Polti Vaporetto Lecoaspira FAV80 - Not Impressed

[Deleted User]

I bought this very expensive steamer/vacuum to make my life a bit easier.  Its been a long while since I have used a Polti, I wasn't overly happy with the way the steamer which cost many times what the cheaper ones cost didn't work for very long.  That was many years ago when steamers were quite a new thing. 

Seems like Polti have not improved.  I didn't get to use this one even once as I couldn't find a way to connect the second extension rod (the one you attach tools to so it had to be connected).  So I packed it up to return it.  Not as easy as one would hope, I then found I couldn't disconnect the first extension rod.  It seems like the design is the problem (and probably a manufacturing faults).  All praise to Freenet, cheapest price anywhere and no questions asked at all when I explained the problem to them.  I wonder if I'm not the only one to have this problem.  Amazon don't even offer this model for sale although they do offer every other Polti model.  I gather from the one review I can find, that supposedly you can coil the electrical cable under the water tank.., only you can't.  It doesn't fit. I found this too.   I can't comment on anything else because obviously I got no further with trying to use it.  It cost so much money, and you can't even use it.., the connector for the extensions need looking at urgently.  

I suppose I should have gotten the hint when I could only find Polti video's demonstrating its use.  Whenever I buy something, normally You Tube abounds with unboxing and demo videos.  Even on that score, Polti failed.., there was just a quick demo video (which shows a turbo brush you have to actually pay extra for - at this price its not acceptable).  The manual for the model tells you to go to a certain website address for more videos.., and there's nothing on there (I was thinking maybe I was doing something wrong).  But looking at the design of the connector there is a fault in the design the notch can't get passed, even when considerable force is used.  I don't know if its a bad batch of machines, I suppose it could be.  Freenet didn't seem surprised and immediately agreed I could return it.  They even organised collection (I would have problems getting it to the not so local depot) but I did volunteer, to be fair to pay half the cost (which wasn't expensive) as its not their fault I can't get to the depot.  I will never buy a Polti again but I will use Freenet again.

I will buy the same model of steam cleaner again (it did last for five years).  Boring but at least it connects and works.  Would have been nice to have a vacuum as well, but looks like technology isn't there yet.

I've posted on here in the hope that someone who's wondering about buying it can see the comments before buying it.