Shop Vacs Reviews

Shop vacs, also called wet/dry vacuums, can vacuum liquids and collect dust and debris in workshops, garages and jobsites, so they handle a wider range of cleanup tasks than regular vacuum cleaners. Basic shop vacs are useful for general cleanup, but woodworkers and contractors often prefer more expensive tool-triggered wet/dry vacuums that automatically turn on and off with the power tools plugged into them.

For tests of shop vacs for general cleanup, we found the best review at Consumer Reports magazine, where editors test 23 wet/dry vacuums ranging in size from 2 to 20 gallons; ratings are based on rigorous objective tests. A recent review at Popular Mechanics provides more details on some of the same shop vacs, but tests just six models. Only one of these is a "tool-triggered" shop vac that makes it convenient to collect dust from woodworking tools. Wood Magazine has the latest review of tool-triggered shop vacs, but covers only four models without ranking them. The comparison review at Fine Homebuilding does pick the best workshop shop vac and covers five models.

In addition to these comparison reviews, we found in-depth reviews of specific shop vacs, both in woodworking publications and at the websites of individual woodworkers. We also studied owner-written reviews published at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com, Sears.com and several other sites. These owner-written reviews often include details missing from the big comparison tests, along with a longer-term perspective on durability.

Among less expensive wet/dry vacuums for general household use, reviews give Ridgid shop vacs top marks for power and relatively clean exhaust. Craftsman and Shop-Vac models come in second or third in most tests, even though Ridgid is said to manufacture Craftsman shop vacs.

While the majority of wet/dry vacuums have adequate suction, some have more problems with emissions than others. In some cases this can be corrected by using a Goretex filter, but on some models the lid just doesn't fit tightly enough. Reviews note, for example, that the 16-gallon Craftsman 17066 (*est. $120) has more problems with emissions than the 20-gallon Craftsman 17762 (*est. $110).

Portable shop vacs necessarily have smaller motors than vacuums with big tanks, so they have less suction. Some portable shop vacs still get very good reviews because of their convenience, notably the 4.5-gallon Ridgid Pro WD4550 Pro Pack Shop Vac (*est. $100), which is shaped like a toolbox and stores all its accessories inside. Even smaller Shop-Vac All-Around vacuums -- which come in sizes as small as one gallon -- are popular for vacuuming cars and even for general household cleaning. The DeWalt DC500 (*est. $100 without battery) is another small portable shop vac that gets attention because it can run on AC current or use any DeWalt tool battery, from 12 volts on up.

Quite a few new cordless shop vacs are now on the market, but reviews recommend them only for brief cleanup tasks. Several cordless shop vacs use lithium-ion batteries. Run time is still short, but the batteries hold their charge for a long time between uses, so the shop vac is always ready to use. The cordless iRobot Dirt Dog (*est. $130) is made by the same company that produces the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners, but the Dirt Dog isn't actually a shop vac. Rather, it's a sweeper, brushing debris into its tiny tank.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Most of the top-ranked shop vacs are high-end models from makers such as Nilfisk-Alto, Fein, Festool and Bosch. Though expensive, they are great choices for professional or workshop use -- especially for collecting dust from handheld power tools -- but they are overkill for general homeowner cleanup and are very expensive. Several Ridgid models get top marks for more general cleanup, and some Craftsman vacs draw praise as well. Shop-Vac is another budget brand that gets quite a few recommendations, but those are spread among the company's many models.