LaMotte Spin Touch is a Winner

*These responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Dick Abare
CPC, owner
Algae Busters Pool Service, inc.
Tampa Bay, Florida

Residential
Installation, Warranty and Repair
Employees: 2

I’m going to sound like a broken record, but LaMotte’s Spin Touch is amazing! The ability to run 10 tests within minutes makes us much more efficient. We use it primarily when testing salt system issues, because, as we all know, it’s never a chemical issue. The Spin Touch is also invaluable for colorblind people: No more trying to differentiate between shades of color.

These next products are things we sell to upgrade our customers but in turn help us be even more of a resource to them.

Century’s V-Green 165 VS motor allows us to “upgrade” any system (220v) to a variable-speed pump. We are able to make our job easier, stock fewer motors and save our customers a substantial amount of money in the long run — not to mention how quiet they are.

And Jandy’s iAquaLink is an upgrade for our customers. We ask their permission to add them to our master list, then we can troubleshoot and adjust their system remotely, which again makes us more efficient.

Kenneth M. Howard
PHTA / CBP, PPSO, TRAINER / CSLB, C-53, C-8, C-10, C-27, C-61
owner/CEO, Ultimate-Pool.com
Solana Beach, California

Residential/Commercial
Service, Repair, Inspections, Remodeling
Employees: 3
Accounts: 142

The Spin Touch has proven invaluable to us while performing startups.

The same can be said for Pentair’s Dorado suction-side bristle cleaner as a leave-in startup vacuum. If you are not familiar with the Dorado, it’s an automatic suction side bristle cleaner much like the Kreepy Krauly Great White suction side brush cleaner. Where conventional cleaners use wheels, eliminating their use for startups, the Dorado uses bristle drive technology to scrub the surface clean. And with the programmed steering you don’t have to worry about the cleaner getting stuck around steps and in corners. Another attractive feature of using this cleaner during startup is that it cleans the walls all the way up to the tile line, a must for a startup cleaner.

The one thing that has been most valuable to us in the past year is Google ads. For years, I was turned off by the seemingly endless stream of companies promising to put you on the first page of Google. But last year, I expressed to a marketing friend that I was interested in increasing our market share on Google. He said those four magical words spoken by George Clooney in “Ocean’s Eleven”: “I know a guy.” The guy turned out to be everything and so much more. Lessons learned: Always remain open minded.

Mike Tellegen
owner
The Pool & Spa Medic
Molalla, Oregon

Residential/Commercial
Maintenance, Repair, Service
Employees: 4
Accounts: 65-80

Hands down, the best tool purchases I made in 2019 was a TIE – the Riptide and Spin Touch! I bought the portable battery-operated vacuum system by Riptide. I can’t say how much it has saved my route maintenance technician time. Easily we save about eight to 10 minutes per stop. That allowed (by his own suggestion) one to two additional full service stops per day. That is fantastic. 

The other tool that is a complete life and time saver is our LaMotte [WaterLink Spin Touch Lab]. Oh my gosh — 10 tests in less than a minute — you can’t beat that. Compared to about five to eight minutes per complete testing pool side with a Taylor K-2005/2006 test kit.

In May, after he wrote this response, Mike had a health crisis and had to have sections of his large and small intestines removed. He’s back at work, although under strict orders not to lift anything heavier than 25 pounds. He’ll have surgery in September to get him patched back up. His family set up a GoFundMe to help support his recovery: bit.ly/MTellegen

Got a question for our panel?
Email us at editorial@kendrickcontent.com