Festool CT Mini Review

What the reviewers like:
Expert reviews praise the sturdy construction and quality of Festool shop vacs, along with their ease of control. The Festool CT Mini is only 17.5 inches tall, so it's easy to store under a workbench, and reviewers say it's also easy to tug around without tipping over. The three-year warranty is also a big plus.

What the reviewers don't like:
Typical of pro-level shop vacs, the Festool CT Mini’s cleaning tools aren't included in the base price -- the unit comes with just the hose and two filter bags. Compared with the two larger Festool shop vacs, the CT Mini has smaller wheels and lacks a HEPA filter. Overall, unless you particularly need a small portable model, other larger shop vacs are a better value.

Festool CT Mini review highlights

Reviews say the 2.6-gallon Festool CT Mini shop vac is the most portable of an excellent lineup of variable-suction Festool shop vacs, all of which are recommended for collecting dust from portable tools drawing up to 10 amps (but not for general workshop use to collect larger debris). As with other Festool shop vacs, it's easy to set up the CT Mini so that turning a tool on also triggers the shop vac. However, unless you need a small model, reviews say other shop vacs such as the larger Fein Turbo I (*est. $230) are a better value.

We found four well-illustrated, in-depth reviews of the Festool CT Mini dust extractor written by professional woodworkers. All four reviews compare the Festool CT Mini shop vac with the mid-sized Festool CT 22 shop vac, but the reviews by Jack Loganbill and C. John Herbert are especially useful because they note both pros and cons.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. The Woodshop
Festool CT MINI Dust Extractor Review
Jack Loganbill

Woodworker Jack Loganbill tests and rates both the Festool CT Mini and the larger Festool CT22E shop vac in separate in-depth reviews, noting specific pros and cons and comparing them with the Fein Mini Turbo shop vac as well. Although the reviewer gives the Festool CT Mini shop vac a five-star rating as a dust extractor, praising its suction, engineering and portability, he says it's too small (at only about half the size of the Fein Mini) to use as a general shop vac. Sound level increases if you raise the speed and suction, but the sound quality remains attractive.

2. C John Herbert.com
Festool's CT Mini Vac
C. John Herbert

Woodworker C. John Herbert reviews the Festool CT Mini shop vac, rating it in shop use primarily against the larger Festool CT22. The photos in this review are especially revealing. Although the author likes many things about the Festool CT Mini, he notes that the hose diameter is smaller and more importantly, finds the pickup nearly twice as effective on the larger model. He does recommend the Mini Vac for jobsite use because of its portability.

3. Benchmark
Festool CT Mini Review
Phil Bumbalough

Woodworker Phil Bumbalough reviews both the Festool CT Mini and larger Festool CT22E in separate in-depth articles, comparing both with shop vacs by Craftsman, Shop-Vac and Fein. He praises the Festool shop vacs especially for their low noise level, saying that they're even quieter than the Fein. He also likes the Festool variable speed and antistatic hoses. A true Festool fan, the author notes no drawbacks, but he does recommend the Festool CT33 for shops needing larger capacity.

4. OnlineTool Reviews.com
Festool CT Mini Dust Extractor Review
Dean Bielanowski

This site offers in-depth reviews of the same two Festool shop vacs that Bumbalough reviews at Benchmark, and like Bumbalough, woodworker Bielanowski is a Festool shop vac fan: The illustrations in this review are especially useful, showing details like a brace that can drop down to keep the shop vac in place on a sloping surface. Another picture shows the neat way both cord and hose actually fit inside the shop vac for storage. Wands and cleaning tools fit into a "Systainer" box that stacks securely on top of the shop vac itself. Comparing the CT Mini with the larger Festool CT22E extractor, he disagrees with reviewer C. John Herbert above, finding that the CT Mini performs just as well.

5. Woodworker's Journal
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European Power Tools
Rob Johnstone
Apr. 2007

Woodworker’s Journal tool expert Rob Johnstone reports on his December 2006 visits to European tool manufacturers, including Festool in Germany. While no specific shop vacs are tested or evaluated, this article provides some insight into what goes into some of these high-end shop tools, designed for long-term durability and professional use. An interview with an executive at Festool is especially revealing.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs