Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 Review

What the reviewers like:
Owners say the Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 wet-dry vacuum is one of the lightest and most portable shop vacs available, and its 18-foot cord is ample for vacuuming cars and stairways. It's relatively quiet, and owners say its price makes it an excellent value, especially given its three-year warranty. Dust bags are available for it, so it's easy to clean. Its small size makes it easy to store.

What the reviewers don't like:
Owners give the Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 mixed reviews for power and suction. There's no onboard tool storage, and its 1.25-inch-diameter hose is more prone to clogging on large debris than wider hoses. Its capacity for holding liquids is so small that reviews say to count on it only for dry pickup.

Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 review highlights

The 1.5-gallon Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 wins praise from owners for its low price, light weight and easy portability, despite its tiny capacity and limited suction. Tests show that Shop-Vac models exhaust more dust than the 2-gallon DeWalt DC500 (*est. $100) that can run on AC or battery power. However, the Shop-Vac All-Around still has relatively clean exhaust, has more power than the DeWalt shop vac and costs half as much. Both models use small-diameter hoses designed for vacuuming dust rather than large debris, which can result in clogs.

We found a handful of owner-written reviews of the Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 posted on Amazon.com. Consumer Reports tests a larger but similar Shop-Vac All-Around model, comparing it with five other extra small shop vacs, in its recent review of 23 shop vacs. This review is based on objective tests and ratings, but the owners' reviews at Amazon.com give more detail based on longer experience with this particular model.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs

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

1. Amazon.com
Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 Review
Contributors to Amazon.com

The tiny, 1.5-gallon Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 receives more than a dozen owner-written reviews at Amazon.com. Most owners compare it favorably with larger shop vacs, praising its light weight and ultra-portability. Suction and noise level get mixed reviews, but owners say it's relatively quiet and performs most cleaning tasks just fine.

2. Consumer Reports
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Wet/Dry Vacuums
Editors of Consumer Reports
Mar. 2007

Consumer Reports includes a similar Shop-Vac All-Around in its review of 23 consumer-brand shop vacs, comparing it primarily with five other ultra-portable consumer models. Each shop vac is ranked based on objective tests, with separate ratings for wet pickup, dry pickup, ease of use, and emissions.

3. Epinions
Shop-Vac 1x1

About a dozen owners review an earlier, even smaller and less powerful portable Shop-Vac model here, giving it a near-perfect average rating. Owners love the light-weight portability of these tiny shop vacs, and say they have good suction for their size. There are some complaints about the short power cord, but the newer model has an 18-foot cord.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs

Shop-Vac All-Around 971-02-00 Review