What are the best shop vac models?
- Thread starter wazzabie
- Start date
Did yours stop working? They are kind of like anything else these days, kind of feel disposable. I have a Ridgid from HD and a Milwaukee M18 vac. They both serve a purpose. I do like the fact that I can use bags in them which makes it easier to empty out. I use the Ridgid with one of those dust cyclones on a five gallon bucket attached to my table saw. No more clogged filters.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I had an older NAPA one with the stainless steel tub and sealed motor. It was a real work horse and the newer ones just don't compare. That being said, when my son bought his home and needed a shop vacuum for his home garage, I ended up giving him my old stainless steel tubbed NAPA vacuum and I bought a Stihl shop vac and have loved it. It is powerful and actually works better than the older one, the only downside is that the vast majority of it is plastic. I really don't have any complaints about it nor have I had any issues with it after about 7+ years now, but I do wish it had a stainless steel tub vs. the plastic one. The Stihl was spendy, but I am of the philosophy buy once, cry once and I'm sure this will be the last shop vac I ever buy as it is very robust, even being composite.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
Depends on what you're going to do with it. If you are going to connect it to a sander, for example, you generally want one with adjustable suction because if you use too much suction with a sander, you pull that sander straight into the wood and you're more likely to leave swirls.
I have a festool with adjustable suction. For vacuuming out cars. I have a nice little rigid that I keep in the garage has a lot of suction works great and it's not too big that I can't just haul it around. I believe it is DeWalt that has a model that is low sound. If my 20-year-old Craftsman huge Shop-Vac ever fails, I will look at the the wall low decibel rating. Otherwise I'll just buy a Ridgid. I've used lots of different ridges and been happy with them.
I would give it more thought if I needed another one with adjustable suction. With my festool I can plug the sander directly into the vacuum and when I turn on the sander it will automatically turn on the vacuum and then when I turn off the tool it'll vacuum for a little more to make sure it ***** the dust out and then it turns off.
I have a festool with adjustable suction. For vacuuming out cars. I have a nice little rigid that I keep in the garage has a lot of suction works great and it's not too big that I can't just haul it around. I believe it is DeWalt that has a model that is low sound. If my 20-year-old Craftsman huge Shop-Vac ever fails, I will look at the the wall low decibel rating. Otherwise I'll just buy a Ridgid. I've used lots of different ridges and been happy with them.
I would give it more thought if I needed another one with adjustable suction. With my festool I can plug the sander directly into the vacuum and when I turn on the sander it will automatically turn on the vacuum and then when I turn off the tool it'll vacuum for a little more to make sure it ***** the dust out and then it turns off.
Odd-job
Well-known member
In typical Garage Journal fashion I have to recommend you spend more money... the Euro style vacuums are the way to go if replacing a typical corded shop vac. Festool, Nilfisk, etc.
Self cleaning filter (maybe not as much of an issue with a dust separator), higher quality vacuum bags, tool start (with corded tools), and lower decibels. Would not buy to **** up water. Also the thing I dislike the most is that they are not setup to take the wider 2.5 inch hoses that us Americans seem to like.
Self cleaning filter (maybe not as much of an issue with a dust separator), higher quality vacuum bags, tool start (with corded tools), and lower decibels. Would not buy to **** up water. Also the thing I dislike the most is that they are not setup to take the wider 2.5 inch hoses that us Americans seem to like.
milkovich
Well-known member
I had that same one possibly. The Shop Vac brand with the 40 gallon drum looking canister. It did not have a large diameter hose but worked ok. I recently bought a Ridgid and while not as good as the old ridgid models, it blows the shop-vac out of the water. I think Shop-vac was lowered in quality until it sold. No idea if the new owners brought the quality back. What I can say as an amateur woodworker, 2 1/2 is the bare minimum diameter I need for wood chips that come out of a jointer or planer.
All metal tubs are still a thing, you just wont find them at the big box stores often
These days you have more choices, so picking what your work requires is important.
_______________ Traditional Shop Vac_______________________________ Dust Extractor________________
Are you sucking up rocks from the bottom of a trench OR vacuuming up after small messes in a tidy shop
Ridgid is still the kind of big brute, big hose, beat the hell out of it grunt work- they do offer a metal tub version
Theres also now "Dust Extractors", more of a finer approach to vacuuming, typically smaller diameter hoses, quieter, better layout, on/off tool outlet, auto-filter, better accessories, expensive. Great for some, not needed for others.
Personally I think the sweet spot currently is DeWalts Stealth series with tool activation outlets- Big, heavy duty, cheap, with good features
These days you have more choices, so picking what your work requires is important.
_______________ Traditional Shop Vac_______________________________ Dust Extractor________________
Are you sucking up rocks from the bottom of a trench OR vacuuming up after small messes in a tidy shop
Ridgid is still the kind of big brute, big hose, beat the hell out of it grunt work- they do offer a metal tub version
Theres also now "Dust Extractors", more of a finer approach to vacuuming, typically smaller diameter hoses, quieter, better layout, on/off tool outlet, auto-filter, better accessories, expensive. Great for some, not needed for others.
Personally I think the sweet spot currently is DeWalts Stealth series with tool activation outlets- Big, heavy duty, cheap, with good features
badmatt
Well-known member
I use my CT48 for everything.
Everything that fits in a 36mm hose....
badmatt
Well-known member
With enough suction… anything is possible.Everything that fits in a 36mm hose....
I usually have to reduce it a bit for that.
ronkz650
Well-known member
Shop vac is good enough, but the brushes wear out and they don't sell any parts. All parts for every model, even current models are obsolete. This really grates on me, as no way parts are obsolete when you can buy the entire vacuum. I threw out like 6 of them for bad brushes. You can buy aftermarket brushes, but the quality and price is questionable to be worth the effort.
Dakotadadv8
Well-known member
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Rigid from HD are good. 16 gallon from 2005 and 3 gallon NXT in 2026.
The Dewalt Stealthsonic look nice and Shop Vac just came out with a competitor called the Whisper.
pelletman
Well-known member
I love the Bosch I have, also have M12 and Ryobi cordless, and a bunch of old craftsman
I have CM, Kobalt and Shop Vac. IMHO they're all about the same unless you have very specific requirement. I have yet to see one die. Just keep the filter clean. Make sure you get the 2" hose.
If you really want top shelf check Fe$tool.
If you really want top shelf check Fe$tool.
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neophyte
Well-known member
These were a mid range series in quality, somewhere between the basic cheaper units made for basic household use, and the ridiculously expensive “Industrial” Shop-Vac vacuums that could cost close to a grand or more.the shop vac I have looks like this
I have one that has been functioning since the 1990s.
The hose needed to be replaced at one point.
I think in the mid 1990s the Vacuum I purchased cost somewhere between $150 and $200 at Home Depot.
My newest one is the chrome looking ridgid. Great suction. I'm happy with it.
We used to have one of those original style shop vacs with the metal drum. It never worked all that well. We still have its replacement, don't know many casters have busted. It seems like it only has to bump something and they break. It still works but it's starting to sound chirpy.
We used to have one of those original style shop vacs with the metal drum. It never worked all that well. We still have its replacement, don't know many casters have busted. It seems like it only has to bump something and they break. It still works but it's starting to sound chirpy.
tiredoldironworker
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- Jun 14, 2024
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- 243
The chrome 8 gallon Hart at Walmart has been a solid performer and it's dirt cheap when on sale. I bought 3 last year at 30 bux apiece.
Any advantage to getting a newer style shop vac or just keep what I have?
I have a Dewalt Stealthsonic as my shop vac. Never going back to a loud sucker. Well worth the money for a quiet girl.
neophyte
Well-known member
If the vacuum still works, I would keep it.
Use it till it actually dies.
If you need or want a quieter vacuum with tool activation, buy that separately.
The ABS plastic Festool uses is likely nowhere near as durable as the metal and plastic Shop-Vac used.
Nilfisk/Alto/Wap stoll make shop vacs, but the vacs are expensive. (Ie. Several hundred dollars or more).
I think Shop-Vac may have modified the motor to be slightly quieter over time, and the “Industrial” extra thick hoses Ridgid makes are a bit better, and a Gore Cleanstream filter is a better filter than the original, but the Vacuum has otherwise lasted me 30 years or close at this point.
I also prefer to use it for messy grunt work.
johnre
Well-known member
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Dewalt stealthsonic is great. I got one for my folks and it's very quiet. I have an older shop vac "qsc" with a metal can that is quite good too.
If it died, a dewalt would take its place
If it died, a dewalt would take its place