Sandia Sniper 6-Gallon Carpet Extractor, 100, 200 or 300 PSI (86-2100 / 86-3100 / 86-R3100 Series, Optional Heat)

Not every carpet job justifies a 12-gallon machine. A dentist's office, a church nursery, a stairwell on the third floor, a hotel room after a spill. The Sandia Sniper 6-gallon carpet extractor is the same rugged Sniper box extractor in a smaller body: 6 gallons of solution, 6 gallons of recovery, and a shape that fits in a van, an elevator or the back of a car.

You choose three things: the pump (100, 200 or 300 PSI, with the 200 and 300 adjustable), the vacuum motors (single 3-stage, dual 2-stage or dual 3-stage) and whether you want the in-line heater for solution up to 200°F, according to Sandia.

The Sniper ships machine only. Pick "With 15 ft Hose and Wand Kit" above and you get Sandia's 6-gallon hose and wand kit for $100 less than buying it on its own.

Which Sniper 6-Gallon Do I Need?

The tanks, body, 10-inch wheels and controls are the same on every model. The pump, the motors and the heater decide the model number and how many outlets you need.

Vacuum motors. The single 3-stage 86-R3100 is the lightest and cheapest Sniper, with one motor on one cord; it comes with the 100 PSI pump only. Dual 2-stage models run two motors and still plug into a single cord when unheated, which makes them the easiest dual-motor machine to set up. Dual 3-stage models give the strongest suction of the three for wetter carpet and faster drying, and they always need two cords on two separate 20 A circuits.

Heat. Heated models warm the solution on its way to the wand with a 2,000 W in-line heater (600 W on the single-motor 86-R3100-H, which keeps it on one cord). Hot solution breaks down oily soil, body oils and food spills. Every heated dual-motor model uses two cords.

At 100 PSI, the step from the single-motor 86-R3100 to the dual 2-stage 86-2100 costs $192, and adding the 2,000 W heater to the 86-2100 costs $760. One oddity in Sandia's 2026 pricing: at 200 PSI the dual 3-stage 86-3200 lists $40 below the dual 2-stage 86-2200. That's Sandia's list price and we pass it on, so if you have two circuits available, the 86-3200 is the better buy. Not sure which fits your work? Call (855) 601-5678 or message us with your carpet type and outlets, and we'll tell you.

100, 200 or 300 PSI?

The pump decides how hard the machine pushes solution into the carpet. Sandia lists the 200 and 300 PSI pumps as adjustable, so you can turn them down for upholstery and delicate fibers.

For carpet on a regular maintenance schedule, 100 PSI does the job and carries the longer pump warranty. The 300 PSI 86-2300 costs $878 more than the 100 PSI 86-2100 and is the pick for contract cleaners who work heavy soil every week.

What You Need to Start Cleaning

Sandia ships the Sniper 6-gallon as a machine only: tanks, pump, motors and the 25-foot power cord or cords. Hoses and tools are sold separately, so check this list before you order.

Hoses and carpet wand (needed). The Sandia 80-8009-A kit gives you a 15-foot vacuum hose, a 15-foot solution hose with quick disconnects and a 12-inch stainless steel single bend wand. On its own it costs $472; choose "With 15 ft Hose and Wand Kit" above and you pay $372 for it.

Upholstery and stair tool (optional, required with heat). For chairs, booths, stair treads and car interiors, add the Sandia 10-0501 stainless hand tool ($186). It connects to the same hoses, and Sandia lists it as required for machines with heat.

You'll also want a low-foam extraction chemical, a defoamer for the recovery tank and a pre-spray for heavy soil.

The Owner's Insights on the Sandia Sniper 6-Gallon

The 6-gallon Sniper is the machine I'd hand to someone who cleans in a lot of different places. At 35 inches tall and 17 inches wide, it rides in a van and goes up a staircase or into a service elevator without a fight. You give up tank size, not build quality: it's the same roto-molded body, recessed waist-high switches and 10-inch wheels as the 12-gallon.

My pick for most buyers is the 86-2100. Two vacuum motors on one cord means you plug in once and go, which matters in older buildings where outlets are scarce. If you clean restaurants or traffic lanes, step up to an adjustable 200 or 300 PSI pump; you can turn it down for upholstery.

The honest part: 6 gallons is a smaller-job machine. For a full office floor or a hotel ballroom, the 12-gallon Sniper saves a lot of trips to the sink. And the heated dual-motor models need two separate 20 A circuits, so check your outlets first.

Why You'll Love the Sniper 6-Gallon

• Compact 6-gallon tanks. Light enough to lift into a vehicle and small enough for stairwells, elevators and hotel rooms.

• Your choice of pump. 100 PSI for maintenance, or adjustable 200 and 300 PSI pumps for heavy soil that you can turn down for upholstery.

• One, two or three-stage power. Single 3-stage, dual 2-stage or dual 3-stage vacuum motors, so you pay only for the suction you need.

• Optional in-line heat. Solution up to 200°F, per Sandia, breaks down oily soil that cold water leaves behind.

• Motor cooling air intake. The fans pull outside air over the motors to keep them from overheating on long jobs.

• Built to take abuse. Roto-molded polyethylene body with a lifetime warranty, recessed controls and 10-inch non-marking wheels.

Sniper 6-Gallon, Sniper 12-Gallon or Indy 6-Gallon?

Sandia builds three machines buyers compare against this one. Here's how they line up.

The Sniper 12-gallon costs only $240 more for double the tank size, so pick it if you clean large open floors and don't need to carry the machine. The Indy 6-gallon is Sandia's detailing version: heat is standard, it runs on one cord and the hoses and hand tool are in the box, but it has one vacuum motor and no carpet wand. For carpet, the Sniper 6-gallon is the better tool. See every option in our carpet extractors collection.

Setup, Chemicals and Upkeep

Before the first job, flush about a gallon of clean water through the wand to clear the lines. Fill the solution tank with water no hotter than your tap; hot fill water can damage the pump, and on heated models the in-line heater does the heating for you.

Pre-spray and agitate heavy soil, give the chemical time to work, then extract with slow, overlapping passes. Use low-foam chemicals and keep defoamer in the recovery tank, because foam that reaches the vacuum motors damages them. After each job, empty and rinse both tanks, clean the filter and float screen, and store the machine with the lids off. If it could freeze where you store it, run RV antifreeze through the pump first.

Why You Should Consider a Sandia Carpet Extractor

Sandia machines come from Ultimate Solutions in Huntington Beach, California, where Sandia says final assembly, quality control and warranty service are handled. Sandia shows the 100 and 200 PSI Sniper 6-gallon models as manufactured in the US with globally sourced components. The roto-molded bodies carry a lifetime warranty, and replacement parts are stocked in the US.