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Ridgid Launching NXT Max Accessory Line

Ridgid is launching a new customizable 2 1/2-inch diameter accessory program ideal for heavy-duty, wet-/dry shop vacs and cleanup.

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This new customizable  accessory line includes 2 ½ in. diameter accessories, which are ideal for heavy-duty, wet/dry shop vacs and cleanup.

The NXT Max locking accessory tools and shoes are part of Ridgid’s “swap and lock” ecosystem of tools.

Each of the updated accessory tools can be paired with a swappable shoe designed to clean different surfaces and debris types and offer more versatility for numerous applications.

"In talking with wet/dry vac users, our team is continuously reminded that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to cleaning projects," said Jake Crowley, vice president of sales for Emerson's wet/dry vacuums. "Ridgid NXT accessories puts the user in control of how best to approach their cleaning project for the best, easiest, and fastest clean."

The concept works in three basic steps.

1. Pick your NXT Max accessory
2. PIck your NXT Shoe
3. Snap your shoe into place and start cleaning

“We've really thought about the user,” said Ridgid product manager Ryan Newendyke. “At every step, we wanted to make this as simple as possible from both a storage and use perspective. It is just a nice tight package with a lot of functionality in not much space in terms of what you must store.”

The new accessories are designed to fit all Ridgid wet dry vacs in the 2 ½ inch size, the larger vacuums in the company’s portfolio. The NXT Max system will launch in late August with the accessories and shoes available by mid-September.

Accessories will be sold within vacuum boxes with shoes available separately.

The Ridgid NXT Max rotating dusting brush.

“We’ve taken all of our insights from our users, research studies, surveys, reviews, and we understand what users need,” said Ridgid sales director Sarah Brammeier. “We understand that they require a cleaning experience that's both flexible and optimal. They need performance, they need productivity, and they need better ergonomics.”

The first five accessories in Ridgid’s NXT Max accessory line include a utility nozzle, a floor tool, a car nozzle, a crevice tool, and a rotating dusting brush.

“There's been a lot of work done to refine these,” Newendyke, said, noting that across the board, ergonomics was taken into consideration.

He cited the car nozzle as being designed to fit a user's hand. Also, he said the profile of the crevice tool was narrowed to allow it to fit into more places than the current model.

"These are all designed to work with swappable shoes engineered to take on all the use cases," Newendyke said.

NXT Max shoes available for each accessory vary by model and include a hard bristle shoe, a soft bristle shoe, a soft rubber shoe, a wet shoe, and an inner bristle shoe.

He noted that the new bristles are stiffer and expected to last longer and not fray like those associated with past attachments.

The hard bristle shoes help to agitate and remove difficult debris from rougher surfaces. Soft bristle shoes are designed for more delicate cleaning of surfaces. To help remove pet fur and hair from a variety of surfaces, Ridgid offers the soft rubber shoe.

In addition, the inner bristle shoe was designed to focus debris capture on hard or carpeted surfaces.

Lastly, the wet shoe squeegees water away from hard surfaces. Unlike the earlier squeegee attachment which only allowed users to pull back while using it, the NXT Max wet shoe permits users to pull and push.

Newendyke said the design for each shoe is unique based on performance and purpose.

In addition to the new accessories and shoes, three other products have been unveiled by Ridgid including a telescoping wand, a storage system for the accessories, and an LED light.

The hard bristle shoe on the NXT Max utility nozzle agitates large areas to remove debris on rough surfaces.

“We designed a storage organizer, which fits nicely over the handle of the vacuums, and you can put anything that doesn't fit on the caster feet, such as the shoes, or any extra accessories,” Newendyke said. “It fits the full suite of five accessories and shoes.”

The organizer is designed to fit Ridgid’s wet/dry vacuums ranging from six to 16-gallon drum size, excluding the 10-gallon stainless and the detach lines. It is fully assembled to the top of the vacuum so when dumping debris, remove the lid to empty the drum normally and the storage bag stays on the handle.

The new LED light accessory is a standalone version of the integrated light on the current car nozzle accessory.

Newendyke said it is a more substantial light that can be seen in a well-lit room. The LED accessory can be placed at the end of a wand, in the middle, or just above another attachment.

“It's a great product,” he said. “We think it's going to be a real enhancement to the line.”