For decades, VPI Industries owned the record-cleaning conversation. The HW-16.5 was the default answer: brutally effective, industrial-strength, and loud enough to wake the neighbors. Then the vinyl revival (and the pandemic) hit and VPI raised the price from roughly $650 to $1,200. That single move cracked the door wide open. Opportunity rushed in. Brands like Pro-Ject, Record Doctor, Humminguru, and Okki Nokki didn’t just notice—they pounced. VPI still brings unmatched suction power and a tank-like motor, but it also brings noise and a price tag that now invites competition. Enter the Okki Nokki ONE: quieter, re-engineered from the ground up, and priced at $749; clear evidence that VPI’s long-standing dominance created the very opening now being exploited. The market shifted. This is what happens when you leave money on the table.
Okki Nokki ONE Record Cleaning Machine
Okki Nokki is back in full production and for the first time in many years, its record cleaning machines are once again being manufactured in the Netherlands. After a difficult stretch defined by supply-chain disruptions and uneven overseas production, manufacturing has returned to Europe with a renewed emphasis on build quality, long-term reliability, and hands-on craftsmanship.
Following the passing of founder Johan Bezem, his daughter Sanne Bezem stepped in to carry forward the company he built more than 30 years ago. With clear respect for her father’s vision and a pragmatic eye on what the brand needs to survive and grow, Sanne has taken Okki Nokki back to its roots: tighter control over engineering and manufacturing, direct involvement in product development, and a renewed commitment to doing things the right way rather than the fast way.
Okki Nokki isn’t simply back on its feet. It’s operational again, evolving by design, and now firmly in dedicated hands for the long road ahead.
Vana Ltd, a specialty distributor supplying the North American market with carefully selected audio components from international manufacturers, is now delivering the Okki Nokki ONE record cleaning machine, the successor to the long-standing MK II.
“The ONE is an example of Okki Nokki’s commitment to overseeing every step of the design and manufacturing process,” said Roy Feldstein, Chief Technology Officer of Vana Ltd and exclusive North American importer of Okki Nokki. “Instead of simply offering a next-generation update to a consumer favorite, Okki Nokki’s engineers started with a clean slate, ultimately creating a solid, consistently dependable cleaning machine that will perform to spec, year after year.”
The Okki Nokki ONE is engineered around simplicity, durability, and genuinely low-noise operation, positioning it among the quietest record cleaning machines in its class. Day-to-day use is intentionally straightforward, with all functions controlled by a single knob for fast, intuitive operation. At the core of the design is a molded high-grade ABS unibody chassis, the first of its kind in a record cleaning machine—which reduces the number of internal components and integrates the fluid reservoir directly into the structure.
This approach is intended to improve long-term reliability while eliminating common failure points found in older designs. A newly engineered air and fluid suction path, inspired by high-end vacuum technology, further contributes to quieter operation and helps prevent leaks.
The ONE also removes much of the friction from the cleaning process itself. A configurable universal vacuum arm supports 7-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch records without requiring arm changes, while a stainless steel record clamp fully protects the label during cleaning.
Okki Nokki includes both full-size and label-only platters to minimize the risk of transferring debris when cleaning both sides of a record. A dust cover is included as standard, along with a bottle of Okki Nokki cleaning fluid concentrate and a goat-hair brush, making the ONE a complete, ready-to-use solution right out of the box.
Adds Feldstein: “Record cleaning is a necessary part of enjoying a vinyl collection, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. The Okki Nokki ONE makes it a quick and easy process—and at a much lower volume than competitive products.”
The Bottom Line
The real news here is not just that Okki Nokki has a new machine, but that the brand has taken full control of its future again. Manufacturing is back in the Netherlands, the design has been rethought from the ground up, and the ONE is positioned squarely against long-established heavyweights in the category. Okki Nokki claims meaningfully quieter operation than traditional vacuum-based machines, and in practice the redesigned suction path and enclosed unibody construction suggest that noise reduction was a genuine engineering priority rather than a marketing bullet.
Reservoir capacity and absolute suction power have not been disclosed in hard numbers, which leaves open the question of whether it can fully match the raw vacuum force of the long-dominant New Jersey powerhouse. That said, brute force has never been the only path to effective cleaning.
At $749, the Okki Nokki ONE lands in a highly competitive sweet spot. If its quieter operation and simplified workflow deliver the deeper, more consistent cleaning promised, it becomes a compelling alternative to louder, more industrial designs that now cost considerably more. This is not aimed at casual vinyl dabblers or those content with manual cleaning. The ONE is for serious record listeners and collectors who want a deeper clean, less noise, fewer compromises, and a machine designed to live in a listening room rather than a garage.
Where to buy: $749 at Okki Nokki USA
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Arnold
February 12, 2026 at 11:27 am
Interesting. Why does VPI charge so much now for the HW16.5?
It’s a box with a revolving platter and vacuum. It sounds like a plane taking off in your room.
How do you think they compare to one another?
Big difference in price.
Ian White
February 12, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Arnold,
It’s a curious thing. VPI does make some of the parts for the HW16.5 internally so there is labor costs associated with that. It’s been around for decades and works well. Yes, it does sound insanely loud (I owned one for years) and that does make it a garage or basement thing in most homes. My wife got so sick of the noise that she made me sell it.
I would love to review the Okki Nokki to see how they compare in a few areas; noise, vacuum performance, and water removal.
IW