Shop Vacs: What To Look For

Reviews suggest considering the following features in choosing the best wet/dry vacuum:

• Look for a capacity that matches your needs. For collecting wood chips or other big cleanups, look for a large tank of 16 to 20 gallons. For most workshops and households, slightly smaller 10- to 14-gallon tanks have enough capacity and are easier to store and move around. For cleaning a house or car, smaller 5-gallon shop vacs are even easier to transport. 1.5- to 2-gallon models are the most portable of all. Also consider storage space; different shop vacs of equal capacity vary in height, so some fit better under a workbench.

• The best hose diameter depends on the jobs you want the shop vac to do. For general workshop pickup, such as vacuuming wood chips and shavings, experts recommend a 2.25- to 2.5-inch hose. Smaller hoses tend to clog up. However, for attachment to portable power tools for dust collection, you need a smaller flexible hose to adapt to the dust ports on portable power tools. Extra-long hoses are available for most models. However, in most models -- but not all -- this reduces the suction.

• Two-stage bypass motors are designed to last longer. This can make a difference if you plan to use the shop vac for long periods as a dust collector. If you only use a shop vac for short periods of time, it's not as important.

• Some filters are easier to clean. The Bosch, Porter-Cable and Festool wet/dry vacuums offer the most convenience with their built-in filter shakers that can be engaged without opening the unit. The Bosch and Porter-Cable shop vacs also have separate filter doors, so you can remove the filter to rinse it off without opening the larger canister.

• Consider noise level. Most new shop vacs have built-in mufflers, but they still vary a lot in sound level. An expert at the UltimateGarage.com points out that an increase of ten decibels actually means the noise level has doubled. He recommends wearing ear protection at 75 decibels or above, though 85 decibels is the limit set by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).

• Drain valves or spouts make vacuums easy to empty, and a pump is even better. Without one of these, you'll have to take the lid off and tip the tank to empty it. The Porter-Cable also comes with a drain hose. Fein and Shop-Vac offer water-drainage hose kits (*est. $15 to $17) as aftermarket accessories. Shop-Vac Ultra Pump models have a built-in pump, and Sears offers an after-market pump, the Craftsman 16952 (*est. $40), that fits most shop vacs.

• Wide-set wheels and a low profile help keep the unit from tipping over. If you have to haul the vacuum up and down stairs, models with large back wheels and a handle could be useful.

• Convenience features include cord wraps and onboard attachment storage. User reviews note that these features don't always work as well as advertised. The Ridgid WD1850 shop vac mounts a storage bag on the handle, to carry other tools or parts, and the Ridgid WD5500 toolbox shop vac stores accessories in its lid.

• Do you need a blower? Shop vacs that double as leaf or motor blowers are noisy and tend to exhaust more dust; reviews warn that in a very dusty room they blow around the dust you're trying to vacuum.