Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00 Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviews say that the noise level is relatively low at 74.5 decibels, using an internal muffler that also protects the filter from wear. The eight-foot hose is a foot longer than those on most shop vacs, and it locks onto the tank. The Shop-Vac 062-16-00 can also be used as a blower, and its four-year warranty is longer than many.

What the reviewers don't like:
Tests show the pickup of this 6.25-hp shop vac is adequate, but doesn't match that of the Ridgid WD1450 (*est. $120) even though the Ridgid shop vac is powered by a 6-hp motor. The 18-foot power cords on Shop-Vac Ultra Pro models are a bit shorter than the standard 20-foot cords on most consumer wet-dry vacuums, while users say they prefer even longer cords. Some owners say the onboard tool caddy doesn't work well.

Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00 review highlights

The 16-gallon Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00 wet-dry vacuum gets good marks for relatively quiet performance, and its four-year warranty beats the one year offered by Craftsman shop vacs. However, the 16-gallon Ridgid WD1850 (*est. $170) carries a lifetime warranty, and reviews say it's superior in other ways too, with better suction and fewer emissions in its exhaust.

We found the best review of budget shop vacs at Consumer Reports, where editors rank 23 wet-dry vacuums according to objective tests. While this review doesn't test the Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00, it does rate a similar 16-gallon Shop-Vac model, along with a smaller Ultra Pro. Similar models are also tested in Taunton's 2005 and 2004 Tool Guides. We did find reviews of this exact model, the Shop-Vac Ultra pro 962-16-00, at Amazon.com, where owners rate it based on their own experiences.

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

1. Amazon.com
Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 9621600 Review
Contributors to Amazon.com

About a dozen owners review the Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00, giving it an above-average rating overall, saying it has plenty of suction and works well. The reviews are especially useful because they cover a range of uses, from vacuuming a flooded area to cleaning carpets and cars. There are minor complaints that the onboard tool caddy doesn't work well.

2. Taunton's 2005 Tool Guide
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Shop Vacuums
Roland Johnson, plus editors and readers of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding
Jan. 2005

Editors at Taunton Press, publisher of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding magazines, include the similar Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-18-00 in this comparative review of eight models, finding it quieter than the Craftsman tested, but louder than the Ridgid model. (Shop vacs aren't covered in the more recent Taunton Tool Guides.) The survey of readers ranks the Shop-Vac model higher than the Craftsman.

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

Consumer Reports doesn't test the16-gallon Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00, but they do include the smaller, similar Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-12-00 in a review of 23 consumer-brand shop vacs. Another 16-gallon Shop-Vac model (with a built-in pump) is also tested here. Shop-vac rankings are based on rigorous objective tests, and the review rates each model for ease of use, emissions (in the exhaust air), wet pickup, and dry pickup power.

Also see full report: Shop Vacs

Shop-Vac Ultra Pro 962-16-00 Review