Craftsman 17066

Reviews say the 16-gallon Craftsman 17066 shop vac has plenty of power and picks up dry and wet debris equally well. Reviewers like the way this Craftsman shop vac can be used as a leaf blower, thanks to its detachable top. However, owners complain that the lid and hose don't fit tightly, and tests demonstrate that it emits more dust in its exhaust compared to the Ridgid WD1670 (*Est. $100), which also doubles as a leaf blower. In addition, the Craftsman warranty is for only one year, while Ridgid shop vacs carry a lifetime guarantee. For those on a budget, reviewers recommend the lightweight Shop-Vac AllAround series -- for example, the Shop-Vac AllAround 971-01-00 (*Est. $65). It's easy to carry on stairs, but has a small 1.5-gallon capacity and relatively low suction.

ConsumerReports.org includes the 16-gallon Craftsman 17066 in its thorough comparison tests of 23 consumer-grade wet/dry vacs, as does Popular Mechanics in its more recent tests of six shop vacs. An earlier review in American Woodworker compares the Craftsman not only with two consumer-grade shop vacs, but with more expensive pro-grade models as well. Also, quite a few owners posting at Sears.com say they've tested the Craftsman 17066 for a wide range of uses over a long period of time.