra steps on getting the job done. Then the Rainbow is for you.
The cost did jump out at me as a bit high when first represented with the price. But to compare with the amount of vacuums that I have purchased over the past 15 years to include accessories and replacement costs I could of bought two Rainbows for what i have spent in the past.
I’m not trying to sell this vacuum but I cant wait to show my parents and friends. We have kids, dogs and high traffic in our house and have a new born on the way. I will not be worried one bit when our new little one is crawling all around the house on our clean floors.
I purchased the Rainbow E2 years ago. I think its about 10 years now. It is still working great.It really does what Rainbows promises. I never saw a vacuum like Rainbow. It’s worth its price.
It broke down once, but I found an electrician that fixed it with no problems. It’s great! All you gotta do is make sure that you take good care of it. Years has passed and its still as powerful as when I first got it.
It’s been the cure of my allergy to dust. I recommend you in getting one, you’ll never regret it. Plus, the water filtration is much easier to clean, and it the best filter ever! I use the Rainbow for all purposes even for taking water off the floor, cleaning my bed, getting dust off everywhere.
It’s one mean machine, I can tell ya. It is really like a Rainbow.
WHAT A MACHINE!!! I wish I known about it many, many years ago. I had allergies, and did not understand why. My wife always vacuumed 2 times week, and I thought she did a good job. I was still getting sick 2 times per year, and bronchitis 1 time per year.
We got the Rainbow E2 demo done and could not believe the water turned black!! Gee, there is hair, foam, dirt, skin in the water basin. My home is always clean using this “Rainbow”. It was worth every penny I Spent. I encourage anyone to buy one or two. It is a GREAT MACHINE!!!
We have the E2 Rainbow, purchased new in 2006. This is a very versatile machine having two speeds and an air reversal button which is for blowing back out the occasional sock that gets sucked up into the tubing because of the strong suction and good for inflating things quickly with the included inflation attachment. The suction on this thing is incredible… unlike anything in most other vacuums. You can also let the machine sit in a room without the tubing and just filter the air on low. The water basin is easy to clean out. This is a BIG vacuum, a bit heavy, but a great long term investment. It also works on bare floors and can mop as well!
Rainbow Rexall: I was raised in a household utilizing the “Rexall” version of the Rainbow vacuum. My father has allergies and asthma and the Rainbow vacuums continue to provide a cleaner home than the “bag and bagless” version of vacuums. We tried the canister vacuums for a few years and were not happy with them. They became odoriferous with use and reintroduced contaminants into the air. My parents (age 84) continue to utilize the Rainbow exclusively.
I have also used the Rainbow in my own home, stateside and overseas, and prefer it to other vacuums. The water catch basin is what makes the cleaning process better than other vacuums. Yes, a new model is expensive. In this case all I can say is that you get what you pay for. Used models are available and I recommend giving one a try. Rainbow will always be my preference of cleaning systems. I am saving my pennies for a new system.
Best Investment My Family Has Ever Made: We have only had our Rainbow E2 for 6 months, but it has completely changed the lives of everyone in my family.
My 5 year old has literally suffered with allergies since the day he was born. Every spring and every fall (sometimes more often) he will turn into one big snot ball of allergies. He is miserable for a week until we can get his medication regulated and then he spends the next month or 2 in a medicated fog.
This year though (after the purchase of our Rainbow) has been completely different. My husband (who was less than happy with me for buying the Rainbow in the first place) called me at work to tell me that it was officially allergy season, and that he had sent our son to school even though he was a sneezing, snotty mess.
When I got home from work that evening I took the Rainbow down into our son’s room. I vacuumed the floor, cleaned the bed, and then ran the air purifier in his room for 20 minutes with the Rainbow Deoderizer and the Eucalyptus scent. I put my son to bed that night and hoped for the best. The next night I told my son to come and get his allergy meds. before he went to bed and he replied by saying, “What for Mom? I’m fine.”
And with those 5 words, I have not given my son even 1 more does of allergy medication. No one in my family has been sick since purchasing our Rainbow and my my husband is now singing Rainbow’s praises.
Yes, the Rainbow E2 comes with a certain amount of sticker shock. But when I look at how much it’s going to save me in medications alone, it is simply the best investment my family has ever made.
And don’t get me started on what it has done for my furniture and carpeting. I can’t even begin to add up the money that I will save by not having to replace these things.
I’ve had a Rainbow E2 for five years and absolutely love it! My family and I love how it keeps the air clean and fresh.
Just as a comparison note: My mom was using her Hoover last week while I was visiting her and as the sunlight was shining through the window I could see the dust spewing out of the exhaust and could smell that nasty smell coming from inside the porous bag. We never have these problems because once dust gets sucked into the Rainbow it gets wetted down and stays trapped in the water. Only clean, dust-free air comes back into the room.
I have minor allergies to dust so this is crucial for me. With traditional vacs the dust just blows right through the pores of the vacuum bag into your breathing air – talk about gross. I love scenting the air with fragrances that we can put in water, especially pine. I can’t ever imagine going back to a standard bag-based, air-polluting, germ blowing, bacteria laden, dusty vacuum.
I first bought a rainbow called the D2 in 1984. I used it for 20 years without any problems. I decided to trade up to an e2, and let me tell you, that is the best unit ever invented!! The Rainbow E2 vacuum picks up everything including water and soda spills. My allergies are now gone thanks to this life saver. It cleans the air….while you clean. No pricey bags to buy, just add water. It is a bit expensive but anything that is worth a darn is. It is soooooo worth it. I love it and all other vacuum machines are not even in the same ball park for cleaning.
I love my Rainbow E2! Really, words cannot express the quality of life this machine can give someone.
I have 2 large dogs and 1 cat that live indoors/outdoors, so they are a mess and drag the mess in. I simply Rainbow every other day and my house is fresh and clean. My mother-in-law is highly allergic to animals and she is able to come to my house without problems or symptoms.
This vacuum may seem expensive, but it will last for years. I have had mine for 5 years and I use it at least every other day and it is as good as it was when I first got it. Also I run the air purifier almost daily with out a problem.
In the long run, the Rainbow E2 vacuum is not expensive when you factor in how much you will save on furniture, allergy medication, and peace of mind! If you like your house to not only look clean but smell clean, this is the vacuum for you.
This is the 2nd Rainbow and I still have the 1st one. I got the 1st one in 1983 and it was well worth the price. The new one is so easy to use.
I love it! Every time I vacuum with the Rainbow E2, the water is dirty and my house is sooooo much cleaner. I love taking about 30 seconds to fill the water basin and then when I’m done vacuuming, about 15 seconds to dump it, because I know that’s all I have to do for my vacuum to have 100% cleaning ability, 100% clean air, 100% of the time. I love it!
It’s a no brainer that the water won’t clog like any regular vacuum. They ALL have some kind of filter or another, and they ALL slowly get clogged, stink, and smell! I love knowing that the Rainbow E2 is CLEAN every time, and it only take a matter of seconds to fill it and dump it to insure that.
I read some other review’s of people who hate that they have to fill it and rinse it out every time. Well I’ve met many of those people, they are the same type who don’t make their bed, pile up dirty dishes and stinky laundry, and always find someone or something to blame! They are just LAZY! If you like SUPER CLEAN then get a Rainbow, you will LOVE IT!
And people say the exact same thing using a Kirby and a Kirby costs the same amount as a Rainbow with WAY more airflow than a rainbow. Even a full HEPA bag on the Avalir will have more airflow in the vacuum than the rainbow. Doesn’t that mean the Kirby will ultimately clean even better than the Rainbow? So what do you mean 100% clean??
Does the Kirby come with the air purifier? I haven’t come across one that has and am contemplating purchasing the rainbow for that purpose alone. But if you know of one that does, please let me know as I’ve heard good things about both companies.
The E-2 Is Worth Every Penny: I love my Rainbow E-2. It started with my Grandma and now everybody in the family has one. I am an RN and a certified asthma educator, and I also suffer from allergies and asthma myself. I am able to clean without all the dust blowing up in my face and triggering my allergies.
If you take care of this machine it will last forever. I thought my power nozzle was broken and resorted to an upright for a while (awful), and then my Grandma showed me how to take the bottom off to clean it and put a new belt on!
My husband and kid won’t go near it b/c they think the water is gross, but it makes me happy to see how much dirt came out of the carpet. I am seriously protective of my Rainbow, lol.
I don’t let my kids use b/c they ran over the cord and also knocked it over one time. I guess it is a little heavy, but it doesn’t bother me too much.
This machine is amazing. There is nothing in the market that even comes close to it. I have had asthma and allergies all my life, so cleaning has always been a challenge as I get sick when I’m around dust.
The amount of dirt I cleaned out of my house the first time I used it was incredible. The air in my house is now clean and crisp – it is the best investment by far I’ve ever made. It is expensive, but it is worth every cent.
It is health in your home and that has no price. They have many payment options. You have seen the rest so check out the best… I highly recommend it.
The sales pitch can be very annoying and totally unnecessary, so if you know you want it just tell the salesperson to skip the BS and get to the point… how does it work and how do I pay for it! You may want them to just give you a little demo.
It is awesome, even if you have someone doing your cleaning, you have never seen clean until you have it Rainbow clean!!
This machine is so amazing. I love it very much.
Rainbow E2 Series: If you are looking for a machine that does an outstanding job of cleaning animal hair off a variety of floor types, this machine is for you. My sister has a Dyson and this Rainbow beats that cleaners capabilities hands down.
Even on old carpets the wear patterns in the nap are reduced and in some (most cases) eliminated with several passes over the area in a crossing pattern.
So on the cleaning aspect I give this machine a resounding “thumbs up”. However, if you are looking for something that is easy to use, avoid this machine. The tank needs to be emptied often, especially if you have animals.
The machine is heavy and bulky. The cart on which the unit is positioned for rolling does not actually work well on carpets. The hose is not really long enough (7′) hard to do stairs.
I have every additional tool (shampooer, hard wood floor , etc.). These work well, with the limitations identified above.
I have had my machine for over two years. Would I buy it again? Honestly I don’t know. The clean is unbeatable, but I dread pulling it out of the closet! Once it is going, I remember what I like about it, because the floors are just so clean when I am done.
I bought Rainbow 24 years ago and still have it and love it. I think it’s the best thing i ever purchased in my life. No more allergy and no mere dust since that time. Yes its expensive but i need it. really helps me with cleaning too.