Porter-Cable 7812 Review

What the reviewers like:
Experts like the Porter-Cable 7812’s auto-start dust-collection, and say its low center of gravity makes it easy to tug around. The top is flat so you can use it to hold small parts and tools, onboard tool storage is convenient, and when vacuuming liquids, the shop vac turns itself off once the maximum capacity has been reached. One review notes that it's the easiest shop vac to empty when you don't use a dust bag.

What the reviewers don't like:
One review criticizes the filter-cleaning tool as hard to operate and inefficient (though several other reviews don't find fault with it). The Porter-Cable 7812 has no drain or onboard tool storage, nor does it convert to a blower. At 77 decibels, the noise level is louder than most high-end shop vacs, and no HEPA filter is available. Nor is there any power-adjustment for use with tools that draw more amps. Some users complain mildly about the quality of its hose -- the 7812 comes with a small-diameter hose, so using it to pick up larger debris requires buying a second, bigger hose. In general, we found more effusive praise for shop vacs from Fein and Festool.

Porter-Cable 7812 review highlights

The Porter-Cable 7812 replaces the earlier Porter-Cable 7810 shop vac as the 10-gallon little brother of the 15-gallon Porter-Cable 7814 that reviewers like so well. Reviews praise the Porter-Cable shop vacs for their filter-cleaning system that's designed to let you shake the filter clean without having to open the filter door. This feature gets mixed reviews, however; there are other shop vacs with internal filter-cleaning systems that work better. Though the Porter-Cable 7812 shop vac is smaller and lacks a drain, its shorter (23.5-inch) height makes it better suited than the 30-inch Porter-Cable 7814 (*est. $350) for tucking under a workbench or counter. However, both are noisier than the top-rated Fein 9-77-25 Turbo III (*est. $400) and Festool CT 33 HEPA (*est. $500).

We found excellent reviews testing the Porter-Cable 7812 shop vac. Fine Woodworking magazine's recent review of tool-triggered shop vacs provides detailed ratings on five factors as well as overall design, and measures noise level at the user's ear. Popular Mechanics also tests the Porter-Cable 7812 in a recent review, but only against consumer-brand shop vacs. Earlier, the Porter-Cable 7812 is recommended in Fine Woodworking magazine's Tools & Shops 2007 issue. Reviews in American Woodworker and Taunton's 2005 Tool Guide include larger or earlier Porter-Cable shop vacs, but these comparison tests apply to the Porter-Cable 7812 shop vac as well. Amazon.com publishes owner-written reviews of the Porter-Cable 7812 are especially useful, since they relate the experiences of owners over extended periods of time.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs

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

1. Taunton's 2008 Tool Guide
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Tool-Triggered Shop Vacs
Rob Wotzak and Taunton Press Editors
Sept. 2007

This review reports the results of a survey of more than 9,000 readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding, ranking the Porter-Cable 7812 shop vac next to last in a list of five. The survey results are part of a larger review that reports on testing published in the June 2007 issue of Fine Homebuilding (below). Editors make several criticisms of the Porter-Cable 7812 -- that no HEPA filter is available, that the filter cleaner doesn't perform well and that it lacks a drain. On the plus side, the Porter-Cable shop vac is stable and easy to maneuver, and the filter is easy to replace.

2. Fine Homebuilding
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Untitled
Rob Wotzak
June-July 2007

This roundup review compares the Porter-Cable 7812 with four other tool-triggered wet-dry vacuums, testing them on a 2,000-square-foot remodeling job. Noise levels are measured with a decibel meter held four feet from each shop vac at ear level, about where a user would be. In addition to specifying pros and cons for each model, the review rates each shop vac for suction power, filter performance and convenience, ease of emptying, mobility and overall design. This review criticizes the Porter-Cable filter-cleaner as less effective than most.

3. Popular Mechanics
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Shop Vac Showdown: We Test 6 New Wet/Dry Vacuums
Tom Klenck
Sept. 2007

This review compares the Porter-Cable 7812 with five consumer-brand shop vacs of varied sizes, testing their speed and capacity in vacuuming water and in picking up a variety of dry debris (cat litter, sawdust, wood shavings and scraps, garden mulch). The Porter-Cable 7812 is the only tool-triggered shop vac tested here, and its smaller-diameter hose slows its performance in comparison with the shop vacs that use bigger ones. (The optional large hose wasn't used.) Tests here don't show any problems with the filter-cleaning mechanism; the only complaint is that there's no onboard storage for cords or tools.

4. Fine Woodworking Tools & Shops Annual Issue
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Set Up Shop for $5,000
Asa Christiana
Winter 2006/2007

This article addresses setting up a basic woodworking shop for hobby purposes, including suggestions for tools based on tests conducted by Fine Woodworking. The Porter-Cable 7812 is the shop vac recommended.

5. Amazon.com
Porter-Cable 7812 Reviews
Contributors to Amazon.com

Over a dozen owners review the Porter-Cable 7812 on this site, and the reviews seem knowledgeable and well reasoned. Most are positive, but one owner has needed the switch replaced twice and complains that the bags fill up fast and are quite expensive. Another notes that the filter clogs fast. On the plus side, another owner notes that the Porter-Cable 7812 comes already equipped with dual filters for capturing dust as fine as sheetrock dust, while some shop vacs like the Fein Turbo III require extra accessories for this.

6. American Woodworker
Tool Test: Shop Vacuums for Portable Power Tools
George Vondriska

This review praises the earlier Porter-Cable 7810 (now the 7812) for dust collection, noting that it was originally designed for sheetrock dust, so the filtration is outstanding. It's low enough to fit well under a workbench, and the flexible hose locks into the tank. However, the auto-start feature is limited by the 6-amp rating on the outlet, and the 1.25-inch diameter can clog easily with wood chunks.

7. Taunton's 2005 Tool Guide
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Shop Vacuums
Editors and readers of Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking
Jan. 2005

Ordinarily we'd give top ranking to this comparative review based on objective tests, but it covers the larger Porter-Cable 7814 rather than the similar 7812. However, there's still useful information here that applies to the Porter-Cable 7812. Editors praise the Porter-Cable filter design as the best available, with the filter at the very top so it takes longer to clog and leaves more space in the canister. Editors also like the filter-shaking mechanism and the separate filter door that lets you change the filter without opening the whole tank. In both the 2004 and 2005 editions of this tool guide, editors recommend the Porter-Cable 7814 for heavy-duty workshop use, but rank it second to the quieter, less expensive Fein 9-77-25 Turbo III.

8. American Woodworker
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Tool Test: Shop Vacuums
George Vendriska and Tony Caspar
Oct. 2005

This review covers the larger Porter-Cable 7814, but notes that the Porter-Cable 7812 is similar and is sized better for tucking under a workbench. The Porter-Cable shop vacs don't come off very well, though, compared with the Bosch 3931 and Fein Turbo III models. Editors praise the Porter-Cable 7814 for ease of cleaning, but find the Bosch 3931 offers better suction and even easier filter cleaning. The Porter-Cable 7814 is also louder than the Bosch and Fein shop vacs, and offers a lower-rated 6-amp outlet for plugging in power tools.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs