Cordless Vacuum

[Leaflessshadetree]

I'm looking for a vacuum to use around the garage (mostly outside) and boat (open john boat for hunting/fishing). My shop vac does OK but is a pain to move around and needing a cord.
Today I picked up a Milwaukee M18 wet/dry vac. Very disappointed with it.
Under powered. Plugs up way too easy, drains a 5AH battery in a few minutes (they advertise 30 min run time with 9AH but I doubt it).
I'm hoping for something that will pick up small debris (saw dust, wood chips, maybe some dirt, small leaves).
I'm thinking that a leaf blower/vac may be more suited to the tasks (I already have a blower) even if I have to adapt a hose to it.

What would you recommend?

 

[anndel]

Which Milwaukee model do you have? I have the red tackle box version and it's pretty decent but not as good at my 14 gallon Ridgid electric version I call Big Oaf since I'm always stubbing my little toe on the wheels. Several contractors we've hired or saw working have the red tackle box Milwaukee, they say the cylindrical clear vacuum is weak sauce.

 

[Mr_fixit]

They require too much power, so they're **** in my opinion. Battery & motor technology needs to get even better to have a good cordless version. I'd never recommend any cordless one unless you need to vacuum 5 minutes or less.
I don't see them improving any time soon.

....Unless someone decides to make a 3-400 one that operates on 40 volts or more, with a brushless motor and a 9 ah battery.

 

[mike93lx]

How about a long hose for your shop vac on a reel? I have a 25' hose between my garage doors that has been awesome. I can reach almost anywhere in the garage and a good bit outside. Its on a reel from FastCap

 

[techieman33]

I have the Porter Cable tackle box one and I've been happy enough with it. It's no comparison to a real shop vac, but it's nice to pull out for those quick 5-10 minute jobs. I hate having to drag the shop vac and an extension cord around for things like that. Seems I spend longer getting it out and putting it away than actually using it.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Which Milwaukee model do you have? I have the red tackle box version and it's pretty decent but not as good at my 14 gallon Ridgid electric version I call Big Oaf since I'm always stubbing my little toe on the wheels. Several contractors we've hired or saw working have the red tackle box Milwaukee, they say the cylindrical clear vacuum is weak sauce.

It's the 2 gallon "tackle box" version. The biggest issue appears to be that the hose and nozzle opening is about 1 1/4" but the fitting where it attaches to the tank has an opening that is much smaller.

 

[powertrip]

It all depends on the CFM air volume.

Ridgid 3 gal.= 60 CFM. $99 @ HD bare tool.
Milwaukee 2 gal. = 45 CFM. $89 @ HD bare tool
Dewalt 2 gal.= 33.55 CFM. $106 @ HD bare tool
Kobalt 24v 3 gal. = 50 CFM. $89 @ Lowes bare tool
Ryobi 3 gal= 45 CFM. $89 bare tool @ HD/$48 @ toolsdirect.com (recon)
Ryobi 6 gal= 80 CFM. $109 @ HD bare tool. This can be had for $159 with a 9.0ah battery and charger at HD.

 

[signcrafter]

I have the milwaukee and LOVE it. Maybe you got a dud or something because mine lasts a lot longer then a few minutes on a 5.0 battery. It also has plenty of power to **** up saw dust and other stuff like that and I don't think I've ever plugged mine up. I've used it on all sorts of stuff like drywall and saw dust. Sucking up water. I use it all the time to clean out the car and truck. Take it camping with us and use it to clean the camper up. I have 3 other shop vacs with cords and hated to drag them out. I would take the car or truck to the car wash instead of vacuuming them at home. Now I vacuum them all the time since it's so convenient to just grab the cordless vac and go to town.

With that said, it is a compact shop vac. The hose is half the size of my bigger shop vacs so it's not meant to be vacuuming up rocks and stuff like I do with my bigger vacs.

 

[LeeG]

I use the Milwaukee 0880-20 2 gallon vac a lot in my shop. I think it is one of the most useful tools I have purchased recently. I use it cleaning up around the drill press, and spot cleaning here and there. It is great cleaning out holes in concrete when you are setting anchors. I also use it to drain water from pipes when I am doing sprinkler repairs.

My 5.0ah batteries are a few years old, and I get plenty of run time out of them still.

 

[Voi]

What would you recommend?

FTWingRiders has made some initial comparisons of the new Makita brushless vac to the Milwaukee vacuum. Might follow up with him and see if he thinks the Makita is noticeably better.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7771206&postcount=168

There is also the Dewalt Flexvolt but I believe it's more than twice the price.

 

[DFB]

It all depends on the CFM air volume.

Ridgid 3 gal.= 60 CFM. $99 @ HD bare tool.
Milwaukee 2 gal. = 45 CFM. $89 @ HD bare tool
Dewalt 2 gal.= 33.55 CFM. $106 @ HD bare tool
Kobalt 24v 3 gal. = 50 CFM. $89 @ Lowes bare tool
Ryobi 3 gal= 45 CFM. $89 bare tool @ HD/$48 @ toolsdirect.com (recon)
Ryobi 6 gal= 80 CFM. $109 @ HD bare tool. This can be had for $159 with a 9.0ah battery and charger at HD.

Nice comparison powertrip


I'm also bit surprised at the opening post. I also have the Milwaukee one and it pretty much does everything I ask of it, and ya you really do benefit in run time using a 9.0 Don't know what one of the new HO's will do for you.

I clean up a lot of construction debris and can easily say chunks of wood can block up those smaller type 1 1/4" hoses though. Other than filling up reasonably quick being it is only 2 gal there's not much it don't pick up though.

My last job I drained out a toilet tank. I think cordless wet dry vacs are pretty great but the handheld ones are much of nothing

Too bad they can't make them run quieter. Drive me crazy cleaning my SUV carpets

 

[jgromada]

I have the small 18v Ridgid handheld vac that has a brushless motor. I used it in the car + for some small jobs. It is good for what it is.

I agree with the comment that until we see vacs powered by 36v/40v/etc it is hard to get a lot more suction. You would have thought it would have happened already. Seems Ridgid would be a natural to do it with the amount of shop vacs they make. That toilet water drain thing that DFB just mentioned is a perfect criteria for what the portable shop vac should be.

While we are at it why not make this new class vac a hybrid tool (ie operate off 110vac or batteries)

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

It all depends on the CFM air volume.

Ridgid 3 gal.= 60 CFM. $99 @ HD bare tool.
Milwaukee 2 gal. = 45 CFM. $89 @ HD bare tool
Dewalt 2 gal.= 33.55 CFM. $106 @ HD bare tool
Kobalt 24v 3 gal. = 50 CFM. $89 @ Lowes bare tool
Ryobi 3 gal= 45 CFM. $89 bare tool @ HD/$48 @ toolsdirect.com (recon)
Ryobi 6 gal= 80 CFM. $109 @ HD bare tool. This can be had for $159 with a 9.0ah battery and charger at HD.

I wasn't really disappointed with the suction. (No it doesn't compare with my shop vac). Still it wasn't bad and would pick up the material.
I really think the main problem is that the opening where the hose connects to the canister is smaller than the nozzle. It kept plugging up and I'd have to disconnect the hose. Seemed like a twig, leaf, wood chip, shaving, scrap of paper would get stuck there and then more stuff just piled up behind it.
It would probably be fine with liquids or saw dust.

I will look at the Ryobi and check the lawn and garden options even if I have to go gas powered.

 

[techieman33]

The porter cable 2 gallon is 35cfm and is going for $80 bare tool.

 

[dodge610]

I have the Ryobi model that is on wheels and it is fantastic. Use it to sweep out the cars plenty of power and usually one battery per car.

 

[WittHay]

Makita has a 18Vx2 canister wet and dry vacuum. Maximum air flow is 74 cfm and retails for about $400 cad. Not sure of the US model # but seems pricey compared to the models listed above

 

[Toold_up]

I bought one of these for using around the house and it's pretty great:

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/wet-dry-vacuums/wetdry-vacuums/2695096

Holds a charge for a while. Charge it up once every few weeks and use it 5 - 10 minutes daily. ***** up popcorn and doritos no problem. The hose can also be removed from the nose and get into tight corners of a high chair or couch cushions. I won't try to use it in the garage cause my wife would string me up by my toes.

 

[powertrip]

I have the Ryobi model that is on wheels and it is fantastic. Use it to sweep out the cars plenty of power and usually one battery per car.

That would be the 6 gallon version.

 

[Bacon!]

I'm looking for a vacuum... hoping for something that will pick up small debris (saw dust, wood chips, maybe some dirt, small leaves).

I'm thinking that a leaf blower/vac may be more suited to the tasks (I already have a blower) even if I have to adapt a hose to it.

I have not kept up with the latest greatest in cordless blowers but it does seem that this is what you need to handle the larger objects, but one that has a proper metal mulcher blade on it to reduce the size of the particles.

As someone already mentioned, it will need a lot of power and anything that does a good job for more than a few minutes would necessarily need to be far more expensive than a more powerful, longer runtime gas powered blower/mulcher so that is what I'd recommend. (That IS cordless!).

However I did a brief search and did notice Ryobi has a $179, 40V with a metal impeller for improved mulching (less impeller wear too, chips and twigs will eat up a plastic (only) impeller). It is possible that part of that metal designation is just marketing, that the impeller itself is still plastic but at least it does have a metal blade on the top of the impeller shaft to chop things up.

You can see it in the exploded parts diagram on the PDF on this page under the "Manuals" tab:

https://www.ryobitools.com/outdoor/products/details/40v-vac-attack-leaf-mulcher

Now contrast that you can get a gas blower mucher, a budget line with the metal impeller chopper attachment might take more pulls to start and be more picky about old gas than a $200+ contractor grade blower/mulcher, but can be had on sale for $100. In some cases a model without the metal chopper blade can just have that added by buying it separately, just take the nut off and throw it on.

https://toolcraze.net/ryobi-40v-cor...-propelled-mower-ry40lm30-40v-6-0-ah-battery/

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-4...attery-and-Charger-Included-RY40450/308040380

I should also mention, as anyone who uses this type of mulcher is aware, that after a certain # of hours it will have dusty sludge everywhere in it and need a near complete disassembly to clean it out, since there is no filter on it anywhere. On an electric that could also burn out the motor prematurely.

 

[Git]

I bought the Makita the other day. Acme Tools has a decent price, $20 off, free shipping and no tax. $139.99. They don't have any in stock right now, but I don't mind waiting

 

[dodge610]

That would be the 6 gallon version.

Yes sir that would be the one. Very handy unit.

 

[pelletman]

I have the larger Milwaukee and Ryobi. I like them both but I like Ryobi better, but it is bigger so if space is an issue. Neither have great battery life, 15 min on Ryobi

 

[James-W]

I just use my plug-in shop vac on a long extension cord. I realize a cordless one would be nicer to have, but when I vacuum the car out it takes me awhile to do it and a cordless one would most likely not last long enough to get the job done. My corded shop vac will run all day if necessary and never slow down.

I do have "leaf blower" made by Ridgid and it works pretty well for small jobs. It isn't really called a "leaf blower" it is more of a "jobsite clean-up" blower. I use it to blow sawdust or grass off the driveway, to blow the sawdust off the table saw or off the miter saw, things of that nature. It works good for small jobs like that, not so good to blow leaves off the lawn. But it wasn't made for that either and I knew that before I bought it.

 

[6PTsocket]

I bought one of these for using around the house and it's pretty great:

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/wet-dry-vacuums/wetdry-vacuums/2695096

Holds a charge for a while. Charge it up once every few weeks and use it 5 - 10 minutes daily. ***** up popcorn and doritos no problem. The hose can also be removed from the nose and get into tight corners of a high chair or couch cushions. I won't try to use it in the garage cause my wife would string me up by my toes.

There's sure not a hint of privacy on rhe net. I hit your link and Ace was telling me the delivery time to my local Ace store. LOL!!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk