I think the 16.5 is one of the smartest moves in cleaning. Spend less and you get less, spend more and you really don't get any essential advantages. Make sure to use a separate cork mat for the clean side and a different brush for each step.
I also see no reason to view a cleaning machine and steam as mutually exclusive alternatives. I view steam as an adjunct to the cleaning process. For example, I use the Disc Doctor regimen but have worked steam in after the initial scrub and as the initial rince. It's much easier to steam uniformly on the spinning 16.5 platter. Follow up with a couple ultra pure water rinces(each with separate brushes) and I doubt anything works much better. Other methods probably get similar results but also cost more.
A good thorough regimen may take you 5-7 minutes per LP side but I believe this only needs to be done once and theresults are worth it.
I also see no reason to view a cleaning machine and steam as mutually exclusive alternatives. I view steam as an adjunct to the cleaning process. For example, I use the Disc Doctor regimen but have worked steam in after the initial scrub and as the initial rince. It's much easier to steam uniformly on the spinning 16.5 platter. Follow up with a couple ultra pure water rinces(each with separate brushes) and I doubt anything works much better. Other methods probably get similar results but also cost more.
A good thorough regimen may take you 5-7 minutes per LP side but I believe this only needs to be done once and theresults are worth it.