Clarke Vacuums Compared
| Model | Form factor | Power | Capacity | Best for |
|---|
| Clarke Comfort Pak 6 and 10 | Backpack, CRI Seal of Approval | Corded, 1,300 W | 6 or 10 qt | Classrooms, offices and stairs, plus dusting above the floor |
| Clarke CarpetMaster 112 and 115 | Single motor upright, certified HEPA | Corded, 1,000 W | 4.2 qt bag, 11.5 or 14.5 in path | Nightly carpet passes in classrooms, offices and patient rooms |
| Clarke CarpetMaster 212, 215 and 218 | Dual motor upright, HEPA | Corded, 1,350 W total | 4.2 qt bag, 11.5 to 17.5 in path | Busy carpet in schools, churches, hospitals and fitness centers |
| Clarke Maxxi II 35 | Wet dry, poly tank | Corded, 1,100 W | 9 gal | Spills and small wet jobs, with a washable cartridge filter for dust |
| Clarke Summit Pro 18SQ | Wet dry with 24 in front squeegee | Corded, 1.17 hp | 18 gal | Big water pickup on hard floors, with the squeegee lowered by a foot pedal |
Specs come from Clarke brochures and spec sheets. Every model runs on a 50 foot cord.
How to Choose a Clarke Vacuum
Match the machine to your floors and the work your crew does each night. Each format also has its own page where you can compare Clarke with other brands before you buy.
Backpack. The Comfort Pak is the Clarke backpack vacuum. It puts the motor on your back and leaves you a light wand, so you clean around desks and furniture, along baseboards and up stairs without pushing a machine. The 6 quart model weighs 9.3 lb and the 10 quart model 10.8 lb, both without the cord, and Clarke rates both at 62 dB(A). Pick the 10 quart for long routes and fewer bag changes. The harness carries the weight on your hips, so keep the hip belt snug. The Comfort Pak is corded, so if outlets are scarce, look at the cordless backpack vacuums. Compare every brand among the commercial backpack vacuums, or read our guide to the best backpack vacuum for commercial use.
Upright, single or dual motor. For carpet you vacuum in straight runs every night, a Clarke upright vacuum is the simpler tool. The 112 and 115 use one 1,000 W motor that makes the suction and turns the brush by belt, and their exhaust filter is certified HEPA, rated at 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns. The 212, 215 and 218 add a separate 350 W brush motor, stop the brush while you use the wand, offer an 18 inch head and keep the vacuum motor low in the base, so the handle feels lighter. All five sizes share the same 92 inch water lift, bags, filters and onboard tools, so your CarpetMaster paper bags fit every one. See the other brands among the commercial upright vacuums, and read what a HEPA vacuum is and when you need one.
Wet dry. Both Clarke wet dry vacuums also pick up dry debris. If you want the compact one, the Maxxi II 35 holds 9 gallons, weighs 25 lb and has a filter you lift out and rinse after a wet job. The Summit Pro 18SQ holds 18 gallons, lowers its 24 inch squeegee with a rear foot pedal and rolls on 10 inch wheels that make stairs easier. Compare them with other brands on the commercial wet dry vacuums page, and read how to use a wet dry vac before your first stripping job.
Send us your square footage, your mix of carpet and hard floor and how often you clean, and we will point you to the right Clarke model before you order. Call (855) 601-5678 or write through our contact page. If it still is not right, our return policy accepts returns within 30 days of receipt, in new condition with all original packaging and accessories.
Cleaning Hard Floors or Deep Carpet Instead?
A vacuum lifts loose soil and dust. To wash a hard floor, look at the Clarke floor scrubbers, and to rinse soil out of carpet, the Clarke carpet extractors. Warehouses, garages and gyms full of grit go faster with one of the floor sweepers. Our guide to the best vacuum for commercial cleaning matches each vacuum type to the job, and the full brand is under Clarke cleaning equipment.
Clarke Vacuum FAQ
Who makes Clarke vacuums?
Nilfisk. Clarke began in 1916, when Alex A. Clarke built a faster sanding machine for wood bar tops and school desks, and it combined operations with Nilfisk-Advance in 2004. Today Clarke is one of Nilfisk's brands, and Nilfisk handles the US warranty and the authorized service centers that do warranty repairs. You will also see the name spelled Clark. It is the same brand.
What warranty do Clarke vacuums have?
It depends on the type. Nilfisk's current US limited warranty covers the CarpetMaster uprights for 2 years on parts and 2 years on labor. The Comfort Pak, Maxxi II 35 and Summit Pro 18SQ get 3 years on parts, 3 years on labor and 1 year of travel. Repairs go through a Nilfisk authorized service center, and bags, filters, brushes and other wear items are not covered. If you see shorter terms in an older Clarke brochure, the current Nilfisk sheet is the one that applies.
Should I buy a backpack or an upright vacuum for an office or school?
Often both. A backpack is quicker around desks, along edges and on stairs, because you carry the motor and work a light wand. Tighten the hip belt so the weight rides on your hips, not your shoulders. An upright with a brush roll does better on open carpet with ground-in soil, and some crew members simply prefer not to wear a harness. Many facilities keep a Comfort Pak for detail work and a CarpetMaster for the open floor.
Which Clarke vacuum picks up water?
Only the two wet dry vacs. The Maxxi II 35 holds 9 gallons and has a float that prevents overflow and a filter that keeps water away from the motor, so it fits spills and small wet jobs. The Summit Pro 18SQ holds 18 gallons and pulls water off hard floors with its 24 inch front squeegee. The Comfort Pak and the CarpetMaster uprights are dry vacuums, built for soil and dust only.
