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My stylus cleaner of choice is the Onzow Zerodust, but there are a couple of stylus brushes that are a bit cheaper of an option that are worth mentioning.
Whether you choose to use a turntable stylus brush or another method, keeping your stylus clean is a very important part of vinyl maintenence.
I tried two different stylus brushes. The first was the Diskeeper Stylus Brush.
This inexpensive brush did a great job of cleaning any debris that had built up on my stylus. I did however find that you need to be extremely careful with how much pressure is applied during cleaning. Just make sure you are cleaning from back to front or you may run the risk of snapping off your cantilever.
The other stylus brush I tried was an eyelash brush style with cleaning fluid called the Record Doctor RCF.
I Did not like this style nearly
as much as the Diskeeper with the small carbon fiber bristles. This cleaner did keep my stylus clean but not nearly as well as other methods. The brush was awkward to use and I was nervous the whole time that I was going to dammage my cantilever. The “cleaning fluid” is just alcohol and for the pice of $9.99 I really feel that this is a rip off.
It is quite easy to apply too much pressure while using these products and damage your stylus. This is the main reason that I have been using the Onzow Zerodust for a couple of years now. There is so little pressure put on the stylus when you touch it to the sticky surface of the Onzow that I feel much more confident that it will not damage my stylus. You can find a full review of this product by clicking here.
I absolutely love the Onzow Zerodust – But if you cannot afford the $35+ Investment I would recommend the Diskeeper brush for $6.95 on Amazon with free shipping. The bristles are very small, soft and close together which is great for gentle cleaning of your stylus.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions for me, Or if you would like me to try a cleaning method or gadget let me know and I will be happy to look into it.
Thanks for visiting and happy listening!
The brush you recommend, the Onzow Zerodust, is a lot pricier than the Diskeeper Stylus Brush. Is it really that much better? Having said that, I know how important it is to keep the stylus clean and free from damage.
I have a stack of well over 100 vinyl records that have been stored away for years. Reading your review has made me feel like getting them out and playing them again.
Hello Darren, thanks for the comment.
I do feel that the Onzow is a much better product than the diskeeper. There is less pressure put on your stylus while cleaning to accomplish an even better result.
Another reason i prefer the more expensive Onzow is I do not have a steady enough hand to use the diskeeper and it makes me nervous to rub anything on my stylus as one small pull in the wrong direction can damage your cantilever.
So really it will depend on what method you feel most comfortable with. They both work well for cleaning your stylus if you follow the proper steps.
Over the years I’ve learned in the long run making a $20- $30 jump in price(if it’s within your budget) for a quality product in audio equipment/gadgets really does sometimes make all the difference in the world.
Thanks again for your comment and I hope I have been of some help.
Happy listening!
I have lots of records and just kept them stored. We finally got out a stored record player and I was looking for a way to keep everything clean. I had no idea what a stylus brush was lol I just call it the needle but I am 48 so older. I clicked the picture so understand better. The diskeeper stylus brush is pretty cheap but I think I will check out the other one you talk about for $35 bucks. Great review and nice you shared a cheaper way that is adequate too.
Thanks for the comment Tammy! I am glad my review could point you in the right direction. You will not regret picking up the Onzow Zerodust. It is the best stylus cleaner out there.
I do normally try to include a more budget friendly option for people on my site as well. When I was a new connector I started with lower cost options and worked my way up.
My goal on this site is to help people decide if a bigger investment in vinyl Record Cleaning Products is right for them or if the budget options would be better suited to their needs.
Thanks again and happy listening!