[the king]

my xline stiff just splayd out in a very short time the bristles were not that stiff brush was heavy the flocked was much better but jets were wonky from day one and again heavy  the best brush for me was the ultmate stiff no longer in production

[colin bird]

Thought Alex g  might have wanted to have some input on the comments being made on his brushes ! But  he hasn't so I'm assuming he's moved on from here and feels his work is done with us guys

[Smudger]

Thought Alex g  might have wanted to have some input on the comments being made on his brushes ! But  he hasn't so I'm assuming he's moved on from here and feels his work is done with us guys

Absolutely - I doubt the half dozen posters on here would have any influence on his business

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Thought Alex g  might have wanted to have some input on the comments being made on his brushes ! But  he hasn't so I'm assuming he's moved on from here and feels his work is done with us guys

Absolutely - I doubt the half dozen posters on here would have any influence on his business

Which is a shame, those half dozen posters could potentially provide experienced information that would considerably improve some products! More probable though is the fact that they sell 'as they are' is good enough. Stagnation is bad enough, but to go backwards is even worse. A few tweaks is all that's required really too. I personally think Gardiners have tried to cater for way too many preferences but sadly ended up losing their best brushes and keeping the worst!🤔 Instead of haveing two or three superb 'everyday' brushes that cover everything and everyone, they now have too many that may have one good attribute but to the detriment of every other! To be fair though, nobody else seems to be developing brushes any further either. We, as consumers are being sold short IMO!

[DJW]

I wouldn’t worry, Alex doesn’t miss much.
Gardiners have a massive range and have tried many bristle variations. The competition isn’t any better it would seem. There’s only so much you can do with a humble brush after all.
More bristles equals more weight whilst hot water brings it’s own problems.
I like flocked brushes but they wear down very fast. Dupont were supposed to be the bees knees but they seem no better than anything else. Boars hair seem to go matted. Everything else simply goes out of shape. Seems an Autumn brush is required just to combat the spiders and an anti snail trail brush for wet weather 😅

[Viscount]

I've been using an x-line Dupont sill brush with a rinse bar. It cleans really well apart from corners! I've had to roll the brush and now the bristles on the top corners are wearing down making it even harder to use.

Went back to Gardener super light, but it feels like there's no cleaning power after the X-line, so I went back in spite of the weight and worn bristles.

I've ordered a Reach-it Radial, the full sized one and it arrives tomorrow. Not going to be a YouTuber, but I'll make a video review of it. Most of the UK cleaners have reviewed the Lite version which doesn't have very long bristles, so I opted for the full version. I'm just in search of the perfect brush.

Back in the day, the Tucker brush was the best, but it's only Dupont bristles which are wearing down on my X-line, so why bother?

[Alex Gardiner]

Thought Alex g  might have wanted to have some input on the comments being made on his brushes ! But  he hasn't so I'm assuming he's moved on from here and feels his work is done with us guys

Morning Colin (and all other posters)

I have read every single one of these posts as they have been posted and have my thoughts on many of them   
So, I have not moved on!

These days I try and keep my posts to a minimum as I do not want to appear to be ‘steering’ or ‘directing’ commentary or to get in way of free opinions (both good and bad).

I have learned that just because a vociferous poster has a strong opinion does not always mean it matches my opinion/experience or the majority of our client base - however they still have a right to their opinion and do not need a 'manufacturer' telling them they are wrong!

Brushes are such a personal experience and for every person that hates a brush another will attest it is their favourite and ‘go to’ brush. So when a strong negative (or positive) is expressed my job is to then weigh that against other comments received from customers on the same brushes and assess the overall response to a product – exactly as I have done with some of the posts in this thread.

I have in the past listened too much to one or two ‘knowledgeable posters’ and brought out brush variants that were commercially not viable as so few people bought them. I have learned lessons as to whom or what to listen to.
I have also had to change some brushes and bristles over the years as certain types of material have become unavailable with the changing chemicals market – this is frustrating when you have a favourite bristle density or feel. However, this is out of our control and we just have to work around this.

I do review feedback though at all times and many customers communicate directly with us – when their feedback matches my thinking and private testing then I will often make some tweaks and still have about 10-20 clients who actively test brushes for us.

I also still maintain a large window cleaning company and clean windows myself. This means I am well placed to have real world experience with which of our brushes works best for which type of work. Doesn’t mean we know everything, but it does mean we still have access to a large amount of on-glass current experience.

If I had unlimited warehouse space, then I probably would sell at least another 10-12 variants of our brushes – which may please a few more potential or past customers. However overall, it would probably not increase our brush sale levels so it is not worth getting more warehouse space just for this. It would also reduce profitability as we would be manufacturing more types in smaller quantities which would increase unit production costs. Production costs have been under a lot of inflationary pressures in the last two years – we have managed to shield the end buyer from most of this, but increasing variants would not help.

The other reason I do not post too often is that once I start typing I do not know when to stop and it results in a very long post such as this one!

Hope everyone has a good day out on the glass - although down here in Cornwall it is very wet and miserable 

[AuRavelling79]

Hi Alex, thanks for your input. Raining and miserable here in Bristol too.

A brush of yours I really like as it works fine, is the one with yellow bristles and red stock. Seems to last forever.

I'd love one with a tuft of hard bristles in each top corner to get those pesky spiders' nests out of deep corners. 

[Den68]

Hello Alex,
Many thanks for the complete explanation I have one small question are you planning the blue nylon brush in an extreme sill version?
Have used your extreme brushes which I find all good  since testing the extreme DuPont and extreme medium sill brushes a few years ago for you.
Thanks
Den.

[Alex Gardiner]

Hi Alex, thanks for your input. Raining and miserable here in Bristol too.

A brush of yours I really like as it works fine, is the one with yellow bristles and red stock. Seems to last forever.

I'd love one with a tuft of hard bristles in each top corner to get those pesky spiders' nests out of deep corners. 

Glad we're not alone!

Corner bristles are a 'tweak' area that we have been looking at recently, now that our brush manufacturing machines can cope with three bristle types in one brush (not possible just a few years ago). Thanks for the specific feedback.

[Alex Gardiner]

Hello Alex,
Many thanks for the complete explanation I have one small question are you planning the blue nylon brush in an extreme sill version?
Have used your extreme brushes which I find all good  since testing the extreme DuPont and extreme medium sill brushes a few years ago for you.
Thanks
Den.

Hi Den

Not at this time - this is an area where we could easily expand the range, but logistically it becomes difficult for us.

[robbo333]

I rented a van for a week (whilst mine was being welded) and I swapped the systems over.
Out of the 10 or so brushes I use, I decided to just keep 2 in the van to make it easy: Gardiners xtreme medium sill brush and an old Gardiners flocked supreme; these covered everything. Having refitted my own van, I still really only use these two brushes for 99 percent of my work. Having said that the Xline brush with the rinse bar is very good, not just at rinsing, but also getting into deep corners and for windows with deep profiles.
For annoying, hard to get to spiders nests in deep corners I made a tool. (I was bored!) I cut down and old brush really small and screwed two, 6 inch screws into it at an angle, so I just offer it up to the corner and use the long screw threads to carefully pull or scrape out the nest.

[AuRavelling79]

Hi Alex, thanks for your input. Raining and miserable here in Bristol too.

A brush of yours I really like as it works fine, is the one with yellow bristles and red stock. Seems to last forever.

I'd love one with a tuft of hard bristles in each top corner to get those pesky spiders' nests out of deep corners. 

Glad were not alone!

Corner bristles are a 'tweak' area that we have been looking at recently, now that our brush manufacturing machines can cope with three bristle types in one brush (not possible just a few years ago). Thank for the specific feedback.

Put my name on 'ze lizt' for when they come out.  Or pre-production testing!

[Den68]

Hello Alex,
Many thanks for the complete explanation I have one small question are you planning the blue nylon brush in an extreme sill version?
Have used your extreme brushes which I find all good  since testing the extreme DuPont and extreme medium sill brushes a few years ago for you.
Thanks
Den.

Hi Den

Not at this time - this is an area where we could easily expand the range, but logistically it becomes difficult for us.

Many thanks for the speedy answer 👍

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Well, the competition hasn't moved on either and are equally lacking! These rectangular brushes have insufficient side splay which (unless you squeeze the life out of it) results in the side bristles collapsing inwards when moving side to side on the glass. This results in the corner bristle clumps wearing 'inwards' instead of outwardly. This then results in the brush becoming worn/inefficient much earlier then a brush that wears outwardly.  It also (obviously) makes it much, much harder to get into corners- particularly on sash windows as the stock hits the side walls restricting an already restricted bristle spread! It's basic stuff and you may well think you are using a great brush but that brush is only grest because it's the greatest that you have used to that point- it's most probably not a great brush.
The Xline suffers the same issues as the Ultimate, it's not a bristle issue but more a design issue. After all, I've only been using wfp brushes 5 days a week for 20 years!!😁

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

I also tested a brush for Gardiners about 8/9 years ago that has stiffer corner bristle clumps- it had very little to no affect. It may yield better results ifvthe angle of the clumps were altered too.

[jonny thompson]

My favourite brush by far is the blue nylon ultimate, can’t see me using any thing else atm

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

My favourite brush by far is the blue nylon ultimate, can’t see me using any thing else atm

How 'soft' is that one Jonny? I'd like to know which is the softest Ultimate brush? I'd like a similar tension to a flocked Supreme. I'd also like 5mm longer bristles,  stock corners rounded off and more side splay.... but that's not for now.😁

[colin bird]

Thought Alex g  might have wanted to have some input on the comments being made on his brushes ! But  he hasn't so I'm assuming he's moved on from here and feels his work is done with us guys

Morning Colin (and all other posters)

I have read every single one of these posts as they have been posted and have my thoughts on many of them   
So, I have not moved on!

These days I try and keep my posts to a minimum as I do not want to appear to be ‘steering’ or ‘directing’ commentary or to get in way of free opinions (both good and bad).

I have learned that just because a vociferous poster has a strong opinion does not always mean it matches my opinion/experience or the majority of our client base - however they still have a right to their opinion and do not need a 'manufacturer' telling them they are wrong!

Brushes are such a personal experience and for every person that hates a brush another will attest it is their favourite and ‘go to’ brush. So when a strong negative (or positive) is expressed my job is to then weigh that against other comments received from customers on the same brushes and assess the overall response to a product – exactly as I have done with some of the posts in this thread.

I have in the past listened too much to one or two ‘knowledgeable posters’ and brought out brush variants that were commercially not viable as so few people bought them. I have learned lessons as to whom or what to listen to.
I have also had to change some brushes and bristles over the years as certain types of material have become unavailable with the changing chemicals market – this is frustrating when you have a favourite bristle density or feel. However, this is out of our control and we just have to work around this.

I do review feedback though at all times and many customers communicate directly with us – when their feedback matches my thinking and private testing then I will often make some tweaks and still have about 10-20 clients who actively test brushes for us.

I also still maintain a large window cleaning company and clean windows myself. This means I am well placed to have real world experience with which of our brushes works best for which type of work. Doesn’t mean we know everything, but it does mean we still have access to a large amount of on-glass current experience.

If I had unlimited warehouse space, then I probably would sell at least another 10-12 variants of our brushes – which may please a few more potential or past customers. However overall, it would probably not increase our brush sale levels so it is not worth getting more warehouse space just for this. It would also reduce profitability as we would be manufacturing more types in smaller quantities which would increase unit production costs. Production costs have been under a lot of inflationary pressures in the last two years – we have managed to shield the end buyer from most of this, but increasing variants would not help.

The other reason I do not post too often is that once I start typing I do not know when to stop and it results in a very long post such as this one!

Hope everyone has a good day out on the glass - although down here in Cornwall it is very wet and miserable 

hi alex many thanks for your reply its much appreciated and  my intention was not to have a dig at you.
i also feel the same about some of the replys to posts on here.
i always try and give a constructive reply to posts,and feel i have something to offer having gained fifteen years of expereince,not saying in know it all its just my experiences that i have  gained,and feel it would be helpful to to the new guys as previous posts were a lot of help to me and guided me in the right direction.
theres alway someone out there that wants to riducule you for what you have posted,and in my opinion that is the reason why this forum is not the place it used to be and will probably die because of that.
thats just my opinion,onwards and upwards

[Bungle]

My favourite brush by far is the blue nylon ultimate, can’t see me using any thing else atm

How 'soft' is that one Jonny? I'd like to know which is the softest Ultimate brush? I'd like a similar tension to a flocked Supreme. I'd also like 5mm longer bristles,  stock corners rounded off and more side splay.... but that's not for now.😁

I've got one. It's on my pole now. I do find that the splay is too much. It splays and leaves a gap in the middle of the brush when you're scrubbing. I'd like the old dual trim super lite to be brought back. I don't mind a bit more weight as long as I know the bristles are covering the whole area I'm scrubbing.