Product Review: Powerboss Nautilus Industrial Floor Scrubber

“Overall, the Nautilus has exceeded our expectations in both performance and durability,” said Jake Brosman, Director of Operations at Pacific Parking Lot Maintenance.

Five-star reviews from local users are the best recommendations. We take great pains to provide objective feedback about all the equipment we offer, and we absolutely refuse to promote products we don’t believe in. However, we’re the folks who sell them. So, some skepticism is understandable. Yet our clients at Pacific Parking Lot Maintenance have nothing to gain from hyping commercial cleaning machines.

The Powerboss Nautilus floor scrubber is just that good.

We would love to leave this review here and close with a classic “10/10. No notes.” That wouldn’t be very helpful, though, because every review requires context. The Nautilus is a fantastic machine and does everything it claims. Still, it isn’t the right floor scrubber for every operation. So, let’s step back from the praise and take a hard look at the Powerboss Nautilus’s pros and cons.

Read on to learn where the Nautilus excels and where it could hold you back.

Key Features

Let’s start with a few features that make the Nautilus stand out:

• Indoor and Outdoor. This commercial floor cleaning machine excels at indoor and outdoor use. The military-grade e-coating protects the steel frame from the elements, making it durable enough to handle Washington weather.
• Quick-drying. Wet floors are hazardous. So, the Nautilus dries them as it cleans. Its vacuum fan spins at 11,500 rpms, eliminating standing water and evaporating residual moisture in moments.
• Easy maintenance. Lightweight, rotomolded panels streamline planned maintenance. These provide 360-degree access to all of the Nautilus’s critical systems without additional tools. Likewise, operators can replace the 45-inch cylindrical brushes without any tools.

Best Suited For: The Nautilus is a workhorse best suited for heavy-duty, daily use. Industries with tough commercial cleaning jobs see the best ROI from this industrial floor scrubber.

Not Recommended For: The Nautilus is not recommended for small square-footage cleaning jobs, such as retail stock rooms.

Specifications

Product Name: Nautilus Sweeper Scrubber
Manufacturer: Powerboss
Cleaning Width: 45 inches or 60 inches with side scrub brush
Brush Diameter: 12 inches
Brush Speed: 425 rpm
Height: 60.5 inches
Length: 95 inches
Width: 53 inches
Weight: 4,800 lbs
Turning Radius: 107.7 inches
Working Gradeability: 8 degrees or 14%
Solution Capacity: 105 gallons
Recovery Capacity: 105 gallons
Power Source: Kubota LPG, gas, or diesel engine

Pros

Here are a few of the reasons why so many companies love their Nautilus floor scrubber.

Heavy-Duty Reliability

Powerboss proudly claims, “The Nautilus is widely considered the workhorse of the scrubbing industry.”

That isn’t marketing bluster. On the topic of reliability, Brosman said, “We used the Nautilus on a large commercial parking garage project in downtown Seattle, running it eight hours a day for 20 days straight. It never broke down once. Truly a reliable machine built for heavy use.”

One hundred sixty hours of real-world, hard labor without a single fault or error.

That’s not theoretical or under ideal conditions. That’s data from a real job in Washington weather. Not many industrial cleaning machines can boast the same.

With results like that, the Nautilus lives up to its workhorse persona.

Thermal Green Technology

Sustainability is more than a buzzword in Washington; it’s part of how we do business.

While fuel emissions received much of the attention in recent years, chemical use and cleaning applications also affect the environment. Cleaning solutions become more ecologically friendly every year, but Powerboss’s Thermal Green Technology (TGT) takes green cleaning a step further.

With TGT, the Nautilus recycles engine heat to offer chemical-free options for many cleaning applications.

This thermal conservation system heats the solution tank water by more than 70 degrees. Hot water efficiently cleans many surfaces without additional chemicals, complementing your other green initiatives.

The TGT also means purchasing less cleaning solution, lowering the total cost of ownership.

Easy-Clean Recovery Tank

Recovery tanks are repositories of filth.

All the gunk a warehouse floor scrubber cleans up goes into the recovery tank. Sediment builds up quickly as particulate settles out of the cleaning solution. So, frequent cleaning is critical to maintain recovery tank capacity. The Nautilus’s oversized clean-out port and integrated access step make sediment removal quick and easy.

This simple addition reduces maintenance time and labor costs, enabling more efficient cleaning plans.

Customizable Options

Different jobs require different floor scrubber features.

Some operations need an outdoor cleaner. Others require a machine to maintain indoor surfaces. A few facilities need both. To ensure this floor scrubber thrives indoors and outdoors, Powerboss offers several optional features to customize your Nautilus. Popular options include:

• Overhead guard with blue spotlight
• Back-up camera with LCD screen
• Side scrubber
• Side sweeper
• Spray and vacuum wands
• Pressure washer

Whatever your application, you can customize this machine to your unique needs.

Cons

Despite the Nautilus’s numerous benefits, there are a few things to consider before you invest.

Not Emissions-Free

An internal combustion engine provides the Nautilus’s cleaning power.

Consequently, this commercial floor scrubber produces engine exhaust. This can present air-quality concerns in some indoor spaces. Proper ventilation and a suitable HVAC system are essential when running the Nautilus indoors.

That said, operations with indoor IC forklifts probably already have suitable ventilation.

Wide Cleaning Path

A large footprint has its downsides.

While a broad path speeds up cleaning, it also limits facility layout. The Nautilus needs about 9 feet of aisle space to turn. That’s more than enough space for many warehouses. However, narrow aisles and very narrow aisles may not provide sufficient width.

As a result, high-density storage facilities may not benefit from this industrial floor cleaner.

The Bottom Line

The Powerboss Nautilus is an exceptional industrial floor scrubber, but it isn’t perfect for everyone.

Many of our clients love this scrubber. As Brosman said, “If another company asked whether they should buy it, we’d absolutely recommend it. It’s a solid, dependable piece of equipment that delivers outstanding results.” For larger facilities with heavy-duty cleaning needs, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Its durability, wide cleaning path, and optional TGT make it an excellent choice for large-scale cleaning jobs in both indoor and outdoor environments. However, its size and internal combustion engine mean it may not be the right choice for smaller facilities.

Ultimately, your layout and application determine whether the Nautilus is your best option.

Curious about the Powerboss Nautilus? Contact us online or visit one of our locations.

Auburn 253-854-5438
Pasco 509-547-7413
Wenatchee 509-663-9009
Yakima 509-457-5137

Further Reading
Choose the Best Industrial Floor Scrubber for Your Operation
Get Your Floor Sweeper or Auto Scrubber Repaired FAST
Warehouse Cleaning Checklist & Plan