"Used mine half a dozen times"
There's your problem there, I've been using mine for over a year and its a very good tool.
Give it a good and thorough chance first.
I dogeared the ends and cut them to the same shape as the liquidator, it performs very well, I would say just as good as the liquidator but without some of the issues, you get from the liquidator.
With the LQ you have to soap up like crazy, when you're finished it looks like someone had a foam party on the bottom frames, loads of mopping up to do. The wagtail is happy without all the soap.
I love my wagtail.