Electric vs Engine Floor Scrubber Dryers
Scrubber dryers enable the user to simultaneously clean and dry an area. This 2-in-1 technology will allow you to clean large commercial spaces in half the usual time.
Time is money — and scrubber dryers help you save both. But to ensure you get the best bang for your buck, you must pick a scrubber dryer that’s suitable for the area you’re cleaning. Electric or engine? In this article Alpha Power Cleaners will help you choose.
If you have any questions, or want to hire a floor scrubber, give our team a call on 0800 859 5151.
What is an electric scrubber dryer?
An electric scrubber dryer is a scrubber dryer powered by electricity, either through the mains or a battery. Both these types have their advantages.
Opt for a scrubber dryer powered by the mains and you won’t have to worry about running out of power mid-way through your clean. However, you will be limited in how far from the mains you can travel, so you should only opt for a mains-powered scrubber dryer if cleaning a small area.

Battery-powered scrubber dryers give you more freedom but you need to be cautious of the battery running out of power. Many battery-powered scrubber dryers allow you to hop on and drive, giving you more control over your clean.
Our Karcher B 200 R (Battery) Ride on Floor Scrubber is great for cleaning for cleaning interior surfaces.
Battery powered scrubber dryers are generally smaller than engine driven. See our range of smaller scrubbers below;
Take a look at our full range of Scrubber Dryers – use our filter system to check the engine type. Some larger machines use batteries.
What is an engine scrubber dryer?
An engine scrubber dryer is a scrubber dryer powered by a combustion engine. These are the largest and most powerful types of ride-on scrubber dryers and are suitable for cleaning exceptionally large areas.
As with any vehicle powered by a combustion engine, our engine-driven models will require occasional scrubber dryer repair and maintenance. It will also be noisier than electric models.

However, engine-powered scrubber dryers will allow for consistent, uninterrupted cleaning of a large floor. Combined with its large rotary cleaning and drying machines, these engines will enable you to complete the cleaning task in next to no time.
Engine driven machines are usually Diesel or LPG (liquid gas) powered.
Our Tennant M30 (LPG) Ride on Combination Floor Scrubber is a powerful floor scrubber, perfect for cleaning various floor types. Plus, it can clean in a single pass.
See our larger scrubber dryers below, be sure to use the filter to select your engine type.
Which is better?
Neither is better than the other — it depends on the area you’re cleaning.
Engine-driven scrubber dryers are by far the most powerful, but they’re also the most expensive. Choosing an engine scrubber dryer for a small area will cost you more money and save you hardly any time.
Alternatively, electric-powered scrubber dryers will take too long to scrub large areas. They may be cheaper on the surface, but you may need to hire them for longer, causing you to spend more overall.
- We recommend choosing a battery-powered scrubber dryer for cleaning small and medium floor areas up to 2000m².
- We recommend choosing an engine-powered scrubber dryer for cleaning large areas over 2000m².
Whether you need electric or engine driven scrubber dryer hire, Alpha Power Cleaners have a range of scrubbers for hire on a contract that suits you.
Choose your hire length — between 1 day and 5 years — and enjoy commercial cleaning that will save you time and money.
To enquire about our floor scrubber dryers, or for any of the cleaning equipment products in our extensive range, get in touch with our team today, call us on 0800 859 5151.
We serve customers in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire and beyond.