Porter-Cable 7814

*Est. $340

Separate filter door and internal filter-shaker make vac easy to clean
Filter doesn't block airflow
Easy to drain liquids with a hose

Suction not as strong as competitors
Louder than most
A bit top-heavy and unstable

Where to Buy

for 352.60

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Reviews say the 15-gallon Porter-Cable 7814 performs very well for both general workshop use and for dust collection from portable power tools. Reviews like the way you can attach a hose to the drain, and an internal filter-shaker makes it more convenient to clean. It's slightly less expensive and more compact than the top-rated Bosch AirSweep 3931A (*est. $400), but the Bosch shop vac has a filter that automatically cleans itself and can take advantage of a 20-amp circuit. In tests, the Porter-Cable is by far the noisiest of the pro-level shop vacs.

The Porter-Cable 7814 shop vacuum is included in four comparison reviews of wet/dry vacs in woodworking publications. Of these, Taunton's 2005 Tool Guide gets the top ranking in our list, because the editors not only compare the most models, but rank them as well. Fine Woodworking tests even more shop vacs, comparing the Porter-Cable 7814 to 12 other models, but this roundup is less current, as is the excellent review at Tools of the Trade. We supplemented these expert comparative reviews with reports from owners of the Porter-Cable 7814 shop vac.

Where To Buy

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Our Sources

1. Taunton's 2005 Tool GuideDetails/Subscribe

This roundup review compares the Porter-Cable 7814 shop vac with nine other wet/dry vacuums. Editors praise the Porter-Cable filter design as the best available, with the filter at the very top so it takes longer to clog. Editors also like the filter-shaking mechanism and the separate filter door that lets you change the filter without opening the whole tank.

Review: Shop Vacuums, Editors and readers of Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking, Jan. 2005

2. Fine Woodworking Details/Subscribe

The Porter-Cable 7814 earns top ranking in comparison with 12 other shop vacs. Woodworker Roland Johnson praises the Porter-Cable 7814 for its well-designed filter system, diffused exhaust and auto-start feature.

Review: Shop Vacuums, Roland Johnson, May/June 2003

3. Tools of the Trade

The Porter-Cable 7814 is the close runner-up to the Bosch 3931 in this review, which puts nine shop vacs through objective tests and also compares them on contracting jobs. Compared with the Bosch shop vac, tests here find the Porter-Cable 7814 slightly less powerful and a bit top-heavy.

Review: Tool Test: Wet/Dry Vacuums, Chris Kulczycki, Apr. 2004

4. American WoodworkerDetails/Subscribe

This review compares the Porter-Cable 7814 with five other shop vacs, including two other tool-activated vacuums suitable for dust collection. Editors praise the Porter-Cable 7814 for ease of cleaning, but find the Bosch 3931 offers better suction and even easier filter cleaning.

Review: Tool Test: Shop Vacuums, George Vendriska and Tony Caspar, Oct. 2005

5. Amazon.com

We found about ten owner-written reviews here for the Porter-Cable 7814 shop vac, giving it a slightly above-average overall rating. Complaints include quality control problems, poor repair service from Porter-Cable and users who feel this shop vac is a bit top-heavy and unstable.

Review: Porter-Cable 7814 Reviews, Contributors to Amazon.com

6. Epinions.com

At the time of this report, we found only one review here of the Porter-Cable 7814 shop vac. This owner compares it favorably with a Craftsman shop vac, finding the quieter Porter-Cable up to general workshop use despite its smaller hose. Lack of onboard storage is the only complaint.

Review: Porter-Cable 7814 Review, Contributors to Epinions.com