Changed my mind on cheap knee kickers after a nasty job

I always used the $30 knee kicker from the big box store, figured they all work the same right? Well last month I took a commercial job at a school in Phoenix, 3,000 square feet of heavy commercial carpet. After day one my knee was killing me and the carpet still looked loose in spots. A fellow installer I ran into at lunch told me to borrow his Crain 200, which runs about $150 new. The difference was night and day, the grip was way stronger and the teeth actually bit into the backing instead of slipping. I ordered one that night and finished the job in half the time with way less strain. Has anyone else made the switch to a higher end kicker and felt dumb for waiting?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ryan25d ago

Threw my back out on a similar job before I learned my lesson. The cheap ones just don't have the spring tension or tooth grip to handle commercial carpet. Bite the bullet on a Crain or Roberts, you'll save your knees and your time.

hugo5025d ago

Preach. Cheap tools just steal your time and your body.