The Best Shop Vacs: In 2021 – [10 Top Picks & Guide]

Find the best shop vac on the market in one place. See our list of 10 top picks right here.

If you’ve ever worked with wood, you know how messy work woodworking is, and how quickly the workshop gets dirty. The fine dust and debris, or the household dirt make the workspace unhealthy, and vacuuming is important to keep the place neat and clean.

Today, we’ll cover here the best shop vacuums from medium to large sizes that will definitely meet your needs.

The best shop vacs are considered to be able to clean up dust, debris or messes, and floor flooded water or even carpets. It will be an added value if it possesses leaves blower.

We did find them from extensive web research and spending more time on your part is unnecessary. You can find the top picks available here to buy right now.

10 Best Shop Vacuums: In-Depth Reviews

From the extensive web research, we found these are the top-rated and real performer in their respective region.

You can also read reviews on:

• Wood Lathes
• CNC Routers
• Workbenches

​1

Vacmaster VBV1210 Shop Vacuum- Best Overall

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It will be hard to convince yourself to spend $500 on a vacuum, but my experience is telling you the truth, Vacmaster VBV1210 is unparallel compared to any cheap options in terms of longevity and performance.

Vacmaster introduces Vacmaster VBV1210, a powerful shop vac that can dispense everything thrown at it.

The handy tool comes to your assistance for cleaning up the messy materials, water, and Jobsite dust and debris. You can even convert this powerful, versatile wet/ dry vac to a detachable leaf blower too.

It comes with a 12-gallon tank, which is large enough to deal with every application. The wet/dry vac is great for a home, office, garage, or any workshop.

Vacmaster comes with a powerful five peak hp motor that produces 240 mph blowing speed, which is because it works great for both blowing and vacuuming. It’s versatile and powerful, and you can use it for multiple purposes- from housekeeping to workshop cleaning.

The motor generates notable blowing speed- up to 5 horsepower that is faster than any other vacuums in the market today. Only the competitor, Ridgid WD1450, can challenge its power.

It has an excellent remote control switch to handle from a distance. You can anytime convert this vacuum to a handheld blower as well.

It becomes harder to carry the large tank around. Though it has a large 12-gallon polypropylene tank, it doesn’t mean that you can not move it at all. Its four 360-degree casters will make your way easy to carry it all around.

The shop vac comes with a sound diffuser to disperse most of the noise it produced to make it ideal for indoor use. But still, you might have some noise and suggested to be conscious.

The best part of this unit is its thick hose, of which length is about 7 feet, and the diameter is 2.5 inches wide. At the bottom of the tank, you’ll find a large drain port which is appreciating for any vacuum. Though its large size, the cleaning kit is not awkwardly heavy and weighs only 7 lbs.

The vac features a foam filter and a standard cartridge filter for vacuuming dry debris. You can use this vacuum for drywalls as well.

The vacuum is sturdy and can hold 12 gallons of debris and water. It is convenient and stand-alone vacuum to cover up the regular carpet, and spills clean up. Serious Jobsite debris and messes in the garage can also be its main part of jobs done.

This shop vac is one of the best vacuums we tested! 

Pros​

• Large 12-gallon tank, sturdy and overall a heavy vacuum
• 5 hp motor reaches to 5 horsepower speed
• Best for house cleaning, floors, and dry debris
• Perfect for leaf blowing as well
• Remote control on/off switch
• Thick hose, large drain port along with several filters

Cons​​​​​​

• A bit awkward and hard to move around
• Not best for car and small-angle cleaning

2

Armor All 2.5-Gallon Vacuum – Best for the Money

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When it comes to wet/dry vacuums, no one can compete with Armor All since the Armor All has it all. This 2.5-gallon vacuum is small in size, but affordable and effective.

It’s lightweight and provides 2.5-gallons of storage, making it ideal for a small shop, cleaning up all dust and debris for both wet and dry surfaces.

Its size is small and manageable. The powerful vacuum is an automated cleaning system that stops working when gets full. But no worries of damage as it prevents overflow and spills. 

The length of the hose and power cord combines to almost 16-feet, allowing anyone to cover a convenient distance without the stress of plugging and playing.

Besides, the vac won’t steal the cherished serenity because it has an in-built noise diffuser that allows work to go on with deafening. 

Unlike its brother tools, it is not so huge so easy to use and portable. It is best for quick cleaning and detailing. For its convenient size and portability, it is perfect for almost all jobs. You will feel comfortable using it for your car as well.

10 ft long power cord is safe to use as it has cord wrapping. It has an excellent blower functioning for smooth operation. Besides the 2 HP motor runs fast and generates ample power suction for better conversion. 

It also features a foam sleeve for mess clean up, a brush, a 2 in 1 car nozzle all in the box. The 1.25-inch diameter hose, attached with a 6 feet long cord, is easily movable to the hard to reach angles.

One downfall is its tiny polypropylene tank. It’s strong but results with frequent discharge during handling.

When you describe the pros of shop vacs, cons are inevitable, and the Armor All is not an exception.

The vacuum is not so powerful compared to other vacs in the list. It doesn’t mean that it can’t perform well, rather it is much more qualified for what it does. It’s absolutely a strong attraction for those who are very rigid in their tight budget. 

Pros​

• Affordable and within reach of people
• Lightweight; best fit for a small shop
• Runs on both dry and wet surfaces
• Automated vacuum stops working when gets filled up
• Prevents overflow and spills
• Creates no noise

Cons​​​​​​

• Not a gigantic powerful vac
• The container limits the storage capacity
• Requires frequent discharge

3

Ridgid WD1450 Vac- Massive & Super Powerful

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The powerful motor with a massive 14-gallon huge tank introduces Ridgid WD1450 for big messes. To the best of our researching online, it performs great with the highest possible cleaning up level including fine dust, messes, larger woodworking debris, and water as well.

This unit is more powerful and the fastest vacuuming kit to suck up water from the flooded floor. It’s so dominant to defeat any of its class cleaning from its first pass.

The vac has achieved its highest dominant position because it has quality features to defeat the most popular and the so called best shop vacs in the market today.

It comes with a tank with enormous length and six hp powerful motor. It will never dishearten you for the extension cord since it comes with the 20 feet long cord.

Besides, the necessary accessories are neatly fitted on the tank so you can get near your hands when needed. Moreover, you can convert the hose to a blower anytime to blow up leaves. 

The Ridgid WD1450 is a fantastic vac and a blower! Dig down below, and you’ll discover the secret how it becomes so powerful to outperform any shop vacs in its class.

This one is an enormous wet/dry vacuum containing a large tank meaning no hassle to refill the tank repeatedly. It does include a lot into the box, ensuring everything it has for vacuuming.

It has a 6 horsepower motor to confirm the maximum percentage of sucking and blowing. The underline meaning is that you can use it as a vacuum and a leaf blower as well.

I have used another 16-gallon shop vac with a somewhat short power cord- 8 feet only. Though it’s not a huge deal, I’d always feel for a longer cord for bigger spaces. Ridgid WD1450 comes with a massive 20 feet long cord, which I think, is enough to maximize mobility. The 7-foot hose will enhance your capacity to reach even the ceiling as well. No additional extension cord is necessary.

The dual-flex hose can move in any direction and no collapsing required.  And the 360-degree wheels can move around without any obstacle. It allows you to walk turning 360-degree by the hose no matter. Not only does this, but the vac is also doing some dirtiest jobs around the yard and the garage.

This vacuum kit with the largest-capacity tank includes a unique dust filter and a drain port to bring the fine dust for quick disposal.

You might notice that some vac system uses mobile base for smooth movement, but you don’t need such thing for this unit. It comes with the option for excellent mobility.

Most of the Shop vacs are loud, and it’s natural. The Ridgid manufacturer tried their best to control the noise level. To its part, they’ve included scroll noise reduction that controls the air-flow. To the best of my knowledge, Ridgid WD1450 is the quietest vacs in its class.

This one is a fantastic vac no doubt, but we find it lacks the detachable blower the Vacmaster VBV1210 includes.

Otherwise, it does wonderful jobs with its fastest liquid suction.

Pros​

• The unique fine dust filter and drain port
• The 360-degree wheels
• The 20-foot long power cord
• Scroll noise reduction to reduce air-flow
• Fastest suctioning

Cons​​​​​​

• Lacks the detachable blower

4

Shop-Vac 5989300- Best Value Pack

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SHOP-VAC 5989300 wet/dry Vac isn’t super powerful, but it did a great job in our testing when it came to sweeping up debris. It could perform equally for both wet and dry states, and anyone will find it a versatile tool kit with its numerous accessories.

Let’s have a look at its quality features first!

The stainless steel tank produces no rust ideal for durable service, and it is robust and adaptable to any job sites with its 4.5 peak horsepower motor.

The tank and the lid are held together, so it’s easy to maneuver. Convenient and easy to carry, the Shop-Vac comes with secure latch system. It consists of the rear blower port which converts the vacuum into a powerful blower.

One of the most noteworthy points is its versatility, and this is because the Shop-Vac comes with numerous filters, adapters, and accessories. These elegant accessories will surely come to cleaning up the dust and water as well.

No need to fear about muscular strains while using this Vac because the ergonomic design of the handles on top and at the side makes it portable, easy to move, and maneuverable.

One downfall of this Vac is that the power cord extension wand is small – about three feet long, which limits you to work within short distances. However, the Vac is decent for the price, and other aspects are excellent.

Pros​

• Powerful and versatile
• Portable, easy to maneuver with its top and side carry handles
• Accessories, filters, adapters included
• Rust-free stainless steel tank

Cons​​​​​​

• A bit glitchy
• Short extension cord

5

Craftsman XSP- A Cool 16 Gallon Wet/Dry Blower

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Craftsman XSP Wet/Dry Vac is the ideal bet for anyone looking for an innovative vac. This vacuum cleaner would quickly restore the beauty of the workshop after a busy working day.

Craftsman massive 16-gallon tank did a great job in our testing when we put to clean up floor dust and different messes. It is so powerful that can suck up almost 90% of the debris produced from the sawdust at its first pass.

It is technologically sound and designed to tackle the toughest cleanup projects at home or in the Jobsite for vacuuming fine dust from routing in the workshop.

Professionals like it because of its large storage capacity and versatile vacuuming opportunity. Innovative top-tray storage is another reason to love it. It allows for storing items conveniently.

This vacuum cleaner is smart and sturdy for its strong handle on the top to conveniently vacuuming around. The tank is dark red and bears a large storing capacity.

The wet-dry vac has an onboard hose and power cord organizers to reduce overall storage space. Large size though, manageable weight, heavy-duty 360 swivel casters, an extra-large drain combinedly earn the Craftsman XSP a high ranking in the comparison.

For wet applications, a quick control on/off power switch will shut off the float mechanism. It means it will prevent overflowing the tank sucking up too much during vacuuming. 

The vac system includes an extra-large drain that works great making the large tank quick-empty. Besides, 20 power cord extension wands and the hoses allow reaching more extended areas, and you need not unplugging any unit at all.

The vacuum also comes with a paper cartridge and a wet pickup foam filter. But be intelligent to check it very often to prevent from clogging up with fine dust. Of course, you can release it from the unit if you want to suck up the liquid spills.

The Craftsman outperforms almost the majority of the large vacuums. It comes with a double insulated motor with a polarized two-prong plug.

It is a large and powerful vacuum so far. Anyone might have confusion regarding its large size, and think if it can be used for both indoor and outdoor usages. 

In reality, it is the best design to use indoor, outdoor, and car cleaning as well.

One concern we had were the features of a few plastic components. You also might have found the lack of a noise diffuser. 

Otherwise, Craftsman XSP 16 gallon vacuum is a super performer cleaning floors, garage, drywall, carpets or water, etc. 

Pros​

• Large, sturdy and durable
• Suck up most of the dust from its first pass
• Best suit for the toughest cleanup projects
• Innovative top-tray storing system
• Auto quick control on/off switch
• Extra-large drain for quick-empty
• Double insulated motor

Cons​​​​​​

• The lack of a noise diffuser
• The foam filter might get clogged up with fine dust  

6

Shop-Vac 1.25 Inch Diameter- Best For Small Space

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Market research discloses the secret of the shop vacuum that super-powerful, versatile and gigantic vacuum outperforms any small shop vac in its class.

Small size portable vacs have some limitation carrying things done. It is because a large vac can perform great swiping almost every inch at its first pass. But the small size compact shop vacs need several swiping to accomplish the same job.

Besides, you need to carry the tank, again and again, to refill which is troublesome for the users.

However, the research fails in your case when you are a hobbyist, and you need only a portable vac for small space.

We have picked this shop vac to the list considering small Jobsite, portability, and users like a beginner stage at work. If you value cleaning in place with 6 feet power cord, and portability, this vacuum is the right choice for you.

Shop-Vac 1.25 inch diameter cleaning vacuum is compact and quiet with a low profile and stable design.

If you intend to get your job done with quieter operation, 1.25-inch locking hose and 3.0 hp bypass motor will be the best fit for wet or dry pick up.

The vac comes with a 3.0 hp motor that generates necessary speed with no noise at all. So, it will, I think, give you a quieter experience while vacuuming around your workshop.

It provides an impressive suction which makes it a great cleaning machine for any job site. To know how suction helps vacs come into function, dive into this article.

The tank of the vac is made of plastic, yet still, it is sturdy and durable compared to any steel tank. The tank is popular because it is dent resistant and rust-free. It comes with a beautiful color combination of the yellow and covering with a blackhead.

It includes a 6-inch long power cord that makes your way easy to clean up from one place. So, no hassle to unplug and reinstall from time to time. 

The shop-vac is, at a time, the two major types of equipment, and this one is the most significant portion of this vac.

It includes a rear blower port to facilitate leaf blowing. When installed, the rear blower port transforms the vac to a mighty blower. So, you can now use this vac for both vacuuming and blowing. You might notice it’s absent in many other vacuums.

However, the accessory storage rack is flimsy and lack carrying capacity. You would better avoid it while vacuuming outside. 

It features a standard 1-1/4 inch locking hose, but the inlet accepts 2-1/2 inch dimensions. The 10-inch combination nozzle, squeegee insert, and cartridge filter are included to make a complete set. A quick turning auto on/off switch, and the top and side handles are attached for greater movement. 

To ensure 100% clean up of home, garage, or workshop, the U.S.A. assembled unit will provide you a flawless and better experience. 

Pros​

• Standard 1.25 inch hose
• The 6 feet power cord
• Multiple cleaning and blowing options
• Compact, portable, and quiet
• Perfect for wet or dry pick up

Cons​​​​​​

• Flimsy storage rack
• Not best for huge cleanup jobs  

7

Vacmaster VF408 Vacuum- Best For Every Mess

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You perhaps undertook dozens of extensive cleanup projects at home or in the workshop. You also did some fantastic jobs of dry to wet vacuuming and back again. But what vacuum cleaner did you use to do such toughest jobs?

I did them with Vacmaster VF408 Shop Vacuum which did a fantastic clean up job for all solid and liquid messes. This 4 gallons wet/dry shop vacuum cleaner is best for office, home, or any job sites for cleaning up messes, hardwood debris, and liquid nuisance. 

Vacmaster VF408 is for every mess, and it’s a master. It is reported to perform smooth and quiet on carpetings and hardwood floors. The unit performs better with low-pile carpets protecting the hardwood floor without creating any scratches. 

However, our observation reveals that the vac works worse on medium-size high rugs. So, you can avoid if your target choice is for high.

You’ll find some other Vacmaster vacuums with different sizes and capacities out there, some of them perform great though. We find it better since the 4-gallon pack allows the best-balanced capacity, and the strong mobility as well. 

Not only that of its mobility, but it’s also cheap and affordable compared to its competitors.

We have ranked it with a solid ranking because we couldn’t find any significant shortcomings of this unit. However, we have ranked as the top pick of its sister unit, 12 Gal 5PHP vac for only one reason – the large carrying tank.

The VF408 vac comes with a portable and lightweight 4-gallon polypropylene tank for smooth and effortless operations. The powerful 2-stage industrial motor brings about the revolutionary achievement that allows it lasts long making quieter than other units.

The shop vac has a unique feature which is found missing in most vacuums. You’ll find two big wheels at the back, and two plastic casters at the front to carry the tank around. 

The lightweight wet/dry vacuum comes with 18 ft automatic rewind cord, and three separated extension wands to cover extra spaces to reach you want to.

The seven feet hose it comes with will allow you to clean in a car or the rooms around. The multi-floor nozzle or the utility nozzle allows you to vacuum upright on both floors and carpets.

Its one of the noteworthy features is the HEPA exhaust filter. The HEPA exhaust filter makes it the overall best vacuum for cat allergies and pet dangers. 

At the cleaning service, you might notice that the filter gets clogged off after a certain time, and you can bang the dust out of them with great distress. Vacmaster included HEPA exhaust filter meant for fine dust. 

Overall, the VF408 shop vacuum is a top choice for portable wet/dry vacuuming. However, driving the switch from dry to wet mode or vice versa is a hassle, we noticed. 

Pros​

• Overall, best for messes, and a master
• Quieter, smooth, and fast
• Cheap and affordable
• Lightweight and portable works for both wet and dry circumstances
• 18 ft automatic cord
• The multi-floor nozzle and HEPA exhaust filter

Cons​​​​​​

• It performs worse on medium to high rugs
• The tank is 4-gallon only required to refill repeatedly 

8

DEWALT DCV581H Vacuum- Overall Best Portable Vac

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DEWALT is always my favourite brand, and it’s because it offers some exceptional features anyone will like. In terms of vacuum, if you value portability, plugged in or off, cleaning up far-flung projects, DEWALT DCV581H will be the right choice.

We tested the powerful shop vacuums of several brands including Vacmaster, Shop-Vac, and Ridgid, but found it’s different from the rest.

It is more portable with its rechargeable battery, but don’t worry, you can plug it into the wall as well.

We didn’t classify it as a great one after the suction test. But what you’ll get from it is that it will assist you to clean up without the large fat tanks and noise like bigger vacs.

It is more compact and portable to carry. It can help you to clean up the messes in the shop and blow leaves with pewerful blowing. 

DEWALT introduces corded/cordless vacuuming and includes 18v to 20v battery with the DCV581H model. It is compact and portable, and you can anytime convert it to a blower meaning that you can carry it in the yard for blowing leaves. The interesting fact is that you can do it without any extension cord, and use a rechargeable battery instead.

We like it because of its compact design, and it can fit well in your toolbox. However, it has some shortcomings carrying out the far-flunk heavy tasks due to the lack of superior power and capacity.

It comes with a HEPA rated filter that sucks dust with efficient accuracy. It also includes a heavy-duty crush-resistant hose for more durability.

However, the fact is that the hose and the power cord are only 5 feet long meaning it’s mediocre to other portable vacs. 

Besides, it is considered as a slowcoach vacuum in terms of wet cleanup. When you need a vac for flooded clean up, it works slow and takes minimum time to accomplish the job. In that case, you should better find a large tank and fast vacuum.

Moreover, the filter gets clogged off very often, but it’s reusable when cleaned up. 

If you intend to buy some super-fast, heavy-duty shop vac for the toughest cleanup projects, you are, then, not in the right place. This tool is not to pick the hardcore job site debris, but to get your jobs done for small projects of hard to reach areas.

In that case, you can switch to Vacmaster, Shop-Vac, or some other options in the list.

Value your investment and make the right decision before you buy one. 

Pros​

• Both corded and cordless vac
• Lightweight, compact & portable
• Rechargeable battery and plugging facilities
• No large fat tank & quieter
• Best for cleaning up and blowing leaves as well

Cons​​​​​​

• Not super powerful like large vacs
• Short hose & power cord – 5 feet
• Slowcoach vac for wet cleanup

9

Vacmaster VQ607SFD- Stainless Steel Vac

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When Vacmaster VBV1210 shows its drastic effort to clean up home or out of home vacuuming projects, Vacmaster VQ607SFD is also not far away from performing great. Though it has not the larger tank, it can tackle the jobs with its 6-gallon tank. Furthermore, the six-gallon tank is neither bigger nor small, and the users consider it a portable tank.

Besides, the small size tank is still convenient enough to clean up medium messes, and still no need to empty the tank for further vacuuming. 

The stainless steel tank vacuum is a master class and is weather-resistant. It offers you a durable construction and lasts longer than most other vacs in its size. 

The heavy-duty tank clips reinforce the lid and keep tight to prevent leaks. When pressure creates inside the tank, it becomes tighter and secure.

The vacuum is absolutely a performer and always is ready to give you some extra. It comes with a 3 horsepower motor with single speed control and allows to pick up dust and dirt produced from table saw or router on a router table. You can use this vac to clean up the dirt from your workshop, garage, the floor of your house and even from the basement as well. 

If you compare this vac with other 6-gallon vacs, you will find two different issues that significantly prioritizes Vacmaster VQ607SFD. First one is its super tank. In most cases, you’ll notice issues with tanks. The tank might be poor quality and doesn’t support in time, or it’s flimsy and short-lived.

Vacmaster ensures the quality of the tank and designed with a stainless steel tank. The steel tank looks really nice.

The second one is mobility. The vacuum displayed here has four flexible and easy moving wheels to move the vac by the hose. It comes with a handle on the top of the tank meant to carry it by hands and move around when required. 

Aside from the hose, you will also get some few more accessories. You’ll find there a cartridge filter and a foam filter for wet clean up. The 12-inch power cord will help you reach the highest possible areas. You’ll also get a Deluxe floor nozzle and 2 extension wands stored with the tank for easy reach. 

In our list, this vac is a moderate level of performer. Before you go for this vac, consider the nature of your job first. It will definitely perform better with mid-ranged cleanup projects. 

Pros​

• Sturdy, durable stainless steel tank
• Affordable and looks attractive
• Wheels work great to move around
• Wet and dry clean up facility
• Standard cartridge filter

Cons​​​​​​

• Not super fast, and fit with far-flung projects
• It might not perfect for carpet cleaning 

​10

Bosch VAC090A- Best Auto Dust Extractor

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People are always curious to find things to use for versatile purposes. In terms of vacuuming spaces, the curiosity of people doesn’t go exception.

But the hard reality is that this dust extractor is not a multipurpose vacuum, especially not for carpet clean up, or floor vacuuming. Basically, it works great on concrete and construction sites.

Bosch VAC090A doesn’t work as a general-purpose shop vac, but what it does is really a great job. This dust extractor extracts clouds of dust and debris from construction sites. This powerful machine is ideally introduced for a lot of dust extraction application. 

It is not fit to clean up carpets or floor flooded.

This professional-grade vac is reasonably expensive and the largest industry selection by the application. When it runs, works like a beast producing far-flung air blowing and ensures maximum extraction per application. 

Best in the class and pro-guard system, this shop vac is the largest selection for your dust solutions. The complex and critical component in the system targets to the point to remove dust and ensures maximum dust removal with 2x faster anchor application.

In its running application, it provides consistent suction and enhances productivity with a strong airflow and suction power.

Bosch dust extractor comes with a 9.5 AMP powerful motor and a 9-gallon canister for your dust solutions. The power broker dials up to avoid blown circuits and allows smooth operations. This powerful kit makes your dust a history. 

You might notice in every vac that the filter gets clogged off after a certain time. Bosch introduces an automatic cleaning system that cleans the filter every 15 seconds to ensure clear airflow and maximum suction.

The machine is large but compact. The L-BOXX combines the whole unit into a compact and mobile unit. 

In the industry, it is the most important to ensure safety and compliance. When it becomes a major concern to protect yourself and others in the job site, Bosch comes with a Pro-guard VAC090A. The brand offers a complete system invented for life.

When you are using this pro-tool, you’re safe and compliant since it is OSHA compliant dust extractor. So, no health hazards and safety is the priority.

As a complete system, it also includes a long 10-foot hose & adaptor, VF100 filter, plastic bag, and nozzles. 

Pros​

• The most powerful unit for producing maximum suction
• Ensures maximum extraction per application
• 2x faster than ordinary vacs
• Automatic cleaning system
• Safe, secure and OSHA compliant tool kit

Cons​​​​​​

• Not perfect for vacuuming floors and carpets
• Highly expensive

What to Consider in a Shop Vacuum

Designs 

The best shop vacs come with an ergonomic design and provide flexible, easy moving equipment like lengthy hoses, different sizes several power cords, and extension cords. The best pick is to extend up to 20 feet and should be locked in place. Large size tank, up to 16-gallons with other flexibilities, is useful. However, you’d better avoid larger tank for small projects in tight spaces.

Sizes & Capacities 

Quality vacuums come in different sizes and capacities depending on the needs. Most people like to buy medium size vacs starting from 6-14 gallons since they cover maximum vacuuming solutions indoor and outdoor. The vac size smaller than 6-gallons and larger than 14-gallons will suit respectively small and large vacuuming projects.

Quality Tanks 

In most cases, shop vacs come with plastic containers, but still, there are some stainless steel tanks included with some famous brands. Plastic tanks are generally lightweight and portable, but not so sturdy and durable compared to stainless steel tanks. Steel tanks are water-resistant and leak-proof, so they provide users full confidence in the job site. Steel tanks continue to serve for years to come.

Air Blowing Power 

The more and powerful air blowing a vac produces, the more powerful the vac it is considered. Air blow here refers to the suction power of the motor included with the vac. And the higher and toughest job it is assigned to do requires the higher levels of suction power to produce. The intelligent eyes must justify the suction power of a vac.

Vacuum Filters 

Vacuum filters are one of the most significant features depending on what you are going to use them for. If you intend to buy a vac for general purpose usage without cleaning up fine dust, the filter will play no significant role. But dust clean up is a kind of health-hazardous job. Vacuum filter plays a vital role here keeping you safe and ensuring the safety of life.

You will find HEPA filters, cartridge filter, or some cloth and foam filters attached with shop vacs. Some low-quality filters may get clogged off after a certain time. Some of them may be reusable after clean up.

Attachments 

In addition, the top-rated vacs have an attachment of necessary accessories. Several extension cords and wands are very common to find attached with famous vacs. These tools help to reach uncomfortable and backward areas. Sometime, you’ll find a blower attached for leave blowing too. Nozzles work great to clean up the job site dust and debris.

How much does a shop vac cost?

The high price might, sometimes, bring you quality products, but research depicts that shop vacuums have no significant differences. What you see is for its size and nature of performance. If you intend to buy quality vacs, you can spend more or less $40 to $100 depending on the size of vacuums. You’ll find some quality vacs in our list that may exceed $100 and under $200. However, if you want to buy some indispensable workhorse like Bosch VAC090A, it will cost you more than $500. It’s because it works like a super horsepower machine to perform industrial dust extraction application. 

Before you go, watch this video to know how to choose a wet/dry vac. 

If you’ve already used a vacuum cleaner, you know how significant a filter is. The problem is it gets clogged off. Here’s a simple hack you can apply when your filter gets clogged off.

Watch this YouTube video to unveil the hack! 

Conclusion

In this review, we have tried our best to find all the best products in one place so you can easily make the right decision.

We found the following shop vacs are a performer and ranked them as top picks- 1. Vacmaster VBV1210 for medium to a higher level of jobs, 2. Armor All 2.5-Gallon Vacuum for small to medium jobs, and 3. Ridgid WD1450 for the toughest jobs ever.

So, it’s your part to buy right now according to the nature of your jobs. We can only tell you that you will not lose your money to buy any one of them. 

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