Editors’ Choice: Record-Cleaning Machines

Spin-Clean Record Washer MKII

$79

The Spin-Clean System is a purely manual design—nothing to plug in. A little elbow grease and fresh air do all the work. Fill the taxicab-yellow basin with distilled water, add a capful of the cleaning solution, and spin the record between the brushes. The results speak for themselves—clean surfaces mean less noise and more fully resolved music. For lighter duty it’s tough to beat. 

Record Doctor VI

$299

For those who love and care for their vinyl but don’t want to break the bank on a cleaner, the Record Doctor VI offers a smart design compromise that keeps its—and your—costs down: Most of its functions are performed manually, but it still uses a powerful motor-driven vacuum to handle the final step of dirt extraction. Setup and operation are a snap.

Pro-Ject VC-E1 

$499

Using the VC-E is simple, but good technique is essential to maximize its potential. The machine comes with a small bottle of concentrated cleaning fluid, a larger bottle for the mixed-with-water cleaning solution, and a cleaning brush. The Pro-Ject VC-E supplies the basic tools necessary to clean records efficiently and easily. For any LP lover who wants to hear every bit of potential sonic goodness from his records, the VC-E is an excellent way to boost your LP collection up to a cleaner state of being. 

VPI 16.5

$850

The VPI 16.5 record-cleaning machine is one of those stalwart products that isn’t fancy or expensive, but gets the job done, day after day. The vacuum system is more than adequate to remove embedded dirt, and the 16.5 is easy to use. Solidly built and ultra-reliable, the 16 and 16.5 have been in continuous production for more than 30 years. 

Kirmuss KA-RC-1 Ultimate

$970

This unusual product is billed as a “record restoration” device rather than strictly a record cleaner. Although it uses ultrasonic cleaning action, the Kirmuss does much more, but requires intensive hands-on involvement from the user. The process requires about a day dedicated to cleaning and restoring multiple records. If you have the time and patience, you’ll be rewarded with a more spacious soundstage and truer instrumental timbre. 

Degritter Ultrasonic LP Cleaner

$2990

The breadbox-sized Degritter brings all the benefits of ultrasonic LP cleaning to an effective, easy-to-use, and relatively affordable product. You can adjust the Degritter’s many cleaning parameters, or simply choose a standard cleaning cycle for easy operation. Sonically, the Degritter delivers, with fewer ticks and pops, less surface noise, a blacker background, and a heightened impression of instruments in space. Easy to use, well-built, with many sophisticated features, the Degritter delivers on all the promises of ultrasonic LP cleaning.

Audio Desk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner

$3995

This completely automated record cleaner is simply the state of the art. The ultrasonic cleaning technique loosens dirt embedded in groove modulations that are too small for even the finest bristles. The sonic results go far beyond quieter surfaces. The Audio Desk renders a dramatic increase in resolution, soundstaging, and immediacy.

Clearaudio Double Matrix Professional Sonic

$6500

The latest version of Clearaudio’s record cleaning machine retains all the convenience of the Double Matrix (simultaneous cleaning of both sides of a record) while adding ultra-sonic scrubbing to the original brush-and-fluid method. Built like a tank and easy to use, this is a highest-quality record cleaner.