22 in cylindrical walk-behind scrubber with traction drive
2 brushes at 1,300 RPM, 79 lb brush pressure
14 gal solution tank, 15 gal recovery tank
Rated 22,000 sq ft/hr, 67 dB(A)
24 V batteries (lead acid or TPPL), on-board charger, 3 to 5 hr runtime
Includes 2 soft scrub brushes; brushes only, no pads
Tornado warranty: 4 yr parts, 10 yr body, 2 yr labor
Tornado BR 22/14: A Cylindrical Floor Scrubber for Grout, Quarry Tile and Textured Floors
It's 8 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Lunch is long over, but the quarry tile still looks gray, because the mop slid across the top of the tile and left the dirt sitting in the grout lines. A disk scrubber with a pad does about the same thing. The Tornado BR 22/14 cylindrical floor scrubber works differently: two cylindrical brushes spin at 1,300 RPM and press into the floor with 4 to 6 times the contact pressure of a rotary brush, so the bristles reach down into grout, pavers and raised rubber flooring and lift the dirt out instead of riding over it.
It's a 22-inch walk-behind floor scrubber with traction drive, so the wheels move the machine and your operator steers it. It carries a 14-gallon solution tank and a 15-gallon recovery tank, runs on two 12 V batteries with an on-board charger, and works at 67 dB(A), quiet enough for a hospital corridor or a library while people are still around.
Tornado covers the BR 22/14 for 4 years on parts, 10 years on the roto-molded body and 2 years on labor, and we're an authorized Tornado retailer, so that coverage starts the day it arrives.
Tornado's Dave Nagel explains what cylindrical brushes do differently from disk scrubbers.
Which One Do I Need: Lead Acid or TPPL Batteries?
Both options are the same machine, with the same brushes, tanks, charger and 4-year parts warranty. The only thing that changes is the battery set, and that decides how much looking after the machine needs.
Pick Lead Acid (99695T-C) if one crew owns the machine and someone will check the batteries. Tornado's manual asks you to check the electrolyte every 20 charges and top up with distilled water. It's the lower upfront cost, and Tornado replaces a failed battery within 90 days, then gives a pro-rated credit after that.
Pick TPPL (99695TE) if several people share the machine, or nobody on staff will ever open a battery cap. TPPL batteries are sealed, so there's no watering and no acid to top up, and Tornado backs them with a 3-year replacement warranty. You pay more up front for that.
The Tornado BR 18/11 is the 18-inch sister machine with the same cylindrical brush system. Here's how they compare.
Tornado BR 22/14
Tornado BR 18/11
Cleaning path
22 in
18 in
Rated productivity
22,000 sq ft/hr
17,969 sq ft/hr
Solution / recovery tank
14 gal / 15 gal
11 gal / 12 gal
Drive
Traction drive (wheels move the machine)
Brush assist (brushes help pull it forward)
Squeegee width
33 in
31 in
Weight without batteries
223 lb
157 lb
Size (L x W x H)
50 x 24 x 42 in
43 x 21 x 41 in
Sound level
67 dB(A)
66 dB(A)
Warranty
4 yr parts, 10 yr body, 2 yr labor
2 yr parts, 10 yr body, 2 yr labor
Figures from Tornado's 2025 catalog and the Tornado Commercial Limited Warranty, January 2025.
Choose the BR 18/11 for narrow restaurant kitchens, small restrooms and smaller floors. It's lighter, shorter and costs less, and it also comes with a machine-only option if you already own batteries.
Choose the BR 22/14 for cafeterias, corridors, locker rooms and larger tiled areas, or anywhere with a ramp. Traction drive matters once batteries and a full tank are on board, and the extra 3 gallons of solution means fewer trips to the sink.
Choose a disk scrubber like the Tornado BD 26/20 if your floors are mostly smooth, sealed VCT or concrete and you'd rather run pads. Cylindrical machines run brushes only.
Not sure this is the right size? Send us your square footage, floor type and cleaning schedule, or call (855) 601-5678, and we'll tell you which machine fits, including when the answer is none.
The Owner's Insights on the BR 22/14
The first thing I tell people about this machine is what it doesn't do. It doesn't take pads, so it's not your stripping or burnish-prep machine, and on a flat, sealed VCT hallway a disk scrubber will do the same job for less money. Where the BR 22/14 earns its price is floors with texture: grouted ceramic in a locker room, quarry tile in a kitchen, rubber flooring in a gym, pavers in a lobby. That's where a pad glides over the low spots and cylindrical bristles get into them.
Second thing: it's heavy. It weighs 223 pounds before batteries, and Tornado's manual puts a lead acid battery set at about 318 pounds, so a ready-to-work machine is well over 500 pounds before you add water. That's exactly why the traction drive is worth having. Your operator twists the drive levers on the handlebar and steers, the electronic brake holds it when they let go, and it climbs ramps up to a 10% grade. Check your elevator and any mezzanine load limits before it arrives.
Why You'll Love the Tornado BR 22/14
Two cylindrical brushes at 1,300 RPM. The bristles reach into grout lines and textured tile, so your floor comes up clean in the low spots too.
Traction drive with two speeds. The machine carries its own weight, so one operator can run a full shift without pushing 500-plus pounds.
Parabolic squeegee with a four-sided rear blade. Tornado says it picks up the water even on 180° turns, and you rotate the blade to a fresh edge before you ever buy a new one.
Brushes instead of pads. Tornado estimates one set of cylindrical brushes lasts as long as about 100 floor pads, which cuts your consumables and the pile of used pads.
Front-mounted drain hose. You empty the recovery tank into a mop sink or bucket without needing a floor drain.
Clamshell body and hour meter. Batteries and the vacuum motor are easy for your service tech to reach, and the display tracks hours for scheduled maintenance.
How Much Floor Can It Clean in a Shift?
Tornado rates the BR 22/14 at 22,000 square feet per hour. That's a straight-line number, and turns, emptying and moving furniture usually take 30% to 50% off it, so plan on roughly 11,000 to 15,400 square feet an hour. With 3 to 5 hours of runtime per charge, that's a school wing, a hospital floor or a large restaurant in one session. Recharging takes 8 to 10 hours, which makes it a one-shift machine: clean tonight, plug it into a standard 120 V outlet, and it's ready tomorrow night.
The 14-gallon solution tank goes further than you'd expect, because Tornado says the cylindrical system uses about 30% less solution than a comparable disk scrubber.
Brushes, Setup and Daily Care
The BR 22/14 ships with two soft scrub brushes (part K57622970), which suit most tile and sealed floors. Tornado also offers super soft (48902140), medium (K57623480) and hard grit (K57622990) brushes, always in pairs. Brush changes need no tools: lift the brush deck with the pedal, unplug the batteries, undo two wing nuts and slide the brushes out. Our article on disk, cylindrical and orbital scrubber heads explains which floors each head suits.
Fill the solution tank with water no hotter than 122°F and a low-foam floor cleaner at the lowest dilution that works. Tornado's manual rules out pure acid and asks you to add a little defoamer to the recovery tank before you start.
Daily care, from Tornado's maintenance schedule: empty and rinse the recovery tank, clean the suction filter, and rinse the brushes. Every 20 hours, clean the solution filter and check the rear squeegee blade (turn it to a fresh edge when it's worn). Every 200 hours, check the front blade and the brush deck. With lead acid batteries, add the water check every 20 charges. For more, see our guides to flooded lead acid battery care and TPPL battery care.
Why You Should Consider a Tornado Floor Scrubber
Tornado Industries is part of Tacony Corporation, which also makes Powr-Flite. Its scrubber range runs from 13-inch compact machines to 33-inch riders, so your crew can size up without learning a new brand or stocking new parts. Warranty repairs go through Tacony's authorized service centers. Browse all our cylindrical floor scrubbers or the full Tornado floor scrubber range.
The manual (revision 02/17) prints an older warranty page. Current coverage is the January 2025 warranty above.
Found a lower price? Call or message us and we'll beat it. Returns follow our return policy.
Pick your battery type above and add the BR 22/14 to your cart, or message us first if you want help choosing brushes for your floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cylindrical floor scrubber, and why pick one over a disk scrubber?
A cylindrical scrubber uses round roller brushes instead of flat disk brushes or pads. On the BR 22/14 the two brushes spin at 1,300 RPM with 4 to 6 times the contact pressure of a rotary brush, per Tornado, so the bristles reach into grout lines, quarry tile, pavers and raised rubber flooring. On smooth sealed VCT a disk scrubber does the same job for less money, and a disk machine can run pads, which this one can't.
What's the difference between the lead acid and TPPL versions?
Only the batteries. The lead acid kit (99695T-C) costs less up front but needs an electrolyte check every 20 charges with distilled water, and its warranty replaces a failed battery within 90 days, then gives a pro-rated credit. The TPPL kit (99695TE) is sealed and needs no watering, and Tornado backs it with a 3-year replacement warranty. The machine, charger, brushes and 4-year parts warranty are identical.
How long does the battery last, and how long does it take to charge?
Tornado rates the BR 22/14 at 3 to 5 hours of runtime and 8 to 10 hours to recharge with the on-board charger, so plan it as a one-shift machine that charges overnight. Tornado doesn't publish separate runtime figures for lead acid and TPPL. When the battery gauge drops to 20%, the brushes stop automatically so you still have enough power to finish drying the floor.
Is the BR 22/14 self-propelled?
Yes. It's the traction drive version (Tornado calls it the BR 22/14T): the wheels move the machine forward and in reverse, controlled by levers on the handlebar, with two speed settings. Tornado's manual lists 2 and 2.8 mph and ramps up to a 10% grade. Letting go of the levers applies the electronic brake, and there's a separate parking and emergency brake.
How much does it weigh?
223 lb without batteries, per Tornado's 2025 catalog. Tornado's manual puts a lead acid battery set at about 318 lb, so a ready-to-work machine is well over 500 lb before you add water. Check elevator and mezzanine load limits, and plan for liftgate or dock delivery.
Can I use pads on it?
No. The BR 22/14 runs cylindrical brushes only, so it isn't a stripping or burnish-prep machine. If you want to run pads on smooth floors, look at a disk scrubber such as the Tornado BD 26/20 or BD 20/11L.
Which brushes come with it, and which others fit?
It ships with two soft scrub brushes (K57622970). Tornado also offers super soft (48902140), medium (K57623480) and hard grit (K57622990) brushes, always sold as a pair of two. Replacement squeegee blades are 48402010 (rear) and 48402020 (front), and there's an oil-resistant rear blade, 48402070. Message us for any of these.
What floors can it clean?
Tornado says it handles nearly any flat or uneven hard floor, including quarry tile, ceramic tile and grout, paver bricks and raised rubber disc flooring. It's at its best where the floor has texture or grout lines a pad would skip over.
How do I empty it?
The recovery tank drains through a front-mounted hose, so you can empty it into a mop sink or bucket without a floor drain. Tornado's manual also asks you to rinse the recovery tank, clean the suction filter and rinse the brushes after every use.
Is there an AGM version of the BR 22/14?
Not anymore. Tornado used to sell an AGM kit (99695T-CG), and Tacony now lists the TPPL kit (99695TE) as its replacement. If you have an older quote for the AGM version, the TPPL option is the current equivalent: also sealed and maintenance-free, with a 3-year battery replacement warranty.
What warranty does the BR 22/14 have?
Tornado covers the BR 22/14 (99695T-C and 99695TE) for 4 years on parts, 10 years on the roto-molded body and 2 years on labor, per the Tornado Commercial Limited Warranty revised January 2025. Lead acid batteries are replaced if they fail within 90 days, then pro-rated; TPPL batteries carry a 3-year replacement warranty. Wear items such as brushes, squeegee blades, hoses and filters aren't covered, and labor claims go through an authorized Tornado service center. The warranty page printed in the older manual has been replaced by these terms.
