Milwaukee 8936-20

*Est. $275

Experts say that variable suction makes for more efficient dust collection from power tools, and reviews say the automatic power management system on the Milwaukee 8936-20 shop vac works well. The 7.5-gallon size is compact and easy to store, with convenient onboard tool storage. Automatic cutoff protects the motor when vacuuming liquids. At 75 decibels (four feet from the motor, where the user would normally be), it's fairly quiet. A HEPA filter is an extra option.

Cleaning the cartridge filter can be a dusty job, since there's no internal filter-cleaning system. Dust bags are relatively expensive (*est. $8 each even for a pro-level shop vac). The Milwaukee shop vac isn't always easy to move around, because the castors are small. Though this shop vac can vacuum liquids, there's no drain, so emptying it is a problem.

Our Analysis

The 7.5-gallon Milwaukee 8936-20 is the only tool-triggered shop vac that automatically adjusts the 9.5-amp power (and suction) to adapt to the power tool plugged into it. Otherwise, reviews say it's a basic wet/dry shop vacuum that ranks in the middle of the pack. Like the Fein Turbo II (*est. $300), the Milwaukee shop vac lacks an internal filter-cleaning system, but the Fein filter is easier to clean, and the Fein Turbo II is much quieter.

We found the best review of the Milwaukee 8936-20 shop vac at Fine Homebuilding, comparing it with four other tool-triggered shop vacs based on tests at a remodeling jobsite. This review rates each shop vac for power, filtration and dust collection, noise, mobility, ease of emptying and overall design. Though several retailer sites including Ace Tools and Northern Star offer owners the chance to rate and review the Milwaukee 8936-20, we found only one owner-written review so far, published at Amazon.com -- still valuable because it covers over a year of use.

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Our Sources

1. Taunton's 2008 Tool Guide

The Milwaukee 8936-20 shop vac ranks last among five shop vacs, in a survey of more than 9,000 readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding. No comments from readers are offered as explanation, but the survey report is part of a larger comparison review in which editors note that the Milwaukee shop vac's wheels could be improved. Otherwise, it's okay, but competing shop vacs offer superior features. This is essentially the same review published in the June 2007 issue of Fine Homebuilding below, except that in this version, editors leave out the comparison with the Alto/Wap shop vac.

Review: Tool-Triggered Shop Vacs, Rob Wotzak and Taunton Press Editors

2. Fine HomebuildingDetails/Subscribe

Comparing the Milwaukee 8936-20 shop vac with four others, Carpenter Rob Wotzak and his crew test it by using it on a jobsite. Noise levels are measured with a decibel meter held four feet from each wet/dry vacuum at ear level, and each shopvac gets ratings for suction power, filter performance and convenience, ease of emptying, mobility and overall design. In addition, the review provides specific pros and cons for the Milwaukee 8936-20. The review notes that this is the only tool-triggered shop vac that automatically adjusts the power depending on the tool that's plugged into it. However, two other shop vacs get top ranking here.

Review: Untitled, Rob Wotzak, June-July 2007

3. Amazon.com

At the time of this report, only one owner has reviewed the Milwaukee 8936-20 shop vac here, but he reports on over a year of steady use. The review is brief but positive.

Review: Milwaukee 8936-20 7-1/2 Gallon 1-1/3 Horsepower Wet/Dry Vacuum, Contributors to Amazon.com

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